Saturday, 9/23

Driving from the Isle of Wight, we arrived in Crawley in the early evening, where we stayed at the Travelodge in the center of town. It was very nice that they had free parking in the adjacent garage.

Because we would be having an elaborate dinner Sunday night, we wanted to keep it simple and not have to do any more driving for the day, so we went to the Old Punch Bowl, a traditional pub just a block away, that had gotten good ratings. The food was simple but good. We had fried squid and Nidderdale sausages to start, then a flatiron steak and a steak and ale pie for mains. It was all good and we had good beers with it. Total was about 52 GBP.

Sunday, 9/24

Getting an early start, we visited 3 houses and gardens. The first was Chartwell, which was Winston Churchill’s country home.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/chartwell

For lunch we had originally planned on The Greyhound in nearby Charcott, but not knowing what time we would get there, I hadn’t reserved, which was a mistake as it’s very busy on Sundays. Nonetheless, we found that The Wheatsheaf, which is very close by in Bough Beech, had availability.

There we had a delicious appetizer of venison carpaccio, then both of us had burgers, which we requested to be medium rare and were informed they only do it one way, which unfortunately meant overcooked. They were tasty anyway, and came with cheese and bacon, but if they had been cooked as we wanted would have been much better. With beers and service the total was 73 GBP.    

Next up was Hever Castle, which was the home of the Boleyn family beginning in 1462. After passing through a number of owners over the succeeding centuries, it was bought and restored by William Astor in 1903.

https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/

The last stop of the day was Nymans, which is known for its gardens, the house being mostly in ruins and only open earlier in the day.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/nymans

From there we returned to Crawley and then went to dinner at the Pass, which is in a hotel and spa called South Lodge.

The chef, Ben Wilkinson, received a Michelin star after taking over the kitchen just a year ago. The menu is a 7-course tasting for 145 GBP. The menu is below:

The total with wine and service was 400 GBP, the equivalent of $500. We liked it very much but whether it was worth the steep tariff is hard to say.

Monday, 9/25

We left Crawley and drove to the next stop, Scotney Castle, about an hour’s drive. The main building, the “new castle” was built in the 19th century, so the owners could move there from the “old castle” which you will see pictured, in ruins. The ruins did not occur naturally, but were created by purposely demolishing parts of it. The reason for this was supposedly to make an interesting centerpiece for the gardens, but in fact the architect used parts of the old castle in the construction of the new one.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/scotney-castle

Near Scotney, we had lunch at the Bell in Ticehurst, another very traditional pub but with good food.

Stanley had bangers and mash, and I chose to have 2 appetizers instead of a main course, as they had softshell crab tacos. These turned out to be very good, and plenty to eat. With beer, coffees and service the total was 65 GBP.

https://www.thebellinticehurst.com/

From there we went to Godinton House, where only the gardens were open on Mondays.

We continued on to Canterbury, where we would be staying until Thursday, at the Chaucer Hotel, which is now a Travelodge.

Our room was more like a suite, very large and with a king size bed. The location right in the center was very convenient.

Canterbury doesn’t have much to offer in the way of serious restaurants so we had to do a bit of driving in the evenings. Monday’s dinner was at the Whitstable Oyster Company, a 20-minute drive away in Whitstable.

I started with local oysters and Stanley with fried squid, followed by a dressed crab for him and whole roasted bream for me. Everything was extremely fresh and perfectly done. With a bottle of rose, the total was 136 GBP.

http://whitstableoystercompany.com/

Tuesday, 9/26

The first stop was Leeds Castle, where we were shocked to find the admission was 35 GBP. With that you can return as many times as you want for a year, but that is useless to us.

The gardens are mostly lawn and ponds, but very attractive.

After Leeds, we had an excellent lunch at Fish on the Green in Bearsted.

I began with fish cakes, Stanley with crab and tomato soup. Then I had plaice and he had hake. We shared a coconut parfait for dessert. With a bottle of rose, coffees and service, the total was 105 GBP.

https://www.fishonthegreen.com/

After lunch we went to Great Dixter, where we opted to skip the house, the interior of which didn’t appear to be very interesting, and strolled through the gardens, which are very impressive.

https://www.greatdixter.co.uk/

Back in Canterbury, we drove a few miles to The Dog in Wingham for dinner.

The food was very good. I started with smoked burrata and tomatoes, and can’t recall Stanley’s starter. He then had roast lamb and I had pork belly. We shared a raspberry and frangiapane tart. With a bottle of wine, the total was 140 GBP.   

https://www.thedog.co.uk/

Wednesday, 9/27

First we headed to Goodnestone Park, just a few miles from the center of Canterbury. The house is closed to the public, so it’s all about the gardens.

It was very nice but couldn’t compare to Great Dixter.

We had lunch at Dunkerley’s in Deal. It’s a lovely restaurant facing the sea, and they have a bargain lunch deal at 19.95 GBP for 2 courses.

I had a whole grilled mackerel to start. Stanley had chicken liver pate. The mackerel could have been a main course, and was delicious. He then had fish and chips and I had slow-cooked lamb shoulder, which was a huge portion but I managed to finish it because it was so good. With a bottle of rose and coffees, the total was only 66 GBP.

https://www.dunkerleys.co.uk/

Our last house and garden was Walmer Castle.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/walmer-castle-and-gardens/

Dinner was at the Fordwich Arms, a very short drive from Canterbury, where the food was absolutely fabulous, every bit as good as what we had on Sunday at The Pass, but not nearly as expensive.

3 courses are 75 GBP and a 5-course tasting is 125 (better to just order the 3-course and share dishes, just as much food for much less moey and not limited to the choices on the tasting).

We started with the scallop and duck liver parfait, then had the lamb and the suckling pig. For dessert we had the plum tart and the raspberry parfait. With wine and service the total was 225 GBP and well worth it.   

https://www.fordwicharms.co.uk/

Thursday, 9/28

We set off for Dover where we dropped off the car and caught the ferry to Calais. See the next instalment for our overnight in Amiens before continuing to Paris.

by Robert Rems

We took the convenient 38 bus from the hotel to Victoria Station for our trip to Lancing, where we picked up the rental car and drove to Portsmouth, where we caught the ferry to Fishbourne. Arriving on the Isle of Wight, we first headed to the ASDA supermarket to pick up a bottle of sherry, then to the Travelodge in Newport. It was a typical Travelodge, basic but comfortable.

Then off to dinner at Thompson’s Restaurant, which was a real treat.

There are 3 dining rooms, one small one facing the kitchen and two on the floor above.

The menu is short, but the dishes are very creative and delicious. After two amuse-bouches, we had a rabbit croquette with some baby rabbit parts, and a mackerel ceviche with radishes and a pastry crust. For the main courses we chose the roast beef with a chicken and ricotta filled pasta and escargots, and sea bream with vegetables and samphire. Next came a pre-dessert of a take on lemon meringue, and then we shared a peach melba. With a bottle of Rosso Piceno and tip, the total was about 150 GBP.

Saturday, 9/23

Leaving Newport in the morning, we visited Osborne House, a home of Victoria and Albert, which they built themselves, and her constant retreat where she died in 1901.

After that, we had a lovely lunch at Murray’s Seafood in West Cowes. Despite the very unassuming facade and simple decor, the food is fabulous. It was recommended to us by our friends Carl and Jeffrey, who had been advised of it by the now late Lord Montagu, a well-known gourmet, and who despite having been married twice and fathered 3 children, was gay as all getout.

We ordered from the catch of the day menu. I started with 6 oysters, which were huge and delicious, very similar to the Pemaquids we have on our trips to Maine. Stanley had mussels in a garlic cream sauce, which were very plump and fresh. For the main courses, I had a whole plaice and he had bream with samphire. They were both extremely fresh and full of flavor. With a nice bottle of pinot grigio rose and 2 coffees, and tip, the total was 105 GBP. We were very surprised to be only one of two tables for lunch, while some other nearby restaurants were very busy. This is a gem, hidden in plain sight.

https://www.murrays.co/

Following lunch, we took the ferry back to Portsmouth and drove to Crawley, where we stayed at another Travelodge.

After a very pleasant overnight flight on United economy plus, we arrived in London early Wednesday morning. As happened last year, the food was absolutely awful but they were generous with the wine so that made it a bit more pleasant.

Wednesday, 9/20

The Heathrow Express got us to the hotel quickly and easily. We walked the short distance from the Holborn tube station to the Thistle Holborn, aka the Kingsley. Dropping the bags off, we then sat in the bar for a couple of hours until lunchtime.

We took the number 55 bus from directly opposite the hotel to Great Portland Street and walked the few blocks to the restaurant, aptly named Portland.

The 49 GBP 3-course menu is a bargain for the quality of the food. The menu had changed slightly from the above one posted in the window. We ordered the following:

Sweetbreads

Sea bass with apple, celery and tarragon

Braised pork shoulder

Roast lamb

Apple and greengage (plum) pie

Peach parfait

With 2 glasses each of a rose from the Basque region of Spain, the bill totaled 153 GBP including a 12.5% service charge.

https://portlandrestaurant.co.uk/

After lunch we stopped into a wine shop just down the street where we picked up a bottle of cream sherry. It began to rain so we ordered an Uber for the short trip back to the hotel, where we were then able to check in. Our room was in the back so avoided street noise and was quite spacious, with a very large bathroom. A nice touch is the HVAC unit so you can set a temperature and get heat or a/c as needed. The location is incredibly convenient to everything, with buses stopping right in front and subway a few blocks over. I just can’t say enough good things about this hotel. For about $550 for 2 nights, it is the best deal I could find in London.

