Eastern Eggs

It's a four day weekend coming up! Hurrah! Hopefully we'll get lots of lovely visitors cramming down here to the far eastern tip of Kent to enjoy all the superduper stuff we've got going on, as well, of course, as our gorgeous seascape, architecture, nosh and booze.

To that end, I've updated my What's On In Thanet guide in the sidebar on the right. If you're on a smartphone, you'll have to click on 'view web version' to see that. To be frank it's not as comprehensive as it once was, given that the Visit Thanet website has improved over the years and is now pretty kushti. So apols if your particular shindig has been left out.

Also in my sidebar is my Recommended Nosheries column. This, er, needs a bit of updating, especially the Margate and Broadstairs sections.

I'll be tooling around the towns over the Easter break to sample the delights of the island's eateries, and reporting back. So restaurant owners beware! Prime cuts only please - no fingers in pies!! And if any of you lovely readers have any grubby experiences to report, do drop me a line in the comments section below.

As ever, I like to promote Ramsgate over Margate, especially given all the public dosh that's been spent attracting tourists to the north side at the expense of the south side over the past few years. So I'm pleased to announce that the Millionaires' Playground can now boast a new museum and gallery to equal the Turnip Contemporary! Step forward The Micro Museum, which boasts a collection of computers, electronics and video games from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. What with that and our Pinball Museum, all we need now is a glass eye collection and the tourists will be flocking!

Haha, no, only kidding. Ramsgate is a great place to visit, and this will be the first Easter for a century during which the happy holidaymakers won't be deafened by knackered old jumbos dive-bombing their barnets.

Still, the powers-that-be have done their best to put the mockers on it all, what with giving us concrete piles and now a burst main poo-drain down on the port, near, appropriately enough, the fart farms. It's not the first, and almost certainly not the last time Southern Water has treated us to this shower of proverbial during the summer season. Crimminy!

Right! I'm off to stuff some carbs in ahead of the Planet Thanet Beer Festival, which kicks off tomorrow. It'll be the ninth year in a row that I've sampled the delights of 180 real ales, then suffered the torture of beer-a-rear for the following week. To be honest, it's not been the same since it moved from Thanet's premier town to Margate Winter Gardens after the first year, but with Wetherspoons now looking like the faves to revamp Ramsgate's Royal Pavilion who knows, next year we could be welcoming the beardy beer imbibers back - to the biggest pub in Britain! Pip pip!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

And, er, please note that that is the way we draw a lucky four leaf clover here in Ramsgate.

Frankincensed?

Probably a bit too late to catch the spirit of the festive season with that headline. But then I've only got a couple of NEETs on minimum wage subbing this rubbish, so beggars can't be choosers.

Moving on... With the official launch of yet another Thanet bar this coming weekend, and now tours of the island's burgeoning micro pub scene being offered by 'Galvers', whose well-thumbed flyer I found in a local hostelry, you do begin to wonder whether our local tavern tycoon is feeling the pinch. (Galvers, by the way, seems to have left off the excellent Lifeboat in Margate, and The Chapel in Broadstairs for some reason.)

With the rise and rise of the Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival over the past decade, alongside a nationwide resurgence in real ale quaffing, it's no wonder DFLs and bright young locals are jumping on the beerwagon and opening up their own, intimate, boozy businesses to cash in.

Of course Mr T, one of Plane Jane's Picks of the Year in the Isle of Thanet Gazunder a couple of weeks ago, has moved with the times, and it's now possible to get a decent pint of e.g. Gadds' in at least some of his establishments. The khazis are usually spotless too. And the bar staff friendly and helpful. But my guess is he must be wondering whether his mid-market offering is in danger of being squeezed between the small, upmarket bars and the megaboozers run by ambitious national chains like Wetherspoons.

Anyhow, the latest addition to the scene is The Glass Jar on Margate's Marine Drive, run by none other than my old journalist chum, former yourfannitinnit hack Tom Betts. The official launch is this Saturday, with a late licence until 1am. Tom says: 'There will be a free glass of bubbly and the ever popular 'nibbles' laid on. Dress as smart as you can and bring your partner or a friend along (no morons though, yeah?)'.

Well, Tom's a very nice chap, and I wish him all the best with his venture.

