Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Hotel

I was at the very first Kinsale Gourmet Festival more years ago than I care to remember, and I am a sometime resident of Kinsale, so I think we can take it that at this stage I know where the good grub is in Kinsale and most certainly where it is not! And when it comes with somewhere great to stay then that is even better. Michael and Rose Frawley’s “White House” cannot be missed as you drive into the centre of Kinsale for it stands proud looking right down Pearse Street. Michael and Rose and their son and daughter, Michael and Olivia, who are also very 'hands on' in the business, are true hospitality people – friendly, experienced, and welcoming. They have been a very long time in the business. This year The White House has had a major revamp turning this Georgian establishment into an uber smart boutique style guest house and restaurant. The bedrooms are really chic, comfortable and bright, and with all of the accoutrements even the most discerning traveller could require and you are right in the heart of everything. Their longstanding Restaurant d’Antibes is not just chic and stylish; it is delivering cracking food as well. The same can be said for their Bar cum Bistro which delivers bowls of chunky chowder, fresh fish, perfect poultry, succulent steaks from 12 noon to 10 pm daily and into which I very often pop for lunch. Restaurant d’Antibes offers a wine selection of very popular dishes at good prices. Starters include fresh Kinsale Mussels cooked ‘Mariniere’ style with Chardonnay, garlic and cream but with an Asian twist using lemongrass. Oysterhaven Oysters can be had au natural or baked in the oven with garlic and chili breadcrumbs – yum – like those. Salmon, haddock, and crab fish cakes come with roasted red pepper aioli whilst there is also a lovely warm seafood selection of mussels, oysters, and prawns steamed in garlic butter. If fish is not your thing there are plenty of other starters – goat’s cheese salad, golden fried mushrooms with garlic and lime mayonnaise, chicken liver pate…….. Mains include excellent beef in the form of a 10 oz sirloin steak “White House” with sauté onions, mushrooms and French Fries, with choice of garlic butter or Black Pepper sauce, or indeed medallions of beef fillet with a Brandy and Black Pepper Sauce served with rosemary roast vegetables on a bed of garlic mash. Crispy half duck is there too with a delicious apple and walnut stuffing, Star Anise and redcurrant jelly sauce. They always have a Fresh Market Fish of the Day along with grilled fillet of Sea Bream, a very popular fish in France and one of my favourites. They serve it with a shrimp and lemon butter. My son loves their seafood pancake, which has a selection of fresh fish and shellfish in a fish veloute, wrapped in a crepe, and glazed with melted cheese, which comes with a salad. They do a good chicken curry with saffron rice but they also have a vegetable version as well as two other vegetarian dishes – stirfried gingered vegetables with noodles or rice as well as a penne pasta option. Desserts include homemade apple crumble, warm chocolate brownies, crème brulee and a fresh fruit salad. They have a selection of House Wines and a well priced selection of eclectic vintages. Sure Barack wouldn’t get better treatment at the other White House.

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