Latest reviews in Whitstable, United Kingdom

Rendezvous - Rendevous cafe Whitstable by liam

liam — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:12:39 +0000

Review by liam

Rating: 1.00Food was ok at a resonable price however service was terrible waited over fifteen minutes for a sandwich. The cafe was very dirty especially behind the counter and run down which put me off my food.Will not be visiting again.Food was ok at a resonable price however service was terrible waited over fifteen minutes for a sandwich. The cafe was very dirty especially behind the counter and run down which put me off my food.Will not be visiting again.

Tankerton Tandoori Takeaway - Best food ever! by fchoudhury

fchoudhury — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:37:28 +0000

Review by fchoudhury

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 01227 770820

The delivery was good and not too slow, compared to other Indian takeaways. The food was the best I have ever had!!!
a definite recomendationThe delivery was good and not too slow, compared to other Indian takeaways. The food was the best I have ever had!!!
a definite recomendation

The Sportsman - Leagues ahead by chrisp

chrisp — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:44:47 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 01227 273370

Website: http://www.thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk

Tags: gastro pub, excellent pub food, relaxed

I got the impression that we'd arrived for our meal at the Sportsman just as this remote spot was on the verge of transitioning from sun-baked and peaceful to windswept and desolate. It was a glorious late summer's day, a warm breeze blew in from the sea and the windows in this effectively but unsentimentally restored old boozer were all wide open. Thanks to various recent reviews the Sportsman still feels like a new find; in fact it's been here since for just over a decade - plenty of time, then, to hone their interior design skills and carefully managed hospitality. We took our seats at a huge rustic table decorated with humorously shaped vegetables, and waited for the show to begin.

Like the devil-may-care, adventurous foodies we are, we asked head honcho Stephen Harris to just serve us a tasting menu of whatever he saw fit. The Sportsman prides itself on serving local, seasonal produce - and when they say local, they really mean it. The salt is from the sea, about 20 steps away, what veg they can't grow in their own gardens is from a farm about 2 minutes up the road, and it's a little unnerving to be eating a perfectly cooked, juicy rack of lamb whilst simultaneously watching its live cousins gambolling in the field over the road. Well, at first perhaps - I soon got over it.

Our first course was a native oyster each (first of the season apparently - they weren't on the chalkboard menu put up for the other punters) with a tiny, spicy button of fried chorizo on top. I don't normally like anything other than a shallot vinaigrette with my oysters, but this was really nice, crunchy for a texture contrast and with a little spicy kick to liven up the briny flesh of the mollusc.

After gobbling down the oysters, a little stone tray of pork scratchings and pickled herrings arrived. The scratchings were mainly crispy but with the odd lovely bit of gooey flesh. They weren't as salty as I was expecting, and were even slightly sweet, but were delicious nonetheless. And the herring came as a little canapÃ©, on a cocktail stick with rye bread, cream cheese and gooseberry jelly. Great to see gooseberry coming back into fashion, and it was a perfect compliment to this fish.

These bijou bowls of poached oysters, Jersey cream and gooseberry granita were delicate and fresh and an interesting flavour combination I've not seen elsewhere. In fact you don't really see many cooked oyster dishes anywhere, which is a shame because these were very tasty.

Slip sole (kind of a small subspecies of sole) poached in seaweed butter was an absolute triumph. I'm a huge sole fan, and the meaty, firm flesh of this little fish was cooked to absolute perfection. Overcooked sole is an absolute disaster (see The Bolingbroke), but it's a real mark of the skill in this kitchen that they can serve up such a (relatively) small cut of flatfish and get every inch of it just right. All of our plates were licked clean to the bone.

The next seafood dish, a crab risotto, was probably the best risotto I've ever eaten in my life. It wasn't just the superbly seasoned mixture, the confidently straightforward presentation or the perfectly-judged portion size. It wasn't even the overwhelmingly intense "crabbiness" of the aroma that seemed to fill the room the moment the bowl was placed down. No, what most impressed me was the way they had used the brown meat to make the rice mixture - the risotto itself - and topped it with a generous portion of the sweet white meat on top. So we had a brown-meat mixture topped with white-meat, cleverly and knowingly recreating a dressed crab in the form of a risotto. This was a multi-Michelin-starred dish masquerading as a gastropub starter, and it was brilliant.

