Minnis Bay is an often-overlooked gem on Thanet's coast. It is also the only place I have come across which sells a bucket of chips where, once eaten, the diner gets to take the pail onto the beach and build a sandcastle.

What's not to like in these cash-strapped times? It's like a chip-based Kinder Surprise.

Hidden away behind the pleasant village of Birchington, Minnis Bay boasts huge sandy beaches, an impressively revamped seafront pub and cafés and, despite the best efforts from the local authority, plenty of free parking.

For many it is ignored as they hurtle helter-skelter down the A28 en route to Margate - 10 minutes down the road.

They're missing a trick. Because the entire stretch of coast between here and Margate is a delight of pretty bays and landscaping, interesting places to eat and drink and the perfect place for a rather pleasant stroll.

And on an overcast, yet warm, Sunday afternoon, it is doing brisk business.

There's a whole beach hut community in Minnis which ensures the area has a vibrancy during the summer months before those said-same huts are unceremoniously winched off the seafront to go into winter hibernation. They blend in with the visitors who descend when the sun shines and the schools are out.

People paddle, kayaks are launched, gin and tonics are supped and lifeguards keep an eye out for any mishaps. It is not only all rather pleasant, it is quintessentially English.

And, for once, there's no nasty pong coming off the area's notoriously whiffy seaweed.

But nestled behind the street of multi-coloured huts is the easy-to-miss The Windshack - an unassuming café providing refreshments for hut owners and visitors alike.

There's raised decking to either side for you to sit and enjoy your food and drink of choice and seats on the ground level too. Take your pick.

It sells pretty much everything you want to help get in the holiday mood.

From draught beers to glasses of wine, prosecco or a G&T, there's also classic hot dishes such as cod and chips (yours for £11.50), burgers, baguettes and sandwiches. Oh, and, of course, ice cream.

But the one thing on the menu which caught my eye? A bucket of chips. You could have a tray if you want to be more conventional, but where's the eccentric spirit in you if you do?

So we order a bucket of chips (which I picture being served up in one of those slightly pretentious metal buckets so adored by gastropubs). With cheese on top.

In addition, it's a tuna mayo and cucumber baguette. From vegan, to vegetarian to pescatarian, my diet remains in a state of flux. Which is handy, because if your conscience prevents you eating flesh of any kind, you are going to struggle here - all the main hot food is meat or fish-based.

All will be washed down with capitalism's finest - a Diet Coke.

We take a seat on the decking and admire the view across the sea and surf.

Service is quick. We've hardly started pondering what the huge freight ships on the horizon are carrying when the bucket arrives.

And to think we thought the bucket would be metal. Pah! This is the seaside, so, perhaps naturally, the chips arrive in a bright blue plastic pail - complete with handle.

The baguette too arrives and our culinary testing begins.

Firstly, let's not pretend there's a lot to say about cheesy chips. Are they tasty? Yes. Is the cheese sufficiently melted? Yes. Worth noting, however, is that the cheese appears to have been sprinkled through the bucket - so even your last mouthfuls get a tang of cheesy goodness.

While the chips look a little on the brown side on occasion, they have a satisfying crunchy outer layer and fluffy inside.

It is, however, an odd business eating out of a child's pail. You fear onlookers may think you've just gone and scooped something out of a bin. It is, however, a talking point and this sort of place should provide just that. It adds to the experience. Those who dabble in the (not so) newfangled Instagram will no doubt love it.

The baguette tastes exactly like pretty much every variation on tuna mayo I've ever experienced. Which is no bad thing.

You certainly can't accuse them of stinting on the mix either - each mouthful is accompanied by a dollop of tuna mayo having to be caught by my plate. Or perhaps that's just my incompetent eating style.

By the end I'm having to pick up the remains by hand - to a chorus of tuts from my family.

The meal is tasty, the setting is lovely - it really does feel like you've escaped the rat race as you sit looking out across the sands and sea - and all in all The Windshack is a little gem of a place.

By the time our plates are cleared away - and we're told we can keep the bucket (yippee!) - we all agree there are far worse destinations to spend an afternoon.

Is it good value for money? Well, the jury may still be out on that one.

For the bucket of chips, the baguette and three Cokes it was £14.70. Which is a little on the pricey side.

But we are where we are economically and I'm not going to complain about a small business, which does a good job, charging enough to make ends meet.

As we leave, we grab three large 99s - surely no trip to the sea is complete without one (£2.50 each) - and they are delicious.

We stroll back along the seafront while playing the 'don't let the ice cream run down onto your fingers' game and vow to return sooner rather than later.

Windshack Cafe, Daryngton Avenue, Minnis Bay, Birchington CT7 9PS

Food: Tasty and the blue bucket added to its charm. Nothing sensational, but we are only talking chips and a baguette ***

Drink: Any beach destination serving booze is to be prized. Diet Coke, however, is Diet Coke wherever in the world you are. Had I not been driving, a beer would have been perfect ***

Decor: It's a welcoming, classic seaside little place with a nice inside space and ample room outside too *****

Staff: Friendly, efficient and quick service. Nothing to fault *****

Price: It was a tad steep, but factor in you're paying for the experience (and a free bucket, don't forget) and it's hard to fault it ****