BITE CLUB: Ft. Soul Chef Catering, Clean Kitchen Club, Macknade Elwick Place & The Dead Pigeon
The sunny weather was arguably the saving grace of a summer blighted by the restrictions of the virus. Street-food sales and al fresco dining went through the roof. But just because the cold weather is rolling in, the options to eat out don’t have to be restricted. In fact, as long as you put a coat on and you’ve got a brolly handy, you’re golden. In this issue of Bite Club, we have picked out four venues to get you yammering.
Munch Box @ The Dead Pigeon, Rochester © c
Soul Chef Catering, Deal
Need some sunshine in your life? Head to the Soul Chef in Deal.
Dexter Thomas has pressed pause on a career catering in some of Europe’s finest hotels to get back to his Jamaican roots.
Having fired up his BBQ during lockdown, the chef has turned seasider taste buds on to his Caribbean cuisine.
Having approached the owners of The Astor Theatre, Dexter is now cooking up dishes such as Yard Jerk Chicken, Coconut & Ginger Fried Jamaican Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs (marinated in dark rum, yum), BBQ Brisket with Apple & Lime Ketchup and even Jamaican Goat Curry, all served with Jamaican rice, gungo peas and Soul Chef Salsa.
The amazing thing about it is, he’s doing it in the car park out the back of the theatre, letting the waft of the BBQ tantalise anyone walking past!
“We always make sure the food is cooked fresh,” says Dexter. “Sometimes it can take 10 to 15 minutes because I don’t want to cook anything from the freezer. Jamaican food is simple and full of flavour.”
A simplified lunch menu (Wednesday-Sunday, midday-3pm) that often includes a catch of the day from nearby fishmongers Jenkins & Son is ramped up in the evenings (5pm-9pm) with items such as Jerk Lobster, Salt Fish Fritters and Jerk Seabass with Crushed Yams.
Available for pick-up and home delivery currently, plans are in place to turn the lounge/bar area at The Astor into the Soul Chef restaurant.
“I really love it, man,” he says. “This is my calling. I hope to be here for a very long time – the feedback has been great.”Sides like Tropical Slaw, Fried Dumplings and Chilli Corn on the Cob are enjoined with veggie dishes such as Chargrilled Sweet Potato (stuffed with plantain, mushroom and ackee)
“We try to cater for everyone,” says Dexter. “Most people don’t think there is that option with soul food. But most food from Jamaica is from plants, so there are many things we can do, like right now we have pineapple steak. It is never boring.” Passion.
INSTA: @soulchefcatering
CALL: 07871176466
Clean Kitchen Club, Tunbridge Wells
Central Market, the new covered outdoor dining hub in west Kent, welcomed plant-based burger sensation Clean Kitchen Club to Tunbridge Wells in October.
Founded by a team that includes YouTube star and food entrepreneur Mikey Pearce, friend Abe Day-Garman and chef Alfie Wilson, the Clean Kitchen Club has opened four sites in its first year across the South East.
Mikey said: “The focus from the get-go has been to bring people delicious, guilt-free food. We’ve made sure we’ve sourced the freshest ingredients we can to create some truly special dishes and we’re happy to report everyone seems to be loving them, no matter whether they follow a plant-based diet or not.
“It’s very exciting to see the business growing so fast and we can’t wait to show Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas what we’re all about.”
Look out for the Cheat ‘N’ Clean Burger – a Moving Mountains patty, onion jam, maple syrup THIS Isn’t Bacon, vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, sliced gherkin and the signature clean sauce. We tried that and the Loaded Roasted Potatoes, covered in crispy onions, melted cheese sauce, toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts and sriracha mayo.
A vegan Snickers bar could end it all beautifully, while other options such as wraps, sandwiches and acai bowls are also available. Veggie, vegan or meat-eater, you won’t regret giving this place a go. Guilt-free.
INFO: https://cleankitchen.club/
INSTA: @cleankitchenuk
Macknade Elwick Place, Ashford
The sister site of the famous Macknade Food Hall has changed what we thought we knew about the famous Kent business, serving up flavour packed ‘dine-in’ options made from the ingredients on sale in the shop and deli.
Reflecting the Kentish and Mediterranean roots and featuring meat from the award-winning butchers, you’ve got to get down there and try out the ‘plancha’ dishes.
The Evening Menu currently includes the epic deal of Main, Side & Sauce for £8, with duck breast, lamb saddle, sirloin steak, honey and lime pork medallion straight of the plancha and paired with a choice of sauces – spiced cherry, garlic butter or Stilton creme – and sides such as sweet potato fries, Mediterranean veg or pan-fried broccoli with toasted seeds. Plus, you can add a drink from the Kentish range for £4. An industrial chic setting and working store give the whole place a brilliant buzz. Top it off with a Kentish cheese board before rolling home. Smashing.
INFO: https://macknade.com/elwick/
INSTA: @macknadeelwickplace
The Dead Pigeon Pub, Rochester
This place has got it spot on. It can satisfy the beer nerds, with more than 80 styles on tap, in-can and out of a bottle. It’s got the screens up for the football fans (without a Fosters or Carling pump in sight) and it dishes out banging scran.
Enjoying a pint of Beavertown Neck Oil and a German Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier , co-owner Jamie explained how the business had transformed in lockdown with its new takeaway system delivering quality food and drink to the Medway Towns and surrounding villages.
Sitting in their Covid-safe bar-dining space, you can order from your phone… and we went for a couple of absolute monsters. Look out for the Signature Burger – two prime patties smothered in cheese, dill-pickled onions, home-made smoked garlic aioli, maple-glazed bacon, gherkins and their homemade burger sauce.
We doubled that with The Munch Box – a small nduja and salsa verde pizza on a mass of skin-on fries, chilli cheesy nugs, chicken nugs, spicy nugs and sriracha sauce pot.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, band in some sriancha fries with chilli cheese nugs packed with jalapeños. Wowser.
INFO: https://www.thedeadpigeon.com/
INSTA: @thedeadpigeonpub
