insideKENT Magazine Issue 95 - February 2020 | Page 84

FOOD+DRINK
KENT’S MOST
ROMANTIC RESTAURANTS
FOOD AND ROMANCE HAVE HAD A LONG HISTORY TOGETHER, COUPLING UP
COSILY FOR DATES, ANNIVERSARIES, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, AND JUST BECAUSE.
THE TERM ‘MADE WITH LOVE’ HAS NEVER BEEN MORE APT THAN WHEN LINKED
TO GORGEOUS FOOD, AND STUDIES SHOW THAT DISHES MADE FOR AND BY A
LOVED ONE ACTUALLY TASTE BETTER TO THOSE FOR WHOM THEY ARE INTENDED
– LOVE CAN ACTUALLY BE TASTED.
But what is better than
cooking food for someone you
love? Going out to a romantic
restaurant with them, of
course. And Kent has more
than its fair share of places to
enjoy a bit of alone time – just
you, your partner, and some
fantastic food.
CASTLE VIEW RESTAURANT © www.matthewwalkerphotography.com
Castle View Restaurant
www.leeds-castle.com // Leeds
A romantic restaurant needs certain things. It needs to have low, romantic
lighting. It needs to allow for conversation. The staff need to be attentive yet
unobtrusive. And the food needs to magnificent. The Castle View Restaurant
at Leeds Castle has all of that and much, much more. Using only the highest
quality, locally sourced ingredients, the skilled chefs offer exceptional dishes
including Kentish Blue (mulled spiced Kentish pear, braised broccoli, Kentish
blue cheese and roasted almonds), Henry’s Paunch (Sussex wild boar burger
with maple glazed bacon and plum jam) and Spitfire battered haddock fish and
chips with mushy peas.
But what really makes the Castle View Restaurant is also the thing that gives it
is name – the views across Leeds Castle’s moat, giving a spectacular look at 900
year of Leeds Castle is what makes coming here utterly worthwhile.
Royal Albion Hotel // www.albionbroadstairs.co.uk // Broadstairs
The Royal Albion Hotel is home to one of the most popular – and romantic –
restaurants in Broadstairs. The food created here is made with the words ‘local’
and ‘fresh’ in mind, making the dishes both interesting and delicious. And of
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course, since the restaurant is so close to the sea, it makes sense that there is a
wide range of fish options on the menu too. No matter what your tastes are when
it comes to good food, you’ll certainly be able to find something to your liking
in this intimate, attractive, attentive space. Just some examples of what is currently
on the menu include herby potted ham hock, shredded duck salad, Toulouse
sausages on a rustic spiced tomato, cavolo nero, chorizo and lentil stew, finished
with grilled lemon and a dark and white chocolate bread and butter pudding.
Kings Head // www.kingsheadwye.com // Wye
The Kings Head is a lovely Victorian coaching inn that offers not only wonderful
food in a romantic setting, but that also has comfortable, attractive rooms to stay
in overnight. So you can make your romantic meal into a romantic overnight
stay without even having to leave the cosy place you’ve enjoyed all evening.
The chefs love to work with locally produced food, and they say that 96 percent
of the food on their menus comes from local producers. Plus, the menu is totally
seasonal, so it will change when it needs to in order to make the most of the
ingredients on offer. Dishes include caramelised red onion and pork sausage roll
with applesauce; edible kingdom oyster and lentil pate; and pie of the day with
mashed potatoes and seasonal veg.