Canterbury cooking

Eating in Canterbury involved a lot of hot cheese, mainly reflecting the dominant position of Italian flavoured restaurants. No Indians in sight and the Chinese were only represented by a few noodle parlors. No chip shops of the old sort. And although there was some penetration by foreigners, a fair proportion of the waiting staff were British, English even. A much higher proportion than we have got used to in London.

We also noticed a lot of Deliveroo people cycling about with large boxes on their backs, something I am not aware of at home, although I dare say they exist.

First stop, Prezzo which disappointed. Maybe this is a chain which has expanded too fast. Maybe we will not now be in a hurry to visit the newly opened Epsom branch.

Second stop, the Côte Brasserie which was much better. Perhaps it helped that it was new to us.

We passed on Wetherspoons itself, busy and democratic on the day that we looked in. But we did go to a more respectable version called the Pilgrim Hotel. Offering a slimmed down, smartened up version of the Wetherspoons menu, but in quiet and decent surroundings.

Behind the castle we came across the Secret Kitchen, a small independent in a back street, where I had a fine toasted cheese sandwich, involving several cheeses. Served in one of those white enamel pie dishes which are all the thing in fashionable parts of London.

Behind the cathedral we came across the Longport Café, probably occupying the premises of what had been a pub of the same name - and it certainly looked as if it might well have been a very comfortable pub in its day. Cheerful young staff. Cute baby. Clientele probably mainly school and college people, although it was quiet when we were there. Interesting take on apple pie with the apple wrapped in a yellow spongy stuff instead of the more usual pastry. Entirely edible for all that.

While in the student quarter we came across the Thomas Tallis Alehouse, a place managed by a chap who would probably do very well in pub quizzes, a chap who told us that his trade was a bit posher than students. Telephones frowned upon, no television, no music and no fruit machines. No bar either, with drinks being fetched from a room out the back. So not clear how he would managed if he was busy, or how he managed to keep the dozen or more real ales on offer in decent nick. However, I opted for a half of Tonbridge IPA which was very good - my first beer for several months and certainly reminding me why I used to like the stuff.

PS: the heritage people seem to have gone to sleep on the castle, despite it being a genuine Norman Keep, snapped above. It seemed to be more a place for dubious looking young people to hide behind than a destination for heritage hungry pensioners like ourselves. No trusties, no resting luvvies dressed up as the Battle of Hastings, nothing.

Reference 1: https://www.cote-restaurants.co.uk/cote/.

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