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