DoverForum Dick: in search of the best Sunday Roast Beef.
16 October 2007
At the Old Lantern Inn....
Doverforum Dick continues his search for the best sunday roast beef in and around Dover.
See below for.....
Cullins Yard.
Marine Court,
The Cabin,
The Churchill Hotel.
It 's sunday morning. Doverforum Dick gazes out on a warm endless blue sky and at once feels the urge for a gallavant through a rural idyll. Dick likes his rural idylls, on occasion, and has been known to walk maybe even up to half a mile in such locations. He is from time to time inexplicably gripped by the explorer bug, but fortunately for him the affliction soon passes. Of course after such dollops of fresh air in the tired ol' lungs, Dick's appetite reaches untold dimensions, he could, it's rumoured, literally chew the leg off the nearest table. But we like to keep such lowly social habits quiet.
"I know" says Dick out loud to himself "Such a blue sky calls for a trip to The Olde Lantern Inn in deepest Martin....and who should I bring with me..well none other than BB herself."
Of course BB being a teenage daughter has other ideas, and prefers to sleep all day or most of it, but of course the great motivator with teenagers is their constant need for money and food. Dick therefore, cute as you like, dangles the prospect of hard currency and hot food in front of dashing daughter and she's up and keen in no time at all. Ah! bribery is such a wonderful thing when applied with expertise!
With sunglasses to shy away the blazing sunshine, the duo arrive at the Olde Lantern Inn, ready to cut the mustard. It is a great place on such a summer's day. It nestles charmingly away in a quiet hamlet of sleepy old village houses, yes a very pleasant location. The building itself, a picture of quaint olde worlde charm, dates from 1636 and according to legend served its first pint of ale in 1803. The low beamed ceilings, the exposed brick walls, and the masses of memorabilia on display, all add to the real atmosphere of a traditional country inn.
The agonising decision of whether to sit outside in the tranquil colourful gardens, or to stay snugly indoors is the next hurdle to overcome. Indoors it is then, and with a pint of cider in gob, Dick casts a cold eye through the interesting menu, but for the purposes of this revue, only has one idea in mind...The Roast Beef. BB goes for the Spicy and Crispy Coated pieces of Chicken which comes with side salad and chips. Despite it being a popular place with all tables booked, the food comes in fairly quick time and in an instant Dick's hungry offspring is savaging her pieces of chicken, but with an oh so delicate air, an oh so genteel panache.
The food is very good and there is lots of it. The Roast Beef is well done but tender and tasty and very mouth wateringly more-ish. There are plenty of tender vegatables, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, delicious gravy, and of course the all too necessary Yorkshire Pud. The service is very good and pleasant, and all the appropriate sauces, such as the essential horseradish, are brought without fuss.
The Spicy Chicken costs £8.50 and was very tasty, with lots of it too...
enough to fill a hungry teenager.
The Roast Beef (English Sirloin) costs £8.95...and for service, ambience, and above all taste
scores 9/10.
After that it was time to adjourn to the lovely gardens, bask in the sunshine, hide behind sunglasses, and listen to the birds singing in full voice. Another drink or two then to quench the thirst, and all was well in the English Country Garden.
*********************************************************************************
Picture on the left shows Dick's legal advisor, Legal Eagle PatH, waiting to tuck in to her Roast Beef ala Cullins Yard.
Do you remember that awful sunday recently. Armegeddon type weather of horrendous proportions and all happening at the same time. Yes thats it, torrential rain followed by hail, followed by lightning, followed by thunder, followed by storm force winds and huge seas. If you were writing a novel and put all those in the heady mix of ingredients on offer, no one would believe you. I reckon your critics, and everyones a critic these days, I reckon your critics would say it was way too far fetched. But no not at all, it was just another sober winter sunday in a dismal downtown Dover.
But would all this weather pummelling the town put Doverforum Dick off his Sunday Roast Beef exploits? well darn tooting it would..!! Dick turned over in his warm bed, but then, with a resourceful energy from deep within, somehow found the bedraggled gusto to sit bolt upright, and yawning he cast his weary dreary eyes out of the window, gaped in horror at the weather on offer, scratched his string vest and went back for another hour into the depths of the duck down duvet.
However after some time had elapsed, hunger eventually grabbed his attention and Dick sprang up to meet the day. His Legal Advisor was in town and in a short while arrangements were made for the next Sunday Roast Beef quest and adventure. Cullins Yard was the selected venue this time.
It was impossible to set foot outside the door as the weather was even more horrific. Shanks Pony was ruled out as a means of propulsion, so the inevitable taxi was called.
Cullins Yard was a welcoming destination..simply, there are always smiling faces in there, a table was found for Dick and the Legal Eagle and they settled in nicely. Not a great amount of people had braved the elements in search of a good lunch although it did fill up slowly.
As the band played on..a band called Drew and the Crew and they were simply excellent, true musicians indeed,
supplying just that right level of soft seventies rock... a selection of black and green olives were brought to the table with delicious bread and butter. The idea here is to give the customer something to nibble while waiting for the main fayre. Dick got stuck in to the olives as they are so tasty but stayed clear of the bread.
" One doesnt need to overfill too soon" thought Dick aloud while gazing into the mid distance..
They both decided on the same thing, well a second opinion is always useful. Courgette and Stilton Soup followed by the..yes youve guessed it...the Roast Beef.
The soup did not manage to raise the excitement to palpitation levels as it felt a tad thin, and short on flavour, but then it did not challenge the palate too much and left everything crystal clear for the the real tasting to come.
A couple of swigs of the ever present Pinot Grigio left Dick in good form and his toes tapped happily to the beat of "Wake Up Maggie!"
Then the Roast Beef. It was good, a marked improvement over former days in this establishment. It was soft and tender, well cooked with just a smattering of gravy over the top. Texture and taste were very good. Horseradish sauce was offered at the right time and with an engaging smile. As you can see from the picture above Dick wasnt overburdoned with too many vegetables, but it was a burden he could have endured. It is always best when the vegetables come on a seperate plate but the few vegetables that did indeed arrive were firm and good. So all and all it was quite successful and as noted, was a firm improvement over recent times.
The Venue here of course is great.It is engagingly decorated with nautical memorabilia which is apt considering its appropriation to the sea. Yes it is in a good location with lovely views of the harbour and the yachts. There is always music on sunday too. This cheers the soul even on the most abysmal day weatherwise as experienced on this occasion. On top of that they serve a nice wine and assorted beers, so it all makes for a fine days lunch.
Two course sunday lunch including the Roast Beef costs just £9.95.
The score for the Roast Beef... 7/10
The score for the service.... 8/10
***********************************************************************************
In search of the best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover.
Marine Court
see below for
The Cabin Chapter 3
The Churchill Hotel.
On a gloomy Remembrance Sunday, with the rain falling and a cold wind blowing, Doverforum Dick meets up with daughter BB at the St Mary's Church..and the plan was..
well they didnt have one.
What no plan and on a rainy sunday too!! could this be a disastrous situation. Well yes indeed, and with nothing booked for lunch and an ever hungrier daughter, this could have had far reaching and damaging consequences above and beyond the pale. But hold on.. an idea. Marine Court will fit them in, there is no need to book as the place is fairly vast and they are always willing and able to accommodate.
The plan gets a thumbsup from rain dampened daughter.
On then through the rain they go on Shanks's aching pony, neither pair are partial to walking any great distances, so are soon glad to see the seafronted Marine Court looming large on the full frontal visuals, what with the rain n everything.
Lots of friendly faces greet the duo and the place is looking very good. It is very clean, very colourful and with excellent all round decor. Well, it has just recently been redone at huge expense and this makeover, in the era of makeovers, has certainly paid off. Although the place is big, it is cosily cordoned off into palatable sections, making each tabled group feel a degree of privacy and comfort hitherto unknown in said extablishment. So full marks there. Dick and Daughter are shown to a very nice table and order the usual drinks.
