THE CAST IRON GRILL at Tudor Park
BY LISAMARIE LAMB
FOOD + DRINK
A RESTAURANT IN A HOTEL CAN SOMETIMES BE SOMETHING OF A GAMBLE . YES , THEY DO TEND TO BE BUSY , BUT IS THAT BECAUSE THE FOOD IS GOOD , OR BECAUSE THE CLIENTELE ARE A BIT … TRAPPED ? THANKFULLY , WHEN IT COMES TO THE CAST IRON GRILL AT THE TUDOR PARK MARRIOTT IN MAIDSTONE , IT IS THE FORMER RATHER THAN THE LATTER , AND EATING HERE IS NEVER A GAMBLE – YOU ’ LL ALWAYS WIN , WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE .
And so choose we did .
After settling down at our table , it was the first thing that was required of us . In fact , it was the only thing that was required of us – the service at the Cast Iron Grill was absolutely impeccable , meaning that we could truly relax and enjoy our evening out , sure that nothing would be too much for the staff here . That level of service and attention to detail does make all the difference .
We decided to opt for the grilled lamb kofte to start with , along with the grilled king scallops . The kofte was served with hummus , coriander and garlic . It arrived looking juicy and sumptuous , bursting with Middle Eastern flavours , and its looks did not disappoint . Slightly spicy , perfectly seasoned , this was a great start to our meal . And the scallops , served with spinach purée and crispy pancetta , were superb . Soft and creamy , they balanced out the salty pancetta and smooth spinach exactly as they had been created to do . Very fine work indeed !
The main course was just as difficult a decision to make as the starters had been , but after a little debate and a question to the waiter as to what he would recommend , we went for the hake with lemon and watercress and the beef short rib with creamed potatoes and buttered greens . Unable to choose who would actually have what , we mixed and matched a little – as you do when the food looks as good as this did – and ultimately couldn ’ t pick a favourite . Hake can be difficult to cook , as the moment between it being perfect and being overdone is mere seconds , but the chef at the Cast Iron Grill knew exactly what to do with this large portion of fish and it arrived exactly as we hoped it would , surrounded in gorgeous accompaniments and falling apart as we dived into it . As for the tender ribs … the term ‘ melt in the mouth ’ can be overused when it comes to delicious meat that has been cooked so well , but in this case it is a phrase that needs to be used . Because it did exactly that . Amazing quality , fantastic cooking , and those creamed potatoes were exceptional .
And then came dessert . So much choice , so little room ; and yet , somehow , we managed it . Between us , we polished off the toffee and ginger skillet pudding served with Jude ’ s and Rubies banana ice cream and the lemon brulée tart with raspberries and cream . Although it was a tough call between that and the honeycomb cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream …
We left the Cast Iron Grill Completely full and utterly satisfied . A hotel restaurant that offers as much – if not more – than its high street counterpart is something to be savoured ; there ’ s no doubt we ’ ll be back .
The Cast Iron Grill at Tudor Park Ashford Road Bearsted , Maidstone ME14 4NQ 01622 734334 www . marriott . co . uk
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