FOOD + DRINK
inside THE RESTAURANT
QUINCE
THANET ’ S LATEST CULINARY STAR IS BRINGING FINE DINING WITH A NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARM TO THE HEART OF WESTGATE ON SEA . BY SAMANTHA READY
PHOTOS BY JOE JOSLAND
If I had to find one word to sum up Quince , the debut restaurant offering from Kent ’ s king of the refined pop up , Ben Hughes and partner Rafael Lopez , it would be neat .
Not in that rad surfer dude epitome of cool , although that is also perfectly apt , but as in that layer of polished charm and a tidy finish . An element that runs from the concise , wellformed and equally passionate team to the well-conceived and refined yet unpretentious menu , for which Quince has already received notable acclaim and a clutch of 5 * reviews .
Opened with the premise of being a neighbourhood dining hangout - albeit only accessible for the lucky 32 that are quickest off the mark to snare a highly sought after table in the intimate yet comfortable dining space . A race that has become just a little more competitive since Quince ’ s meteoric rise up the acclaimed restaurant ranks , think No 36 ( out of 100 !) in Square Meal ’ s The Best Restaurants in the UK listings and a nod in the Michelin Guide , achieved in just a matter of months .
The brainchild of Ben and Rafael who solidified their Kentish cooking partnership at Canterbury ’ s The Goods Shed , alongside Ben ’ s wife Portia , who leads the front of house charge , Quince is housed in an architecturally intriguing , double-fronted former hardware store , positioned under the tiny seaside town ’ s canopied promenade .
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