"Pinot Grigio sil vous plait my man!" says Dick ..." and make it a large one!"
Daughter sighs painfully at Dicks exuberance and orders her usual J2o.
One of the significant additions to arrive with the all new makeover, is the introduction of waiter/waitress service. No longer is there a need to take part in that extremely boring scenario of queing at the bar to deliver your order. Whosoever invented that particular clanger to modern dining out deserves a horrible horse whipping.
A pleasant but busy young man takes the order. Dick opts for the usual Roast Beef to continue his quest, and daughter goes for the Chicken with Parma Ham and Cheese. As you can see from the picture the Roast Beef arrives nicely presented with all the usual assorted vegetables. Unfortunately the fairy tale ends there. Twas almost a shame to touch it, but of course touching it, eating it, enjoying it, is the name of the game, and on they press.
At this time in the process of writing, it is worthwhile reflecting that Doverforum Dick's colleagues were in the Marine Court on a food tasting invitation just a short while ago and everything was spectacularly good..alas alas it is not possible to say the same thing about this tired and tough Sunday Roast Beef and the undercooked potatoes . One feels a long time has elapsed since this beef was attached to a cow as the whole thing was well...well, tired is the best thing to be said about it, as it just did not have that ' just cooked fresh sunday roast beef ' feeling to it. You know how it is...that kind of whoosh you get when you see and taste a fresh dinner and this didnt have it. It was tough, fatty, and fairly miserable on the tastebuds. So you could say it was a tad disappointing after the earlier food tasting foray.
The Roast Beef Sunday Dinner costs £7.50 - and scores just 5/10
The Chicken and Parma Ham cost £7.99 and was enjoyed.
Service was 7/10. A pleasant young man but there was no salt and pepper on the table and sauces such as horseradish were never offered.
The quest goes on.
*********************************************************************************
In search of the Best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover.
Left: A welcoming smile from Melissa at...
The Cabin Chapter 3.
(see the review of The Churchill Hotel below)
Doverforum Dick looks out from his lofty tower expecting to see sunshine wall to wall.But no..the streets are slate grey all over the town, and a steady rain drizzles down. Not exactly a cheery looking sunday but all isnt lost, because sunday is the day for Roast Beef....and Doverforum Dick is in search of the best Roast Beef to be had in all Dover and beyond.
With this glorious quest in mind he sets out for the Cabin Restaurant in High Street Dover. In the grey High Street the weather hasnt improved any. Parking is hard to find so walking some distance through the pouring rain doesnt help the disposition.The Cabin is situated rather sadly in a fairly delapidated row of houses along the High Street, so initially it does not appear to be a warmly inviting destination. It's hard to find too because the swinging sign has been removed. However, it is found eventually, and once inside things pick up as the pleasant decor and environment are at least cheerful.
Melissa directs the small entourage to the best table, and wine lists and menus change hands. There is a very impressive menu on offer, obviously put together with a confident and skillful optimism. Feeling chilled after walking throught the dismally cold rain, Dick opts for the exquisite two soup starter combination.. Potato Leek and Thyme is one soup and the other, Sweet Potato, Truffle and Caramelised Red Onion...each served in a small cup.Very pleasant, warming and an interesting combination.
There are a whole range of starters on offer of course..
example one: Parma Ham and Melon on a salad base.
example two: Mozzarella, Cherry & Sundried Tomato, Basil with an aged Balsamic Vinegar dressing.
These were tried and enjoyed but there are other exotic options on offer such as...
Sauteed King Prawn Nicoise Salad with quail eggs served with Wild Rocket leaves and White Truffle Oil..so quite a menu.
Then once more onto the Roast Beef my friends once more....
As was emerging by now, the owner and chef Anne-Marie Hemmings clearly knows her stuff, she being a teacher on Fine Food at a London college. The Roast Beef was served in a way not seen before in these parts with the whole dinner placed inside the full moon yorkshire pudding. All the beef being 'medium rare' it was very tender and very enjoyable. Perhaps a little too much gravy in Doverforum Dick's case. The vegetables were served on the plate whereas the current trend seems to prefer a seperate dish of same. However most would be happy. All and all then a solid thumbs up. Wine was again a Pinot Grigio as Dick cannot partake of the red variety due to an oft times sudden inclination towards madness! The glasses supplied were gynormous and were great fun.
