I’d been told about a great little old fashioned cinema in Westgate and decided to treat Mrs SD to a matinee performance.

But we’d set out early, traffic was non-existent and we’d pre-purchased our £3.50 seats in advance at the Carlton Cinema, so had more than an hour to kill before curtain up.

I looked for a pub and found myself at the door of Paul’s Bar & Bistro, right next to the train station. But, here’s the dilemma – does this qualify as a pub and therefore justify a review?

Well, the two main conditions are covered...

1. It’s open to the public

2. It serves alcohol without requiring food to be consumed.

Having decided we were good to go I ordered a pint of Beavertown Neck Oil and a large Sav Blanc for she who must be obeyed. The waitress, who was incredibly hardworking and efficient, said she’d bring them straight over, which she did.

But by the time they were delivered we’d decided we were peckish after all and there would be plenty of time for Mrs SD to sample a ciabatta with piri piri chicken while I tucked into a jacket potato with cheese and beans.

Glancing around I have to accept this does look, and feel, somewhat like a café/restaurant but, in the absence of another pub in the local area, I was more than happy to sit and sup a pint here.

And, although I will admit it was mainly initiated by yours truly, there was a good level of banter going on between folks on various tables.

Next to us was an incredibly large and incredibly hairy hound by the name of Benjy who was, I’m pleased to say, also incredibly well behaved. Little lad Jake on the same table was as full of beans as my potato, but did calm down when mum started her ‘counting’ routine.

The age range in Paul’s this sunny lunchtime could not have been more wide ranging, from next to nothing to not far from falling off the perch, but everyone mixed in, was happy to enjoy each other’s company and had a good time.

In fact, it wasn’t long before every table was full and just about every seat was taken.

Our waitress explained she is an expert at table jenga and a mixture of diplomacy and probing questions means she rarely leaves an empty seat.

There is, of course, no pool table, dartboard or jukebox, although there was music playing in the background and at one point the Oasis boys featured.

Once everywhere was filled inside, new arrivals were more than happy to take up positions at tables outside and whether you decide this place is a pub or not, you can’t argue about its popularity.

There’s a large screen on one wall (not switched on when we were in), a blackboard for specials and another one listing the cocktails available so several more nods to pub acceptance.

The gents and the ladies are single cubicle affairs but I can report, thanks to Mrs SD’s assistance, that both are impeccably maintained.

This place may look a bit like an outdoor market and our visit may have raised a few questions.

Is this a pub? Is Westgate really just a suburb of Margate? Is The Fabelmans a film worth watching?

But what I can say, without question, is that I recommend a visit to Paul’s Bar & Bistro.

Paul’s Bar & Bistro, 42 Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea CT8 8QY

Decor: It feels a bit more restaurant than pub, but has clearly found its niche in Westgate and is a popular seaside venue. Light and airy inside, there is also a decent area outside with plenty of tables. ***

Drink: The wine was a very acceptable French Sauvignon Blanc and whilst it wasn’t her NZ favourite, Mrs SD declared it eminently drinkable. I’ve sampled enough pints of Beavertown’s Neck Oil to know what to expect and this was a very quaffable pint. There wasn’t any other beer available on tap. ***

Price: A large wine was £7, which isn’t too bad, but the Beavertown was £6 and a Moretti £5.50. Again, judgement here depends upon how you categorise the venue. The meals were top notch and great value. ***

Food: Absolutely superb. We didn’t go for anything fancy, but I can put my hand on my heart and say this is the best jacket potato I’ve ever had. Mrs SD was equally effusive about her ciabatta – fantastically fresh food delivered in a timely fashion. *****

Staff: I could not fault the waitress in any way. Bright, bubbly and highly efficient, even when the place was packed to capacity, she was a credit to her boss Paul. *****

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