Keller, a new restaurant in Whitstable, has earned high praise from food critic Tom Parker Bowles, who described it as a "must-visit" that lives up to its hype. The establishment, from the team behind the well-regarded Fordwich Arms, offers a refined dining experience that Bowles suggests would impress in any major city.
Bowles noted the restaurant's comfortable and air-conditioned interior, a welcome feature on a warm day. He commended the service as "a joy" and the wine list for being both "interesting and well-priced." He specifically mentioned a bottle of Assyrtiko from Santorini, which he found "fabulously flinty."
The menu presented a delightful challenge of choices, with highlights including Welsh rarebit croquettes, described as being heavy on Worcestershire sauce, and small sea bream tostadas praised for their bright flavors and fresh fish. Panisse, deep-fried chickpea flour fingers with Iberico ham and pecorino cheese, was noted for its salty, nutty taste. A short-rib beef skewer was found to be "dense, lavishly rich and gloriously fatty."
A standout dish for Bowles was the mussels on toast, featuring "huge and plump" mussels piled high on toast and drenched in a buttery, subtly boozy sauce, which he called "a dish of creamily voluptuous allure." The wild bass was also singled out for being "beautifully cooked," accompanied by fennel Lyonnaise.
The lamb chops, cooked over charcoal, were another highlight, with the fat lovingly rendered and the meat described as "taut, pink and bleating of a life well lived." Bowles credited Head Chef Daniel Smith for his skill on the grill and with sauces. For dessert, a lemon meringue with lemon ice cream offered a "sweet and tartly bracing" finish.
Bowles concluded that the meal was one of those rare occasions where "they get everything just right," emphasizing Keller's success as a "resolutely local restaurant that would impress in any big city."