A few days ago we were lucky enough to be invited to see what the newly renovated restaurant, The Horseshoes, in East Farleigh, Kent, was like. It is a country pub, set in the really sweet and charming village of East Farleigh, on the outskirts of Maidstone. I have had family members that have actually visited before the renovation, and they commented just how much of a makeover the restaurant has had. It is been transformed into something that is really stylish, luxurious, chic, and having a lovely nod to the locations equestrian background. I really love the style of it all, with it looking modern yet classic, all at the same time.
The restaurant itself is quite large, with plenty of space to sit outdoors on warmer days as well. There are views out onto the paddock and stables, where there are horses and riding lessons, and there are options for some more private dining for a party or event, as well as the main bar area and restaurant. There are two open fires, one in the restaurant, and one in the bar, so it makes for a really cosy setting.
There is a bar area, where you can just go for drinks with a seating area (and a large beer garden as well), and that is home to one of the open fires. There are a range of cocktails, spirits, ales, and so on, as well as plenty of soft drinks. The staff were brilliant and then we were quickly shown to our table to check out the menu and get some drinks. We chose some sparkling water for the table and some non-alcoholic berries and cherries cider drinks.
The Menu
There is a great choice of food on the menu, and being veggie myself, I was keen to see what options there were for veggies. It was great to see that they have plenty of vegetarian options, and they also have menu just for the vegan food that they offer, so there is something for everyone; I was really impressed! I chose deep fried brie with chutney to start with (oh my gosh it was incredible), and my husband chose smoked salmon pate to start. I really liked how each dish was presented and I like it when dishes come out on different plates or platters; it all looked great.
For the main course I chose the whole food salad (a vegan option), and it really was incredible with a lemongrass and ginger dressing that really made it, for me. My husband chose the pork belly, which came with pork cheek, scallops, and bacon, so definitely not a vegan option, but he was honestly made up with this choice. I am reliably informed just how tasty it was!
We had to try one of the incredible desserts, with my husband choosing a lemon meringue flamed Alaska, and I chose a white chocolate cheesecake deconstruction. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it tasted amazing. The cheesecake part of it was creamy and delicious, the white chocolate shards were tasty, and mixed with the tartness of the berries, it really was amazing; just wish there was more of it!
I was really impressed with the restaurant as a whole. It looks incredible and had a lovely atmosphere. The food was great and the staff were fantastic too. The only thought I had on it was that some of the dishes were a little pricey, like the desserts, for example. Priced at £7.25, you don’t get very much for the money. The other foods, like the starters and the mains, are the prices that I would expect to pay for a meal, with the salad being under £10 and the starters being around £5. So that is just something to think about. It all tastes amazing, though, so it would just depend on what your budget is.
Have you been to East Farleigh near Maidstone before? I’d pop into The Horseshoes again, for sure. It would be great to hear what you think!
*we dined as guests of The Horseshoes, but all words and opinions are our own.