There are of course other main course options based on pork or chicken and so on, but beyond the immediate remit of this study.
The overall score for the Roast Beef is 8/10. Cost £9.50 . £12.50 for two courses.
The overall score for the service is 8/10.
Opening times: Sun 4 to 9.30 or by lunch appointment.
Tuesday by appointment.
Wed to Sat 6 to 10.30.
Anne Marie is clearly a very talented person but the feeling is that it will be very difficult for her to make a real go of it in such a dreary locale. There are so many options now, particularly with the Sunday Lunch market, which is a very large market indeed and has lots of exciting locations vying for this substantial trade.Who wants to spend their sunday in High Street Dover if they dont have to.
Another visit at evening time may be called for in order to get the fuller picture but this guide is just in search of the ultimate Sunday Roast Beef.
******************************************************************************
In search of the best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover.
The Churchill Hotel.
Doverforum Dick steps out into the bright clear sunlight of an october sunday and is dazzled
by the sheer beauty of the day. He reaches instantly for the RayBans and in a twinkling is supercool itself, yes indeed its true, the personification of all things minty cool in an instant. His daughter standing by his side isn't all that impressed with this awesome supercoolness, as she has seen it all before...
"Comon Dad!" says she stifling a yawn while showing a world weariness unseen previously in someone so young!
Dover seafront looks great. The bright azure sea is wearing its sunday hat as it shimmers gaily and shows itself off to the passing strolling visitors. And there are quite a few visitors as there always are on a Dover sunday, when the sky is blue and when the sea is just the same.Oh how we all love that endless blue. When monday comes the sea returns to its workmanlike gory menacing grey as there is no one there to impress.
On they go..cars are parking, people are popping out into the beauty of the day from their nasty tin boxes...stretching and yawning and scratching and loving it. They take lungfuls of crisp sea breeze and glance seawards and see the little sail boats racing hither and tither, some with white sails some with blue.They glance further and see the seacat returning from its early trip to Boulogne, still tossing(up) and turning.
Its 12.30 when Dick and Daughter arrive at The Churchill Hotel. The place is empty.They are first for lunch. Daughter panics slightly.." lets hope we are not the only ones". Staff rush to greet the dynamic duo and they are allowed to sit where they like, so onwards then to a nice seafront terrace table, a four seater, with nice views over the same harbour and the same sailboats. All is lovely. The sun splits the venetian blinds of The Churchill's old world charm, and in the dazzle of an eye a staff guy fixes them in pleasant favour, to prevent a blinding struggle through lunch.More and more people arrive and all is well.
Teenage daughter BB presents the case for the hungry victim
"I havent had food for ages!" Of course Dick is fully aware she has had a large breakfast a mere whisker of the clock ago, but shudders to think that passing listeners might horrifyingly assume she has been held in a garrett against her will for days and days and fed nothing but bread and water.Her appetite requires feeding much and often.
A large glass of Pinot Grigio and in a whisker Doverforum Dick is ready to try the Roast Beef.
See picture above. It's beautifully presented. BB gets assorted teen type stuff... Steak Sandwich well done and Deep Fried Spicey Wedgies with a j2o chaser...and she loves it all so much she is almost tempted to lick the plate. Dick sees a huge Yorkshire Pud before him and it all looks sooo inviting as he prepares to tackle it with gusto. The beef is fine if just a tiny bit leathery, nice yes, but a tad disappointing and sadly just that bit routine, but nevertheless saved at the end of the day by a smathering of horseradish sauce. Most people will enjoy it. The vegetables which come on a seperate plate are 100 percent perfecto with just the right tender level of succulent lubrication. And as you can see in the photo at the top of the page...all beautifully presented.
