Folkestone really does have some incredible places to eat. I keep saying it, but it’s true! We are spoilt for choice when it comes to amazing food. We recently had the pleasure of dining at the incomparable Folkestone Wine Company, where I sat smiling smugly to myself as passers-by were rubber-necking through the window at the food on our plates, and rightly so. It was sensational.
But it occurred to me just how lucky we are to have places like this right on our doorstep. As I nibbled on the delightful homemade bread, freshly baked by the chef earlier that day, listening to the music gently playing on the vinyl deck, my mind slipped into a daydream montage of past meals we’ve enjoyed in Folkestone, each as incredible as the next, resulting in my partner looking at me, puzzled at my vacant expression and mild drooling. And it was only when our fabulous host, Polly, came over to talk to us about the wine, that I was able to pull myself firmly back into the present.
The perfect glass
Based on our choice of food, she recommended a beautiful French rosé from the Fronton region – Plaisance Penavayre, Le Rosé. All the wines have been carefully curated by the team here, and this one was a gem. As a bottle, it paired perfectly with the range of food we ordered. Of course, there is a wine for every dish on the menu, so if you want the perfect glass to go with each course, you can do that, and the front of house staff will advise what would work best.
A concise menu
The menu here is changed frequently, based on what’s good locally that day. And it’s reassuringly small, offering only two mains – usually one meat and one fish (vegetarians and vegans can advise the restaurant in advance and the chef will create dishes for that evening). There are usually a few starters and a couple of desserts on offer too, along with a fantastic cheese board and nibbles like the homemade bread and butter or Gordal Olives.
We chose the Brown Crab Risotto and Sevenscore Asparagus to start. The risotto was sublime, full of intense flavour, creamy and perfectly cooked. The asparagus was also beautifully cooked, with a perfectly emulsified hollandaise sauce – a heavenly match.
I was particularly excited to try the duck breast, sourced from Longland Farm in Elham, near Canterbury, with blackcurrant and geranium. I was certainly not disappointed. You can taste the quality in the duck, crisp skin, firm meat, tender and pink, atop a bed of wilted spinach, and the excellent pairing with the sweet tartness of the blackcurrant worked wonderfully.
The Local Seabass Fillet was the perfect texture, again, lazily resting on a bed of wilted spinach, bathed in intense lobster bisque, and complemented with the flavour of sliced fennel. Absolutely divine.
We ordered the Charlotte Potatoes to go with our meals, the crisp, buttery skin breaking to reveal the soft, fluffy interior. It’s not often you rave about a side dish, but these deserve equal acclaim.
Desserts included the decadent Chocolate Marquise served with raspberries and Ottinge Court cream, which was rich and fabulous, and a plate of fine cheeses, including a two-year-old Gouda, Cashel Blue, Tunworth and Golden Cross served with quince jelly, a beautiful end to the meal.
It works brilliantly
With only Head Chef David Hart in the kitchen, the menu is well designed to allow for efficient use of the fresh local produce from that day’s haul, and it works brilliantly. And if you are thinking that a restaurant such as this is likely to be expensive, you will be pleasantly surprised. For the quality of the meal, the prices were very reasonable indeed. We were certainly impressed with the Folkestone Wine Company experience, and we can’t wait to return time and again to sample what new, seasonal delights the chef has come up with, or just pop in for a quality glass of wine.
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Follow The Folkestone Wine Company on Instagram @thefolkestonewinecompany.
Visit their website at folkestonewine.com.
Book a table via email – info@folkestonewine.com or call 01303249952
