insideKENT Magazine Issue 78 - September 2018 | Page 70

FOOD+DRINK WALKING ALONG A SLIGHTLY WINDSWEPT PROMENADE ON A COOL AUGUST EVENING, BREATHING IN THE FRESH SEA AIR, LISTENING TO THE WAVES SOFTLY CRASH AGAINST THE PEBBLES AND TAKING IN THE VIEWS OF THE ICONIC DEAL PIER WAS A PRETTY APT AND INSPIRING WAY TO VENTURE FOR A SEAFOOD-INSPIRED DINNER AT Hythe Bay SEAFOOD RESTAURANT BY SAMANTHA READY They say that three is the magic number and expectations were high as I embarked on my journey to Deal, the third jewel in the Hythe Bay seaside dining crown. Can you have a seafood restaurant without sea views? Of course. Is the setting as good? Probably not! There is something to be said about great surroundings matching your dining concept, and this has been harnessed across all of the Hythe Bay offerings. Intimate, cosy dining rooms are positioned within a stone’s throw of the sea, with décor that nurtures its nautical theme: subtle turquoise mosaic tiles, water and wood, and of course, menus which capitalise on local catches of the day. Entering the restaurant my guests and I were swept up in a wave of abundant welcomes from new manager Dave, Hythe Bay veteran Jo and our friendly waitress Amy. Eyes were immediately drawn to the bar area, where wall-sized tanks of colour-changing bubbles – reminiscent of 1990’s teenage bedroom bubble tubes but a whole lot more classy – showcased the vast array of spirits, wines and ales on offer. We could have happily sat and whiled away the evening just there, but of course dinner was calling. The menu, lovingly prepared by head chef Matt and his team, is a seafood lover’s dream. 70 But there are also a host of less fishy choices, perfect to tempt our more carnivorous dining companions. Starters presented the golden crisp rings of deep fried calamari, succulent squid and batter so crispy is was stolen across the table; the half pint of prawns swiftly deshelled and dunked in the moorish Marie-Rose sauce; the perfectly pan-seared scallops with chucks of rich pork belly, confit of fennel and classic pea purée; and the glorious oozing mound of camembert, with bread and sweet sticky red onion and cranberry marmalade, which competed the quartet. Conversation, which is usually notoriously riotous in the way that only old friends can be, was instantly halted as the main courses were delivered. Continuing the juicy prawn theme was the king prawn Thai red curry - with a much heralded fruity spicy kick; the indulgent half lobster thermidor with crisp french fries; for our meat loving friend the perfectly seared rib-eye steak with peppercorn sauce; and my own pan-fried halibut – a beautiful, delicate fillet served with a smooth parsley mash, with flavours aplenty from salty pancetta and rich chicken jus. And just because we could and because chef needed us to, a sneaky heavenly taste of the pan-fried sea bass with braised fennel and fresh Sicilian salsa. Cleared plates all round, forks across the table and murmurings of ‘mmm’ testament to each and every dish. Our last dilemma: what to chose for pudding. We finally settled on the bread and butter pudding with round, thick hunks of bread and rich custard; the classic crème brûlée (which actually appeared big enough for all of us!); the sticky sweet indulgent tarte tatin; and the rich chocolate caramel torte. And then as if by magic, a slice of chef’s favourite – the passion fruit cheesecake – appeared and was promptly declared favourite dessert dish as the ultra creamy cheesecake laced with passionfruit and its nutty base was devoured. A great evening can be judged by how quickly time flies as well as how pleasingly sated you feel when the inevitable hometime comes. From its courteous service, contemporary dining room, and each neatly and beautifully executed dish from the tried and tested menu, Hythe Bay, Deal delivered on all counts. Hythe Bay 41-45 Beach Street Deal CT14 6HY 01304 365 555 [email protected] www.hythebay.co.uk Hythe-Bay-Seafood-Restaurant-at-Deal