I wasn’t expecting to like this place. We had a fabulous meal the night before at Little Rock on the Harbour Arm, and the general rule is that for any given town, there is only one horse. Mrs Nigel had attempted to describe Marleys me to (unsuccessfully), and all I had in my mind was that it would be a local equivalent of Bill’s (and that is not a good thing as far as I am concerned). We’d been past it the night before on the way back to our somewhat quirky accommodation at The Relish, and there were at least people in there, and the menu looked, well, fine.

It’s a nice looking place, on the corner overlooking the harbour with some seats outside (and a few brave souls were out there on a rather miserable “summer” evening). But what stuck me as we walked in is quite how friendly the welcome was. You could have lit half the town with the smile we got from young lady who greeted us (and this friendliness came in very handy in fairly short order). We were seated quickly on what was really only a table for 1, which did not bode particularly well. Menus were provided, and we were looking down them, when it started raining. Had we chosen to be outside, rain would have been perfectly acceptable (or at least anticipatable), but indoors, water drip, drip, dripping onto your menu and clothes (and into your water) is sub-optimal. Our nominal waitress had disappeared, so I went to find the person who had greeted us. After recovering from the glare of the 1000W smile, I was able to articulate my issue, and whoosh, we were off. There were no tables in the main restaurant, but there is a very nice bar area outside, and we were installed in there in a matter of moments. No issues or dramas, just friendly and efficient, in a cosy corner with nicer lighting, more comfortable seating, and a table that we could both put plates on. We did not get to the bottom of the precipitation, but whatever it might have been, it could not possibly have been good…

The menu, on the face of it, does not seem particularly adventurous, but when you read “The Story”, you begin to realise that maybe this is a place that relies more on the quality of its ingredients than it does on being flashy: In the same way that you can go to Italy, have a single tomato for dinner, and be swept off your feet.

I had the squid to start, which I generally order in restaurants just so I can complain about how rubbery it is, how frozen it was, how crap the batter is, or a combination of all three. But this was the Wagyu Beef of squid. I could not find fault with it. Great, almost melt in the mouth texture, which a zesty chilli coating. Magnificent. Mrs N had the Whipped Feta, which is another dish that has crept into the popular imagination in recent years, and is executed with varying degrees of success (often lack thereof). This was great, and some very tasty bread with it. And I love pickled sliced onion, so I was very happy.

To follow, some Tuna, Pork Belly and a little samphire. All excellent, with the Pork Belly a real standout. Very crispy crackling and melt in the mouth meat texture. Samphire is definitely something that should be on more menus, and as sea levels rise, it may be the only green vegetable we can grow soon, so get used to it.

I cannot for the life of me remember what we drank (this should not be taken as an indication of volume of intake but of distraction from the ceiling drips) – From memory there was some sort of Negroni involved and some English wine, but I certainly had no complaints.

If (like me) you hate Brighton but love its food, Folkestone is a very acceptable alternative. English Coastal towns increasingly are seeing people flee the high prices of London, but still want the pleasures that London offers. These are definitely on offer in Folkestone in the form of a high level of homelessness (thanks Maggie), and superb food. I suspect there are a few other gems in Folkestone yet to be uncovered, so on my second lap of the England Coastal Path (in about 2067 at this rate), I shall make sure to check them out. In the meantime, if you are looking for somewhere to eat the night before embarking on a European adventure via Le Shuttle, you will get the very best of what British food has to offer right here.

Conclusion

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

• Food: 5/5
• Drinks: 4/5
• Ambiance: 4/5 (you have to lose something for a dripping ceiling)
• Value for money: 4.5/5
• Service: 5/5
• Would be go back? Yes, but probably only if get lost on the way to Calais

Marleys: https://www.marleysfolkestone.co.uk/