I don't know if it was just that I'd chomped my way through some of the world's finest Iberico ham just a couple of days before at Brindisa's Ham School (more on that to come) - in fact I'm sure it was just that - but I was slightly underwhelmed by the Sportsman's home-cured ham. Quite dry and very salty, it was by their own admission just a way of using up legs of local pork that they couldn't sell for the Sunday roasts, so I probably shouldn't be too harsh. Plus I ate it all. There's always room in the world for more ham product, and you have to admire their thrifty, not to mention environmentally sound, attitude.

This handsome little fillet of tasty turbot sat on top of a stack of boiled greens and was surrounded by a fantastic rich broth of herring roe - the kind you can buy in Tesco's as 'Avruga' or fake caviar. The flavours were strong and satisfying, the meaty turbot sitting perfectly with the salty roe, and it added up to yet another near-perfect dish. We were on a roll.

A couple of fried lamb breast slices in breadcrumbs with a little minty dip were perfectly pleasant, but just served to whet our appetite for the lamb course proper - rack and slow-cooked shoulder with home-grown green beans. The meat on the rack was so tender it pulled off the bone with the barest amount of effort, and the shoulder was crunchy on top and moist within, all you could wish for. It was a deceptively simple preparation that showed off the superb ingredients to their fullest, and was a hit with everyone on our table.

First of the desserts was a little cup of something called 'cake milk' and a lollipop of blackberry granita. It was great to have such a strong hit of blackberry and such a creamy homemade custard, and even this tiny amuse was still impressive.

Apple parfait with caramel, blackberry sorbet and hazelnuts was, I'm afraid, the only dish that really didn't do much for me. It wasn't just that the hazelnuts were a bit soggy (they perhaps needed roasting longer, or at all) or that the blackberry sorbet was very similar to the previous dish. The parfait itself was a strange unpleasantly lumpy texture and didn't have a good enough flavour to overcome this disadvantage - it seemed a bit bitter.

Fortunately the Sportsman didn't end the desserts on a duff note. What arrived next was an impressive tray of five different desserts. From right to left, we have what I think was a rhubarb sorbet with a hilarious dose of popping candy, a chocolate mousse, an absolutely wonderful sharp lemon and raspberry tart, a caramelised plum, and a little block of sponge cake soaked in some kind of subtle walnut liqueur.

It wasn't just the food on the plates that impressed about the Sportsman, however. The wine list, for example, contained such ludicrously low mark-ups that Stephen quietly explained to us that some of the bottles even made them a small loss. We guzzled our way through two bottles of a crisp dry Sauvignon Blanc "Sancerre Clos des Bouffants Domaine Roger Nevau" which according to a quick Google costs Â£15 retail and for which we paid around Â£21. This went very well with the oysters and seafood dishes. Similarly, a Bordeaux, "Chateau Forcas Dumont 2003" was barely a 50% markup on retail and its rich, fruity notes went superbly with the lamb dishes. House bread was an outstanding achievement too, with a near-perfect sourdough, a crispy rosemary foccacia and a dense, malty soda bread served with home-churned sea-salted butter. I don't think I've had a better bread selection anywhere in the UK except perhaps the Harwood Arms.

But what was most impressive about the Sportsman, aside from their attention to detail, generosity of spirit and effortlessly charming service, is the fact that at its heart, it's still just a local pub that happens to serve incredible food. Throughout our meal various tired hikers popped in with their rucksacks and sandy boots to down a quick pint of Shepherd's Neame and be on their way. There's a dartboard on the way to the gents, a terrace for drinks if you're not eating, and I don't care how used you are to your individual hand towels and Molton Brown soap, it's hard not to be charmed by the rickety cubicles and push-button hand dryer from its days as a run-down and isolated boozer. The contrast was heartwarmingly evident.

