insideKENT Magazine Issue 49 - April 2016 | Page 56

FOOD+DRINK

The Rose and Crown ELHAM
It was dark by the time we arrived in the little village of Elham (located
about 20 minutes away from both Canterbury and Ashford), but that
didn’t mean we couldn’t appreciate the prettiness of the high street, or
the gorgeous old Tudor buildings that lined each side. BY LISAMARIE LAMB
Having spotted The Rose and Crown Inn, we
pulled into the car park and took a moment to
take in our surroundings before stepping inside.
It was utterly, perfectly delightful. And it hadn’t
been too long before that we had been driving
down the A2 – what a difference a few miles and
some country lanes make.
The pub itself is an ancient Grade II listed building
that dates back to, in part, the sixteenth century,
with the front half having been rebuilt in 1740.
It’s not just the age of the building that gives it
a history – it’s all the things that have happened
within its beam-lined walls as well. Things such
as the fact that the building was once a courtroom,
the first ever game of bar billiards was played
there, Audrey Hepburn herself used to live behind
the pub, and Phil Vickery, the celebrity chef,
started his career there. Ask landlord Xander
anything about the Rose and Crown and he’ll tell
you – his passion for his pub is impossible to
ignore.
The Rose and Crown Inn has enticed some
impressive chefs in its time, and current chef
Rhys Wilkins is no different. With AA Rosettes to
his name and a history of working in Michelinstarred restaurants across the world, Rhys has
put a new spin on some classic meals, as well
as creating some entirely unfamiliar dishes which
make for a surprising menu that utilises the
freshest and most local of Kentish ingredients.

I’ll admit, we took longer than usual to choose
our food. The menu is small but that didn’t make
the task any easier with dishes such as garlic
roast mushroom with brie and bacon; and stilton
and poached pear parfait vying for attention. In
the end, we decided on the baked Camembert
infused with local honey and rosemary and the
smoked salmon, crayfish and freshwater prawn
timbale with a crème fraiche and dill dressing. It
was a good choice, although I’m certain that
anything on the menu would have been just as
good. The Camembert was soft and gooey, but
the freshly made bread that came with it – and
the honey that gave it a real sweet and salty kick
– soaked it up nicely. As for the timbale, it was
fresh and light and the flavours were astonishingly
precise.
Main courses were even harder to choose, but
I had spotted the specials board through the
window and had been tempted by the idea of
the Kentish pie of the day which was, on this
occasion, pork, rabbit and black pudding. When
it came it was pleasing to see that it was a ‘proper
pie’ with a base and a lid made of buttery pastry
and a filling that really did fill.
My partner chose the pan-fried sirloin, hand-cut
chips and salad. This was not just any steak –
this was a 20 ounce-er and it was cooked as
perfectly as could be. Even the smallest details
in these meals were taken care of: the grilled

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tomato that came with the steak, for example,
was seasoned. It makes a big difference when
it’s clear that the chef cares.
Although we were pretty full at this point, we can
never resist a pudding. The desserts all sounded
incredible, but in the end the crumble (berry and
apple) won out, as did the dark chocolate and
Amaretto tart with a white chocolate sauce. It
came with raspberries too, which assuaged my
guilt just a touch.
From the welcome we received upon arrival to
the friendly service and the unforgettable food,
the Rose and Crown Inn at Elham is a pub to be
reckoned with. And, if it all gets too much and
the journey home isn’t appealing, there are some
lovely rooms to stay in too!

The Rose & Crown
High Street
Elham
CT4 6TD
01303 840890
www.roseandcrown.elham.co.uk