FOOD + DRINK
FIREPIT at Cave Hotel & Resort
SECLUDED , LUXURIOUS WITH AN AIR OF EXCLUSIVITY , CAVE HOTEL & RESORT IN BOUGHTON JUST OUTSIDE OF CANTERBURY , HAS , AS I PREDICTED ON ITS OPENING IN 2019 , BECOME A FOODIE DESTINATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT , DOING SO IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE DESPITE PANDEMIC CHAOS . BY SAMANTHA READY
Looking for the perfect encapsulation of what Cave stands for , there is no better poster child than its signature restaurant , Firepit , and the slick team that run not just the booked-out-months-in-advance , moodily lit , oak-beamed Firepit dining room , but also sister F & B offerings , the Cowgirl Lounge and Korean Cowgirl restaurant - a concept that pitched up as a lockdown takeaway offering ( in addition to its original Canterbury city-centre location ) and proved so popular it never left , expanding Cave ’ s signature onsite repertoire with yet more deep flavours and welcome assault on the senses .
Embodying Firepit ’ s sophistication , welcome , charm , and cheekiness into a person is Sergio Gomes , Firepit ’ s restaurant manager . Offering just the right combination of friendliness and professionalism , Sergio works a dining room with ease , recommending wines and dishes effortlessly , while surmising the premise and nuances of Firepit most succinctly . “ It has changed so much since you were last here … You must try the new dishes … Just wait until you see what ’ s planned this year … Oh , it ’ s your guest ’ s first time here ? You ’ re going to love it , get ready for BIG flavours . You won ’ t be disappointed !... But first cocktails , yes ?”
And that ’ s how our evening began , happily ensconced in the secluded Cowgirl Lounge , working our way through the signature and twisted cocktail menus which not only offered delights such as the K-Pop Martini with yuzu-infused Ketel 1 vodka , Storm in the Cave with Gosling Black Seal rum , and Passionfruit Collins , but also offers most as ‘ zero-proof ’ options . The non-drinkers among us can instantly forget shoddy mocktail second thoughts and instead enjoy the ‘ almost ’ real thing .
Welcomed to our central table by host Lucy and waiter Adam , the seemingly effortless charm and passion of Sergio has evidently been carefully installed into his wider team and demonstrated throughout our evening ’ s dining enjoyment ; most prominently by the effervescent Adam , who , just months into the job , delivered dish after dish ( after dish - no apologies given ) with flair , enthusiasm and a side order of expert knowledge .
So , for those yet to have had the pleasure , let ’ s start by explaining the concept . The menu at Firepit isn ’ t a standard ordered affair of courses , instead it is a taste-bud tempting plethora of dishes designed to be paired , delivered in chef-led order , and , most importantly , shared .
Plates fall into three simple categories : fish , meat and vegetables , and the execution is anything but simple - it ’ s sophisticated , exciting , and ultimately , delicious .
The brainchild of group executive head chef , John Bingley – at the helm since its opening , who , with his wider team , travelled extensively in order to develop dishes where the smokey , barbeque aromas of the American west combine with the delicate spices of the Far East , to create an ambitious , exciting , menu that showcases global cuisine and that the team are truly passionate about – the menu becomes a test of what not to order , rather than what to pick .
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