FOOD + DRINK
SUNDAY LUNCH AT
THE RADNOR ARMS
You know you’ re in for a good experience when you mention in passing to a friend that you’ re heading to The Radnor Arms for Sunday lunch.“ You’ re going to The Radnor?”, said with a knowing nod reserved for Kent’ s culinary secrets.“ You’ re going to love it”.
He wasn’ t wrong …
The Readys descended upon The Radnor in Folkestone on a blustery Sunday, joined by what appeared to be half the town. Despite the evident buzz, it felt utterly cosy. Perhaps because of the roaring flames from the wood-fired oven that dominates the open pass, or the crackling flames from the wood burner-style fires dotted throughout. Maybe it was the gorgeous copper patina tables catching the light, or the repurposed copper stills that now serve as bar taps for a varied selection of local and craft real ales and ciders- a clever nod to the building’ s history that Mr R and I instantly appreciated.
Taking our table for four, there was something to catch the eye in every direction. Exposed brick, deep green ceilings and woodwork, statement wallpapers and neon signs sit comfortably alongside tongue-in-cheek artworks that make you smile without trying too hard, and of course, glimpses of towering Sunday roasts lining the pass in a feat of gravity-defying, taste-bud-tempting allure.
Then there’ s the large wall-hung mural proudly displaying each of the outposts that complete the Pickled Egg group’ s Kentish offerings, each renowned in their own right- The Duke William in Ickham, The Five Bells at Brabourne, The Woolpack Inn, Rocksalt, The Pilot and Little Rock, of which The Radnor is part. Yet individual acclaim has followed too- they’ re number five in the Good Food Guide’ s Top 100 Pubs list. I can think of worse destinations for my favourite meal of the week!
We started with the Sicilian arancini loaded with beef cheeks, caveaged Manchego and British black truffle mayo. Rich doesn’ t begin to cover it. The buttermilk chicken arrived with flavours of garam masala, koji spiced mayo and jalapeños- not only flavours that worked surprisingly well, but also presented beautifully on the plate. Chef Niel, an obvious feeder, also sent out an extra dish of flame-licked garlic flatbread- pillowy soft, doused in garlic butter and lashings of Parmesan, and a rather delicious chicken and lamb skewer combo. An adana kebab sat nestled on smoked yogurt and a chicken skewer that managed that precarious balance of deeply flame-grilled char with perfectly moist thigh offset with pickled kohlrabi, this prompted our realisation that restraint should be left at the door and that flavours here were going to be as rich as the service.
Next was the main event; Mr R opted for the roast porchetta, herb-laden and finished in that glorious open fire which meant that its crackling shattered satisfyingly under his fork. Lyla opted for the chicken supreme and was impressed with the crispy skin and tender meat, while I was swayed by the 28-day aged beef sirloin, sliced generously thick and perfectly pink, and for which the kids’ size portion was Jaxon’ s go to. He sat in wide-eyed wonder as his
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