Read's Restaurant

Owned by David and Rona Pitchford, with David in charge of the kitchen, Read's, formerly at Painter's Forstal, has reinvented itself at a pleasant Georgian manor house. There is a productive herb and vegetable garden and local produce is still called heavily into use.

The imaginative food makes the menu a delight to read, you might start with a hot soufflé of mature Montgomery cheddar cheese set on a bed of glazed smoked haddock in a creamed sauce or a terrine of foie gras with a peppered pineapple relish, lambs lettuce salad and toasted home made brioche.

Then for your second course how about a saddle of Kentish lamb roasted pink with wild morel mushrooms, globe artichokes, fresh asparagus and dauphinoise potatoes; a teriyaki marinaded fillet of Scottish salmon on a bed of oriental cabbage with sesame potatoes or roasted breast of local pheasant with braised red cabbage, prune and bacon rolls and game chips.

Desserts are almost irresistible, like the rice pudding crème brûlée with a fine crisp topping, accompanied by a sherry and sultana ice cream; warm hazelnut frangipane with roasted organic pears in hot butterscotch sauce with home made vanilla ice cream or Read's lemon tart with their own blackcurrant sorbet.

There is a very comprehensive wine list, with ten pages of 'best buys' - it is worth going to Read's for that alone. To cap it all, cheese is not an afterthought but is treated with the loving care that such a commodity should always enjoy.

In 2003 Read's and the Pitchfords were awarded the prestigious Independent Restaurateur of the Year Catey by Caterer and Hotelkeeper, judge Stephen Moss, Vice President of the Restaurant Association, commented, "David has created a wonderfully consistent restaurant business that has evolved and grown over the years, but he has also put a lot into the industry. He's hugely respected by his peers."