FOOD + DRINK
MUCH MORE THAN THE ‘ BEAR ’ NECESSITIES , YEAR-ROUND FAMILY DINING AT :
BEAR LODGE
PORT LYMPNE RESERVE
SYNONYMOUS WITH ANIMAL CONSERVATION AND INCREDIBLE SAFARIS , PORT LYMPNE RESERVE HAS BECOME THE GO-TO PLACE FOR UNIQUE ANIMAL EXPERIENCES , DAYS OUT WITH A DIFFERENCE AND STAYS TO REMEMBER , AND NOW , PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY FOR SOME , DESTINATION DINING TOO .
Spanning everything from wood-fired pizzas and afternoon teas set to the animal mural backdrop of the mansion , to wedding breakfast banquets and open fire BBQs , executive chef Lee Edney and his team have created a wondrous affair of dining options , including its latest addition - Bear Lodge Restaurant , which , thanks to some clever delivery , is open to visiting destination diners as well as those lucky to sleep beside the calls of the wild .
Arrival is quite possibly the smoothest offered by all of the reserve ’ s myriad of reasons to visit . Enter the dedicated gates , crunch across the driveway and you ’ ll discover the namesake restaurant , which opened in November under the stewardship of head chef Suresh , nestled next to Bear Lodge ’ s glamping experience , which as you may have guessed overlooks the reserve ’ s spectacled bear habitat in a quiet corner of the estate .
Open for Friday night authentic curry feasts , Saturday classic brasserie-style dining and , my favourite , a good old Sunday roast to round off the weekend , it was for the latter that we descended in Ready multi-gen mass to nab a table for us , the kids , two nans and a very rare animal , the uncle Mike , accompanied with a birthday-celebrating aunty too !
And it was immediately clear that this was family friendly dining at its best .
While the nans headed to the Bear Lodge Bar , set on a covered veranda for a Kentish gin and tonic , we took in the views across the reserve down to the Kentish coastline while the kids immediately spied the playground outside and made a dash through the rain to play regardless of the weather . Uncle on the slide , they then spotted resident neighbours Mateo and Rina in the bear enclosure beyond , as well as the adjacent troop of squirrel monkeys who seemed to have the same level of table manners as us fighting over the extra roasties … All perfect for burning off some pre-dinner energy before ravenously taking our seats .
The dining room , in keeping with much of Port Lympne ’ s recent additions , ticks the simplistic and modern with a touch of luxe box . Painted black , shiplap-esque cladding adjourns the walls , leading the eye to the fabulous criss-cross of the heavy wooden beamed ceiling hung with wicker lamp shades creating an instantly cosy feel . Bold leaf-print patterned cushions thronged across the huge banquette , which runs the length of the restaurant ’ s rear wall , while reclaimed school dining room chairs set on top of the bold tile patterned floor offer the informality ( and practicality ) needed to keep this space family friendly and accessible .
But , of course , a family Sunday lunch is only complete with a sumptuous roast that ticks all the must-have boxes - and Bear Lodge Restaurant did not disappoint !
You ’ ll find a curated selection of small plates to start , the rosemary focaccia - crisp edges , fluffy aerated centre and rich olive oil and balsamic - is a must , while the tempura squid with spring onion , chilli , and a soy and lime dipping sauce was delicious , and the baked Camembert proved an instant table sharing win , as grilled focaccia appeared from all angles eager to dip into the the oozing cheese topped with tomato and chilli jam .
Across the table , plates of roast sirloin of beef with towering Yorkshire pudding , roast chicken with sage stuffing ( including smaller versions for the littlest eaters ) and a pumpkin nut roast to cater for vegans and veggies all laden with roast potatoes began to arrive , accompanied by sharing dishes of seasonal vegetables and cauliflower cheese ; everything was devoured , promptly !
Honestly , we didn ’ t need to have pudding but with a seasonal crumble , this time of year an apple and blackberry topped with oat crumble and vanilla ice cream , a poached pear with spiced red wine syrup , and , much to the smalls ’ delight , a chocolate brownie sundae with honeycomb ice cream , dessert offered the perfect sweet end to a great dining experience .
Bear Lodge Restaurant is open Friday 5 - 8pm , Saturday 5 - 8pm and Sunday 12 - 4pm , with prices starting from £ 7 for a starter , £ 17 for main courses and £ 6 for a dessert , as well as curry night sharers from £ 28.50pp . You do not need reserve day tickets or to be staying overnight to dine , though reservations are highly recommended !
www . aspinallfoundation . org / port-lympne / restaurants / bear-lodgerestaurant
@ portlympnepark
@ portlympne
www . insidekent . co . uk • 81