insideKENT Magazine Issue 95 - February 2020 | Page 122

GETAWAYS
CAVE
CONT.
CAREFULLY CURATED, GLOBALLY-INSPIRED DISHES, RICH SMOKEY AROMAS, AND
DEPTHS OF HEAT, INTENSITY AND FLAVOUR AWAIT AT
The Firepit
AT CAVE HOTEL & RESORT
CROSSING THE GLASS WALKWAY OVER THE RECEPTION AND LOUNGE, IS A UNIQUE WAY TO ARRIVE AT THE
FIREPIT. STOP FIRST AT THE BAR, THE PERFECT SPOT FOR A COCKTAIL (OR 3), SERVED UP WITH PASSION BY
THE EFFERVESCENT SOPHIE (SHE MAKES A MEAN PORNSTAR MARTINI!), BEFORE MOVING BEYOND TO THE
LIGHT OAK-BEAMED CEILING-ED, INTIMATELY LIT, AND OPEN FIREPLACE ENSCONCED HOME OF THE CAVE’S
FINE-DINING RESTAURANT. BY SAMANTHA READY
If you could epitomise the Firepit’s (and indeed the
Cave’s) sophistication, welcome, charm, and fun into
a person then Sergio Gomes, The Firepit’s maître’d,
is the embodiment. Of fering just the right
combination of friendliness and pr ofessionalism,
Sergio works a dining room with ease, recommending
wines and dishes ef fortlessly, whilst surmising the
premise of the Firepit most succinctly; “Have you
been here before? We are a little different. We are
all about sharing and f lavours - BIG flavours. You
won’t be disappointed!”
whilst they were being prepared we fought (literally!)
over the fresh warm white farmhouse, and chilli and
cheese breads; and beef dripping, and c hilli and
maple butters. Both divine and a great introduction
to the de pth of f lavour tha t was about to be
showcased by our chosen dishes.
First up for my guest the voodoo shrimp, served with
a rich, spicy, cajun bisque and accompanied by the
delightfully moorish sug ar snap peas , themselves
offering a heady mix of beef dripping, lemon, garlic
and zingy paprika.
And you won’t be!
The menu isn’t an ordered affair of courses, instead
it is a tastebud-tempting haven of simple ingredients
(from some of Kent’s top producers), elevated with
bold flavour combinations and powerful smoking
and spices, to create innovative plates to be shared.
Executive chef John Bing ley and his team ha ve
travelled extensively in order to develop dishes where
the smokey, barbeque aromas of the American west
combine with the delica te spices of the Far East,
to cr eate an ambitious , e xciting, men u tha t
showcases global cuisine - and tha t the team ar e
truly passionate about.
On Sergio’s recommendation we opted for 2 dishes
to share, with an additional one for my non-allergic
guest, accompanied by four side dishes. They arrive
as ready, true to the small-pla te sharing way, and
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Plates clear ed w e ne xt r eceived the marina ted
beef fillet, serv ed pink a top a mound of roasted
shallot and miso butter, with side dish of the evening,
the sticky Thai fried rice. Delivered with its fried egg
on top, it may not win priz es for its beauty b ut it
wins every prize for flavour - so, so good, we cleared
the bowl!
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the
smoked USDA short rib of beef appeared. Delicate
morsels fell from the bone and dissolved in the mouth,
covered in the sweet, sticky glaze of its Asian beef
sauce. Perfect with the smooth, ric h, truffle mash
potato topped with aged parmesan, with the charred
tender stem broccoli providing yet another depth of
texture and flavour, not only from its own bbq-ness
but also fr om the aged b lack vineg ar, cashew,
caramelised r ed onion and sesame f lourishes.
It was abundantly clear that each dish is carefully
curated, marinated and smoked to develop flavours
that hit the palette in different ways and with different
degrees of heat, intensity and f lavour - and the y
were all immensely good, especially washed do wn
with the intense fruity notes of a g lass of 2018
Septima Malbec.
Dishes devoured we were enthusiastically encouraged
to have dessert, once ag ain swayed by the house
recommendation, we opted for the reimagined baked
alaska; rum-soaked sponge , smoked pineapple ,
coconut ice-cr eam, and delishab ly nickab le soft
peaks of meringue! We also choose the honeycomb
macaroon, less tin y treat, more burger imitation
(in siz e as w ell as appearance!), w hich of fered
sticky almond macar oon sand wiched with
chocolate mousse , sw eet stra wberry gel and a
delightful pistachio crisp.
With plans f or seasonal men u c hanges, special
occasion dining, and visiting c hef showcases, the
Firepit’s future looks as bright as its flames.
www.cavehotels.com/firepit
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