December at The Counter
December is a time for celebration and reflection and what a first six months of operation at The Counter by Robin Read in Tunbridge Wells it’s been. This is the first festive season and Christmas at The Counter, and the restaurant is looking beautiful with twinkling decorations, candles, good food and wine and of course, time with friends and family.
December is a month for great produce from the land and sea of the British Isles to the warmer climate of Italy for citrus, radicchio and other bitter leaves. On the menu this month is stunning trout from the crystal-clear chalk streams in Hampshire which is lightly cured and served with finely sliced red moon radish, bitter leaves and Scots pine oil; Dover Sole from Cornwall is simply poached with a white wine and tarragon velouté, while local venison from the Eridge Park Estate and aged Sussex rump cap take the menu to a whole new level of richness and umami. A new offering each month is a palate cleanser made this month with fragrant and aromatic Sicilian pink grapefruit and Buddhas Hand Lemon in a refreshing thyme tea, before heading back to the comfort of an oozing chocolate fondant and Chiddingstone Dairy cream.
Diners have a choice of three-, five-, eight-course menus, costing £40, £60, £96 respectively, which are shorter versions of the ten-course menu. Three or six-glass wine pairing is £36 or £70, while the eight-glass pairing is £96 per guest and a three-glass non-alcoholic pairing is £32. The ten-course tasting menu is reserved exclusively for guests sitting at the pass overlooking the kitchen and gives diners an interactive experience watching Robin and his team of chefs cook and plate up at the pass; the menu is more experimental, taste-testing dishes that are in development for the next month’s menu.
Open days and hours:
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Lunch 12:00 – 14:30, Dinner 18:00 – 23:00
Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00