THE RIDGEWAY BAR AND KITCHEN | FOOD REVIEW
Ridgeway Avenue, Newport. Info: 01633 266053 / www.storyinns.com
Not noted for fine cuisine, there is one corner of Newport that caters beautifully for ladies and gentlemen who lunch, and indeed dine: The Ridgeway Bar And Kitchen, just up the hill past the Civic Centre, and well worth the walk.
There is a small bar, and a much larger dining room, with a tiny kitchen, in which culinary miracles take place. There are two menus, one lunch and one dinner; specials are on blackboards, but be quick as they vanish early.
This lunchtime it was leek and potato soup with wilted leeks and warm bread, sautéed wild mushrooms on toasted craft bread, pan-fried scallops with RFC (that’s Ridgeway Fried Chicken), fennel remoulade and chicken jus. Then a grilled 4oz fillet of Welsh beef, oxtail suet pudding, spinach, onion rings and red wine jus. Just exceptional!
And finally, my favourite: apple, pear and soft fruit crumble, with custard, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a chunk of honeycomb. Pure heaven on an enamel dish.
There is an exceptionally large wine list, from which we chose a U San Muletto Irresistible Blanc, Ile de Beaute for £18, which brought the bill to a very reasonable £60 including service. Talking of which, the staff are friendly and attentive without being intrusive.
The pub is open all day, with brunch being served Friday and Saturday from 9am to 11am. There’s afternoon tea, fish and chips to go, and several special evenings every month, including a steak night, and a fish night with the menu sourced from Astons of Cardiff.
What more can one ask? Or, as my Welsh friends would say, “you can’t fault it.”
words MARK TIMLIN
