insideKENT Magazine Issue 44 - November 2015 | Page 54

FOOD+DRINK

THE OYSTER AND CHOP HOUSE:

A GEM ON THE HIGH STREET
When making a list of the top three things you would want in a restaurant, I’m sure most people
would note down: good food, friendly service, and fair prices. And many restaurants offer all of
that, which is great. But not so many offer excellent, freshly cooked, locally sourced food with a
quirky twist; and a warm, welcoming, and genuinely happy service, at surprisingly good prices.
Or at least, not all at once. B Y L I S A M A R I E L A M B

The Oyster and Chop House in Herne Bay
gives its diners all of the above, and then
some. With extra courses served up as a nice
surprise, a superb drinks and cocktail menu,
and a cosy atmosphere that makes everyone
feel like a friend, this is the ideal place for a
romantic meal for two. Or a night out with
friends and family. Or a business meeting.
Whilst we were there we spotted all of these
things happening around us, and everyone
was smiling.

To start, we opted for the rabbit and bacon
sausages served with sunflower seeds, carrots,
and tomato coulis for me; and seared squid,
sea caviar, herb pesto, and parmesan crisps
for my guest. It may be a cliché to say that the
food was cooked to perfection, but when it
comes to rabbit and squid, it’s so easy to get
it wrong that when it is cooked well, it really
should be mentioned! To mop everything up
we had homemade bread and butter which
was warm, creamy and fresh.

The décor is French bistro, along with the
swinging cool jazz music and the mirrors
adorning the walls. It’s a relaxing place to
spend a couple of hours enjoying the first-rate
food and drink, which leads me to the menu.
Along with a huge array of drinks for any taste
and budget (I had a zingy mojito with lots of
mint, and my guest had a virgin Mary with
plenty of pizazz), the menu – set up on the wall
on a large chalkboard – was varied and mouthwatering; I wanted one of everything.

Next came the second surprise—a lemon,
saffron, and ginger palette cleanser. This little
ball of warmth and spice was to be taken
in one go, and it is certainly worth trying;
surprising and elegantly eatable, we enjoyed it
very much.

Before we chose, however, our first surprise
was served. It was a small bowl of courgette
mousse served with edible flowers and
almonds – light, fluffy, and very clever.

Main courses now, and we could hardly wait to
see what nuances and cleverness was about
to be served. We had chosen the steak bavette
with garlic butter and fondant potatoes, as well
as the monkfish served with roasted gnocchi
and a cauliflower purée. Heaven. All of it.
Skillfully cooked, beautifully presented, and
served with such pride that it was impossible
not to enjoy it all.

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That didn’t mean there wasn’t room for
dessert though. A chocolate fondant with a
raspberry coulis (is there a better combination
of chocolate and fruit? I’ve not found it yet!)
and a meltingly sumptuous middle, and –
perhaps the most interesting dish of the
night – a deconstructed carrot cake. How
deconstructed? Well, in the middle of my plate
was a moist and moreish slice of traditional
carrot cake sponge. To one side of that was
a carrot foam, and to the other was a carrot
sorbet. Yes indeed: carrot sorbet.
What a treat. What a strange and unusual and
remarkable meal. What a great find, this cosy
little restaurant with its unassuming exterior.
The Oyster and Chop House is a gem, but I’m
sure it won’t be hidden for long.
The Oyster and Chop House
8 High Street
Herne Bay
CT6 5LH
01227 749933
www.oysterandchophouse.co.uk
/oysterandchophouse