FOOD + DRINK
ST LEONARDS,
WEST MALLING
HERITAGE, HEART AND A CONFIDENT CULINARY VOICE
BY SAMANTHA READY
© Key & Quill
TThere is a particular kind of hospitality that feels effortless, where the details fall into place with quiet purpose and the atmosphere settles around you like a welltailored coat. St Leonards in West Malling offers exactly that. From the moment we stepped inside, the building revealed its beauty in layers: Georgian proportions, architectural flourishes, contemporary touches and a warmth that never once tipped into pretence.
The setting itself is beautiful. Set just off of the main high street, the building cleverly utilises its space and achieves that delicate balance of modernity with period charm. Upstairs, two private dining rooms set the tone for the building’ s dual identity. One room, seating eight, frames a Georgian sash window with full shutters; the other centres around a generous period fireplace. Downstairs, the restaurant occupies a clever side return. Seating twenty-six, it marries heritage with contemporary design: oak parquet flooring, a sweeping curved wooden step leading to the dining space, traditional banquet seating elevated with fluted wood finishes and bold floral upholstery, heritage subway tiles in the washrooms uplifted with subtle contemporary texture and curated artworks with a distinctly modernist flair. Even the logo etched on the glass facade hints at intention- period lines softened with modern edges,
We began in the bar nook, a space that seats around twenty and carries the charm of a well-kept secret. Terry, who insists he is camera-shy, mixed our cocktails with an easy, understated grace that not only quickly disproved the claim but also gave first glimpses into his approach to his restaurant overall. Our evening opened with espresso martinis, smooth and balanced, the coffee notes rounded rather than sharp. We closed the night on a trio or more indulgent creations: a chocolate and hazelnut martini blended with chocolate liqueur, hazelnut and vanilla cream that felt dessert-like, and a toffee apple martini where the sweetness of the toffee liqueur was lifted by clean, crisp vodka, apple and lemon. Each cocktail showed a restraint and confidence that mirrored the kitchen’ s approach, which further continues the harmony of old and new.
Head chef Marcus, and his small yet focused team, deliver food rooted in classical technique yet alive with thoughtful nuance.
A trio of snacks set the tone. The house bread arrived pillowy and warm with silky butter. Oysters with chilli offered a clean, saline hit sharpened by gentle heat. The playful‘ fish and chips’, a panisse of potato topped with cods’ roe mousse and malt vinegar tasted exactly like seaside nostalgia captured in a single bite.
Starters were four in number but offered remarkable breadth. The Blaise Farm pork terrine was delicately spiced, studied with pistachios and lifted by sweet date purée, gherkin and the star, Marcus’ s pickled walnut which was earthy and bright. Seared scallops arrived caramelised and tender, coated with fragrant kaffir lime sauce that balanced richness with citrus, the wild rice adding texture and nuttiness. The Mereworth squash velouté was satinsmooth, sweet and deeply autumnal, cut by cooling labneh and crunchy toasted seeds. The beetroot-cured salmon, vibrant and clean, won‘ best looking plate’, with the beetroot’ s sweetness amplified by a goats’
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