The Swan, West Malling
Occasionally we like to go outside London to get away from the city, most of the time food takes priority when it comes to deciding the destination :) Early December we went to West Malling - a historical town in Kent located just outside the M25. Originally we planned to leave home early to wander around, but the weather was miserable (surprise surprise!), so we gave up and headed straight to the restaurant.
The Swan in West Malling is part of the Swan Collection, which also includes a restaurant of the same name at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The restaurant is a modernised ex-coaching inn, and the dining room is decorated with a mixture of contemporary furniture and wooden beams, creating a slick yet cosy environment. There was a good selection of dishes in the Sunday lunch menu, plus a few specials recommended by the waiter.
Poached egg, black pudding and pancetta salad - Did I mention before that I have a thing for runny egg yolk? It takes me to infinity and beyond when I see a perfectly cooked one, and this was no exception. Although I could not get too excited about the rest of the dish, it was a pleasant start to the meal.
Mussels and chorizo - It was one of the specials of the day, available as either a starter or a main course. While we enjoyed the fresh and juicy mussels, the highlight was the broth. It was a clear shellfish broth, with a hint of the colour and smoky flavour from the chorizo. Not the kind of rich creamy sauce you would dip your bread into, but it was light and packed with flavour.
Roast Scottish beef, horseradish hollandaise - We have all had the roast dinner nightmare, where the beef was cooked to death. That’s why it was such a relief to see this handsome plate presented in front of me. I liked the fact that the beef was thickly sliced, giving an extra bite to this succulent beef. The golden potatoes and the greens were equally enjoyable.
Chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream - There was nothing wrong with this dessert, it was just not very exciting. I would have preferred a warm chocolate brownie on a cold and rainy day...
The food we had at The Swan was of a high quality, and for the cost of less than £30 per person including drinks, it was certainly value for money. I would be happy to drive an hour to come back for another meal any day, hopefully the weather will be better next time!
The Swan
Occasionally we like to go outside London to get away from the city, most of the time food takes priority when it comes to deciding the destination :) Early December we went to West Malling - a historical town in Kent located just outside the M25. Originally we planned to leave home early to wander around, but the weather was miserable (surprise surprise!), so we gave up and headed straight to the restaurant.
The Swan in West Malling is part of the Swan Collection, which also includes a restaurant of the same name at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The restaurant is a modernised ex-coaching inn, and the dining room is decorated with a mixture of contemporary furniture and wooden beams, creating a slick yet cosy environment. There was a good selection of dishes in the Sunday lunch menu, plus a few specials recommended by the waiter.
Poached egg, black pudding and pancetta salad - Did I mention before that I have a thing for runny egg yolk? It takes me to infinity and beyond when I see a perfectly cooked one, and this was no exception. Although I could not get too excited about the rest of the dish, it was a pleasant start to the meal.
Mussels and chorizo - It was one of the specials of the day, available as either a starter or a main course. While we enjoyed the fresh and juicy mussels, the highlight was the broth. It was a clear shellfish broth, with a hint of the colour and smoky flavour from the chorizo. Not the kind of rich creamy sauce you would dip your bread into, but it was light and packed with flavour.
Roast Scottish beef, horseradish hollandaise - We have all had the roast dinner nightmare, where the beef was cooked to death. That’s why it was such a relief to see this handsome plate presented in front of me. I liked the fact that the beef was thickly sliced, giving an extra bite to this succulent beef. The golden potatoes and the greens were equally enjoyable.
Chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream - There was nothing wrong with this dessert, it was just not very exciting. I would have preferred a warm chocolate brownie on a cold and rainy day...
The food we had at The Swan was of a high quality, and for the cost of less than £30 per person including drinks, it was certainly value for money. I would be happy to drive an hour to come back for another meal any day, hopefully the weather will be better next time!
The Swan
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