Oh what a bad little blogger I am… I forgot to post a review! Back in August I had to visit Folkestone. I emphasise the ‘had to’ because trust me, I would never visit there out of choice. I hear Folkestone is nicknamed ‘the arsehole of England’ and having been it’s a fitting title. It’s a run down 60’s time warp, complete with blue rinse grannies, Fawlty Towers hotels and chippies that look like they haven’t been washed since they opened. Food was included at our hotel, but if the mouldy ceilings and cigarette stained bedrooms were anything to go by, we weren’t touching the restaurant with a barge pole. So off we ventured in the trusty hands of the internet in search of some escapism.
Naturally, we hunted out a Chinese. SO predictable.
We found the Zen Kafe on Guildhall Street, which is actually the least offensive area of Folkestone with a streetful of artsy boutiques. Zen Kafe is a long, simple restaurant with classic black & red decor along with minimalist tables and benches. The menu offers up single mains but also a nice selection of sharing items, along the same idea as dim sum I guess.
First up was duck spring rolls, which arrived plentiful and in adorable minature form! I’ve never seen spring rolls so small and I actually really like it; they’re much easier to dip and require less commitment, which is great if you want to sneak a bite between your main meal!
Next arrived garlic prawns, lightly battered and seasoned with a little salt & pepper. Being so close to the sea I guess it would be a travesty if these were anything other than the absolute freshest. Luckily they were indeed light and juicy and had the perfectly fried. Funny how sometimes the simplest things are the tastiest?
We cannot resist gyoza. They are just so damn delicious. Zen Kafe didn’t offer up the best I’ve ever had but they were extremely tasty nonetheless, with that wonderfully thick and chewy dough!
Yea you know me by now. We were always going to order pork! Pork and duck actually: roasted up, thickly sliced and served in a big bowl with a pile of fluffy white rice. De-lish! The meat was less sweet, but extremely juicy and tender.
Zen Kafe was a great little find and very good value. It’s a modest place so best for lunch or a casual dinner, but if you find yourself in this arsehole area of England I recommend the visit.
I also recommend the beach. You can stare out to sea and pretend you’re somewhere else.