7th April 2024
Each month our restaurant reviewer Bibi Roy visits a TN partner to see what our members experience when they dine. This April, Bibi visits Daily Bread in Rusthall, where Becky and Joe thank members for supporting local with 10% off food from Tuesday to Friday.
"Catch a 281 bus from Tunbridge Wells to the sleepy village of Rusthall and nestled at 27-29 The High Street you will find Daily Bread. This little café has had several owners with the likes of the great Robin Read of The Counter, gracing the kitchen with his successful residency. Since November 2023 it has been owned by Becky and husband Joe. A family run business with both of their daughters involved, multitasking front and back of house. Becky has experience in catering and bars, whilst Joe was previously a builder.
There was a nerve-wracking moment when many in the area were worried that this much treasured haven’s future would be at risk. Fast forward to today and I see a room awash with locals and guests from further afield. There are families sharing brunch for which an extensive menu is evident, children munching on mini sandwiches and pancakes, served with a choice of blackcurrant or orange squash. Some are being treated to luxury hot chocolate or a babychino, even the kids are more discerning these days.
Priding themselves on sourcing the majority of supplies locally, making as much as possible on the premises, the whole team bake milk loaf, sourdough and Devonshire Splits daily. Free range meat is from Rusthall Butchers, five seconds away. Bacon is cured and smoked on site, as is cheese and only free range eggs are used. Vegan, gluten free and vegetarian options are all present, so there is something for everyone.
Many cafes bring in cakes from outside companies, making their offering quite generic, however I am pleased to see every cloche here filled with homemade specialities created by Becky. Dark, luscious Guinness cake, doorstep date, cranberry and raisin flapjacks, sprinkle vanilla and vegan chocolate sponges are today’s classic flavours. I have spotted the last of the Easter millionaire’s shortbread. It is covered with mini eggs, a vast slab of the milk stuff, beneath which squishy caramel oozes over proper shortbread. You can tell it is going to be good.
It is past noon, therefore lunch sandwiches, (served toasted), jacket potatoes or super salads are my choices. Rusthall Rarebit is appealing but I don’t wish to wait twenty-five minutes for the cook. I haven’t eaten a steak sandwich in years and a sirloin one filled with homemade onion marmalade, cheddar smoked in-house, spicy mayo and rocket is calling my naughty senses, particularly as the latter will be enclosed in their lovely bread. On the specials board I notice chicken katsu loaded fries. I think that may be too much and go for a bowl of peppered skin-on slithers instead.
The steak is cooked perfectly, medium rare but well rested. The combination of the marmalade, smokiness of the cheese and pepper from the rocket is gorgeous. Their homemade bread is marvellous, the crust texture almost like crackling, with the soft stuff soaking up all of the juices. I love the little peppered sweet potato and beetroot, rocket salad accompanying, everything is brilliantly seasoned. I am not a ketchup fan, the bottled stuff being sickly sweet, but theirs, again homemade is marvellous.
It is rare that I finish my crusts, but every last marma-cheese-meat-sodden edge is hoofed down happily.
I think it is time for tea, Earl Grey of course, by Kent & Sussex Tea Company. Coffee is by TN partner Bean Smitten. Mine arrives with an after dinner mint chocolate on the side, how cute. Forgetting that I am about to indulge in a sugar hit that will take my glycaemic index stratospheric, I crunch the little gold foil encrusted disc unapologetically. I do it in Indian restaurants regularly, where they seem to have a life supply of them.
Oh the decadence of that millionaire shortbread. The chocolate is so thick I struggle to get my knife to slice through it resorting to my fingers. Even the caramel is homemade. It sticks to the shortbread that coats my digits. Let’s face it I am making a real mess but it truly is worth it, crumbs all over the plate and my face incidentally. Thankfully I have some tea left to let my palate pretend all will be well. Who am I kidding, I will definitely be walking this one off.
If I have said homemade too many times, I do not apologise, for this is what community cafes are all about. It separates them from over commercialised bad excuses for average high tea and dry sarnies. With covers for fifty inside and twenty-four in the garden, they are planning to offer the above which is sure to be a success based on what I have eaten today. In the meantime, once a month beer, burgers and board games are ever popular, as well as a quiz night with a pleasantly priced menu sure to please.
Long may Daily Bread continue, just don’t tell too many people because they are the real deal and once those cakes are gone, you’re just going to have to wait until Becky makes another delightful batch. Thank you for putting a nostalgic smile on this soon to be very plump enthusiast."
Review by Bibi Roy, exclusive to the TN card.
Member reward: Receive 10% off your food bill from Tuesday to Friday of each week (closed Mondays). More details here.