Editorial Review:
Kinsale Inn upholds proud seaside tradition
By Joanna McQuillan Weeks
Saturday evening found Loring and I proceeding from an opening at the New Bedford Art Museum to dinner at the Kinsale Inn in Mattapoisett, where we arrived about 10 minutes before our 7 p.m. reservation.
We were seated in the cozy Red Room, adjacent to but curtained off from the bar (until the musical entertainment begins). Electric candles lit the windows and evocative photographs hung on the oxblood-colored walls.
My husband took the chill off with a Maker's Mark and soda ($6.50), while I requested a glass of McWilliams shiraz (a not-very-generous pour for $6.50).
Our pleasant and attentive server, Scott, also supplied us with glasses of ice water with lemon.
Looking over the lengthy menu, we discussed and discarded the idea of artichoke and spinach dip served in a bread boule ($7.99), since I feared it would be too filling. Loring decided instead on a bowl of Maryland seafood bisque ($4.99), though he could have had potato-leek, the evening's special.
He enthusiastically spooned up the tomato-based stock with bits of fish, shrimp and scallops. It came with oyster crackers, but Scott also brought us a plate of sliced Irish soda bread and brown bread. The flavor of the latter carried me back 36 years, to my one trip to Ireland — it's that authentic. The soda bread, studded with raisins, is excellent, too.
The house salad was included with Loring's entree, but mine was a la carte ($4.75, though the menu said $4). It consisted of a nice bed of mesclun garnished with a grape tomato, sliced cucumber and potent rings of red onion.
The inn's menu offers traditional Irish fare (or dishes with Irish names) balanced with New England and continental favorites. We covered both bases with our entree selections.
One of the evening specials, blackened ribeye with blue cheese mashed potatoes ($19.99) caught Loring's eye, but so did steak Jameson, from the regular menu. This sirloin, available in 9- and 16-ounce cuts, is flamed in the Irish whiskey and was to have been topped with caramelized onions. Loring chose the bigger steak ($23.99), and though it came with sauteed (not caramelized) onions, it was delicious. The morsel I managed to steal away from him was succulent and flavorful, fine beef indeed. He also pronounced "wonderful" the baked potato with Cashel blue cheese. Veggies certainly were abundant: The plate held both mashed carrot and rutabaga and a veggie medley.
I'd had a hankering for fish and chips since the night before, so I followed my inclination instead of sampling the corned beef and cabbage ($13.99) or beef tips Tipperary ($15.99).
Scott placed before me a plate laden with two nice portions of flaky cod in a light beer batter and a generous supply of steak fries. It came with a lemon wedge and a cup of tartar sauce that didn't have enough pickle for my taste. Unlike most fish and chip platters hereabouts, it doesn't come with coleslaw, though you can order a side. However, it was very enjoyable, and sated my craving.
Loring heard a diner at an adjacent table ordering bread pudding, so his mind was already made up as to dessert. It was a moist square of eggy pudding, nicely spiced, with a sweet sauce, and Scott complied with his request for vanilla ice cream on the side ($4.75). In preference to apple pie or a couple of varieties of cheesecake, I chose Bailey's chocolate mousse ($4.75), which came with a topping of the liqueur and whipped cream. It was rich and delicious, but the portion defeated me. My advice? Share with your sweetie.
The mugs of decaf ($1.90) were disappointing — thin and bitter.
On an earlier visit, when we had dinner before a December concert by Robbie O'Connell and Aiofe and Donal Clancy, Loring thoroughly enjoyed the inn's rendition of veal Oscar ($19.99), while I went for the traditional shepherd's pie ($10.99). On another visit, I'd like to try the Killarney cabbage wraps, stuffed with corned beef and potato ($6.99) or the Murphy's pot roast, cooked with stout ($12.99). There's lots more seafood to choose from, too, including St. Brendan's pot pie, with lobster, salmon, shrimp, clams, scallops and crab in a tomato basil cream sauce under puff pastry ($14.99).
Speaking of concerts, in addition to regular live entertainment on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, the inn hosts Irish sessions on Sunday evenings and ticketed special-event concerts. The aforementioned O'Connell-Clancy trio will be back to kick off a lively month of March.
Another detail to keep in mind is that Kinsale Inn is one of the few SouthCoast restaurants that offers a Sunday brunch buffet.
Our tab came to $62.62, not counting drinks and tip.
It appears the proud tradition of this seaside inn, established in 1799, is in good hands.
