I was very pleasantly surprised by this place. It has a beautifully inviting exterior, it's a stand…read morealone building unlike most of the places i visit in America, which are often strip-mall based. Newbridge Restaurant sits just off a roundabout, and my friend and I had been sightseeing in Northern Ireland, and we were STARVED, after a hard cold day. We saw it in passing, and went back around the roundabout because it was 7 hours since breakfast and were dropping from starvation. The interior was equally inviting, and warm!!
The building is inviting, no doubt about it, and the car park pleasantly full, so you knew it could be decent food.
The menu was 2 courses for 12 Pounds, which a lot of UK/Irish places feature, and i had expected there's be a limited menu, but such was not the case - it was fairly extensive, and even had specials.
I got Spicy Pear and Parsnip Soup with homemade wheaten bread to start, she got Portobello Mushroom with Blue Cheese, Rocket, Sunblush Tomatoes, Red Onion, Parmesan and Balsamic. I have to say this soup was an absolute delight, and i congratulate the use of the humble (Yet hard to find a decent one in Alaska) parsnip, it was superb, with a kick of heat to elevate it. Just a touch of sweetness from the pear, but it was sublime. The wheaten bread, used extensively throughout Irish restaurants was delicious and hearty, and a perfect accompaniment to the creamy thick soup. She adored her gigantic portobello, which was full of cheesy goodness.
For our entrees, i selected the Italian Chicken which was a butterflied breast, topped with Parma ham wrapped around Brie, and a rocket salad with balsamic, she went for the Wild Mushroom Linguine, which was drizzled with truffle oil. I must say, it was different than anything I've had before, the cheese with the Parma ham was a really delicious enhancement, to the chicken which can sometimes be bland, but not on this occasion. The rocket and balsamic were beautiful. She couldn't finish her linguine - pasta can be filling i find, she did enjoy the selection of mushrooms.
Despite the fact that the prix fixe was 2 for 12 pounds, we opted to get a dessert regardless. Just because we'd earned it, with some hard walking that day. She got a chocolate brownie with fudge sauce, and whipped cream, and i got a banana sundae that i simply could not finish.
All in all, it was a delicious meal.
