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Thommo

Ive been to the Secret Garden twice in the past couple of months, once in October with LadyThommo, and again in December with LadyT and friends to celebrate my 51st birthday.

This is a restaurant in a converted stable block of a large manor house, with its own very large cottage garden where they grow many of their own ingredients. There are folding glass door along the entire length of the dining room overlooking the central courtyard and which open out in summer for a very pleasant summer feel, there are more french window style door on the side of the room overlooking the gardens where they also place tables for alfresco dining. All this glass however does tend to make the place feel a little cool in the late autumn evenings.

The food is what I tend to call "pile" food, in that it is all beautifully presented in a central pile on an overlarge plate. Not quite nouvelle cuisine style as there is certainly enough served to satidfy the appetite.

For my last visit I had the Port and Walnut Ballatine to start which was excellent, followed with roast Partridge in a jus which was superb. Vegetables were very fresh and cooked perfectly.

Dessert was a very pleasant amoretto creme brulee, but Lady T and our friend Jane decided to share a plate of dessert tasters, which consisted of a small portion of every dessert on the menu - they enjoyed every bit they tried but could not finish the plate. The choice of wines was very good but I can especially recommend the Grenache they had on offer at a very low price.

The whole meal for 4 came to around £140 which was pretty good considering this included predinner drinks, two bottles of wine and a couple of armagnacs.

Service was not brilliant, but not bad either, attentive without pestering , I think with a little more attention to detail this place could do well. I will certainly go back.

Nannyp · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject:

Sounds lovely.....that used to be the Caldicott Community house. It all changed after I left Kent for Devon. It's very close to my parents in Aldington. perhaps Jo and Dan will try it sometime.
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dingsy · Moderator Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 931 Location: Devon

This sound lovely-I adore places which have an unusual setting, and I happily sacrifice a little bit of quality on the service, to be in stunning surroundings.Liked the sound of the dessert platter, which I think I may have been able to finish...

MissMuppet · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:41 am Post subject:

I keep hearing about The Secret Garden, my Dad's partner's friend goes there a lot!! I really want to go and will try and remember to in the New Year...

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Thommo · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject:

The food is good, no doubt about that. I think the internal decor could do with a bit more work, but this place definitely has potential. It would be great in summer when you can eat in either the courtyard or out on the garden terrace.

One think I forgot to mention is that there is a Mackinades food hall on the facing part of the courtyard. It only opened recently and is not on a par with the one in Faversham, but it's still very good for fresh veg and delicatessen items.

Nannyp · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:58 am Post subject:

Making me envious now

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MissMuppet · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

Well we're booked into here on the 10th July... all 11 of us, or is it 12?!! I'm sure I will do a review when we're done!

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Nannyp · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject:

Looking forward to it

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caprice62 · Commis Chef Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 144

sounds nice may try it one day I like the dessert platter we have it when we go to the curlew at bodiam