On the journey home that evening, a few spots of rain cooled the air and heralded the start of autumn. I'm not worried for the Sportsman, of course - it's lasted ten years and will last many more, drawing eager punters from near and far. The fact that anyone would make a special journey out to what must be a desperately harsh location once winter has arrived is testament to just how good it is. But it's hard not to just feel a little sad that I've probably eaten my last blackberry granita of 2009. Summer, then. How was it for you? Here's to next year.I got the impression that we'd arrived for our meal at the Sportsman just as this remote spot was on the verge of transitioning from sun-baked and peaceful to windswept and desolate. It was a glorious late summer's day, a warm breeze blew in from the sea and the windows in this effectively but unsentimentally restored old boozer were all wide open. Thanks to various recent reviews the Sportsman still feels like a new find; in fact it's been here since for just over a decade - plenty of time, then, to hone their interior design skills and carefully managed hospitality. We took our seats at a huge rustic table decorated with humorously shaped vegetables, and waited for the show to begin.

Like the devil-may-care, adventurous foodies we are, we asked head honcho Stephen Harris to just serve us a tasting menu of whatever he saw fit. The Sportsman prides itself on serving local, seasonal produce - and when they say local, they really mean it. The salt is from the sea, about 20 steps away, what veg they can't grow in their own gardens is from a farm about 2 minutes up the road, and it's a little unnerving to be eating a perfectly cooked, juicy rack of lamb whilst simultaneously watching its live cousins gambolling in the field over the road. Well, at first perhaps - I soon got over it.

Our first course was a native oyster each (first of the season apparently - they weren't on the chalkboard menu put up for the other punters) with a tiny, spicy button of fried chorizo on top. I don't normally like anything other than a shallot vinaigrette with my oysters, but this was really nice, crunchy for a texture contrast and with a little spicy kick to liven up the briny flesh of the mollusc.

After gobbling down the oysters, a little stone tray of pork scratchings and pickled herrings arrived. The scratchings were mainly crispy but with the odd lovely bit of gooey flesh. They weren't as salty as I was expecting, and were even slightly sweet, but were delicious nonetheless. And the herring came as a little canapÃ©, on a cocktail stick with rye bread, cream cheese and gooseberry jelly. Great to see gooseberry coming back into fashion, and it was a perfect compliment to this fish.

These bijou bowls of poached oysters, Jersey cream and gooseberry granita were delicate and fresh and an interesting flavour combination I've not seen elsewhere. In fact you don't really see many cooked oyster dishes anywhere, which is a shame because these were very tasty.

Slip sole (kind of a small subspecies of sole) poached in seaweed butter was an absolute triumph. I'm a huge sole fan, and the meaty, firm flesh of this little fish was cooked to absolute perfection. Overcooked sole is an absolute disaster (see The Bolingbroke), but it's a real mark of the skill in this kitchen that they can serve up such a (relatively) small cut of flatfish and get every inch of it just right. All of our plates were licked clean to the bone.

The next seafood dish, a crab risotto, was probably the best risotto I've ever eaten in my life. It wasn't just the superbly seasoned mixture, the confidently straightforward presentation or the perfectly-judged portion size. It wasn't even the overwhelmingly intense "crabbiness" of the aroma that seemed to fill the room the moment the bowl was placed down. No, what most impressed me was the way they had used the brown meat to make the rice mixture - the risotto itself - and topped it with a generous portion of the sweet white meat on top. So we had a brown-meat mixture topped with white-meat, cleverly and knowingly recreating a dressed crab in the form of a risotto. This was a multi-Michelin-starred dish masquerading as a gastropub starter, and it was brilliant.

I don't know if it was just that I'd chomped my way through some of the world's finest Iberico ham just a couple of days before at Brindisa's Ham School (more on that to come) - in fact I'm sure it was just that - but I was slightly underwhelmed by the Sportsman's home-cured ham. Quite dry and very salty, it was by their own admission just a way of using up legs of local pork that they couldn't sell for the Sunday roasts, so I probably shouldn't be too harsh. Plus I ate it all. There's always room in the world for more ham product, and you have to admire their thrifty, not to mention environmentally sound, attitude.

