“I’m A Food Journalist & Keller Is The Best Meal I’ve Had In Ages”
It seems we are all on the same page that a day trip or weekend trip outside of London is one of the more restorative activities that one could partake in. Taking a day of annual leave to flee for a night, maybe even a couple of hours, can reset weeks of back-aching stress endured within the capital.
Perhaps it is the warmth experienced from strangers outside London, perhaps it is the sea, the vastness of nature in all directions. It seems restaurateurs feel the same, as the seaside town of Whitstable on the coast of Kent is now home to Keller, which has permanently cemented itself into my soul.
Culinary superiority within a charmingly laid-back environment… It’s just my type.
Mallory, Junior Food & Drink Editor
What sets it apart
Keller is an hour and a half away from London by train, making it a bit of a trek. That being said, for the last week I have been consistently saying it is worth the journey. The perfect day is this: beers and beach sandwiches on the shore before taking a dip in the sea (the surprisingly warm sea, but perhaps that was the heatwave), followed by pints and oysters at the Old Neptune, a quick rinse and a saunter over to Keller for three courses and a bottle or three of wine.
Keller is an hour and a half away from London by train, making it a bit of a trek. That being said, for the last week I have been consistently saying it is worth the journey.
Keller, to put it plainly, is a wine bar and restaurant bestowed upon us by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Smith and sommelier Elliott Ashton-Konig. It’s generous small plates cooked over charcoal, with a killer wine list that need not be read — talk to Elliott instead.
What we ordered
Already, my heart is fluttering at the thought of reminiscing upon such an exceptional meal. Culinary superiority within a charmingly laid-back environment… it’s just my type. Whitstable oysters with Kentish raspberry and charcoal cream alongside a liberal pour of English sparkling begins the meal in a way which sings loudly about where in the world we are.
Grilled flatbread with pea and mint paired with bites of sea bream tostada evoked the sensation of frolicking through bright green and unkempt grasses before splashing into the cool sea — the tostada being a bite to remember in its pristine, sea-breeze flavour and crispy, grounded crunch.
The beef tartare was not short of shoestring fries, leaving no room for accusations of unbalanced texture or lack of seasoning, whilst the short rib skewer, Elliott’s insistence, is a non-negotiable in any weather. It is simple and rich, a place where Daniel can show off his capacity to round out a flavour profile so effortlessly; down with overcomplications.
It is the mussels I’d like to discuss. In all honesty, I did not expect excellence here. Mussels on toast, how good could it be? This good…
The mussels on toast acted as a main alongside our sea bass with vermouth sauce. The sea bass was delicious and classic, a light white piece of fish in a gorgeous sauce. It is the mussels I’d like to discuss. In all honesty, I did not expect excellence here. Mussels on toast, how good could it be? This good.
Keller’s mussels on toast are the best part of a moules marinière, the bit where you’re fighting through shells with the weapon of sourdough to mop up the garlicy, buttery, herby broth that waits below. A sopping piece of bread topped with a mountain of meaty mussels sitting in a pool of broth; to me, this is the summer on the English sea that I romanticise. It is, in all uses of the word, exquisite, the reason for travel.
All of this paired with a cherry coloured bottle of chilled red – an up-and-coming wine from the Gredos mountain range of Spain, El Surco – as suggested by Elliott, finished with a dessert of both Kentish strawberry and cardamom choux buns and a lemon meringue with ice cream and toasted oats… are you convinced yet?
The verdict
Keller reminds us that, despite London’s outstanding restaurant offerings, there is excellence outside of it, too. It gives us a reason, a purpose, for leaving our burnout bubbles to smell the ocean, to feel the sand (or rocks), to taste the salt in the air. It is, if you will, an invitation to escape; it is also a bloody good restaurant. If heaven were a place, it would have oyster farms; it would also have Keller.
Keller reminds us that, despite London’s outstanding restaurant offerings, there is excellence outside of it, too. It gives us a reason, a purpose, for leaving our burnout bubbles…
Where: 28 Harbour St, Whitstable CT5 1AH
Website: www.kellerwhitstable.co.uk