The overall score for the Roast Beef is 7/10 - cost £9.95 for one course(Roast Beef Sunday Lunch Menu)
The overall score for the service is 10/10
Doverforum Dick will be visiting other restaurants in and around Dover in search of the best Sunday Roast.
At the Old Lantern Inn....
Doverforum Dick continues his search for the best sunday roast beef in and around Dover.See below for.....
Cullins Yard.
Marine Court,
The Cabin,
The Churchill Hotel.
The Old Lantern Inn:
It 's sunday morning. Doverforum Dick gazes out on a warm endless blue sky and at once feels the urge for a gallavant through a rural idyll. Dick likes his rural idylls, on occasion, and has been known to walk maybe even up to half a mile in such locations. He is from time to time inexplicably gripped by the explorer bug, but fortunately for him the affliction soon passes. Of course after such dollops of fresh air in the tired ol' lungs, Dick's appetite reaches untold dimensions, he could, it's rumoured, literally chew the leg off the nearest table. But we like to keep such lowly social habits quiet.
"I know" says Dick out loud to himself "Such a blue sky calls for a trip to The Olde Lantern Inn in deepest Martin....and who should I bring with me..well none other than BB herself."
Of course BB being a teenage daughter has other ideas, and prefers to sleep all day or most of it, but of course the great motivator with teenagers is their constant need for money and food. Dick therefore, cute as you like, dangles the prospect of hard currency and hot food in front of dashing daughter and she's up and keen in no time at all. Ah! bribery is such a wonderful thing when applied with expertise!
With sunglasses to shy away the blazing sunshine, the duo arrive at the Olde Lantern Inn, ready to cut the mustard. It is a great place on such a summer's day. It nestles charmingly away in a quiet hamlet of sleepy old village houses, yes a very pleasant location. The building itself, a picture of quaint olde worlde charm, dates from 1636 and according to legend served its first pint of ale in 1803. The low beamed ceilings, the exposed brick walls, and the masses of memorabilia on display, all add to the real atmosphere of a traditional country inn.
The agonising decision of whether to sit outside in the tranquil colourful gardens, or to stay snugly indoors is the next hurdle to overcome. Indoors it is then, and with a pint of cider in gob, Dick casts a cold eye through the interesting menu, but for the purposes of this revue, only has one idea in mind...The Roast Beef. BB goes for the Spicy and Crispy Coated pieces of Chicken which comes with side salad and chips. Despite it being a popular place with all tables booked, the food comes in fairly quick time and in an instant Dick's hungry offspring is savaging her pieces of chicken, but with an oh so delicate air, an oh so genteel panache.
The food is very good and there is lots of it. The Roast Beef is well done but tender and tasty and very mouth wateringly more-ish. There are plenty of tender vegatables, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, delicious gravy, and of course the all too necessary Yorkshire Pud. The service is very good and pleasant, and all the appropriate sauces, such as the essential horseradish, are brought without fuss.
The Spicy Chicken costs £8.50 and was very tasty, with lots of it too...
enough to fill a hungry teenager.
The Roast Beef (English Sirloin) costs £8.95...and for service, ambience, and above all taste
scores 9/10.
After that it was time to adjourn to the lovely gardens, bask in the sunshine, hide behind sunglasses, and listen to the birds singing in full voice. Another drink or two then to quench the thirst, and all was well in the English Country Garden.
*********************************************************************************
Picture on the left shows Dick's legal advisor, Legal Eagle PatH, waiting to tuck in to her Roast Beef ala Cullins Yard.Do you remember that awful sunday recently. Armegeddon type weather of horrendous proportions and all happening at the same time. Yes thats it, torrential rain followed by hail, followed by lightning, followed by thunder, followed by storm force winds and huge seas. If you were writing a novel and put all those in the heady mix of ingredients on offer, no one would believe you. I reckon your critics, and everyones a critic these days, I reckon your critics would say it was way too far fetched. But no not at all, it was just another sober winter sunday in a dismal downtown Dover.
