© Food & Drink Guide In the heart of Canterbury, a few minutes walk from the ancient cathedral, Michael Caines Restaurant offers one of the best fine-dining experiences in this historical city. Within the ABode Hotel on the High Street, this is the perfect place to enjoy superb food while visiting this unspoiled medieval World Heritage Site. Relax with cocktails and wines in the Michael Caines Champagne and Cocktail Bar before dining; with a tantalising menu of exciting cocktails ready to be conjured up by the skilful staff, the bar will put you in the mood for the spectacular culinary delights awaiting you in the restaurant. Entering the restaurant, the solid roof beams and comfortable leather sofas of the bar give way to the modern, stylish decor of the dining room. Diners are met with a subtle combination of old and new elegance, combining the heritage of the 16th-Century building with sleek, contemporary design. The menu offers such exquisite food that you may find it hard to choose your dishes, and for this reason the tasting menu is a very popular option offering seven courses of skilful deliciousness, it is a fantastic way to experience the sheer range of talent in the kitchen. The dishes here make the most of Kents rich tradition of rearing excellent meat and game, as well as catching local seafood. From humble to extravagant ingredients, a meal at Michael Caines truly showcases the natural flavours of the Garden of England. The la carte menu offers a fantastic selection of starters, which includes a beautifully al dent raviolo of Parmesan and spinach with poached quails eggs and a fresh herb pure, drizzled with rosemary and white truffle oil cream. This beautiful creation melts in the mouth and affords a tremendous combination of delicate flavours. Slow-cooked organic salmon, or a warm ballotine of quail with wild mushrooms and glazed button onions, is equally enticing. On to the main courses, and a dish of Romney Marsh lamb with fondant potato, confit lamb shoulder, onion pure and a tapenade jus is an absolute delight; and the pan-fried turbot with scallops, crisp belly pork and shallots, accompanied by a pea pure and bacon velout, is a true celebration of the fruits of land and sea. Dessert is not to be missed try unusual combinations such as baked white-chocolate cheesecake with creme de framboise pure and raspberry sorbet, topped with a pine nut and sunflower seed crumble. Equally delicious is the innovative iced honeycomb parfait with caramelised banana mousse a wickedly sweet and indulgent creation that is sure to round off your meal on the ultimate high. As well as decadent dinner, the restaurant offers what is arguably the best set lunch menu in the city, with three courses of absolute refinement costing just 12. The menu and service mean that guests are assured a wonderful dining experience for lunch or dinner; no trip to Canterbury would be complete without a visit to Michael Caines Restaurant.