Being born just outside of London I’m not used to fields full of animals, fresh air and most certainly not farm shops. The short journey to Quex Barn had all of these things plus a great little restaurant at the end of it. We visited on the Saturday morning after New Year, and as I looked up at the enticing blackboard menu I could see my first resolution, only 24 hours old, already fading from view. The options aren’t vast but include kippers with egg and toast (£4.95), sausage, egg or bacon sandwiches (£3) and most importantly the English breakfast in either large (£5.95) or small (£4.95). I was instantly drawn to the large as it offered almost twice the food for an extra pound. Job done. In return for my hard earned I received 2 sausages, 2 rashers, 2 eggs, black pudding, beans, tomatoes and 2 slices of giant toast. Not the cheapest breakfast in Thanet but certainly among the best. All of the produce was top notch, perfectly cooked and well presented. The black pudding was a bit overdone for my taste and we waited 10 minutes more than I would have liked for its arrival, which, on a positive note, kept my weight loss regime on track for just that little while longer. The coffee was great; the waitresses friendly and the fresh orange juice so good that my wife is still mentioning it a week later. It was a busy mix of seemingly content couples and happy families all munching away whilst bathing in warm natural light. The chickens running past the window even brought a smile from Thanet’s most fickle of diners, Tilly, my 18 month old, is a big fan of our feathered friends and will undoubtedly be adding them to her amusing animal impersonation repertoire in days to come. On our way out we all waddled round the shop purchasing a fresh loaf, some free range eggs and a few other bits that would save us doing battle with the Saturday morning supermarket crowd. I’ll return shortly to try out the evening menu but in the meantime if people sarcastically ask, “Were you born in a barn?” I can answer, “I wish.
Quex Park Estate, Birchington, Kent, CT7 0BB, 01843 846103.
A Gastronomic Guide to Thanet 