insideKENT Magazine Issue 31 - October 2014 | Page 42

FOOD+DRINK

royal harbour brasserie
WHEN IT COMES TO SEASIDE DINING, RAMSGATE'S PARISIAN-INSPIRED ROYAL HARBOUR
BRASSERIE REALLY HITS THE SPOT. FROM ITS FABULOUS FRESH SEAFOOD TO ITS
UNRIVALLED SEASCAPE AND SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE TOWN'S MARINA AND JETTY,
THIS POPULAR KENT EATERY OFFERS THE PERFECT REFUGE FOR THE DISCERNING
COASTAL VISITOR – AND THEN SOME. by Gemma Dunn

Certain of a table with a view each and every
time – and I love a view – it certainly didn't take
much persuading for me to up sticks one sunny
Wednesday lunchtime in favour of a visit.
Located at the furthest end of the harbour arm,
the Royal Harbour Brasserie certainly boasts a
unique position on Ramsgate's East Pier. Framed
by the town's fine Georgian and Regency houses,
my backdrop of choice was the bustling working
harbour – a scene I imagine would be even more
magical of an evening.
Steering the ship (not literally) is executive chef,
Adrian Mowl, who inspires and leads a team that
wholly realise and translate his ongoing vision.
An expert in the culinary field, he has trained at
the Dorchester Hotel, London; worked a stint as
executive chef in the London Olympic Village;
launched the restaurant in Margate's Turner
Contemporary gallery; cooked the gala dinner
for none other than Her Royal Majesty; and
travelled extensively in his work. And now, a year
or so after opening, he was cooking for little
ol' me.

Open every day except Tuesday for breakfast/
brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks, the brasserie
may not bowl you over on its exterior alone, but
upon entrance, it is an entirely different story.
Running with the nautical theme, the main dining
area blends wooden floors, mismatched seating
and leather furnishings with naval excerpts such
as shabby chic wicker fishing baskets and quirky
sea creatures. A cheerful setting, this and the
suntrap terrace, offer a relaxed, informal venue
for those guests hankering to try out the
brasserie's gastronomy.
While it seems only right that the restaurant's
cuisine is a product of its palpable beachfront
location, there is in fact a more profound logic
behind its fabulous selection of seafaring menus.
Quite simply, Mowl likes to cook the kind of food
he enjoys eating (makes sense), and that happens
to be – you guessed it – seafood. Luckily, I am
also a fan of the seafood diet. Seafood and eat
it, to be more precise.
Therefore, in full support of my 'diet', I opted for
a crispy calamari starter. And for those who love
this Mediterranean-inspired dish, the brasserie's
golden-brown freshly fried offering was certainly
an unalloyed delight, paired with a fabulous aioli

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dip. An equally popular plate, my guest picked
a classic chicken liver pâté. A rich and ultrasmooth concoction, the delicious homemade
starter made for a divine choice, accompanied
by hot toast and a Bramley apple and red wine
chutney.
Next up, and the brasserie's catch of the day
had made its way onto my to-eat list. Highly
commended for its sea-fresh options, the eatery
prides itself on serving up locally caught produce
from the South East coastline. On this occasion,
I enjoyed a sweet, flavourful fillet of sea bass,
met with new potatoes, cavolo nero, and steamed
mussels in a fragrant, creamy dill sauce. Bon
appétit.
Meanwhile my guest, a confessed carnivore,
went for fillet steak. The crème de la crème of
the steak world, the prime cut was melt-in-themouth tender and served with a crisp rosti,
braised shallots and a traditional Madeira jus.
Refreshingly, the restaurant realises the need to
cater for those who may favour meat or veggie
dishes over fishy-favourites, and offers a variety
of options to suit.