But would all this weather pummelling the town put Doverforum Dick off his Sunday Roast Beef exploits? well darn tooting it would..!! Dick turned over in his warm bed, but then, with a resourceful energy from deep within, somehow found the bedraggled gusto to sit bolt upright, and yawning he cast his weary dreary eyes out of the window, gaped in horror at the weather on offer, scratched his string vest and went back for another hour into the depths of the duck down duvet.
However after some time had elapsed, hunger eventually grabbed his attention and Dick sprang up to meet the day. His Legal Advisor was in town and in a short while arrangements were made for the next Sunday Roast Beef quest and adventure. Cullins Yard was the selected venue this time.
It was impossible to set foot outside the door as the weather was even more horrific. Shanks Pony was ruled out as a means of propulsion, so the inevitable taxi was called.
Cullins Yard was a welcoming destination..simply, there are always smiling faces in there, a table was found for Dick and the Legal Eagle and they settled in nicely. Not a great amount of people had braved the elements in search of a good lunch although it did fill up slowly.
As the band played on..a band called Drew and the Crew and they were simply excellent, true musicians indeed,
supplying just that right level of soft seventies rock... a selection of black and green olives were brought to the table with delicious bread and butter. The idea here is to give the customer something to nibble while waiting for the main fayre. Dick got stuck in to the olives as they are so tasty but stayed clear of the bread." One doesnt need to overfill too soon" thought Dick aloud while gazing into the mid distance..
They both decided on the same thing, well a second opinion is always useful. Courgette and Stilton Soup followed by the..yes youve guessed it...the Roast Beef.
The soup did not manage to raise the excitement to palpitation levels as it felt a tad thin, and short on flavour, but then it did not challenge the palate too much and left everything crystal clear for the the real tasting to come.
A couple of swigs of the ever present Pinot Grigio left Dick in good form and his toes tapped happily to the beat of "Wake Up Maggie!"
Then the Roast Beef. It was good, a marked improvement over former days in this establishment. It was soft and tender, well cooked with just a smattering of gravy over the top. Texture and taste were very good. Horseradish sauce was offered at the right time and with an engaging smile. As you can see from the picture above Dick wasnt overburdoned with too many vegetables, but it was a burden he could have endured. It is always best when the vegetables come on a seperate plate but the few vegetables that did indeed arrive were firm and good. So all and all it was quite successful and as noted, was a firm improvement over recent times.
The Venue here of course is great.It is engagingly decorated with nautical memorabilia which is apt considering its appropriation to the sea. Yes it is in a good location with lovely views of the harbour and the yachts. There is always music on sunday too. This cheers the soul even on the most abysmal day weatherwise as experienced on this occasion. On top of that they serve a nice wine and assorted beers, so it all makes for a fine days lunch.
Two course sunday lunch including the Roast Beef costs just £9.95.
The score for the Roast Beef... 7/10
The score for the service.... 8/10
***********************************************************************************
In search of the best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover.Marine Court
see below for
The Cabin Chapter 3
The Churchill Hotel.
On a gloomy Remembrance Sunday, with the rain falling and a cold wind blowing, Doverforum Dick meets up with daughter BB at the St Mary's Church..and the plan was..
well they didnt have one.
What no plan and on a rainy sunday too!! could this be a disastrous situation. Well yes indeed, and with nothing booked for lunch and an ever hungrier daughter, this could have had far reaching and damaging consequences above and beyond the pale. But hold on.. an idea. Marine Court will fit them in, there is no need to book as the place is fairly vast and they are always willing and able to accommodate.
The plan gets a thumbsup from rain dampened daughter.
On then through the rain they go on Shanks's aching pony, neither pair are partial to walking any great distances, so are soon glad to see the seafronted Marine Court looming large on the full frontal visuals, what with the rain n everything.
Lots of friendly faces greet the duo and the place is looking very good. It is very clean, very colourful and with excellent all round decor. Well, it has just recently been redone at huge expense and this makeover, in the era of makeovers, has certainly paid off. Although the place is big, it is cosily cordoned off into palatable sections, making each tabled group feel a degree of privacy and comfort hitherto unknown in said extablishment. So full marks there. Dick and Daughter are shown to a very nice table and order the usual drinks.
