insideKENT Magazine Issue 30 - September 2014 | Page 54

FOOD+DRINK

Kings Head, Wye
You may find fondue and chicken kiev on the menu, but there is nothing kitsch
about the Kings Head, Wye. This Kent-based eatery is one classy gastro pub, with
an emphasis on homemade and local. BY HELEN BYRDE
It may not look it, but the Kings Head – which is
now a year old – is a Shepherd Neame pub and
the only one in the brewery chain to be nonbranded. Therefore, you can still enjoy the delights
of the brewery, but it has the feel of a London
pub, rather than one you would usually find in a
Kentish village. And Scott, who runs the pub with
partner Mark, has indeed modelled the surrounds
on a London eatery.
Yet there is no escaping Kent here; there
are photographs on the wall of local shoots,
Kentish jam and chocolate pops on sale, and
everything on the menu is either homemade or
local – from the bread to the meat.
The menu combines traditional pub fare
with some more jazzy delicacies, such as crispy
pig's ears. One of the Kings Head’s specialities
and urged on by Scott, I gamely gave it a go.
Strips of crispy meat, served with a homemade
tartare sauce, the dish was actually delicious and
strangely moreish. What's more, they were on
the sharing part of the menu, so we hadn’t even
had a starter yet and our mouths were watering
for more of the delights to come.
Fondues are another speciality at the pub,
so my dinner companion decided to try the three
cheese fondue, served with honey glazed ham
and chunks of toast. Whereas I plumped for the
haddock scotch egg, which came with a saffron
crème fraîche.
The fondue definitely did not disappoint;
the rich sauce was irresistibly cheesy and the
ham was almost a meal in itself with deliciously
smoky big hunks of meat.
Meanwhile, cast aside any ideas you have
of picnic scotch eggs in a packet; the scotch

egg I had at the Kings Head was sublime,
comprising of fluffy potato and haddock in a
crispy shell, with a beautiful yellow egg sitting
neatly inside.
Now, what to choose for the main course?
There was a good mix of traditional pub grub
and some impressive meat and fish dishes, but
in the end my companion opted for the 16oz
burger and I was tempted by the chicken kiev.
The delectable burger was served with
crispy hand cut chips (cooked in beef dripping,
though there was also a vegetarian alternative),
creamy coleslaw and a red onion marmalade –
with the option to add extra toppings if desired.
My chicken kiev was so good that I fear I
will never be able to enjoy a frozen version again.
The coating was crispy, and met with a succulent
chicken layer and lovely garlic-y juice. I also
enjoyed the accompanying crispy hand cut chips,
as well as a side salad with a balsamic dressing.
Although we were both pretty stuffed, we
thought it was only right that we sample the
whole menu.
For dessert, I opted for the pistachio crème
brûlée. One of my favourites, I was eager to
sample a nutty take on a classic, and it certainly
didn’t disappoint with its winning flavour
combination and good balance between cream
and crisp.
My dinner partner was tempted by the ice
cream and frozen yoghurt selection. The only
pub to stock the local Yog frozen yoghurt, he
picked the creamy vanilla and honey version, in
addition to Taywell's caramel cream and a
refreshing elderflower sorbet.

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We washed our food down with a deliciously
decadent glass of Gusbourne English sparkling
wine from nearby estate, Appledore.
A ten out of ten, the Kings Head opens
from 8am for coffee and breakfast, followed by
lunch and dinner, special DIY pizza nights for
children on Thursdays and Fridays and wondrous
roasts on Sundays. However, Scott and Mark
are by no means intending to rest on their laurels,
with plans for a takeaway menu and a special
menu for dogs among their ideas for the future.
And if you enjoy the food and wine a little
too much, the pub boasts four rooms, with the
prospect of five more in the pipeline. Rooms at
the Kings Head start at £80 for a double and
include breakfast.
I may just have to stay overnight to see if
the breakfast menu is as good as the dinner one
– though, I think I already know the answer!

The Kings Head
Church Street
Wye
Ashford
TN25 5BN
01233 812418
www.kingsheadwye.com