Muddy review: The White Horse, Boughton
There’s a new boutique hotel in the hood so it was our Muddy mission to test it out on your behalf and if you like fine dining, swish interiors and an extensive cocktail menu, you may want to discover more…
THE LOCATION
Nestled in the tranquil village of Boughton-under-Blean, The White Horse, is a cosy hotel, restaurant and bar and is the new spot in town for a delicious meal, a weekend retreat or an exceptionally good cocktail which is not that easy to track down when living in the sticks.
You are also a short driving distance from the historic city of Canterbury, the coastal delights of Whitstable or up and coming trendy Faversham, so the perfect base to explore as boutique hotels are few and far between in that part of Kent so hallelujah to this fancy new arrival in our lives.
THE LOWDOWN
Formerly a 16th century coaching inn, this characterful building has recently been lovingly renovated by Natalie and Andrew Hennessy. Natalie has impressive chef credentials, having started her career at The Dorchester and The Square in London before moving to Australia where she set up her own bistro.
In 2018 Natalie and Andrew decided to move back to Kent and started the next phase of their adventure. They transformed an East Kent pub in Whitstable into a dining destination with a well-deserved excellent reputation – their pizzas are infamous – so put that on your radar too.
Fate stepped in when the opportunity arose to renovate The White Horse. Natalie had fond childhood memories of Sunday lunches spent here with connections to the area going back four generations to her Great Grandfather and thus The White Horse has been reincarnated. Which is miraculous considering Natalie was pregnant with her second child during the renovation process and is responsible for the entire interior décor decisions – that is taking nesting to a whole new level.
THE VIBE
We loved the restaurant with its natural light, beams and inglenook fireplace and the cosy bar with its velvet armchairs is the perfect area to relax with a drink after a hearty walk. Plus there are strategically placed wellies by the door to borrow if you forgot yours plus binoculars too and guidebooks so you can really make the most out of your trip.
Vintage photos of the area adorn the walls including a picture of Natalie’s great grandfather as well as paintings from a local artist who lives opposite The White Horse so this is a place with a genuine back-story as well as a fine feasting destination.
It’s still relatively early days since The White Horse launched in June but for our mid-week visit, the restaurant had a good scattering of tables booked and all 13 bedrooms were occupied thanks to a team training day at Gusbourne winery which is located just outside Ashford but proves the point that there are not boutique hotels, of this standard, in this part of Kent
Going forward, we would love to see more muted lighting to help set the mood a little more, but this is nit-picking of the highest level.
PILLOW TALK
There are thirteen bedrooms to choose from at The White Horse and since all rooms were occupied, we had to take on The Nightingale Suite (shucks) in the eaves which has its own private staircase, cute sitting room and a free-standing Burlington Bath. Plus, the most elegant mini bar we have ever come across as well as a mini fridge for the chilled items too.
The White Horse operates an honesty bar and, on the landing, below is another well-stocked bar area too with snacks etc for those out-of-hour moments when you need a little fix of something fun. We also peeked at the Courtyard room, where dogs are welcomed, which had its own stylish stamp and if you are looking for a break for the whole family, there is also a family suite with interconnecting rooms or a twin room with two single and two trundle beds – suitable for two adults and two small children.
It’s important to take note that you are not in the deepest darkest countryside so you will hear the hum and drum of village life in the morning so don’t go expecting tweeting birds to wake you from your slumber, as there will be the odd angry hoot of a car horn or HGV reversing to remind you of real life outside.
SCOFF AND QUAFF
We went as a group of six as word had trickled round these parts of the new foodie addition to the area, which meant that everyone was enthusiastic about having a good stab at the menu. Natalie’s classic French training and extensive travels are reflected in the choices and special shout-outs go to the Starters including the Crab Tostados, with handpicked crab meat from the Southeast coast, with zesty avocado and tamarind on a crunchy corn crisp apparently perfectly paired with the signature Margarita cocktail – as well as the Tempura Avocado, Sesame and Miso Dipping Sauce (believe me it does work) and Citrus and Ginger Seared Scallops.
We had also indulged in snacks with drinks beforehand including Monkfish Popcorn with Lime Dipping Sauce, ‘Street Food’ Thai fish Bites and Snacking Pork with Nam Jim so you may be surprised to hear that there was still room for some substantial mains including Monkfish tail fillet, also served Tempura style, as well as Ray Wing with Brown Shrimp, Caper and Lemon Beurre Noisette and a medley of hand cut chips and French fries that helped us mop up the juices as well as the delicious Railway Hill Rosé 2021 Simpsons Estate which seemed to flow all evening.
We shared a Dark Chocolate Bronut and Lemon Curd Meringue with Citrus Cream served with Vanilla Bean ice cream for research purposes only you understand, and both were demolished. Enough said.
There is a carefully curated cocktail menu with French 75, Negronis and a well-stocked gin bar (of course) as well as a premium range of wine and champagne with a heavy emphasis on local wines since Kent has the luxury of so many quality wine producers on its doorstep. There’s also plenty of draught beer on tap with guest ales so you can tap into that side of things too and nothing feels too fancy if it’s a sink into a comfy chair and pint kind of day.
ANYTHING ELSE?
There’s lots more on the horizon especially as they will shortly be launching The Nest for in-house treatments working alongside the team at nearby Sheldon Spa, voted Best Day Spa in Kent by our Muddy readers in this year’s Awards. Word on the street is that there is also an art retreat coming up so watch this space for more intel on this matter.
Wait for Spring/Summer 2023 for the garden to come into its full glory as the rattan garden furniture has not arrived yet and some landscaping is under way to make the alfresco dining have that additional WOW factor.
Make sure you consider The White Horse for Afternoon Tea as a destination point especially if you opt for the version paired with a glass of Gusbourne or Taittinger champagne. You also don’t have to stay the night to enjoy their breakfast so swing by in the morning to order their smashed avocado and crumbled feta served on Whitstable wild sourdough from everyone’s favourite baker in this area, Grain and Hearth and as Natalie says, ‘I do a mean Hollandaise sauce’ which we can confirm after sampling the Eggs Atlantic for our breakfast the following morning alongside Oak Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs on a New York Bagel.
THE MUDDY VERDICT
GOOD FOR? Girls’ night with cocktails and bar snacks/starters at the heart of proceedings, family lunches and it’s definitely one for romance too since the bedrooms are only a short slither up the stairs…
NOT FOR? It errs on the pricier side so this may be your special occasion kind of place rather than a frequent local haunt.
THE DAMAGE
Starters cost around £10, £20-£25 for mains with sides at £4, and £6.50 for puddings.
Room prices start at £90, with The Nightingale suite priced from £270 per night.
246 The Street, Boughton-under-Blean, Faversham, Kent, ME13 9AL, thewhitehorseboughton.com, 01227 752046, info@thewhitehorseboughton.com