Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A Canterbury Tale: The Goods Shed

13 May

The Goods Shed, Canterbury

Chaucer's pilgrims probably had to fork out to see the tomb of Thomas a Beckett way back in the fourteenth century, so they would not have been surprised at the seven quid charge to enter the cathedral precincts - but I was. As a commercial exploitation of a religious site, it was a pretty shameless one, and I could not help envisaging a certain sandalled Nazarene striding through the barrier and smashing it down as he went.
What Canterbury would do for a living if Chaucer had not sent his pilgrims off from the Tabard Inn is a mystery. I stayed in the Miller's Arms where my room was called 'The Knight's Tale' and the town was full of Chaucerian references.
There are some beautiful and historic buildings in Canterbury but the Goods Shed is not one of them. Then again, they don't charge you to go in. Once you are in, though, you feel like spending money. The stalls inside the airy interior sell excellent organic meat and fresh vegetables and other goodies. Up a short flight of steps is the restaurant, which uses raw material from this permanent farmers' market to produce a changing daily menu.
I started with a celeriac and harissa soup which was a deliciously unctuous puree spiked with amber slugs of heat. But just before the soup appeared, some hunks of gently steaming bread arrived with a small pot of very cold butter. The crust was crisp and hard, the centre a rich pillow of moist, yeasty perfection.
It was, quite simply, the most delicious bread I have ever eaten. It was made by the baker who has the stall at the bottom of the steps and when I have won the lottery, I shall pay someone to kidnap him and transport him to North Yorkshire.
A main course of pot-roasted chicken with creme fraiche and vegetables was the sort of food you would cook at home. The chicken was flavoursome, brown-skinned and had that chicken-y taste that all chickens had before it was somehow taken out of them. It sat happily on a pile of greens and baby carrots, all the better for having been introduced to each other and the chicken before being put on the plate. Fortunately, I was a very early diner and the only other couple were a good way off, so I could pick the last bits of meat off the bones without feeling too inhibited.
I had no room for a pudding which was down to the gluttony with which I attacked the bread - but there were no regrets on that score. With a couple of glasses of house wine, the bill just topped 30 quid. Or four visits to Canterbury Cathedral if you are daft enough.

Verdict: value for money 8/10 service 9/10 quality of food 9/10