Eating Out In Kent

THE VINE RESTAURANT, SEVENOAKS

2009-01-20T05:05:00.000-08:00

The Vine Restaurant is located in an elegant conservation area in the heart of Sevenoaks, and is situated opposite one of the oldest cricket grounds in England. The former tavern has been lovingly renovated by the current proprietors to retain many original features whilst adding a stylish new interior of inviting creams accented with French grey and burgundy overtones. Light and airy by day, the restaurant is transformed as dusk falls by chandeliers and candles to create a welcoming backdrop to the buzzing atmosphere.

Our party went on a Saturday night.

The service was excellent with just the right amount of time between courses.

For starter I had the Hot Sour Soup which was a seafood concoction which included squid, shellfish, onions, etc., and was very good.

My main course was from the 'Saturday Specials' menu, Kent plaice and pea risotto.

This consisted of the pea risotto (peas and rice mixed together to the consistency of runny mushy peas) covering the whole plate with a piece of plaice, measuring no bigger than 3 inches by 1 inch, in the centre. At £16.50, not what I call value for money, indeed this is one of the cheaper main courses on the menu.

I finished off with the cheese board which had plenty of cheese but about six biscuits about the size of a Ritz cracker. When I asked for more biscuits, they brought me another three, so i ended up eating the remainder of the cheese on it's own.

We were a party of ten and quite a bit of wine was consumed but with a 12.5% service charge already added the final bill came to £680, or £68 a head.

The restaurant was full and the atmosphere was very lively but having said that, the cheapest you could eat here is £30 a head without wine and you'd probably need a snack when you got home.

All in all a good evening was had by all of us but I would say the food was rather overpriced, an opinion shared by the rest of our group, and I don't think we will be returning in the near future.

Open: Seven days a week

Lunch : 1200-1500Afternoon : open for drinks & light meals

Dinner :1800-2330

Address: The Vine Restaurant, 11 Pound Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 3TB

Telephone: 01732 469510
Map
http://www.vinerestaurant.co.uk/

THE PADWELL ARMS, STONE STREET

2008-09-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

Set amongst panoramic views rolling hills and orchards, The Padwell Arms is a charming country pub wel known for its traditional home cooking and real ales. The menu is varied weekly to capitalise on local produce and also has an extensive wine list more in keeping with a restaurant.
The Padwell Arms has a warmhearted and easygoing atmosphere that makes it popular with a wide variety of diners.
It is also a refreshment haunt of ramblers using the footpaths and bridleways to Knole Park, Ightham Mote and Seal Chart, which are nearby attractions.
There are also evenings devoted to top class musical entertainment ranging from modern jazz to rock 'n' roll.
Open : Seven days a week
Address : Stone Street, Seal, Nr. Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0LA
Telephone : 01732 761532
Map

http://www.thepadwellarms.co.uk/

THE HARE, LANGTON GREEN, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

2008-07-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

Apparently there has been an inn on this site since the 16th-century, though this building only dates drom 1901 after the previous structure was destroyed by fire a year earlier. What remained was too dilapidated to restore, and the present Victorian-Tudor model was built.
A woman holding a child is said to haunt the main staircase and cellar, though what era she dates back to nobody can say.
Quality hand pumped beers include Greene King IPA and Abbot, as well Old Speckled Hen and Wadworth 6X as well as a handsome display of over 50 malt whiskies behind the bar.
The menu is well thought out and regularly updated, including a variety of hearty fare with a reputation for good portion size.
Starters include Tuna marinated with seville oranges & corriander salad £6.00, Ham hock, cider and apple terrine with fruit chutney £5.50 and Asparagus soup £4.50.
Mains include Slow cooked beef with dauphinoise potatoes, garlic and thyme gravy £12.00, Whole grilled plaice with prawns & lemon mash £12.00, Cheese & leek sausages with sweet potato mash and tomato salsa £9.00, Steakburger topped with cheese & tomato £9.75, Ploughman's Cheddar, Brie, Hereford Hop, Olde Sussex, Stilton, ham or sausage £7.75 and Crispy duck and glazed fig salad £10.75.
Puddings include Summer pudding with sweet whipped cream £5.00, Chocolate hazelnut meringue roulade with raspberry compote £5.25, Apple and cider cobbler with custard £5.00, Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream £5.25, Local cheeses biscuits & apple chutney £7.00.
The garden has a nice view over Langton Green itself and is a pleasant place for al fresco dining on sunny days.
Overall good food and light airy atmosphere.
Open : Seven days a week
Food : Monday to Saturday 12-9.30pm
Sunday 12-9pm
Address : The Hare, Langton Road, Langton Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0JA
Telephone : 01892 862419
Map
http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/hare/home/

