FOOD + DRINK
Family friendly fare and a feel good vibe at …
BILL ' S RESTAURANT
NEVER HAS THE SAYING ' WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS , MAKE LEMONADE ' BEEN MORE SUPERBLY DEMONSTRATED THAN BY BILL ' S FOUNDER , BILL COLLISON . WHEN HIS LEWES- BASED GREENGROCERS WAS DEVASTATED IN THE FLOODS OF 2000 , HE REGROUPED AND REOPENED , THIS TIME WITH A CHEEKY LITTLE ADDITION OF A CAFÉ ... FAST FORWARD 18 YEARS , AND HIS NAMESAKE RESTAURANT – WITH ITS STRAIGHTFORWARD CONCEPT OF SERVING REALLY GOOD FOOD WHILE ENSURING EVERY CUSTOMER HAS A REALLY GOOD TIME – HAS TAKEN THE COUNTRY BY STORM . BY SAMANTHA READY
One of the latest additions to its nationwide portfolio is the Canterbury branch . Opening its doors in May last year , the site is a former jewellers shop near Whitefriars that ’ s been transformed . While the glass cabinets may be long gone , the result is a modern , but homely dining experience with a great ambience .
Bill ' s has a no-nonsense approach to using quality produce and serving tasty , hearty meals in a relaxed atmosphere ; this is a concept that is instantly demonstrated by the welcoming waiting staff . Having been shown to our cosy booth , and with a beverage of a whiskey sour ( made with Bill ' s pink lemonade ) and banoffee milkshake in hand , my guests and I began to peruse the dinner menu . Bill ' s also offers breakfasts , specials , afternoon tea and a dedicated kid ' s menu alongside its cracking cocktail list !
The menu itself is as interesting as it is simple , from starters such as oak-smoked chicken liver parfait ( with Bill ' s red onion marmalade ), to baked crab cakes and heaving mezze boards . Mains include Bill ' s hamburger , macaroni cheese , smokey BBQ ribs , grill options , and a selection of delicious sides that had us deliberating for an age ! Finally , we followed some good recommendations from our waitress and decided to opt for a sharing selection to start .
Our stonebaked garlic and herb flatbread with Gran Moravia cheese was like our own mini pizza , which was devoured before it even cooled ; mini Cumberland sausages glazed with honey and grain mustard barely touched the sides ; and the crispy-crumb halloumi sticks with garlic and lemon mayo was declared our new favourite .
Next up , our mains included Bill ’ s fish pie made with cod , salmon , smoked haddock and prawns ; a delicious and succulent 28-dayaged , 10oz sirloin steak served with fries and a generous dollop of garlic butter ; and , for our youngest diner , a hamburger with fries straight off the kid ' s menu . We even had to double check this when it arrived as the portion was definitely generous !
Like most 10-year-olds , mine considers herself a burger connoisseur and can also be a downright fussy little madam , but she practically licked her plate clean and declared earnestly that hers had been " the best burger I ' ve had in ages – actually maybe ever "; praise indeed . The slightly more grown-up diners were also more than sated with the well-sized portions and tasty offerings ; the creamy pie and succulent steak dishes were set off with clever little touches .
Mains done , it was of course time for dessert , and at Bill ' s all kids get an ice cream as part of their meal . Meanwhile , my guest , having stared at the recipe board chalked on the wall for most of his meal , was drawn to the warm chocolate brownie and I opted for Bill ’ s strawberry sorbet .
It ' s easy to see how Bill ' s has flourished from its humble roots – the concept , though simple , is brilliantly executed with good food and a great atmosphere aided by a lovely , friendly team . We had a wonderful dining experience and very much looking forward to our next visit .
Bill ’ s 6-8 Rose Lane Canterbury CT1 2SJ 01227 479552 www . bills-website . co . uk
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