FOOD + DRINK
CHRISTMAS TREATS CONT .
Bowleys at The Plough , Trottiscliffe www . theploughkent . com
Set in the quintessential Kentish village of Trottiscliffe near West Malling , community treasure Bowleys at the Plough serves up the masterpieces of head chef Alex Yates all year round . This Christmas , Bowleys are set to bring even more magic to the season with a myriad of festive delights showcasing the best of Kent and Alex ’ s kitchen mastery . The Christmas menu set lunch consists of carefully constructed starters such as sea bream tartare with lemon emulsion , pickled onion and chive , as well as butternut squash risotto with Kentish cobnut and smoked almonds . Mouthwatering mains include roast turkey with goose fat roast potatoes , local vegetables , pigs in blankets and truffle jus , as well as roasted stone bass with baby leek , chive and clam chowder . Veggie options can also be enjoyed in the form of salt-baked celeriac Wellington . Finish off the feast with Christmas pudding and brandy ice cream , or go savoury with Kentish blue , charcoal crackers and quince . Two courses are priced at just £ 26 and three courses at only £ 32 .
As well as this wholesome festive lunch , diners can enjoy a supreme dining experience crafted by Alex on Christmas Eve in the form of a tasting menu . For £ 90 per person , delight in delectable canapés made with sheer creativity and kitchen artistry . Highlights include Maldon oysters , cured monkfish with wasabi , pheasant with celeriac , and Sevenoaks ’ venison with celeriac puree . Sweets include haunch croquette and blackberry Christmas pudding with brandy ice cream . Bolweys have also created a vegan version of this culinary marvel . Sophisticated cocktails share this wonderful menu ; the ‘ White Rose ’ includes blackberry Martini Rosso , and the ‘ 1815 Victoria Plum ’ is made with raspberry and ginger granita .
For those looking to indulge in some Bowleys goodness at home , or gift it to a friend , the answer comes in the form of the Bowleys Hamper . A truly Kentish Christmas hamper containing a real feast from the Garden of England , it includes Bowleys white and red wines , Bowleys Christmas pudding , Major Marshalls ’ chutney , Trottiscliffe honey and a £ 10 gift voucher for food and drink at Bowleys at the Plough .
Water Lane , Hawkhurst www . waterlane . net
Set within an idyllic walled garden which is beautiful all year round , Water Lane is Kentish dining at its best . The working kitchen garden provides vegetables for the restaurant and seasonal cut flowers for florists
and events , which this season includes a festive wreath making workshops complete with drinks and buttery mince pies . Create a stunning naturalistic wreath under the careful guidance of Bloom and Burn ( www . bloomandburnflowers . com ), perfectly complemented with a luxury velvet ribbon .
As well as festive workshops , Water Lane are holding a Christmas Fair on 3 and 4 December , and have also created a Festive Feasting menu to be enjoyed in their restaurant . Priced at £ 65 per person for parties of eight or more from 1 to 24 December , guests can indulge in starters such as radicchio , drunken cranberries , winter chanterelles and stilton crumb ; scallops with celeriac puree apple and pepper dulce ; and duck rillettes with pickled prunes . This is to be followed with a main of Water Lane venison braised in port and chocolate and served with a bone marrow bread sauce and all the trimmings then finished off with a dessert such as Christmas crumble and cream . An alternative plant-based menu can also be selected at Water Lane for £ 50 per person .
The Small Holding , Cranbrook www . smallholdingrestaurant . com
Opened in 2018 by brothers Will and Matt Devlin , The Small Holding has a key focus on sustainability with growing and foraging at the heart of what they do . Based on a pretty farm in Kilndown , the restaurant serves a set menu celebrating the best ingredients available in the region that delivers a unique connection between land and table . Christmas is now a very special time at which to enjoy this farm-to-fork experience with a meticulously crafted menu adapted for the festive season . Menu highlights include snacks such as cured fish tacos or hash brown with pickled walnut ketchup and cured egg . The snacks are then followed up by the likes of freshly baked sourdough focaccia with smoked Mayfield rarebit and bone broth , and Jerusalem artichoke with truffle and egg . Mains include poached lobster with BBQ leek in brine ; venison with mushroom and celeriac ; and BBQ turkey breast with braised cabbage , thyme roasted La Ratte potatoes , parsnip and swede . Desserts embrace the Kentish countryside at this time of year too , with the likes of cobnut cake with apple sorbet , elderberry balsamic and dried apple , and wild juniper pastry pumpkin pie with pumpkin seed tuile , pumpkin and brown sugar confit and clotted cream . If you still have room after this feast , indulge in Montgomery cheddar with Eccles cake and pickled celery , or go sweet with speculaas , chocolate dipped damson jellies and mince pies .
BOWLEYS AT THE PLOUGH
WATER LANE
98
THE SMALL HOLDING