insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 69
FOOD+DRINK
DESSERT DIVAS, SWEET STICKLERS, PUD PICKERS, AFTERS AFICIONADOS - THERE
IS ONLY ONE COURSE THAT MATTERS! CELEBRATE IT IN STYLE AT
PUDDING NIGHT
AT THE SECRET GARDEN
BY SAMANTHA READY
I ACTUALLY HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE I DINE, I WILL ALWAYS, WITHOUT
QUESTION, READ THE DESSERT MENU BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. BEFORE I’VE CHOSEN MY MAIN, PONDERED
OVER A STARTER OR EVEN SLURPED MY APERITIF, I WILL GAZE LONGINGLY AT THE LIST OF SWEET
TEMPTATIONS ON OFFER. I GUESS THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A CONFESSION, MORE A DECLARATION. A
DECLARATION TO MY COMMITMENT TO PUDDINGS EVERYWHERE.
So of course Secret Garden’s acclaimed Pudding
Night, like many other dessert-aficionados, is my
go-to indulgent night out pick.
Set in the beautiful, rustic and welcoming dining
room at the Secret Garden in Mersham-Le-Hatch
(nr Ashford), Pudding Nights are special evenings
dedicated to all things pudding!
The excited rabble of dessert devotees arrive en-
masse, having snared one of the limited dining spaces
at the now monthly shindig. Tables are a combination
of cosy couples, celebratory parties and gaggles of
friends; and whilst the evening’s main course is
delicious, flavoursome and hearty, focus is quite
rightly on dessert.
Like most arrivees, the insideKENT crew began our
evening sampling the cocktail menu, choosing
another sweet treat; a freshly mixed peach bellini,
full of fruit and flavour; mixed up with the sour
twist of a rhubarb gin and tonic; before taking our
primely situated table for four in the centre of the
dining room.
There are no menus - in fact there is just one main
course on offer, which on our visit was a pleasant
dish of roasted pork loin with green beans, crushed
potatoes and madeira jus; - and the table is laid
simply with water, cutlery and the legendary quiz
sheet! The mix of general knowledge, song, film and
famous faces questions changes theme with the
season, and is perfect for filling that pre-dessert
interlude...
Dishes cleared, quiz answers debated and IT
WAS TIME.
Pudding here is the main event, beginning with a
majestic ‘Parade of the Puddings’. Tasty dish after
tasty dish is triumphantly introduced to each and
every table, before being laid at one of two ultimate
dessert-buffet stations - complete with heaving jugs
of custard and pouring cream.
And then it’s free reign - would you opt for the
delicate crisp meringue of the passionfruit pavlova;
the sharp notes of the classic lemon meringue pie;
the layered lure of the black forest gateaux; the rich
citrus twist of the orange sponge; the subtle indulgence
of the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake;
the deep flavours of the giant tiramisu; or the rich
hug-in-a-bowl - and the night’s ‘Queen of Puddings’
winner (guests vote for their favourite dish of the
night!) - the Baileys bread and butter pudding?
quizmaster Maz’s announcement that we had
only gone and won* the quiz! (*This is from our
dubious knowledge of love-related songs and film
lines, no special treatment honest, Maz was as
shocked as us!).
Before we knew it three hours of pudding indulgence,
laughs and chatting had passed. Dishes had been
demolished, faves declared and we all had vowed to
return - now we just need to get booked before it
sells out again!
Pudding Night, with unlimited-until-it's-gone
pudding, costs £30pp. Pre-booking is essential.
Secret Garden
Mersham-le-Hatch
Hythe Road
Ashford
TN25 6NH
01233 501586
[email protected]
www.secretgardenkent.co.uk
secretgardkent
Worry not, unlike most dessert choices you don’t
need to choose just one! Be like us, we went up for
seconds, and thirds, and would have been there
licking the plates had we not been distracted by
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