insideKENT Magazine Issue 51 - June 2016 | Page 49

FOOD+DRINK seaside dining in kent Kent has an astonishing 350 miles of coastline, and it ranges from the iconic and famous to the intimate and hidden – and all of it is stunning. Clifftop walks and family-friendly bays vie with golden sand and shingle covered beaches for the top spot on Kent’s gorgeous coast, but for a true taste of the sea – and a view of it too – what about our impressive coastal restaurants? Rocksalt, Folkestone The Botany Bay Hotel, Broadstairs Rocksalt’s main aim is to cook the best ingredients as simply as possible. That’s it. And it works. Rocksalt is an informal yet smart dining room with a stylish, comfortable bar where customers are happy to spend an afternoon or evening looking out over the stunning view of Folkestone Harbour and beyond, over the English Channel. The fish at Rocksalt is as fresh as it gets, caught daily from the Folkestone fishing boats, and the meat is bred in the surrounding countryside. For Rocksalt, the keywords are quality, locality, sustainability and provenance. At The Botany Bay Hotel, the sea view á la carte restaurant offers classic British cuisine with a contemporary twist. Seafood is, of course, a speciality, and only the finest locally sourced seasonal produce is used here. That includes Romney Marsh lamb, Whistable oysters, and the iconic Dover sole as well as fresh fruits and vegetables from across Kent. It’s not just about the food either – Shepherd Neame provides the beers and ales, and the extensive wine selection features stunning Kentish wines. The menu includes dishes such as the seafood board (smoked salmon, smoked mackerel fillet, crayfish, seasonal leaves, warm bread, coriander mayonnaise and a caper and onion salad); chilli, rosemary and balsamic glazed lamb cutlets with sweet potato and butternut mash, seasonal greens and Chantenay carrots; and fillet of sea bream with crab and chilli linguine with pine nuts and dressed rocket. Menu items include lobster and salmon pasty with picked cucumber; Rocksalt fish soup; roast and smoked cod with Jerusalem artichoke, curly kale and cherry caramel; and wood pigeon, pearl barley, snail and wild garlic broth with roast onion. www.botanybayhotel.co.uk www.rocksaltfolkestone.co.uk The Sportsman, Seasalter The Coastguard, St Margaret’s Bay The Coastguard has the fantastic distinction of being the closest British restaurant to France – and it has been that way for more than 300 years. The views are beautiful, the restaurant boasts panoramic vistas across all of the bay and beyond, making this one of the most awe-inspiring spots to have lunch or dinner in all of Kent. Contemporary yet with centuries of history, this restaurant has recently undergone a refurbishment which has turned it into a must-visit Kentish eatery. There has been an inn on this spot since 1642, and the area itself has always been a producer of food – it is mentioned in the Domesday Book as belonging to the kitchens of Canterbury Cathedral. The current owners (who bought the restaurant in 1999), follow the monks’ example and only use food that is found locally. The Thames Estuary, leading out to the North Sea, provides oysters and fish, and in front, marshland, woods and fertile soils give us meat, vegetables and game. Some of the ingredients are even grown onsite; a small kitchen garden and polytunnel means they can cook with fruit and vegetables that benefit from being picked only moments before use. Food available here is fresh, local and simple with a rustic charm and a modern twist. Dishes include wholetail scampi with chips, calamari, and beer battered cod, chips and peas. Food served at The Sportsman includes rock oysters with hot chorizo; smoked, maple-cured pork loin with wholegrain mustard tartare; and roast gurnard fillet with bouillabaisse sauce and green olive tapenade. www.thecoatguard.co.uk www.thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk 49