“Where is The Langhorne?” I get this question a lot because the restaurant is so hidden away, and unless you know where it is, you could be forgiven for not knowing it existed. Of course, many locals are familiar with The Langhorne, because the food is exquisite.
If you were to make a list of the best Sunday Roast in Folkestone, for example, The Langhorne would likely be near the top, if not number one. And the fine dining, small plates menu on offer the rest of the week is phenomenal. So trust me when I say, if you don’t know where it is, it’s worth finding out.
The Langhorne restaurant is located downstairs from Skuba Bar, on the corner of The Leas and Langhorne Gardens.
The Langhorne’s New Autumn / Winter Menu 2023
As a long-time fan of chef Jack Williams’ food, I was excited to come along and taste test his new menu for this Autumn. He has kept his small plates concept, with dishes from The Land, The Sea and The Field. As always, the menu is a smorgasbord of local produce, expertly put together with thoughtful and interesting flavour combinations.
As we sipped our drinks and nibbled on our Toasted Docker Sourdough with whipped butter, it wasn’t long before our “From The Land” dishes arrived. We dove straight into the Lamb Cannon, which was irresistibly pink all the way through. This lean cut of meat from the loin of the lamb was melt-in-the-mouth tender. Placed atop a gorgeous potato terrine and smothered in buttered broad beans and peas, there was plenty to go around. The addition of crumbled local goats cheese from Ellie’s Dairy is a nice touch, and works nicely with the mint jus. We were both big fans of this dish.
Another favourite was this delicious dish of duck done two ways. A beautifully cooked, tender duck breast was paired with two crisp croquettes with a duck leg filling, a silky carrot puree, sorrel and a blackberry jus – a perfect plate of textures and flavours. I could eat this again and again, it was just spectacular.
This “From The Field” beetroot dish came out of the kitchen next, perfectly timed to freshen the palate. Buratta is an interesting cheese, much like mozzarella. In fact, it’s made into dumpling shapes that are filled with strips of mozzarella, giving it a fabulous texture. It works wonderfully with the earthy beetroot and the mild anise undertone of the lovage. Highly recommended.
I was intrigued to try this combination to see how well the Nduja paired with the cod. Nduja is a spicy spreadable sausage made from cured meats and red chillies. I’ve had it in a sauce with pasta in Naples, but never with fish. This Nduja cream worked tremendously well with the cod, with just the right amount of spicy kick – we really enjoyed this one. With the fancy potato galette on the top, it was like posh fish and chips with curry sauce, but much, much better!
After the spice from the Nduja cream, this refreshing dessert was a fabulous end to the meal. Layers of filo pastry, pineapple slices and coconut-covered mango sorbet popped with flavour, and we were wiping the plate clean with our fingers at the end of it. Delicious!
Another great selection of Kentish Fare
This new menu from chef Jack is yet another home run. It takes a lot of thought and consideration to put together a menu of such elegance, that has something for everyone, with all the produce being locally sourced in Kent. Jack came out of the kitchen to speak with us about the food, and it’s clear to see how passionate he is about what he does, and it shines through in the end result.
Search for stays in Folkestone
This is the second time we have written about The Langhorne, (read our first article here) and there’s only so many ways to say how good it is. But we really can’t say it enough, and it remains our favourite place to eat in Folkestone.
To book a table at The Langhorne, call 01303 251444
Follow The Langhorne on Instagram @thelanghorne
Follow Jack Williams on Instagram @chefjackwilliams