"Pinot Grigio sil vous plait my man!" says Dick ..." and make it a large one!"
Daughter sighs painfully at Dicks exuberance and orders her usual J2o.
One of the significant additions to arrive with the all new makeover, is the introduction of waiter/waitress service. No longer is there a need to take part in that extremely boring scenario of queing at the bar to deliver your order. Whosoever invented that particular clanger to modern dining out deserves a horrible horse whipping.
A pleasant but busy young man takes the order. Dick opts for the usual Roast Beef to continue his quest, and daughter goes for the Chicken with Parma Ham and Cheese. As you can see from the picture the Roast Beef arrives nicely presented with all the usual assorted vegetables. Unfortunately the fairy tale ends there. Twas almost a shame to touch it, but of course touching it, eating it, enjoying it, is the name of the game, and on they press.
At this time in the process of writing, it is worthwhile reflecting that Doverforum Dick's colleagues were in the Marine Court on a food tasting invitation just a short while ago and everything was spectacularly good..alas alas it is not possible to say the same thing about this tired and tough Sunday Roast Beef and the undercooked potatoes . One feels a long time has elapsed since this beef was attached to a cow as the whole thing was well...well, tired is the best thing to be said about it, as it just did not have that ' just cooked fresh sunday roast beef ' feeling to it. You know how it is...that kind of whoosh you get when you see and taste a fresh dinner and this didnt have it. It was tough, fatty, and fairly miserable on the tastebuds. So you could say it was a tad disappointing after the earlier food tasting foray.
The Roast Beef Sunday Dinner costs £7.50 - and scores just 5/10
The Chicken and Parma Ham cost £7.99 and was enjoyed.
Service was 7/10. A pleasant young man but there was no salt and pepper on the table and sauces such as horseradish were never offered.
The quest goes on.
*********************************************************************************
In search of the Best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover. Left: A welcoming smile from Melissa at...
The Cabin Chapter 3.
(see the review of The Churchill Hotel below)
With this glorious quest in mind he sets out for the Cabin Restaurant in High Street Dover. In the grey High Street the weather hasnt improved any. Parking is hard to find so walking some distance through the pouring rain doesnt help the disposition.The Cabin is situated rather sadly in a fairly delapidated row of houses along the High Street, so initially it does not appear to be a warmly inviting destination. It's hard to find too because the swinging sign has been removed. However, it is found eventually, and once inside things pick up as the pleasant decor and environment are at least cheerful.
Melissa directs the small entourage to the best table, and wine lists and menus change hands. There is a very impressive menu on offer, obviously put together with a confident and skillful optimism. Feeling chilled after walking throught the dismally cold rain, Dick opts for the exquisite two soup starter combination.. Potato Leek and Thyme is one soup and the other, Sweet Potato, Truffle and Caramelised Red Onion...each served in a small cup.Very pleasant, warming and an interesting combination.
example one: Parma Ham and Melon on a salad base.
example two: Mozzarella, Cherry & Sundried Tomato, Basil with an aged Balsamic Vinegar dressing.
These were tried and enjoyed but there are other exotic options on offer such as...
Sauteed King Prawn Nicoise Salad with quail eggs served with Wild Rocket leaves and White Truffle Oil..so quite a menu.
Then once more onto the Roast Beef my friends once more....
As was emerging by now, the owner and chef Anne-Marie Hemmings clearly knows her stuff, she being a teacher on Fine Food at a London college. The Roast Beef was served in a way not seen before in these parts with the whole dinner placed inside the full moon yorkshire pudding. All the beef being 'medium rare' it was very tender and very enjoyable. Perhaps a little too much gravy in Doverforum Dick's case. The vegetables were served on the plate whereas the current trend seems to prefer a seperate dish of same. However most would be happy. All and all then a solid thumbs up. Wine was again a Pinot Grigio as Dick cannot partake of the red variety due to an oft times sudden inclination towards madness! The glasses supplied were gynormous and were great fun.There are of course other main course options based on pork or chicken and so on, but beyond the immediate remit of this study.
