Chapter One
Locksbottom, Kent
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Located behind a handsome mock-Tudor façade in Kent’s commuter belt, Andrew McLeish’s long-serving destination restaurant mixes metropolitan flair with neighbourly local hospitality. Downtown pricing has always been one of its selling points – although there are lots of sophisticated trappings too, from the starched tablecloths and dutiful staff out front to the urbane, classically inclined food that is brought from McLeish's kitchen. Strong European accents are dotted across the carte, from a limpid squab pigeon consommé with braised wing, pearl barley and pickled trompettes (plus a samosa of pigeon leg for nibbling) to poached Gigha halibut sitting alongside a stuffed courgette flower in a puddle of chive cream sauce. Meat dishes tend to be earthier and more robust, as in braised free-range pork belly with savoy cabbage, salsify and apple purée with a Calvados-laced jus. Desserts are strictly old school, with exemplary pastrywork and clever construction typifying the likes of Manjari chocolate, coffee and hazelnut millefeulle with yoghurt sorbet. A pared-back menu du jour offers even greater value, as does the affordable brasserie fare served in a separate dining area (Josper-grilled steaks, battered cod, venison pie). An expansive wine list accommodates youthful Kentish bottles as well as top-flight Old World aristocrats, while finding room for some aspirational New World contenders. Everything is helpfully arranged by style, with ample choice at lower price points and an exceptional range by the glass.
