insideKENT Magazine Issue 45 - December 2015 | Page 84

FOOD+DRINK WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE AT The Queen’s Inn HAWKHURST Having welcomed visitors since opening in 1561, it’s fair to surmise that the proprietors of the Queen’s Inn would know a thing or two about keeping their clientele of weary travellers, minstrels, smugglers, royalty and the odd thirsty local or two happy. Whilst the times may have changed, the premise has not, as Sharon, Sally Anne and their team offer the warmest of welcomes, a comfortable resting place and an unwavering passion for the dining experience on offer. BY SAMANTHA G Arriving for a late Sunday lunch my guests and I could certainly tick the weary traveller and thirsty patron boxes, and we were happily ushered into the warm and cosy lounge area where we were presented with the day’s mouthwatering menu and our swiftly prepared drinks. Soon after we were shown through to our large table at the rear of the airy pub dining room. With its beamed ceilings, exposed brickwork, combination of plush velvet and rustic wooden chairs and bathed in natural light that poured in from the bright sash windows, the newly renovated Queen’s Inn offers both rustic pub and contemporary restaurant dining options – all of which combine to create a comfortable and relaxing dining experience. With a firm stance to never compromise their locally sourced quality ingredients (from the likes of Moon’s Green, Wealden Smokery, Park Farm Butchers, Maws Fine Foods and Bodiam Ice Cream to name a few), food preparation, taste or satisfaction, the team at the Queen’s Inn have strived to produce a varied and interesting menu to showcase their passion and their talents. In doing so, they have made for plenty of indecisiveness in knowing what to choose from the abundance of mouth-watering options. Our (eventually) chosen starters of the antipasti board, warm halloumi salad and lamb kofte arrived – heaving on their presentation bowls and boards and filling our table. The evidently popular sharing boards were a feast of marinated and roasted vegetables, plump olives, rich sun dried tomatoes, houmous, mozzarella and cured meats which were promptly devoured by all within reaching distance. The grilled halloumi was offset wonderfully by the edamame bean, blueberry and avocado accompaniment, whilst the lamb kofte was delicately spiced and cooked to perfection. Of course being Sunday lunchtime, and having sneaked a peek at the towering plates being proffered around the dining room, my guests and I needed no persuasion to choose the Sunday lunch option for our main courses (which are also available in smaller sizes for our younger dining companions). We made light work of the hearty cuts of tender pink meat (beef for me, lamb for my guests), large crisp, fluffy roast potatoes, huge Yorkshires and a rich warming gravy, as well as lots of sharing vegetable sides. With a relaxed dining ethos and enough time between courses to digest the vast amounts of tasty dishes we’d consumed thus far, we were of course happy to find that last bit of room for pudding. We were in for a treat as a slab of bread 84 and butter pudding, a warm and crunchy apple crumble and my own personal favourite – the chocolate orange fondant – appeared in front of us and swiftly disappeared as we practically licked the plates clean. With genuinely warm customer service, the ability to cope with the sometimes chaotic headiness of family dining and the quick understanding of dietary needs (we had dairy allergies, pregnancy and fussy eaters on our table alone) without hesitation and of course plate upon plate of hearty, delicious, beautifully presented and produced dishes, I can wholeheartedly recommend dining at The Queen’s Inn and am pleased I’ve joined its unique history as one of its newest patrons. The Queen’s Inn Rye Road Hawkhurst Kent TN18 4EY 01580 754 233 [email protected] www.thequeensinnhawkhurst.co.uk @Queenshawkhurst /Queens.inn.hawkhurst/