This handsome little fillet of tasty turbot sat on top of a stack of boiled greens and was surrounded by a fantastic rich broth of herring roe - the kind you can buy in Tesco's as 'Avruga' or fake caviar. The flavours were strong and satisfying, the meaty turbot sitting perfectly with the salty roe, and it added up to yet another near-perfect dish. We were on a roll.

A couple of fried lamb breast slices in breadcrumbs with a little minty dip were perfectly pleasant, but just served to whet our appetite for the lamb course proper - rack and slow-cooked shoulder with home-grown green beans. The meat on the rack was so tender it pulled off the bone with the barest amount of effort, and the shoulder was crunchy on top and moist within, all you could wish for. It was a deceptively simple preparation that showed off the superb ingredients to their fullest, and was a hit with everyone on our table.

First of the desserts was a little cup of something called 'cake milk' and a lollipop of blackberry granita. It was great to have such a strong hit of blackberry and such a creamy homemade custard, and even this tiny amuse was still impressive.

Apple parfait with caramel, blackberry sorbet and hazelnuts was, I'm afraid, the only dish that really didn't do much for me. It wasn't just that the hazelnuts were a bit soggy (they perhaps needed roasting longer, or at all) or that the blackberry sorbet was very similar to the previous dish. The parfait itself was a strange unpleasantly lumpy texture and didn't have a good enough flavour to overcome this disadvantage - it seemed a bit bitter.

Fortunately the Sportsman didn't end the desserts on a duff note. What arrived next was an impressive tray of five different desserts. From right to left, we have what I think was a rhubarb sorbet with a hilarious dose of popping candy, a chocolate mousse, an absolutely wonderful sharp lemon and raspberry tart, a caramelised plum, and a little block of sponge cake soaked in some kind of subtle walnut liqueur.

It wasn't just the food on the plates that impressed about the Sportsman, however. The wine list, for example, contained such ludicrously low mark-ups that Stephen quietly explained to us that some of the bottles even made them a small loss. We guzzled our way through two bottles of a crisp dry Sauvignon Blanc "Sancerre Clos des Bouffants Domaine Roger Nevau" which according to a quick Google costs Â£15 retail and for which we paid around Â£21. This went very well with the oysters and seafood dishes. Similarly, a Bordeaux, "Chateau Forcas Dumont 2003" was barely a 50% markup on retail and its rich, fruity notes went superbly with the lamb dishes. House bread was an outstanding achievement too, with a near-perfect sourdough, a crispy rosemary foccacia and a dense, malty soda bread served with home-churned sea-salted butter. I don't think I've had a better bread selection anywhere in the UK except perhaps the Harwood Arms.

But what was most impressive about the Sportsman, aside from their attention to detail, generosity of spirit and effortlessly charming service, is the fact that at its heart, it's still just a local pub that happens to serve incredible food. Throughout our meal various tired hikers popped in with their rucksacks and sandy boots to down a quick pint of Shepherd's Neame and be on their way. There's a dartboard on the way to the gents, a terrace for drinks if you're not eating, and I don't care how used you are to your individual hand towels and Molton Brown soap, it's hard not to be charmed by the rickety cubicles and push-button hand dryer from its days as a run-down and isolated boozer. The contrast was heartwarmingly evident.

On the journey home that evening, a few spots of rain cooled the air and heralded the start of autumn. I'm not worried for the Sportsman, of course - it's lasted ten years and will last many more, drawing eager punters from near and far. The fact that anyone would make a special journey out to what must be a desperately harsh location once winter has arrived is testament to just how good it is. But it's hard not to just feel a little sad that I've probably eaten my last blackberry granita of 2009. Summer, then. How was it for you? Here's to next year.

