Water Lane
Hawkhurst, Kent
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A contender for one of the most charming eateries in Kent, it's pretty much impossible to resist the lure of this rural restaurant tucked away in a delightful walled garden. Water Lane is quite low key. Unpretentious (and that goes for the decor, menu and food) just about sums up what is a work in progress. Part of an ongoing trend to provide excellent food venues in working kitchen gardens and nurseries, the magnificent space is being restored, reverting back to the growing of fruit and vegetables using organic methods. It’s open for breakfast and lunch only and meals take place in a beautiful listed Victorian glasshouse – although in summer the action moves outside to a covered terrace. What’s on offer is straight-to-the-point cooking, firmly rooted in the seasons, with the likes of mutton kofta with Persian carrot jam and sesame, and a salad of tender squid served in a tangle of radicchio, almond and chilli making a positive opening at inspection. Similarly, coq au vin with anchoïde and breadcrumbs, as well as monkfish stew in a tomato sauce with haricot beans and a punchy aïoli are perfect exemplars of the simplicity that is this local asset’s hallmark. It’s fun, with casual service that suits the ever-so-slightly ramshackle nature of the place, and there’s a short but interesting European wine list with the focus firmly on organic and biodynamic producers.
