A new cafe bistro has opened in the Eden village of Kirkby Thore, near Penrith. The residents of the surrounding villages have been discussing its opening for weeks now. As the building was being renovated, there was a great deal of anticipation and in its first few weeks of business there has been much talk about it.
Driving past the bistro which is situated just off the A66, I thought on several occasions, I’ll have to try it. Last Saturday, I decided to take my sister for lunch there before we went on a shopping trip. The location of the bistro is excellent for us, as we live half way between Appleby and Kirkby Thore. It’s great to have new places to eat and drink in this area that are easily accessible and that offer something different to customers.
The building has a visually appealing modern front and a small carpark. It certainly looks inviting inside and out. Entering The Bridge, the decor is modern and chic, with a purple lit bar area, clean light coloured paint, comfortable chairs and spacious tables. The large windows offer a generous amount of light and the vases surrounding the sills were filled with luscious yellow daffodils. It had a delightful atmosphere.
On arrival, we were greeted by several waitresses. One, gave us the choice of which table we would prefer. We were then presented with menus. We took a few minutes to peruse the selection of meals and extensive drinks menu. The menu offered a selection of breakfasts (only served in the morning) a sandwich selection, a cake selection and a starter and main meal offering. There was also a specials board. (I was sitting next to this board but I would note that it was hard to read. The handwriting and the number of colours made it difficult to see)
As it was only lunch, my sister and I decided to order a cranberry juice each and sandwiches.The sandwich menu had an american deli air about it. The sandwich list contained sandwiches which contained several meats. From Cumberland sausage, to pulled pork, to a BLT to name a few. There were sandwiches with felafel and one with mozzarella and tomato. I decided on the BBQ pulled pork sandwich whilst my sister opted for a BLT.
After the waitress had taken our order, my sister and I both remarked on the fact that there was no description of what type of bread our sandwich would be made up of. It’d have to be pot luck we thought.
We had a very short time to wait. We were given cutlery (no napkin unfortunately) and our sandwiches arrived. They were served on wooden boards under what I would describe as burger paper. On first appearance, I thought my sandwich was a little on the small side. It was a square shaped ciabatta full of pulled pork. The ciabatta was warmed which was nice. The sandwich also contained a small covering of BBQ sauce. On the side of the wooden board, there was a ramekin containing more BBQ sauce.
My sister’s BLT was made up of a baguette, a substantial amount of bacon, lettuce and tomato and mayonnaise in a ramekin on the side. Similarly to my sandwich it came on a wooden board with paper.
So how did it taste? Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The pork was well cooked but it all seemed a bit plain. I had to lather it with BBQ sauce which I thought was a little bland. I was expecting a smokey sweet tang that enhanced the pork and did not overpower it. Whilst it didn’t overpower the pork it didn’t particularly enhance it either, it really lacked depth. Finishing my sandwich, I was still actually hungry. As someone who doesn’t normally eat a lot as I am always thinking about my figure and I don’t actually have a huge appetite, this was strange.
My sister thought there was too much bacon in her sandwich and she said she would have preferred it on different bread. Perhaps a homemade loaf.
My sandwich was £6, my sister’s which was actually bigger was £5.50. I realise that mine was probably more expensive because of the pork, however I did find the prices quite expensive for a sandwich. I am not averse to paying more for good quality and tasty food, but I found that although it was good quality, my sandwich did not hit a taste high therefore it was quite expensive for what I actually got.
The menu offers sides at £2.50 each. In hindsight, because the sandwich gave no bread details or side details, we should not have expected sides, but we both felt that a couple of salad leaves or a little portion of coselaw would have supplemented the dish and would have reflected the price. I don’t think I could justify spending £8.50 on a sandwich and salad for lunch, it seems a little excessive.
We both thought that everyone working in the restaurant was lovely. The service was excellent, the staff were pleasant and very welcoming. We know that this restaurant is in its early stages and I do want to go back and try a main meal. Although I have been critical on this occasion, I may have a better experience if I try a meal.
Currently, The Bridge only serves main meals until 7pm. I expect these hours will eventually be extended. On another note, the wine list looked excellent and varied, so I’ll definitely return to sample a few!
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