What a lovely review by mr Chris Rhodes this is why we have trip adviser :) Another day, another restaurant opening....... But every now and then there is an opening that is highly anticipated and The Twenty Six is one of these. Pete, Dave and Scott (Owner, General Manager and Chef respectively) built their reputation at The Swan in West Malling and over more than a 10 year period developed a reputation as a strong team, delivering good food in a great atmosphere and creating a space where people wanted to be and one felt part of something, almost a club like atmosphere if you like. So when they left with secretive plans about new ventures a feeling of anticipation was in the air. The first of these ventures has just appeared in our firmament - The Twenty Six, under the Ill Be Mother umbrella. In a pleasant location by Southborough Village Green on the main road into Tunbridge Wells, the restaurant stands out, simple and unimposing but stylish nonetheless. Inside, as is the fashion these days, scrubbed tables, dark as well as light wood and even tartan drapes somehow all work together to create a welcoming space. No more than 30 covers so it will always be an intimate space though plans are afoot for private dining upstairs. Anyway enough of that, what about the food I hear you ask? Our table of 4 decided to sample across the board both starters and mains. The highlight amongst the starters was the pigeon served with blackberries and to our great delight and surprise found the addition of cumin seeds, which added another dimension to this already delightful dish. No less impressive was the Pressed Chicken and charred vegetables - a loose press rather than a terrine which gave the meat room to breathe. The remaining two dishes were comfort food of the highest order - a cheesy sharp Smoked Haddock rarebit and a Mushroom and Potato Gratin that was unctuous. To follow, we were less inclined to share - a wonderful thick piece of sirloin accompanied by a kidney suit pudding was Steak and Kidney Pie served with a deep gravy (definitely not a jus), Salmon served with fennel and pork with lots of crackling. All the mains were accompanied by a potato gratin and a wonderful selection of grilled and charred vegetables. All the mains were excellent, but the kidney pudding deserves special mention. Not a lot of room left for dessert but a Gypsy Tart and Peach Fool (the former the anthesis of what I remember leaving untouched at school) and some cheese (served at exactly the right temperature) were all consumed as a service for readers of this review and again score similar high marks. The wine list has a good mixture of the affordable and fine - on another occasion when I am not driving, I will gladly report back on those two. Chapel Down features heavily and those that though this vineyard will not be disappointed at that news. This was a sparkling debut by an experienced team who care passionately about food, wine but most importantly, the customer experience. No first night nerves here, just good ingredients, well cooked and served with style. Being a 20 minute drive from where I live, I anticipate an upturn in business for my local cab company. Go, enjoy but be careful whom you tell about this place - dont spoil it for the rest of us!
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 07:24:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015