The Smack Inn - by lesnsue

lesnsue — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:51:53 +0000

Review by lesnsue

Rating: 5.00

Tags: friendly, traditional pub, beer garden

Good food, friendly staff. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.Good food, friendly staff. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company - very rude staff! by betcas

betcas — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:19:04 +0000

Review by betcas

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 01227 276856

Tags: expensive, pretentious, seafood

This review is rather late, but some time ago my husband and I went in to get a coffee, quite early on a Saturday morning and will certainly NEVER be going back to this place.
I went in to buy two coffees, and was reluctantly served by a very rude blonde lady, who went to use a coffee machine, which she didn't fill with fresh coffee - she sniggered with her colleagues, thinking that I hadn't picked this up - having paid and then drinking the coffee, I realised that it was infact luke warm water, with a bit of milk - the lady had obviously not changed the coffee from the night before. I went back and spoke to another member of staff - he did actually taste the coffee himself and looked rather appalled. I just took a refund, because I was so disgusted with the staff behaviour.
All I can say is that this experience has put me off ever visiting the establishment again. I'm sure the food is very nice, but if you experience this kind of service when buying a coffee I dread to think what else goes on. I do hope that they have a frequent staff turnover, and that the staff I had the misfortune to be served by staff that morning, no longer work there.This review is rather late, but some time ago my husband and I went in to get a coffee, quite early on a Saturday morning and will certainly NEVER be going back to this place.
I went in to buy two coffees, and was reluctantly served by a very rude blonde lady, who went to use a coffee machine, which she didn't fill with fresh coffee - she sniggered with her colleagues, thinking that I hadn't picked this up - having paid and then drinking the coffee, I realised that it was infact luke warm water, with a bit of milk - the lady had obviously not changed the coffee from the night before. I went back and spoke to another member of staff - he did actually taste the coffee himself and looked rather appalled. I just took a refund, because I was so disgusted with the staff behaviour.
All I can say is that this experience has put me off ever visiting the establishment again. I'm sure the food is very nice, but if you experience this kind of service when buying a coffee I dread to think what else goes on. I do hope that they have a frequent staff turnover, and that the staff I had the misfortune to be served by staff that morning, no longer work there.

Whitstable Fish Market - by alliekeith

alliekeith — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:08:40 +0000

Review by alliekeith

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 01227 771 245

Website: http://www.seewhitstable.com/Whitstable-Fish-Market.html

A fabulous daily selection of fish in a very pretty town!A fabulous daily selection of fish in a very pretty town!

Quayside - the quayside (avoidance is a must) by tedoscar

tedoscar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:29:11 +0000

Review by tedoscar

Rating: 1.00

Tags: different pub food

a recent visit was horrendous,starters and main meals all arrive at same time?,rude immature staff dirty glasses and cutlery when it arrived! dont bother complaining the higher up the chain you go the worse it becomes avoid at all costs or it will cost you! a disgracea recent visit was horrendous,starters and main meals all arrive at same time?,rude immature staff dirty glasses and cutlery when it arrived! dont bother complaining the higher up the chain you go the worse it becomes avoid at all costs or it will cost you! a disgrace

Beach Cafe - beach cafe by DERSCHEM

DERSCHEM — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:41:06 +0000

Review by DERSCHEM

Rating: 5.00

Tags: lively, amazing brew, proper food

good honest food, nice place to eat when you arereally hungrygood honest food, nice place to eat when you arereally hungry

The Monument - Tip top Food by andygate17

andygate17 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:01:26 +0000

Review by andygate17

Rating: 5.00

Tags: live music, friendly, pool

Great food with a great price, we had one of the Sunday roasts, and I must say how nice it was, we paid Â£12 for our meals that was FOR BOTH NOT EACH....... I would have been more that happy to have payed Â£12 for my meal alone.Great food with a great price, we had one of the Sunday roasts, and I must say how nice it was, we paid Â£12 for our meals that was FOR BOTH NOT EACH....... I would have been more that happy to have payed Â£12 for my meal alone.

Pearsons Crab & Oyster Bar - by beanstar

beanstar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:58:18 +0000

Review by beanstar

Rating: 3.00

Tags: lively, good value, business

The first time we ate in Pearsons I was surprised that a fairly "rough" seeming pub had such a nice restaurant attached. The next time we ate there the pub was rougher and the food dire.

However, the place has reinvented itself following a smart makeover - this however means that the prices have risen considerably. On the plus side, the pub has an over 21 policy and this means that you can eat in the restaurant without feeling as if you are gatecrashing a school disco!

The food is lovely although portions are on the small side for the prices charged. Service is pleasant if on the slow side.

