Restaurant
At first glance, The Dining Room at The Railway Hotel does not inspire confidence. Slap bang opposite Faversham’s railway station, it seems no more than an ordinary twirly-carpeted pub in need of a face lift. Persevere through to the back and here you will find a haven.
A mish mash of tables, pretty chandeliers and sturdy chairs set the style but the food simply outclasses its surroundings. The brainchild of Anthony North and Johnny Butterfield aka Johnny Sandwich (he started life as sandwich-maker extra-ordinaire at Canterbury’s Good Shed), the commitment to local sourcing is outstanding. The menu proudly proclaims “Our produce is locally sourced, foraged and organic where possible” and most ingredients are given their provenance – lobsters from Oare, Hollowshore sea bass, cherries from both Faversham and Luddenham. It also featured the occasional novel ingredient – sea lettuce from Tankerton and locally foraged fat hen.
What is equally impressive is the confidence in the cooking. Sourcing is all very well but unless the ingredients are handled well and judiciously, it is not worth a pile of foraged wilted greens. Here you feel you are in the hands of two consummate professionals.
With its high maintenance seasonal menu changing regularly, it would be pointless to recommend any dish although a summertime chilled beetroot soup with Carolyn’s confit garlic was certainly one of the most intense and sweet flavoured ever tasted
