We went to the seaside. Had a day trip. On the train. Sandcastles. Paddling in the sub-zero waters where the English Channel meets the North Sea. So really it was a sort of ‘metaphorical paddling’ done from a distance of at least 50 metres from the water. Less chance of hypothermia and frostbite. Because that’s what can happen in November in Broadstairs.

Broadstairs?

Yes, that’s where we went. Its on a lovely little peninsula in Kent, between Ramsgate and Margate. Close enough to Dover to expect a few dozen small boats. But far enough away that it didn’t happen. And it is a really beautiful little town. Full of ‘old English charm’, which translates as fish’n’chip shops, a little shopping mall, lots of nice houses, loads of pubs, plenty of Cross of St George flags flying and a beach with real sand on it!!! Very pretty.

It was me mate, the WolfMan’s birthday. Not saying which one, but it was the 70th. So we went for lunch to celebrate. In Broadstairs. Because quite frankly, London (where ALL the celebrants came from) simply lacks eating places. So you have to get on a train and travel 90 minutes and go to Broadstairs. Because they have four restaurants! Possibly 5 if you count the fried chicken take-away.

But the restaurant we went to, overlooking the beach, was, in all honesty, better than any restaurant I’ve been to in… errrr… a long, long time. They served fish. But so much fish, in so many different ways. All of them brilliant. And different. Except the main course (I stopped counting the ‘courses’ because the food just kept coming) which was grilled sea bass. But not just, like, a sea bass, no. This was a SEA BASS!!! An unusual fish in that if you have one on the coast its a fucking whale. But as they travel inland they start to shrink. Until you get to London and you get a tiny little flattened fillet of disappointment and you wish you’d ordered the burger.

Not in Broadstairs. I didn’t know whether to eat my sea bass (ok we shared them) or get on and ride it up the Medway back to London. Greed got the better of me and went for the former. Plus, I had a return ticket to St Pancras.

I won’t even mention the desserts, other than they were right up to the standard of the rest of my now ‘favourite restaurant in the world’.

What a fab little day trip that was.

Happy birthday to the WolfMan, Happy Monday to you

A xxxx