The Ship, Dymchurch, Kent

It seems that good pubs in Kent are like buses, you wait ages for one then two turn up together!  We had lunch in The Ship on the outskirts of Dymchurch on Romney Marsh today and it was really very good indeed.  Parts of the building date back around 500 years, and it has been a pub for most of that time.  A large number of very well known authors have stayed there over the years, including Russell Thorndike who wove The Ship into his famous Dr Syn novels.  The pub itself is steeped in Dr Syn art and memorabilia, and many of the original hidden rooms and nooks are still in place from the days of the marsh smugglers.

 The bar and main dining room are light and airy, and the selection of beers short but good.  I had an excellent pint of Adnam's Broadside, and would have had another if we hadn't ordered a bottle of wine with lunch.  The other draught real ale on offer was the excellently nutty Harvey's Sussex.

I was pleased to see a good selection of traditional dishes on the menu, everything from Sunday roasts to pies and puddings, home made burgers to fish and chips.  But there were a few original and less usual choices in there too, including chicken breast stuffed with brie, wrapped in parma ham and glazed with honey, and spatchcock poussin to name but two.  I can recommend the spicy chicken wings from the starter list and the fabulous home made steak and kidney herb pudding.  The gammon steak looked very good indeed, as did the roast beef, but the star of the show was without doubt the home made cheese and bacon burger.

To say the burger was enormous would be an understatement.  It came in a ciabatta roll with fresh salad and a pile of crispy chips.  The beef burger itself had quite a lot of herbs mixed in, so if you aren't keen on strong flavours this probably isn't one for you.  The pot of tomato relish on the side was a nice touch.

The staff were very friendly and attentive, although not very knowledgeable when it came to ordering our wine, and the food came out promptly without making us feel rushed.  I'm told the owners changed in 2010, and brought with them a desire to use local produce and make on the premises where possible, and it certainly showed as the quality was excellent.  I'm certainly looking forward to coming back to The Ship again soon, and when I do I'll be having the burger!