And while I'm in a congratulatory mood, jolly well done to those Friends of Ramsgate Seafront types who spent the weekend tarting up the Royal Victoria Pavilion here in the Millionaires' Playground, along with volunteers from local schools, and some help from our teeny-tiny council.

It just shows what people power can do! Y'know, the more I think about it, the more I get the feeling that the bad old days (2007), when everything on our septic isle was carved up by an elite coterie of old-timer public and private individuals who effectively ran the island, dispensing brarn envelopes or 'advice' (usually delivered by a pair of sturdy, trench-coated individuals) at will, is rapidly coming to an end. Hurrah!

Town of Ramsgate Up For Auction

Er, the pub in Wapping that is. Click here for more details in the Morning Advertiser (officially the pub trade's favourite!)

Last month the Cecil Square junta bought up the Flowing Bowl boozer in Newington 'for regeneration'. With their new found taste for hostelries, I wonder if they'll be tempted to add this to their estate?

Update: The pub sold yesterday for £1.11m, according to the East London Advertiser

Eddie, Steady, Go!

More plaudits for Eddie Gilbert's Ramsgate restaurant, this time from famous foodie bloggers the Dos Hermanos!

After yours truly left a mention of EG's on an item about their visit to Age & Sons last year, the Hermanos decided to hop on the high speed train to the Millionaires' Playground and were well impressed. Here's their take on the starter:

Eel Soldiers and Duck Egg is a deceptively simple dish but to get it spot-on requires technique and timing: the egg must have soft, soft yolk and a solid albumen and the fingers of Eel must be deep-fried in oil that is hot enough, then drained and served immediately. The kitchen aced it. They even managed to fashion an aesthetically pleasing crack in the eggshell. Damn they’re good, was all I could think as I crunched through crisp coating into the deeply smoky eel flesh inside.

Click here to read the entire review on Dos Hermanos

Meanwhile, our other top Eddie, the Gaddfather of Ale, appears to be making steady progress with upsizing his brewery. I've had my team of crack animators imagineering a superdupercomputer CGI conceptualisation of the finished fermentery, and here's the Avatar-like result! Is it me, or does one of the protagonists bear an uncanny resemblance to Ramsgate Firster Gerry O'Donnell?

East Of The Wantsum

Here's this week's East of the Wantsum. And before anyone moans, remember you get it for free. You don't even have to pay 60p to see it smudged all over this week's Isle of Thanet Gazunder! Er, they get it for free too.

Yep, this blog has been proudly unfunded since 2006. No products, services or political party to plug. No sponsors to please, no licence fee to cough up, no pesky ads to get in the way of your reading enjoyment. You don't deserve me!

While we're at it, congratulations to Ramsgate's very own Age & Sons for winning the Best Cafe category in the Kent Restaurant Awards on Thursday. And also to top Ramsgate butchers J C Rook, fantastic Ramsgate fishmongers Eddie Gilbert's, Minster's Chai Stop and bestest brewer Gadds' of Ramsgate for getting into the finals of the Taste of Kent Awards!

And, er, if any of you would care to sponsor this blog, do get in touch. I'm desperate.

Click here for finalists in Taste of Kent Awards
Don't bother clicking here for Kent Restaurant Awards as they haven't seen fit to publicise them on the internet.

Beer Today, Beer Tomorrow!

Here's something that should leave a more pleasant taste in the mouth than that last item! What better way to celebrate the true meaning of Easter than getting bladdered on Trussock's Old Socks and 199 other splendid beers, ciders and perries at the annual Thanet GuzzleFest? Well, I can't think of think of a better way, even if you can.

It all kicks off over at the Mike and Bernie Winter Gardens in Margate at noon today. Stretchers at 10.30pm. Then you can do it all over again tomorrow. Admission £3 (£2 Saturday). I've been a guest of horror the past three years, and apart from a slight attack of beer-à-rear on day two in 2007, which I put down to the council catering, I've had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Hats off to the organisers of what is fast becoming the Ile de Thanet's cultural event of the year!

