COUPLE BRING A SLICE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN TO CANTERBURY

A couple who run a Canterbury pub are bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to the city.

Licensee Simon Young and his wife Victoria have been at the helm of Shepherd Neame’s White Hart Inn since July 2020.

The pair, who developed a love of Turkish cuisine while living in Istanbul for two years running an international events company, have now launched a new Turkish food offering, based on one of their favourite dishes from the country.

The Ekmek Pide Company, which joins the pub’s offering this week is, they believe, the first of its kind in Kent.

Ekmek – which means bread in Turkish – and Pide (pronounced Pea-Day) is sometimes described as Turkish pizza or flatbread, while it is a hybrid of both. 

Cooked in a stone baked pizza oven by Victoria, the homemade dough is topped with mature cheddar and mozzarella or feta cheese and a variety of fresh vegetables and spices, and with or without cured meats.  

A Simon said: “We took over the tenancy of the White Hart Inn at the start of the pandemic and have experienced real success in attracting new customers. We used it as punters for years before we took it on, so we have a real affection for it.

“Finally, now we feel confident enough to bring a piece of our own story to the table by sharing a gem from our travels with our customers who we know will love the concept. We think it is the right time to bring it to Canterbury.

“They are the perfect pub food, something that is a little bit unique. And they will also be the perfect thing to have in the summer.”

All Pides are served with tomato salsa and customers can order a traditionally Turkish Shepherd’s Salad on the side and are encouraged to ‘bring out their inner Istanbul-lite’ by topping their Pide with a runny egg for an extra £1.

The venture officially launches at the White Hart Inn in Worthgate Place, Canterbury, on Wednesday (February 9), with a Pide Party, where guests can enjoy complimentary samples from 7pm until 11pm. 

The dog-friendly pub, part of Britain’s oldest brewer, is a hidden historic gem within Canterbury’s city walls. It has a leafy, secluded garden outside, and serves real ales, handpicked British and international wines, gins, ciders and speciality cocktails.

Alongside the new food offering, there are also bar snacks available, and the pub provides popular roast dinners on Sundays.