It's not a place I would go to regularly but I would not turn down the idea of eating there any more.The first time we ate in Pearsons I was surprised that a fairly "rough" seeming pub had such a nice restaurant attached. The next time we ate there the pub was rougher and the food dire.

However, the place has reinvented itself following a smart makeover - this however means that the prices have risen considerably. On the plus side, the pub has an over 21 policy and this means that you can eat in the restaurant without feeling as if you are gatecrashing a school disco!

The food is lovely although portions are on the small side for the prices charged. Service is pleasant if on the slow side.

It's not a place I would go to regularly but I would not turn down the idea of eating there any more.

Tea And Times - Cracking good sandwiches! by fillyfod

fillyfod — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:40:13 +0000

Review by fillyfod

Rating: 4.00

Tags: crowded, good brew, quiet & relaxed

I was with a friend looking for somewhere in whitstable which was relaxed and sold fairly simple food for lunch and this fits the bill perfectly!

We did queue for a bit to get served but as it was during a festival in town this was to be expected and was pretty reasonable considering. I ordered a roast chicken and salad sandwich and my friend a sausage one. We had soft drinks so cannot comment on the tea or coffee quality unfortunately.

The place was very busy so we took the last 2 seats which were at the top of the stairs perched on stools and the food came fairly quickly. The quality of the food was excellent and these guys really know how to make a sandwich. Mine was top quality chicken which was still warm with very fresh salad ingredients and great bread. The sausages in my friend's was a good butchers quality too.

I will definately return here when I visit again and next time I will save room for some cake too! I was with a friend looking for somewhere in whitstable which was relaxed and sold fairly simple food for lunch and this fits the bill perfectly!

We did queue for a bit to get served but as it was during a festival in town this was to be expected and was pretty reasonable considering. I ordered a roast chicken and salad sandwich and my friend a sausage one. We had soft drinks so cannot comment on the tea or coffee quality unfortunately.

The place was very busy so we took the last 2 seats which were at the top of the stairs perched on stools and the food came fairly quickly. The quality of the food was excellent and these guys really know how to make a sandwich. Mine was top quality chicken which was still warm with very fresh salad ingredients and great bread. The sausages in my friend's was a good butchers quality too.

I will definately return here when I visit again and next time I will save room for some cake too!

Shangri-La - It's a Thai! by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:54:31 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 01227 265800

Tags: thai, lively, expensive

We went there for the first time last night. It was a pleasant atmosphere and still quite busy even on a Weds night. Suitably decorated with a huge water feature trickling away and lots of buddhas about. The food was faultless and delicious - we shared thai soup and tempura for starters which were absolutley GORGEOUS and very generous portions.

It wasn't too expensive either - around Â£50 for 2 including a bottle of house red and a couple of beers. We'll be back! We went there for the first time last night. It was a pleasant atmosphere and still quite busy even on a Weds night. Suitably decorated with a huge water feature trickling away and lots of buddhas about. The food was faultless and delicious - we shared thai soup and tempura for starters which were absolutley GORGEOUS and very generous portions.

It wasn't too expensive either - around Â£50 for 2 including a bottle of house red and a couple of beers. We'll be back!

The Old Neptune - Beer on the beach... by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:15:01 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 3.00This pub is situated on the beach (literally) and enviably has the best location in Whitstable. There are loads of tables outside on the beach itself and you can drink to your heart's content and watch the sun set. Great atmos out there, friendly and kiddie/dog friendly too. However, I think it's fair to say that inside you can get a bit youthy/rowdy and rammed at times, so sitting outside is preferable. This pub is situated on the beach (literally) and enviably has the best location in Whitstable. There are loads of tables outside on the beach itself and you can drink to your heart's content and watch the sun set. Great atmos out there, friendly and kiddie/dog friendly too. However, I think it's fair to say that inside you can get a bit youthy/rowdy and rammed at times, so sitting outside is preferable.

Cafe Rio - Good old greasy spoon! :o) by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:06:16 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 4.00This is a good old "no frills" greasy spoon (and I don't know of any other good ones in Whitstable). Good food (for the sort), good service and very reasonable. Can't go wrong if you fancy a fry up rinsed down by a big mug of milky coffee...This is a good old "no frills" greasy spoon (and I don't know of any other good ones in Whitstable). Good food (for the sort), good service and very reasonable. Can't go wrong if you fancy a fry up rinsed down by a big mug of milky coffee...

