Head Chef Guillermo Carrion Garcia, the youngest ever Chef de Partie in San Sebastian's renowned Arzak No. 21, is leading a Basque invasion of Kinsale - a very pleasing invasion indeed, and the beachhead is at Twisted on the Main Street.
At the Guardwell end of the narrow street that's become Kinsale's 'restaurant row', Twisted promises "High-end food in a quirky, chilled and unpretentious setting" and that's exactly what it delivers.
The long, narrow room is atmospheric and very informal, with distressed timber, candlight softening the simply set up tables, and a mixture of seating including inviting window seats full of cushions. The list of specials goes up on a big black wall that's also used as a noticeboard - team members' names are posted along with (possible) personalities, like creative, cool, adventurous, passionate etc.... There is also a small specials board that can be left on the table if you need it, but the staff are very quick to bring menus (also a few olives to nibble) and explain the specials.
Lots of local produce and foraged items are used in a modern, creative cuisine with Spanish (Basque) influence. Not just Spanish though. They describe it themselves as 'Spanish fusion with a twist' so, for example, the Skeaghanore Duck leg confit comes with a rustic style wild garlic potatoes, Dordogne style; add in a fig sauce, a white peach froth, and a beautiful apple and walnut salad and you are looking at a remarkable creation.
Skill and creativity is combined with great effect throughout the menu, including the long list of tapas.
There are sociable boards to share - free range bellota Iberico ham, for example, or cheese boards that may include the Spanish Zamora, alongside local Gubbeen and Ossau Iraty sheeps milk cheese, from the western Pyrenees. Whether to enjoy as tapas dishes with a glass of wine or as your starter the choices are excellent, ranging from House cured duck salad, or mussels with Iberico Belloto chorizo to fresh crab meat with foraged sea spaghetti salad.
The main courses are listed under Platos and top of the list is the stunningly presented Lobster and Halibut Miloja; with the fish in a puff pastry pocket, served with a squid ink risotto, pak choi, local samphire (in season) and roasted cherry tomatoes, this is a must-try dish. Allternatively, lovers of red meat will find fillet steak like never before, a magnificent dish with chanterelle mushrooms, cognac and wholegrain mustard sauce, potato purée, and braised green beans with grapes.
And so to dessert, offering equally difficult choices. A Santiago almond tart, for example, comes with mascarpone ice-cream and fresh mango, lightly sprinkled with icing sugar - or you might try the Gingerbread Alexander Dessert Cocktail, a boozy one designed to put a smile on your face, with white port, cacao liqueur, Monin gingerbread syrup and fresh cream. if you like to finish with a dessert wine, there are a couple of extra options offered, including a Banyuls red dessert wine that comes with three truffles or, better still, take the opportunity to sample Caneles de Bordeaux, a gorgeous little rum and vanilla custard filled pastry that come with a lovely white dessert wine from Jurancon.
The very good wine list features organic wines and offers about a dozen each of red and white by the glass (75ml and 150ml). Good choices on a first visit might include a Bodega Menade Verdejo from Spain’s Rueda (white) and the Moroccan Voubilia Domaine de la Zouina, a gorgeous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, or maybe the Heritage du Cedre Malbec from Cahors (red).
The value is good, providing you avoid over ordering (easy to do with tapas style menus) and, ensuring a happy experience, good service is a match for the excellent food - friendly, informative and helpful, right the way through.
Another seriously tasty reason to visit Kinsale.
