Kinsale – a must-visit seaside restaurant in Kennedy Town

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Kennedy Town is fast becoming one of the coolest neighbourhood’s in the 852, with tons of funky bars and cool restaurants popping up (check out of our roundup on them here). One of the rising stars of Kennedy Town’s foodie scene has got to be Kinsale, which serves up gourmet comfort food by the seaside. After rave reviews from the girls in the office, I went to check it out and give you the full lowdown on this already well-loved resto.

Set on the waterfront in laid back Kennedy Town, Kinsale has a light and airy, spacious interior, which is a lovely contrast from the mostly cramped and busy restaurants you get in the Soho/Central area. The modern yet relaxed decor has nautical touches and the vibe is relaxed – the perfect place for a chilled out evening meal and a glass of vino or a lazy Sunday brunch.

Kinsale offers a great range of drinks, from wine to beers to spirits. The Sassy girl in me couldn’t resist sampling one of their tempting sounding signature cocktails though, and I happily ordered the ‘Ruby Red‘, which consisted of silver tequila, pineapple, raspberry, wildberry, agave nectar, salt and pepper. The slushy-like consistency of the drink made it seem more like a dessert, especially with the sweet flavour of the berries! However, the tequila, salt and pepper added a great tartness that cut through the sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed sipping on this as we waited for our main meal to arrive.

To begin, we went for the Dressed Crab Mayonnaise with avocado, cucumber, chervil & apple, crab croquette ($148). Kinsale takes pride in its seafood, and we could see why when the beautifully presented crab arrived. The crab was meaty yet creamy, and the apple and cucumber added a really fresh, light element to the generous portion. The little crab croquettes were crisp on the outside and added a nice contrast in texture to the dressed crab. A great choice for a starter and even as a main for lunch.

For mains, I was keen to try the delicious sounding veggie option of Courgette Spaghetti with broccoli, peas, beans and parmesan. The creamy sauce was absolutely moreish and the veggie noodles were surprisingly delicious, mimicking the texture of real pasta. I loved how fresh and creative the dish was, and the fact that it was extremely comforting and satisfying despite being completely vegetarian.

We were advised to try the Slow Roasted Cornish Rock Hen with buttered green beans, potato chips, bread sauce & jus gras ($218). The beans were crunchy and garlicky – I could have eaten a whole bowl of them! The chicken was quite difficult to cut up and while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t that memorable.

We couldn’t leave without trying the dessert! I decided to have a bite of the unusual sounding Bruleed Goat’s Cheese Cake with honey, toasted pistachios and salted caramel ($78). The choice to use goat’s cheese can go either way, and I definitely think it’s an acquired taste in a dessert. That being said, I really enjoyed it – the pistachio base was crunchy and sweet, which went surprisingly well with the strong, creamy goat’s cheese. The salted caramel added a lovely sweet and saltiness to the dish, and I would definitely order this again for something a bit different!

We were told we had to try the Warm Apple, Cinnamon and Sultana Crumble with vanilla bean ice cream and thickened cream ($78). When it arrived it was unlike any crumble I’d seen before! If you’re a traditionalist you might not be too keen on the unique, chunky crumble topping, but I certainly enjoyed the slightly crisp chunks that had a buttery flavour that went perfectly with the wintery, stewed apples underneath. Definitely one to order on a chilly day!

The waitresses at Kinsale were absolutely lovely – so friendly and approachable without being overbearing. They definitely help to give the restaurant such a relaxed and family-friendly vibe, and it was nice to have our courses well spaced out too so that we weren’t rushing through the meal. I’d love to go back to see how they cope when the restaurant gets busier as it seems like they could have a lot of covers to get through on the weekend!

The Sassy girls in the office didn’t lie when they recommended Kinsale, and I will 100% be coming back to this seaside establishment. The delicious, polished comfort food goes down a treat in the relaxed, smart-casual environment. A must-visit if you want something a bit more chilled out than the hubbub of Soho on the weekend! Prices aren’t cheap, but for the quality of the food and the great atmosphere it’s worth paying; starters range from $68-$188, with mains between $178-$388 and desserts all at $78 (except for the selection of cheeses which comes in at $158 – see the full menu here). I’m also keen to try the brunch one weekend as the menu looks delicious. See you there!

Kinsale, Shop 3, G/F, New Fortune House, New Praya, Kennedy Town, 2796 6004, www.kinsale.com.hk