Click here for Feshtival website hic

Bottle And Throttle

The lovely Mrs Gaddfather of Ale has emailed me with last minute details of the Gadds brewery bash tonight. It kicks off at 7pm and includes a tour of the brewery, nibbles, a quiz and beer (natch), all for £5 a head (no charge for designated drivers). All are welcome and details of how to get to the Gadds Brewery are on their website here.

And the equally lovely Cheryl from our beloved council's press office has penned this note:

Sorry to spring this one on you guys so last minute, but anything you can do to help promote this meeting which takes place tonight would be wonderful. It's not our meeting, but it's come to our attention that there's been very little publicity of it, so we're trying to do what we can to help!

'On Friday 19 December at 6.00 pm, Matt Clarke the Chief Executive at Kent Interview (I think they mean 'International' - Ed.) Airport is giving a public presentation about the Draft Masterplan for the airport at Newington Community Centre. All local residents are invited.

'The Draft Masterplan sets out Infratil's proposals to expand business at the airport by increasing the number of both cargo and passenger flights. After a presentation about the Masterplan contents, residents will have their questions answered about how airport growth could affect them.

'The views of the public are important. New jobs will be created, but there will be some environmental impacts. In fact the Masterplan outlines how the Airport owners will seek to control noise and manage the increase in road traffic around the airport.

'Matt Clarke said: 'It is especially useful to hear from residents living in neighbourhoods close to the airport. The meetings we have held so far in parishes and at Nethercourt were all popular and we learned a lot from the feedback.'

Many thanks for any help you can give us with this!

Cheryl

Quite why my council tax is being spent on publicising a meeting being held for the benefit of a private company is beyond me. Oh well, I know which bash I'll be going to! Hic!

Cider House Fools

Yikes! It seems Churchills pub here in the island's premier town will be the venue for an interesting social experiment this Saturday - a cider festival/comedy music gig! The guzzlefest is courtesy of those splendid chaps at Thanet CAMRA, who organise the wobbly knees-up at the Mike and Bernie Winter Gardens each Easter, while the gigglefest will be provided by Ramsgate's new purveyors of comedy and music, Tropical Robots.

Tropical Robots are promising 'an eccentric Birmingham 8 piece' called Misty's Big Adventure, featuring a 7 foot, rubber clad dancer called Erotic Volvo. Just the ticket after you've knocked back the 50 ciders and perries, and 'cider-related food' that'll be on offer!

Click here to go to Cider Festival website
Click here to go to Tropical Robots MySpace
Click here to go to Misty's Big Adventure MySpace

This article has been approved by the Politburo.

Beer Yesterday, Dire Rear Today

Urgh! This will have to be a quickie! I've got an important, erm, appointment to attend. Must have been those council chips I scoffed half way through the afternoon. I'm sure it's nothing to do with the ten pints of fine ale I quaffed.

Talk amongst yourselves for a bit. Must dash!

Beer Today, Beer Tomorrow

Hurrah! It's Easter! And what better way to celebrate the true meaning of Easter than getting bladdered on Nadger's Old Wobbly and 199 other splendid beers, ciders and perries at the annual Thanet GuzzleFest? Well, I can't think of think of a better way, even if you can.

It all kicks off over at the Mike and Bernie Winter Gardens in Margate at noon today. Stretchers at 10.30pm. Then you can do it all over again tomorrow. Admission £3 (£2 Saturday). I was a guest of honour last year, and apart from a slight attack of beer-à-rear on day two, which I put down to the council catering, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Hats off to the organisers of what is fast becoming the Ile's cultural event of the year!

Click here for Festival website

Curtains Up On Beer Bash

I've been asked by those lovely people at the Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival Blog to reinstate their link higher up my sidebar, as they're now, er, beering up for this year's glugathon. Only too happy to oblige.

The 2008 GuzzleFest will once again be held at Margate's Mike and Bernie Winter Gardens, on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of March, following a successful try out there last year. This will be the third festival, and I've attended all three, which makes me feel rather sad and washed up to be frank. Oh well, never mind, there really is no better way of celebrating Easter than getting crucified on Nadger's Old Wobbly!

(Photograph courtesy of Mr X)

Royal Choke

Just back from one of our local Thorley Taverns after a night with some of my millionaire chums, and I must say the atmosphere was pretty rancid. One fat fellow at the end of the bar appeared to have a problem with his bowels, and was guffing like an elephant most of the night, much to the amusement of his boneheaded chums.

