FOOD + DRINK
GLOBAL SPICE KENT ' S HOTTEST RESTAURANTS
A COUNTY BLESSED WITH A PLETHORA OF AWARD-WINNING AND FAMOUSLY DELICIOUS PLACES TO EAT ; KENT IS NATURALLY A PLACE WITH A RESTAURANT INDUSTRY THAT THRIVES ON THE MULTICULTURALISM THAT ALSO FLOURISHES HERE . WITH THE 17TH ANNUAL BRITISH CURRY AWARDS JUST AROUND THE CORNER , insideKENT HAS ROUNDED UP SOME OF THE MOST HIGHLY RATED , TOP REVIEWED AND MOST RAVED ABOUT RESTAURANTS AND POP-UPS IN KENT , ALL CELEBRATED FOR SERVING SOME OF THE BEST CURRIES IN THE COUNTRY !
THE AMBRETTE
Known as ‘ The Curry Oscars ’, The British Curry Awards ( www . britishcurryaward . co . uk ) have been running since 2005 when they were first started by founder Enam Ali . Ali could never have envisioned the prestigious event that the awards are today when he set out all those years ago , his main vision being that they would ‘ provide a fittingly glamorous national shop window for the new generation of restaurateurs who , by their investment , hard work and creativity , were already setting new quality standards that even the Michelin Guide inspectors could no longer ignore .’
17 years later and these awards that now hold such high significance in the British restaurant industry , are not only attended by important figures from the food and catering trade but a host of famous faces that include leaders of the country , dozens of television and radio stars , and celebrities . ‘ The concept of the “ British Curry ” is now so well established that it is possible to forget the opposition encountered before the first awards in 2005 . There were a lot of people who objected believing that this was an “‘ Indian ’ or ‘ Bangladeshi ’ only product ” says Ali . Ali was ‘ ahead of the game ’ in realising that the new generation embraced both their Asian heritage as well as their Britishness , from which evolved their own ‘ particular brand of curry ’. Determined to give the talented people who had developed this new and unique dining experience for British customers their own identity and the recognition they deserved , Ali created the glittering awards .
Ever since the awards began , Kent is a county that has continued to come up trumps on being the home of a series of winners each year . So , as the cold weather sets in and the icy winds begin to bite , what better way to warm yourself up on a winter ’ s evening than with a taste of Asia from one of Kent ’ s hottest restaurants ?
The Ambrette , Margate
The Ambrette in Margate is beautifully situated opposite the famous Turner Art Gallery on Fort Hill and sits looking out towards the harbour arm and the glittering green sea beyond . Boasting not only views of Margate ’ s world-famous evening sunsets and beach , The Ambrette has now proudly obtained recognition from many major food guides as well as receiving Margate ' s first ever Michelin recommendation in 2010 .
A major player in the regeneration and newly found ‘ foodie ’ reputation of the town , The Ambrette , which also has three other restaurants in Kent , serves contemporary Asian cuisine , using three words to describe their menu : ‘ fresh , innovative and exotic .’ With an emphasis on fragrance and flavour over heat and spice , The Ambrette also use local products such as Kentish lamb and Gressingham duck to craft their dishes , and have now also concocted a brunch menu that cleverly combines English and Indian breakfast classics resulting in a menu truly unique to them .
www . theambrette . co . uk
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