insideKENT Magazine Issue 87 - June 2019 | Page 91

Located close to the gorgeous Pantiles at the heart
of the high street, The Ivy, Royal Tunbridge Wells
bounded into Kent to open its sleek doors at the end
of 2017 with a relatively simple premise. All-day
menus, boasting the best of modern British dishes
in a relaxed dining atmosphere; and yet as is evident
throughout the now extensive Ivy portfolio of Grills,
Brasseries and Cafes, dining here has that certain je
ne sais quoi.
Perhaps it’s the hype of its infamous London
establishment, the excitement of being in the place
to be seen but not be seen, or the sum of all the little
touches; signature scents that shroad the bathrooms,
sleek wood, tiles and brass finishes that elevate the
air of sophistication, and the sleek almost
imperceptible extra levels of service such as the
attentive and enthusiastic bartenders that encouraged
us to go off (the extensive and tempting drinks) menu
to create one-of-a-kind drinks to meet our eclectic
palettes – including a sublime non-alcoholic “gin”
cocktail for the designated driver – that make dining
here an experience from the off.
Perched on a high bar stool (knocking back more
of those “gins”) waiting for our guests to arrive, we
watched in awe as the restaurant swelled with
midweek dinner guests drawn not only by the
mouthwatering menu but by the sophisticated yet
unpretentious setting. It was a most welcome rarity
to find such atmosphere on a Tuesday night! with moorish smoked aubergine, tomato pesto and
rich dressing, and the Iberico pork with cep butter
and baked apple which we combined with the crisp,
rich, truffle and Parmesan chips and green beans
with roasted almonds.
Taking our window table, we were soon to see what
a lot of the excitement was about. A bursting menu
of classic British favourites; prawn cocktail, soup,
fish and chips and steaks combined with Ivy signature
dishes such as the hamburger and legendary
Shepherd’s pie. Drinks and conversation flowed, food was promptly
served and devoured and the atmosphere and friendly
service carried our evening straight through to one
last theatrical flourish courtesy of the chocolate
bombe, the hot caramel sauce revealing ice-cream
and honeycomb – a great end to a great evening.
The zucchini fritti was the perfect opening sharer,
we devoured the crispy courgette fries with lemon,
chilli and mint yogurt before our starters; the crisp
and delicious tempura prawns with salt and pepper
squid with a wasabi miso sauce, the generous round
of smooth duck liver parfait with caramelised
hazelnuts and pear and ginger compote and
the delicate crisp truffle arancini with truffle
cheese arrived.
The Ivy Royal Tunbridge Wells
46-50 High Street
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 1XF
www.theivytunbridgewells.com
TheIvyTunbridgeWells
ivytunbridgewells
Keen to explore the menu, our mains included the
gloriously seared 21-day aged ribeye with bérnaise
sauce, the indulgent prime cut filet, grilled seabass
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