Fresh, Local & Coastal Dining at The Gallivant in Camber

I really have spent more nights in a hotel than I have my own bed as of recently – and I think I’m getting a little too used to it. No longer is my bed the only place I enjoy a good nights sleep, but a new mattress and luxurious pillows is now what my body craves. One of our most recent escapes led us to The Gallivant Hotel in Rye. It’s gorgeous out here and the restaurant compliments it all, set just minutes from the sand dunes of Camber Beach. You can even hear the waves crashing against the sand, particularly more enjoyable with a good glass of English sparkling wine on the terrace.

What I love most about the food here is the portions. Perfect sizes of food to fill you up, but not have you crawling out after – though the generous wine pourings may. Favourite of our starters was the pickled sardines with ratte potato, green beans and courgette. So fresh, very clean and simple. The roast pigeon breast with deep-fried cauliflower and salsa verde was in flavour terms, a dream – but that pigeon may have been every so slightly overcooked. Perhaps if it was thinly sliced and served cold and cured it could have been even more wonderful. In terms of quantity, both dishes had just the right amount of food on them.

The more you delve into the menu here, the more special it gets and our main courses were not only testament to the skill in the kitchen, but also to the local producers, fisherman and farmers. All the ingredients they use here at The Gallivant are sustainably sourced and 95% of it comes from within a 10 mile radius of the hotel. Our slow cooked feather blade of beef was a wonderful chunk of meat with a texture not too dissimilar to a brisket and had bags of flavour. Drizzled in a beautiful jus, it was then topped with a chunky panzanella salad and served with a side of hand cut rosemary chips which we couldn’t resist as an extra. Even better still was the sea bass with potato, peas, broad beans and herb veloute. The fish was fresh, cooked to utter perfection and that veloute so rich, yet so light. It was exactly the sort of dish you want in the Summer months, yet its heartiness was already reminding me of Autumn – slowly easing us into the next season.

Desserts only complimented all we had just eaten and turned a very good meal into a truly excellent one. While the glossy panna cotta with red berry sorbet and fresh fruit may have been utterly divine, the caramelised banana and peanut butter parfait was on a legendary scale. The parfait in particular was simply stunning. Rich, creamy and slightly chewy – with just the right intensity of peanut going for it. The different textures of banana were again, heaven. An extremely satisfying dish which I’d happily eat all over again.

While I’m still yet to tell you all about my overnight stay here at The Gallivant – the food I can reveal was utterly delicious. Local ingredients, friendly staff, good prices and a beachfront location – what more could you ask for? While our starters were good, main course and desserts made up for any shortfalls. If Camber ever had a best restaurant, this is it – so don’t go or book anywhere else.