insideKENT Magazine Issue 28 - July 2014 | Page 74

FOOD+DRINK

THE FABULOUS

Follies

The brainchild of owner Aimi, Folkestone-based Follies outright refuses to be your run-of-the-mill
local café. Brimming with character, this pioneering Aladdin's cave combines delicious menus with
equally striking antiques in a bid to bring an entirely new café culture to Kent. BY GEMMA DUNN
Having swapped the London pub scene for the
coastal realms of Kent, Aimi spotted a gap in the
market for a café-come-antiques pairing, and
quite literally set up shop on Folkestone's busy
Sandgate Road. Formerly a furniture shop, Follies'
venue boasts three spectacular floors of seating
– each bursting with exclusive antique and vintage
finds for sale. What's more, guests are invited
to dine amongst the tables, sofas and home
décor. Well, as they say, try before you buy!
So with that in mind, three weeks after its opening
on 18th April this year, my colleague and I –
armed with laptops – made an executive decision
to make it a café workday at this extraordinary
new hangout. And I'm glad we did.
Operating under the expert opinion that breakfast
really is the most important meal of the day – not
to mention a working day – I kicked mine off with
a delicious caffè latte and classic portion of toast,
served with condiments. However as anticipated,
this breakfast staple wasn't so typical at Follies.
Requiring a spot of customer DIY, it serves freshly
cut inch-thick bread to be cooked in a number
of vintage-inspired toasters dotted around the
venue. This bloomin' good idea not only allows
diners to achieve their individual preference, but
it also successfully adds to the fabulous interactive
customer experience Follies has worked so hard
to create.
Whether it's friends popping in for coffee,
shoppers or families and workers perusing the
lunch and cake menus, one thing I noticed from
my third floor sitting is that interest in the new
business was high and its flow of customers,
constant; and it's certainly not hard to see why.
From freshly made juices to flowing creative

juices, when working or dining at Follies it is
impossible to not draw inspiration from the wellappointed collectables that surround you. In fact,
I happened to be sitting on a show-stopping,
opulent gold velvet sofa that was once pride of
place at the prestigious Grosvenor Hotel in
London. Like much of the desirable antiques on
display at Follies, a truly distinct piece that I'm
sure could tell a thousand stories.
For those who like a browse, Follies is a superb
snooper’s paradise. As an eclectic mix of dazzling
chandeliers adorn the ceilings, you'll find opulent
chair sets, rugs, mirrors, lamps, vases, furniture,
paintings, clothes and more vintage finds around
every corner. An ever-changing interior such as
this also means regular clientele can return again
and again, while enjoying a new experience each
time.
In addition to Follies' evolving decor, owner Aimi
also let us in on her imminent plans to expand
by first opening an outdoor courtyard and
restaurant area, before increasing the menu to
offer hot dishes and the famous Folkestone popup, That Burger. Having already established a
community presence, the concept of introducing
day-to-night dining and special event evenings
will undoubtedly see Follies' success continue
to soar. Moreover, it already offers a BYOB policy,
and with corkage charged at £4 per bottle of
wine and £1 per beer, it's certainly a reasonable
– and incredibly intriguing – place to have a tipple
or two.
On this occasion, Follies' current menu did not
go amiss when lunchtime reared its welcome
head. Picking from their seasonal, daily-varying
menu, my guest and I opted for a superb roasted

74

mustard topside of beef served with salad; fresh
potato and horseradish potato salad; Greek
salad; and to finish, a cheeseboard comprising
of Kentish Blue, Taw Valley Cheddar and Cornish
Brie, accompanied by bread, a delectable chutney
and grapes. A feast fit for a king you might say
– which seemed rather fitting as we perched on
a spectacular chaise longue.
Continuing with our reign, the perfect end to our
day could only be realised if we indulged in a
sliver of Follies' homemade exquisite cake
selection; well, having been greeted by the
delicious array upon entrance first thing in the
morning, we'd done well to hold off until this
point! Our choices: a slice of Kent-based supplier,
Samovar's, award-winning honey cake and a
piece of the divine pink grapefruit drizzle. With
so much on offer and a further recommendation
of the cherry bakewell cake, we will most definitely
be back to work (and eat) more.
Back in April, Follies set up with a vision to bring
something new and diverse to the town of
Folkestone. Just two months on and its tasty
food, elected antiques, friendly team, and above
all, community spirit, has ensured this upcoming
institution is well on its way to achieving, building
on and surpassing that aspiration.

Follies
133 Sandgate Road
Folkestone
CT20 2BL
/folliesfolkestone