insideKENT Magazine Issue 52 - July 2016 | Page 115
TOWNSPOTLIGHT
Whitstable cont.
Whitstable Museum & Gallery
The Whitstable Museum & Gallery is a fascinating
glimpse of Whitstable past, present and future –
with special details available about the town’s
maritime history. Here you can see exhibitions
about how Whitstable grew into the town it is
today, including information about the seaside
holidays, the oyster fishing industry, shipbuilding,
the steam railway, and the memorial to local
resident Peter Cushing. There is even a fire engine
to clamber around on and the chance to hunt for
fossilised sharks’ teeth.
Whitstable Harbour
Whitstable Harbour is a lovely place to visit. It is
a working harbour, so it is possible to see exactly
what goes on on a daily basis, as well as getting
an insight into just what makes Whitstable the
town it is. Visit the Royal National Lifeboat
Institute’s office and discover what it takes to be
part of the RNLI. And as for fishing and wildlife,
there is plenty of each. You can even spot baby
seals that sometimes swim into the harbour.
The Horsebridge Arts & Community Centre
This fantastic site is located right in the centre of
Whitstable, and it offers a varied programme of
cultural and community activities and events. For
more than 10 years it has been a hub of
entertainment and information, becoming known
as a quality venue for the arts, social, learning
and leisure. Events include galleries, workshops,
talks, live music, screenings, a theatre space and
a popular café.
DINING OUT
Birdies
Birdies is a lovely little bistro that has both indoor
and outdoor seating. Chequered tablecloths,
handwritten menus, specials chalkboards,
photographs of Whitstable past on the walls…
It’s all incredibly charming. Not only does it look
the part, the food here tastes superb too. Freshly
caught and cooked fish, lobster and of course
oysters adorn the menu and the choices are a
wonderful mix of modern and traditional cuisine.
Samphire
Simple food made with great produce… that’s
the ethos of Samphire, and it’s something they
do very well indeed. The seasonal ingredients all
come from local farms, allotments and producers,
and the menus are constantly changing to reflect
the season and the produce available. Food on
the current menu includes Indian spiced mackerel
with pickled beetroot and raita; Stour Valley pigeon
115
Saltimbocca with apple verjus and lentils; baked
aubergine with rose harissa, fregola, pomegranate,
yogurt and mint; and day boat fish of the day.
Alimo
Alimo is an authentic – and authentically lovely –
Moroccan restaurant in Whitstable. The food is
tasty and filling and the surroundings are
impressively comfortable. Although the main
dishes are Moroccan inspired, other items on the
menu are a fusion of Mediterranean cuisines so
there is definitely something for everyone. Enjoy
Moroccan briwat (pastries), feta cheese, lentils
and baby spinach with harrisa and yoghurt
dressing; pan-fried squid, garlic, chilli and white
bean cazuella; kofta tagine lamb meatballs cooked
in fragrant herb and spiced tomato sauce topped
with a cracked egg; and pan-fried lamb’s liver in
creamed almond sauce with carrots and green
beans.
The Whitstable Oyster Company
This world-famous restaurant, also called the
Royal Native Oyster Stores, has been around for
a long time now, and the Whitstable Oyster
Company itself has enjoyed over 500 years of
success, so when it comes to eating the finest,
freshest fish this is the place to come. As you
would expect, you can start with half a dozen