OPENS 19 FEBRUARY 2020
Set in a postcard-perfect historic Sussex backwater, this pretty 17th-century coaching inn has been revamped and reinvigorated once again, this time by chef Will Devlin who also owns The Small Holding at Kilndown on the Kent/East Sussex border.
Devlin’s menu for The Curlew follows the same formula as his popular first restaurant, so guests can expect a seasonal menu that presses all the in-vogue buttons with its focus on hyper-locally sourced ingredients, including those grown or foraged at The Small Holding, which is located just eight miles away.
These simple small and sharing plates from land and sea change every few weeks as produce from the farm and suppliers becomes available. All dishes are made in-house and all processes, including butchering, baking, pickling, preserving and curing, are done on-site.
Modish combos abound so dishes you might come across include the likes of pork dumplings with pickled plums, salt-baked carrots with dill seed mayonnaise or cured kimchi trout. Homemade fennel seed salami and chorizo comes courtesy of the Berkshire pigs at The Small Holding, while other meats on the menu include whole brined and smoked roast chicken, and roast rib of Sussex beef.
There’s also the option to sample an eight-course selection of dishes chosen by the chef. Desserts set out to push the envelope too – think Kilndown honey junket, and meadowsweet marshmallow.
Naturally, the food is matched by a stylish, hand-picked drinks menu that reflects the rich history of the county, with beers from local breweries and water filtered through the South Downs. The wine list features a decent selection of English wines from some of the country’s leading vineyards, which also happen to be on the restaurant’s doorstep. Accommodation is available at May Farm, a rural, three-bedroom barn a short drive away from The Curlew.