Call me old fashioned, but I for one found the waft of tobacco smoke before the ban infinitely preferable to the malodorous concoction of lavatory smells, BO and unwashed nether regions that we have to put up with these days. And now that our Frank, who was moaning in the Gazunder this week about a current downturn in trade, is saving money by turning off his air conditioning, I'll be certain to take the precaution of donning an NBC suit before entering one of his establishments again!

Must-have gear for a visit to your local Thorley Tavern

Shots Shot By Shots

Yes I had a lovely time at that new establishment on Harbour Street last night, thanks for asking. I was going to take a few snaps, but ended up rather wellied on vodka shots and pressed the delete button by mistake. So here's a couple of piccies I blagged from their website:

Outside

And, er, inside

Sovereign Rings

Yum! I'm really looking forward to my free slap-up meal for four down at that swanky new hostelry on Harbour Street that's opening tonight. Oh, didn't I tell you? They phoned me the other day to say I'd won the competition to name it. Well, all those suggestions you made were just so... silly. So I thought I'd send in something sensible, and The Sovereign it is!

Pub Name Fame Game

I see in today's Thanet Times that pub group Barracuda are holding a competition to name the new hostelry they're opening where that querky indoor market used to be in Harbour Street. The new boozer will occupy a space approximately the size of Broadstairs, and will be part of their Smith and Jones chain. Here's what they say about their pubs:

Generally situated in high street locations or secondary towns (secondary? - Ed.) and cities across England, Scotland and Wales, Smith & Jones offers a venue for all occasions serving a broad customer base (dipsomaniacs welcome). This, in turn, generates customer loyalty while reinforcing the widely held belief that a pub is a place to catch up and be part of the community (until falling over time).

They're looking for a name with local connections, such as a famous person, place or activity. There's a 'VIP champagne meal' for four on offer for the lucky winner, who will also get to officially open the place (if they can still see to cut the ribbon). I've already sent them some suggestions. My favourite is, naturally, The Richard Eastcliff, but you've got to admire the irony of The Frank Thorley, Collis Browne's and Oasis.

I hear Barracuda, who bill themselves as 'the UK's fastest growing pub chain', will also be serving Ramsgate themed drinks. Dunkerque Spirit should prove popular, and they'll be selling a new brand of alcopop called TDC, although I doubt if that'll catch on as it's described as having a 'lingering aftertaste'.

Cone Fishing

Zillions of millionaires on Ramsgate beach this afternoon. It seems summer has finally arrived!

Clearly we're now well into the silly season. Parliament has broken up, with old One Eye Brown off to stay with his brand new chum Camp David. The kiddy-diddlers at the BBC (a survey out today shows 60% of adults now trust the BBC less since scandals such as the faked Blue Peter phone-in) have all scarpered to their villas in Tuscany, leaving the viewers to digest endless repeats. And, as you can see by the headline on this post, I'm rapidly running out of ideas for atrocious puns.

So it's time for a bit of a break. There are ice creams to be licked, bottles of Krug to be popped, and an autobiography to be written. But like the Beeb, I'll be bunging up a few repeats, and who knows, if something interesting happens I might even be persuaded to comment on it. As I've always said: You can't get rid of me that easily!

Booze Nooze

Well, well, well. With the Belgian Bar open again, and Churchills painted a tasteful shade of cream, it looks as if a crawl around Ramsgate's rub-a-dubs is in order! And just to put the cherry in the daquiri, the sun's come out!

Top Beer

I must say I'm getting very excited about the Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival.

Beer o'clock is at noon tomorrow and Saturday, with stretchers at 10.30pm both days. Sadly the festival has relocated this year from the Millionaires' Playground to the Winter Gardens in Margate, so I'll be wearing my CelebProtect Kevlar stab vest to and from the venue just to be on the safe side.

The organisers are promising thousands of different beers and ciders, including a reconstruction by Ramsgate's very own Gaddfather of Ale of an ancient brew from Margate's now defunct Cobbs brewery, along with all the old favourites such as Nadgers Old Jockstrap and the rather fine Tossingtons 'Wibbly-Wobbly' India Pale Ale.

So - be there or be, er, sober!