ZAPATA, SEVENOAKS

2008-07-28T04:30:00.001-07:00

Zapata is a Mexican restaurant with authentic food and decor and a good atmosphere.
It is fairly large inside, being housed in an old school and has a few tables outside the front of the building for al fresco dining and drinking.
There is a small, well stocked bar, with an extensive drinks and cocktail list, although don't be fooled by the online version, as this states that they serve Cruzcampo and San Miguel on draft at £3.10 a pint but they actually only serve bottled beer at £2.95 a half pint bottle which makes it almost twice the price. Having said that, there is quite a choice of beers.
The food is delicious. I had lightly spiced tiger prawns grilled on a skewer with Chorizo sausage (Pinchos de Gambas con Chorizo) followed by enchiladas with spicy ground beef, both of which I would thoroughly recommend.
Washed down with a few San Miguels and a Long Island Iced Tea, a cocktail that's got nothing to do with tea, I had a very satisfying meal and will definitely be returning in the near future.
Open : Seven days a week
Lunch :-
Monday - Friday 12pm-3pm
Evenings :-
Monday - Thurday 6pm-10pm
Friday 6pm-11pm
All Day :-
Sat & Sun 12pm - 11pm
Address : Zapata, Lady Boswell House, 42-44 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent,
TN13 1AS
Telephone : 01732 464545
Map
Website : http://www.zapatarestaurant.co.uk/index.asp

THE BULLFINCH, RIVERHEAD

2008-07-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Bullfinch is a large, well decorated pub in the semi-minimalist, stainless steel style, between Dunton Green and Riverhead.
I went there in a party of six on a Friday night in summer so I was surprised that it wasn’t as busy as I expected and I also noticed a lack of atmosphere.
The food was adequate but not spectacular except for the cheeseboard which contained a cheese called Hereford Hop, which was delicious.
The bill total was £195 for six people, which I considered rather expensive for six starters, five main courses and one starter for a main course, one dessert and one cheeseboard.
We also had four bottles of wine and these must have been quite expensive in view of the bill.
All in all, nothing inherently wrong with the place but I wouldn’t rush back there.
Open: Seven days a week
Food: Lunch 12-3pm (Monday - Friday) Dinner 6-9:30pm (Monday - Thursday) 6-10pm (Friday) All Day 12-10pm (Saturday)
Address: The Bullfinch,
Riverhead, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 2DR
Telephone: 01732 455107
Map
Website: http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thebullfinch/

THE COCK INN, LUDDESDOWN

2008-07-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Been here a few times for an early evening meal (about 6 p m).
Nice selection of dishes, well cooked and at a reasonable price and pleasant staff. Large selection of ales and a lively atmosphere, even that early in the evening.
Open: Seven days a week
Address: Henley Street, Luddesdowne, Kent DA13 0XB
Telephone: 01474 814208
Map
Website: http://www.cockluddesdowne.com/

ZIZZI's, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

2008-07-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Finding ourselves in Tunbridge Wells last Friday we decided to have lunch in Zizzi’s.
Zizzi’s, as you may or may not know, is an Italian restaurant chain and although we’d had good reports from my brother-in-law about the Sevenoaks branch, we were still a little sceptical.

We were pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is housed in what seems to be a former bank with a high ceiling and another dining area on the first floor. It is quite simply furnished and the food is cooked in full view of the diners.

We ordered Crostini Formaggio de Capra for starter and our main courses were Ravioli di Parma and Insalata Nicoise plus a bottle of Chardonnay Cercasole from the adequate wine list.

The starter was delicious. The salad was large and tasty and the ravioli, which I had, is recommended.

We both chose ice cream for dessert and a ground coffee and a cappuccino to finish the meal off.

Even better, when the bill arrived, even though the ice cream and coffees had been listed, they were all priced at £0.00. Presumably some special offer that we didn’t know about.

All in all, a very satisfying lunch and we’ll definitely be visiting one of the Zizzi’s chain again.
Open: Seven days a week
Cuisine type: Italian
Address: 88 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1YF
Telephone: 01892 525826
Map
Website: http://www.zizzi.co.uk/

THE SCARED CROW, WEST MALLING

2008-07-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

A little off the beaten track, but well worth the find, the atmosphere in the Scared Crow is as vibrant as the food.
The Menu includes lots of 'sharing' meals and dishes that diners construct themselves suc as fajitas. Their famous house chilli is served in it's own cast iron crock pot.
The Mexican cuisine is cooked to order using authentic ingredients and recipes, but the staff are happy to adjust the degree of spicyness to your taste.
Roast dinners are served all day on Sundays and the dough for their freshly made pizzas is made by hand every day from their Italian chef Fabio's own special recipe. The spicy tomato sauce topping was created by his grandmother.
Additional vegetarian dishes mean that everybody is catered for and ensure a great dining experience.
Open: Seven days a week
Cuisine type: Authentic Mexican/Traditional British
Price: Light lunched from £3.95, Dinners from £6.50
Wine price guide: From £11.75
Address: 79 Offham Road, West Malling, ME19 6RB
Telephone: 01732 840408
Map

THE PLOUGH, IVY HATCH

2008-07-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Plough, situated in picturesque Ivy Hatch, is a real find for lovers of fine food and drink. The 230 year old building features a bar area and dining room conservatory along with terrace and gardens making The Plough an attractive venue for any occasion.
The gastropub style menu offers a wide selection of seafood and seasonal game plus a variety of other dishes made with locally sourced ingredients where possible. Also an extensive wine list features many fine wines including some from Biddenden Vineyard, organic options, local fruit juices and Westerham Brewery award-winning real ales, in fact, something for everyone.
Children are welcome and are catered for with small portions from the main menu.
Open: Seven days a week
Address: The Plough, High Cross Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0NL
Telephone: 01732 810100
Map