Tudor Restaurant - Choux buns, yummy fish, and little old ladies by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:49:24 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 4.00

Tags: cosy, quick bite, good brew

As the previous reviewer mentioned, it is generally a good quality haunt for those who are "greyer of hair" for afternoon cream teas. It is a family business and they are very welcoming, do marvellous choux buns from heaven, and good fish n chips (it's not just tea & buns)! There's also a garden out back but haven't explored it. Great for taking your mums to! As the previous reviewer mentioned, it is generally a good quality haunt for those who are "greyer of hair" for afternoon cream teas. It is a family business and they are very welcoming, do marvellous choux buns from heaven, and good fish n chips (it's not just tea & buns)! There's also a garden out back but haven't explored it. Great for taking your mums to!

Whistlestop - Great food, but not very friendly by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:39:37 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 2.00A large restaurant set under the railway arches, this place is very popular with OAPs as they do good special offers. I have to say the food is very good and you can often smell things baking in there. However, unfortunately the proprietor was a bit "funny" (rude) to us when we went in, so we don't go there... Doh!A large restaurant set under the railway arches, this place is very popular with OAPs as they do good special offers. I have to say the food is very good and you can often smell things baking in there. However, unfortunately the proprietor was a bit "funny" (rude) to us when we went in, so we don't go there... Doh!

The East Kent Public House - Friendly local pub by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:59:36 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 4.00

Tags: friendly, pool, standard pub food

This pub is a proper good old local pub, (but thankfully without the local "get arf my land" or "hassling youths" you sometimes get).
We always have a good time there. Good pool table, juke box, very friendly fun staff. She even remembered what our round consisted of.
It's open nice and late, and you won't stand out if you're a bit pished, unlike some of the more sleepy quiet pubs in town.This pub is a proper good old local pub, (but thankfully without the local "get arf my land" or "hassling youths" you sometimes get).
We always have a good time there. Good pool table, juke box, very friendly fun staff. She even remembered what our round consisted of.
It's open nice and late, and you won't stand out if you're a bit pished, unlike some of the more sleepy quiet pubs in town.

Shobab Indian Restaurant - Good atmos and delicious curry! by calamitycaz

calamitycaz — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:48:55 +0000

Review by calamitycaz

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 01227 272325

Tags: indian

It's a classically good Indian, with all the ingredients - dim lighting, polite service, delicious spicy food, and not too "quiet" for those slightly tipsy curry-eaters. Can't complain at all! Good value too.It's a classically good Indian, with all the ingredients - dim lighting, polite service, delicious spicy food, and not too "quiet" for those slightly tipsy curry-eaters. Can't complain at all! Good value too.

Chives Cafe - Great for kids by 094459

094459 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:05:08 +0000

Review by 094459

Rating: 4.00We love this place, and regularly bring our children here as its very child friendly with relaxed staff. The children love sitting on the balcony drinking or eating there snacks.

The menu could be a little more varied and imaginative, but apart from that, a great and relaxing place.

We love this place, and regularly bring our children here as its very child friendly with relaxed staff. The children love sitting on the balcony drinking or eating there snacks.

The menu could be a little more varied and imaginative, but apart from that, a great and relaxing place.

Wheelers Oyster Bar - Best food in town by a country mile... by 094459

094459 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:24:16 +0000

Review by 094459

Rating: 5.00If you can get in, and get over the cramped/dated interior, what awaits you is culinery bliss. I have eaten here many times and I always love the good.

Guiness & Oyster pie is excellent, as is the Bread and Butter pudding.

Cash only, and you have to bring in your own booze, but its worth it if you manage to get in.If you can get in, and get over the cramped/dated interior, what awaits you is culinery bliss. I have eaten here many times and I always love the good.

Guiness & Oyster pie is excellent, as is the Bread and Butter pudding.

Cash only, and you have to bring in your own booze, but its worth it if you manage to get in.