We set off to dinner at the Ivy in heavy rain, so we caught a bus. The Ivy is an old favorite and is as good as ever.

The menu offers a lot of choice and is not terribly expensive. Stanley started with a dressed crab, and I with a crispy duck salad. Main courses were salmon and roasted monkfish, both very nicely prepared. Wines are prices but I found a very good Cotes du Rhone for 45 GBP.

Service was very professional and the atmosphere is lively. Even though they charge for bread (without informing you beforehand) and add a cover charge and 12.5% service charge, the total came to 156 GBP, really not bad at all.

https://the-ivy.co.uk/?utm_source=LocalGoogle&utm_medium=Organic

Wednesday, 9/20

We woke up early as we had not yet adapted to the time change, and set off for Kew Gardens. It was an easy trip despite a portion of the subway being shut down and we had to complete it by bus. Here are the photos I took of the gardens:

Kew Palace was where George III was inacarcerated to be treated by Dr. Willis for his first bout of madness.

https://www.kew.org/

After the gardens we called an Uber and headed to Hampton Court Palace, first stopping for lunch across the street from the palace at The Mute Swan, a dining pub that I had found in doing my research.

The menu is interesting. We shared an appetizer that was just added that day, crispy pig cheeks with mashed potatoes, roasted garlic, broccoli rabe and a brown sauce. I then had hake with a hollandaise sauce, beets and mashed potatoes, and Stanley had fish and chips. We shared a dessert, a tiramisu, coffee and pistachio mousse, and a bottle of rose from Provence. Everything was excellent and the bill, including service, was only 105 GBP.

https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/muteswan/

We then crossed the street to the palace.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/

Back in London, dinner was at Rules, famous for being London’s oldest restaurant. It is also arguably one of the best. The room is stunning and seating is very comfortable.

We started with a crab salad and potted shrimp, then moved on to grouse and guinea fowl. Both were extraordinary, especially the grouse. We chose the cheapest bottle of wine, a Cotes du Rhone, always a reliable choice, for 43 GBP.

For dessert, I had sticky toffee pudding, and Stanley had summer pudding. Both were perfectly executed versions of classic English desserts. The bill, including service, was 192 GBP, and worth every penny.

https://rules.co.uk/

That concludes our 2 days in London. Next up: Isle of Wight

Click to view listing and video: https://www.wohlfarth.com/listing/RPLU-403622659632/

We had a very nice dinner at Ferdi a couple of weeks ago. It was a Friday and we had a reservation. Unfortunately they only had one table for two available and it was ridiculously positioned where we would have been constantly bumped into from all sides. So we waited a long time, when seats at the bar finally opened up. I would not recommend coming here on a busy night if you are a party of two. That being said, the food and service were worth the wait.

For appetizers we had fritto misto and mozzarella caprese, and for main courses “veal and chicken sofia” and “veal martini”. Tiramisu was a nice dessert. With a bottle of Primitivo from Puglia, the total before tip was $172.

https://www.ferdinyc.com/

Finally, a really good Thai restaurant. We enjoyed all our dishes, which included:

Fried calamari

Summer rolls with shrimp

Basil duck (really, really good)

Honey pork chop.

Before tip, the bill was just $90.

A bottle of Trimbach Riesling was very good and not even double the retail price.

http://www.galangathaicooking.net/

Click to view listing and video: https://www.wohlfarth.com/listing/RPLU-403622460094/

Mino Brasserie recently opened on West 12th St. and is apparently quite popular. I would describe the food as somewhat updated traditional French. We liked everything we ate very much.

The dishes we tried were:

Oysters

Onion soup

Cod fillet with ratatouille on a tomato coulis

Braised lamb shank (a daily special)

Lemon tart

The markup on wines is on the high side, but there were some good choices in the $50 to $70 range. We chose a 2015 Bandol for $68, which I consider a pretty good price for a Bandol.

Service was excellent. The maitre d’ was very attentive, and gave us glasses of champagne at the end of the meal, a nice touch that rarely happens these days.

https://minobrasserie.com/

Searching for some new restaurants to try, I happened on this little gem.

We have had many different Asian cuisines, but I had no knowledge of Burmese. Apparently there are a number of Burmese restaurants in Queens and Brooklyn but as far as I know, no others in Manhattan. We were very pleased with everything about it.

We began with beef skewers and Burmese fried chicken. For the main course we had the noodles with pork meatballs, and the lamb curry. The flavors were all intricate and delicious. A bottle of Muscadet went well with the food.

This is a very welcome addition to the Chelsea neighborhood.

https://www.rangoon.nyc/location/rangoon-chelsea/