A happy accident

TO BE HONEST, I hadn’t intended to write a review of The Poet at Matfield, just outside Tunbridge Wells, but I found myself telling so many friends about ‘the best plate of food I’ve had so far this year’ that it became kind of inevitable.

My visit was accidental. The Mrs B had travelled up to London with friends, leaving me to my own devices for the day. I popped out to the supermarket and it was on the way back that I hit temporary traffic lights right outside The Poet and, while idling, spotted a serendipitous car parking space I could just slide into. “Well, why not?” I thought, “it’s lunchtime.”

Inside, I apologised for being both a walk-in and by myself. Restaurants like the certainty of bookings, and solo diners always end up taking at least a table for two. I almost apologised for being so badly dressed too, but the woman who was front of house that day was super-charming and showed me to a table by the window where spring sunshine lit up a vase of very fresh daffodils. It was just lovely.

Okay, I admit it, the prices on the menu gave me a bit of a start: the cheapest main was £36, the kind of pricing I’m more used to seeing in Mayfair. (I should quickly add that it was entirely worth it - I’ll explain why in a minute.)

Soft white bread arrived unordered with pea and basil hummus. I ordered (deep breath) Norwegian Skrei cod on fennel with a smoked mussel and tarragon ragout, crispy oyster and - such a nice touch - a side of fish pie croquettes.

I’ve kept a daily journal for 16 years and, in a note to myself that evening, I wrote: “It was tremendous; beautifully balanced, delicate flavours - and the croquettes were really clever. Probably the best dish of the year so far.”

This, I quickly realised, was not pub food. It wasn’t even gastropub food. This was cooking of a very high order. I made some enquiries and learned that the head chef and director, Lee Adams, had taken over just a few years before.

Back home, I did the research and found that while he was still doing a professional chef’s course at Canterbury College in Kent, young Lee got a job with the legendary Gary Rhodes. Lee then worked at the three-Michelin star Waterside in at Bray in Berkshire very briefly before helping Gary Rhodes open a restaurant in Dubai. He ended up as executive head chef at Rhodes’ Hong Kong restaurant Skye.

That was what I could taste on the plate, all of that training and experience. I could tell from the first mouthful that it was superior food; cooking at this level is an art form. It was beautiful.

Before I left, I was presented with a blueberry financier, a small but very tasty cake. The bill, with a glass of Sancerre and service, came to more than £60, which is steep for a casual lunch - but it was okay, I’d produced a little bit of copy earlier in the day that earned me £70, so I was still in profit.

Am I going back? Of course. Cooking like this can’t be beaten, I just need to do a little more copywriting.

The Poet, Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent. 01892 722416. info@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk