A Five Hour Seasalter Symposium

Finally my Sportsman post! This was one of the most fun and imaginative tasting menus I have ever experienced so has to get a post dedicated to it. Better late than never!

The last weekend in January (my birthday weekend) was spent mostly in the Sportsman Pub in Seasalter near Whitstable. It is a very low key one Michelin starred pub. However word has spread over the 15 years it has been around and I had to book the table months in advance.

They offer a £65 tasting menu which consists of about 10 small courses. Each one was so original and creative and everything is sourced from very close by, within just a few miles. Absolutely all the food is prepared on site and the wine list is great (no whining this time!). With most wines at around £20-£30 a bottle, and all chosen with great care and pairings in mind. Five of us opted for the tasting menu and two of the party with two small children had the a la carte being unsure they could entertain the little ones for four hours in a restaurant! This was very accommodating of the restaurant as usually the whole party would be required to take the tasting menu.

So we started off with a Picpoul, anticipating oysters! But what about Champagne, I hear you cry! No worries, I'd already had a go at that back at the beach cottage we were staying in in Whitstable. We toasted the anniversary of my birth with a bottle of vintage 2006 Piper-Heidsieck kindly and expertly recommended to me by an avid Champagne lover. It was fab, a wonderful golden colour with all the marvellous brioche, bready traits with the crisp apple and citrus coming through leaving a long and very satisfying finish. A champagne I will definitely remember!

So back to the Picpoul, this wine has the best name ever! Baron De Badassiere! We had the 2013. It was clean and crisp, with well balanced high levels of acidity, flavours of pear and lovely layers of minerality. Complimented the oysters perfectly.

Victoria finding an oyster difficult to swallow!

Before the oyster we had an amazing egg with smoked eel and parsley sauce.

And following these courses were many many more! Not in any particular order!
Braised cabbage with mustard.

Roast partridge with celeriac risotto.

We also had some beautiful local roast lamb, crab and carrot in Hollandaise and wonderful homemade sourdough, focaccia and soda bread accompanied by house churned butter with salt from the sea! For dessert there was a beautiful apple soufflee and we just about had room for these! What a lovely surprise!!

So the wine! We got through quite a lot more after the Picpoul!I didn't make notes on all of them (it was my birthday!) but I would highly recommend all of them!


Runnymede Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 - A proper NZ SB! A full on nose of grass, pineapple, lime with that custom hint of asparagus. All these flavours more subtle on the palate. A well balanced characterful wine. Paired well with the risotto.

Logeril (Pennautier) Mas de Montagnes Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2011 - wonderfully smooth, red and black fruit flavours. This is a producer who can do no wrong in my eyes! Went great with the lamb.

Las Olas Torrontes 2013

Paolo Leo Primitivo di Manduria 2010

So a great time had by all and a rather wobbly meander back to Whitstable along the coast afterwards! Will have to call now to book ahead for next time!

The Gadget!

In keeping with the seaside theme here is my favourite corkscew!