Everyone loves a ‘proper’ gastro-pub, don’t they? Well, The Man Bird and I do, so he was a jolly happy fella when he announced that he’d booked us a table at The Bridge Inn at Ratho, and even more so that it was literally a couple of miles from the Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club where we were staying. Don’t ask me to describe the area; we were driving in the dark and it was unfamiliar territory to me! All I can tell you was that the road was fairly narrow (with a few bends) and that the car park is a good size. By the looks of things, The Bridge Inn has a lovely Beer Garden area but, given that it was drizzling, we didn’t stick around to inspect it in any depth.
Walking through the entrance, the restaurant area was clearly signed as being round to the right, with the bar and tap-room to the left. A lovely young lady greeted us and checked our reservation, then escorted us over to our table. Water was brought over without being needed to be asked for – always a nice touch, I think. To drink, I had a San Pellegrino Limon; The Man decided to try the Moretti Zero Alcohol. Our server informed us of the soup- and pies- of the day and then left us a while to have a squizz at the menu.
My attention was first drawn to the Shetland Mussels which you can have as either a starter or main, but I didn’t fancy them in a Coconut Cream Sauce; call me boring, but I like them in a classic White Wine and Cream Liquor. However, I wasn’t too sad as my ears had pricked up at the mention of Game Pie (£18.95), and that was what I went for. His Nibs wasn’t overly fussed about the starters, so he came with me and dived straight into the main course, choosing the 9-hour braised Blade of Scotch Beef (£24.95). Now, I’m not a massive lover of Potato, and I particularly wasn’t feeling spud friendly, so I asked if Chef would omit them and give me extra veg instead, which the young lady said wouldn’t be a problem. I also ordered a portion of Green Beans with Chilli and confit Garlic (£5.95)
Whilst waiting for our food, I took in more of my surroundings, noting how busy the restaurant was; it’s always great to see a local venue being supported. And it is a beautiful venue, too. The warm, honey-toned wood floor was complimented by wooden tables and mis-matched, mid-back wooden chairs. A welcoming [yet calm] rural feel was created by the clever use of neutral paint on the wall and high ceiling, simple animal prints and muted checked fabric for both the curtains and seating upholstery. Lighting came via modern, unobtrusive pendant lights and the bulbs cast an inviting cosy glow over the space.
It had been a fair old while since I’d last eaten so I tucked in to my hearty, individual Game Pie like I’d never seen food before when it arrived! Underneath the gorgeously buttery, puff pastry was a multitude of meaty chunks; I honestly don’t think Chef could’ve crammed more meat in if his life depended on it! The meat was wonderfully rich in taste and tender-as-you-like, all bound in a marvellously intense, wine-pimped sauce/gravy. I’m sure that this would be partnered perfectly by Potato in whatever guise, if you wanted it, but I have to say that the [plentiful] shredded Cabbage, Carrot chunks and Mange Tout that I was served with were equally smashing. Without exception, the veggies were cooked perfectly to preserve some of their natural crunch and the flavours burst onto my palate without hindrance. This was a dish that makes a soul sing with joy; hot, tasty and satiating.
The Man Bird does love a Blade of Beef, and this morsel had been slowly braised to retain every bit of its moistness and banish any toughness in this cut. What remained was a piece of Beef that oozed with flavour and melted easily in the mouth, and it was a hefty portion as well, which pleased His Maj no-end. Confit Shallots had been halved for presentation purposes and their sweetness shone against the meats’ savoury tones beautifully. The Arran and Anster (cheese) Mash was superb in its silkiness, the dairy treats gently imparting their flavour and melted texture to the floury mashed Potato. Chef had skilfully seasoned the mash as well, just to lift the taste on the palate and, although this was relatively simple dish, the layers of flavour really were wonderful.
Throughout our meal, check-backs were done to make sure we were enjoying our food and to ascertain if we needed more drinks. At every contact, the service was friendly and unobtrusive and we left The Bridge Inn at Ratho with huge smiles on our faces; this had been an excellent evening. Hot Wings happily given to this fab village eaterie and, more importantly, acknowledgement of Dan from Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club for the recommendation – you got this one spot-on, thank you!!
To book a table call 0131 3331320, or visit the website www.bridgeinn.com and hit the reserve table button. The Bridge Inn is open Sun-Thurs 8am-11pm and Fri-Sat 8am-Midnight, and has 4 rooms available to stay in.
