Review: The Duck Inn at Pett Bottom, Canterbury
The Duck knows the varied folk that may visit a country pub for lunch
We were delighted when we heard that The Duck Inn at Pett Bottom (@duckpettbottom) was due to re-open back in November - it’s always offered a cracking post-walk pint, and a little further back it offered great food.
A favourite of iconic author Ian Fleming, The Duck features in the original James Bond novel You Only Live Twice, while it even held a coveted Michelin star for seven consecutive years in the 70s - a time when most pubs were made from cigar smoke and horse brasses.
New landlord and chef Kyle Hadley-Quinn - who has been in the kitchens of the revered Chapter One in Orpington and West House in Biddenden - has already got things ticking (not like a bomb, this isn’t going to be all Bond puns). We popped in for a winter’s lunch to find a cosy, busy pub with a freshened look and a menu that blends quality local ingredients with more exotic flavours.
“tasty, cured wild trout, enhanced by the sprinkled seaweed, and the icy flavour of the lemon granita…”
For the table, we got our jaws around the sumptuous pheasant katsu arancini (£8). Served in a katsu sauce with shards of pickled chilli, the fried crunchy crumb gave way to beautifully balanced flavours of the rice and pheasant chunks.
To start, we had the light, tasty, cured wild trout (£9), enhanced by the sprinkled seaweed, and the icy flavour of the lemon granita.
On the side, the salty samphire fritter was just another example of the invention of the kitchen. The Duck knows the varied folk that may visit a country pub for lunch. On one hand we had the ‘Over The Road’ burger (£17.50) featuring two juicy smashed patties, confit onion, flavourful truffle mayo, pickles and smoked applewood cheese in a potato bun.
On the other, we also had the herb-roasted, local pheasant breast (£20). Tender slices of wonderful gamey meat sat in a mix of pearl barley risotto and mire poix (finely chopped and braised) veg. Crispy-edged brussels sprouts and salty streaks of pancetta added to a simply amazing dish. All in all, it was a great meal. Surely they expect us to talk… no they expect us to dine.
