FOOD + DRINK
US @ FORT ROAD
TWO YEARS ON FROM ITS OG LAUNCH, RYAN JACOVIDES’ LATEST VENTURE BRINGS POMUS’ S RENOWNED DINING TO ONE OF MARGATE’ S MOST ENVIABLE DINING ROOMS FOR A SUMMER RESIDENCY THAT IS ALREADY IN DEMAND AS A PERMANENT FIXTURE. SAMANTHA READY CHECKS IN FOR SEA VIEWS, SMALL PLATES, SERIOUS WINE AND SUMMER VIBES …
There is something rather satisfying about brand Pomus. I don’ t just mean from the flavourful small plates that now dominate the Kentish coast from its Thanet beginnings to its Folkestone incarnation, but also from watching a good idea grow. Two years ago, Pomus bounded into the Kentish hospitality scene, opening the doors to its Margate restaurant with such aplomb it quickly became one of those places people mentioned unprompted.“ Have you been yet?” quickly became“ we’ ve booked again”, then came Pom on the Harbour, a joyful little wine-by-the-glass and snack spot where a quick glass somehow turns into an entire evening. Pomus Folkestone followed, which inexplicably is already celebrating its first birthday yet still bubbles with newness despite a loyal local following who fight over in-demand tables. And now founder Ryan Jacovides and his team have crossed town once more, bringing their flavour-first cooking to the Fort Road Hotel with US, a summer residency that feels so at home in its surroundings you can’ t help but question why it wasn’ t always there.
Jacovides is the first to acknowledge that hospitality is a challenging industry; he was still consulting in London three days a week when launching Pomus Margate and knows that multisite operations are one of the only ways to ride out ever increasing costs. And yet Pomus’ s rise to hospitality stardom is far from a‘ let’ s open another branch for cost effectiveness’ march and an utter disservice to Jacovides’ evident restaurateur talent. Each of Pomus’ s next steps has been considered and appropriate, and has trodden that unique line between evident demand and a little bit of nuance. US @ Fort Road continues this path.
Perched above the shoreline inside one of Margate’ s most handsome buildings, the Fort Road Hotel has become a destination in its own right. Bedrooms unfold across two upper floors, a rooftop terrace captures some of the finest sea views in town and a characterful basement hosts everything from talks and exhibitions to parties. On the main floor where US now resides, huge windows frame the sea beyond and the distinctive roofline of Turner Contemporary.
It just feels fittingly right.
Outside, the skies roll through every shade of Turner grey. Inside, there is a different sort of artistry at work. Pomus has always understood that good ingredients rarely need overcomplicating. Menus ebb and flow with the seasons, dishes arrive without unnecessary fanfare and flavour always takes precedence over flourish. Hotel guests can happily settle in for a leisurely supper, while destination diners occupy neighbouring tables, drawn here by Pomus’ s growing reputation that now stretches well beyond its Thanet roots attracting diners from near and far on repute alone.
One of the first things to catch the eye is the chalkboard. By day it records temperatures and tides. By evening, it transforms into a running list of daily special wines by the glass, a format that has become every bit as synonymous with Pomus as the food itself.
A glass of Un Petit Blanc, a grenacheviognier blend, proved an easy place to begin. Fragrant with peach skin, apricot and citrus blossom, it carried enough texture to stand comfortably alongside the food while remaining wonderfully refreshing.
Three oysters disappeared almost immediately, tasting unmistakably of the coastline beyond the windows. Alongside those came warm house baguette with a wholegrain mustard and lemon butter, rich yet lifted by citrus brightness, and a bowl of marinated olives that glistened in the sunset.
The menu here is refined and perfectly formed. A selection of six small plates which can be enjoyed as a starter or tapas style followed by four larger plates and four‘ from the grill’ options for additional depths of flavour. Keen to try as much as possible but also in‘ dinner mode’, we opted for dishes across the sections.
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