Eat & Drink

Local Palates

Kinsale: Comforting Home Meal in the Neighbourhood

Now that the MTR’s Hong Kong Island Line has extended to Kennedy Town, the dining scene at the area has become more vibrant than ever. This allows us to further explore our palates at this hustle-and-bustle-free zone with greater convenience.

Located on the waterfront New Praya, Kinsale is named after a historic fishing town in Ireland which is also known as a gourmet destination. This wood-beam, high-celling restaurant features Irish-inspired family comfort food with a down-to-earth ambience . Cathal Kiely, the mastermind behind Solas, Kilas and Rula Bula in Central, has expanded his culinary map to Kennedy Town showcasing his passion of his home country and cooking style. Christopher Kerr was invited as the Executive Chef to bring new and inspiring menus. His previous experiences in modern British cuisines includes Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Hospital Road and other venues.

Slow-Roasted Cornish Roch Hen

The menu features dishes that are perfect to warm our tummies under this chilly winter. The Slow-Roasted Cornish Roch Hen ($218) was roasted just right to ensure a juicy and chewy experience. If you happen to be a connoisseur of crabs, Kinsale can definitely satisfy your appetite with two impressive crab meat dishes: Lump Crab Cakes ($138) and Dressed Crab Mayonnaise ($148). The former offers two nicely fried cakes filled with large chunks of crab meats; the latter was crab meat balls stuffed with mashed potatoes served on a lemon juice salad mix of apples, cucumbers, bell peppers, and more crab meat.

Lump Crab Cakes

Dressed Crab Mayonnaise

Another round of seafood delights began with a big bowl of Thai Curry Mussels ($188). The red curry sauce brought wonderful sweet aroma while maintaining mussels’ freshness from the water. The sauce also served as a nice dip for the bread and fries as well. The Kinsale Fisherman’s Pie ($198) was another warming comfort: a baked whipped mash with white fish, prawns, scallops and crab meat.

Thai Curry Mussels

The Kinsale Fisherman's Pie

We were quite full by these large portions dishes but our savory quest would not just end here without some nicely made desserts. Two heavenly sensations were arranged to satisfy our sweet cravings: Lemongrass & Ginger Panna Cotta ($78) and Warm Apple, Cinnamon & Sultana Crumble ($78). The former is a frozen treat served with mango puree and Italian biscotti. The use of those ingredients are inspired by the chef’s previous travels in Asia. The apple crumble is a classic homemade treat served with thickened cream and vanilla bean ice cream. After all, we gave Kinsale a thumbs-up for a laid-back dining experience. It is a wonderful down home dining choice after all the exotic and exciting parties from the holiday season.