The overall score for the Roast Beef is 8/10. Cost £9.50 . £12.50 for two courses.
The overall score for the service is 8/10.
Opening times: Sun 4 to 9.30 or by lunch appointment.
Tuesday by appointment.
Wed to Sat 6 to 10.30.
Anne Marie is clearly a very talented person but the feeling is that it will be very difficult for her to make a real go of it in such a dreary locale. There are so many options now, particularly with the Sunday Lunch market, which is a very large market indeed and has lots of exciting locations vying for this substantial trade.Who wants to spend their sunday in High Street Dover if they dont have to.
Another visit at evening time may be called for in order to get the fuller picture but this guide is just in search of the ultimate Sunday Roast Beef.
******************************************************************************
In search of the best Sunday Roast Beef in and around Dover.The Churchill Hotel.
Doverforum Dick steps out into the bright clear sunlight of an october sunday and is dazzled
by the sheer beauty of the day. He reaches instantly for the RayBans and in a twinkling is supercool itself, yes indeed its true, the personification of all things minty cool in an instant. His daughter standing by his side isn't all that impressed with this awesome supercoolness, as she has seen it all before...
"Comon Dad!" says she stifling a yawn while showing a world weariness unseen previously in someone so young!
Dover seafront looks great. The bright azure sea is wearing its sunday hat as it shimmers gaily and shows itself off to the passing strolling visitors. And there are quite a few visitors as there always are on a Dover sunday, when the sky is blue and when the sea is just the same.Oh how we all love that endless blue. When monday comes the sea returns to its workmanlike gory menacing grey as there is no one there to impress.
On they go..cars are parking, people are popping out into the beauty of the day from their nasty tin boxes...stretching and yawning and scratching and loving it. They take lungfuls of crisp sea breeze and glance seawards and see the little sail boats racing hither and tither, some with white sails some with blue.They glance further and see the seacat returning from its early trip to Boulogne, still tossing(up) and turning.
Its 12.30 when Dick and Daughter arrive at The Churchill Hotel. The place is empty.They are first for lunch. Daughter panics slightly.." lets hope we are not the only ones". Staff rush to greet the dynamic duo and they are allowed to sit where they like, so onwards then to a nice seafront terrace table, a four seater, with nice views over the same harbour and the same sailboats. All is lovely. The sun splits the venetian blinds of The Churchill's old world charm, and in the dazzle of an eye a staff guy fixes them in pleasant favour, to prevent a blinding struggle through lunch.More and more people arrive and all is well.
Teenage daughter BB presents the case for the hungry victim
"I havent had food for ages!" Of course Dick is fully aware she has had a large breakfast a mere whisker of the clock ago, but shudders to think that passing listeners might horrifyingly assume she has been held in a garrett against her will for days and days and fed nothing but bread and water.Her appetite requires feeding much and often.
A large glass of Pinot Grigio and in a whisker Doverforum Dick is ready to try the Roast Beef.
See picture above. It's beautifully presented. BB gets assorted teen type stuff... Steak Sandwich well done and Deep Fried Spicey Wedgies with a j2o chaser...and she loves it all so much she is almost tempted to lick the plate. Dick sees a huge Yorkshire Pud before him and it all looks sooo inviting as he prepares to tackle it with gusto. The beef is fine if just a tiny bit leathery, nice yes, but a tad disappointing and sadly just that bit routine, but nevertheless saved at the end of the day by a smathering of horseradish sauce. Most people will enjoy it. The vegetables which come on a seperate plate are 100 percent perfecto with just the right tender level of succulent lubrication. And as you can see in the photo at the top of the page...all beautifully presented.
The overall score for the Roast Beef is 7/10 - cost £9.95 for one course(Roast Beef Sunday Lunch Menu)
The overall score for the service is 10/10
Doverforum Dick will be visiting other restaurants in and around Dover in search of the best Sunday Roast.