As I am frequently reminded, there is a very good reason why, if I’m not eating, I’m at the gym. Not 12 hours previously, His Nibs and I had been treated to a veritable banquet at the Chef’s Kitchen Table at Deacon’s Bank restaurant in Chapel-en-le-Frith; and yet here we were (indecently swiftly), a few miles down the road, sat waiting for cooked breakfasts!
Whilst we were staying at Deacon’s Retreat apartment #2, we put out feelers for where to go for a morning morsel. As always, you lovely lot came up with a couple of suggestions that we checked out; unfortunately though, two of them were shut and the other had a problem that meant they weren’t opening that particular Sunday.
Undeterred, we did some investigative work of our own and chanced upon Bridge 42, a small, independent Bistro/Restaurant in Whaley Bridge, so we reserved a table for a short while later. To say it was our first time at Whaley Bridge, we found parking a doddle; there were a few spots on road, but His Nibs parked up in a small car park a couple of minutes’ walk away – 50p for up to 2hours, which he paid for on the ‘Ringo’ app. It was a refreshing change to find parking sensibly priced!
Having been greeted warmly at the door and shown our table, we were given menus, and a carafe of chilled water and glasses were placed on the table. Always a nice touch to be offered water without needing to ask for it 😊. I saw Shakshuka (£12) on the menu, and didn’t bother looking any further; this dish always gives me the feels, instantly, and no other option ever stands a chance of toppling it. I guess you could say the same for The Man; as soon as he spied the ‘Bridge 42’ Breakfast (£15.50), aka the Full English, he was sold. We are SO easy to please 😊.
We ordered hot drinks to go with our food, and these came in no time at all: Black Coffee [from Ground Effect Coffee] for The Man (£3.60), and an individual pot of Brew Tea Co. English Breakfast tea for me (£3). There’s nothing finer than an honest cuppa in the morning to stir the senses, though His Nibs is firmly in the ‘Bean’ camp; our household is a split one on many things, so what does one more difference of opinion matter?!
Having poured my first cup of Rosie, I took the time to peruse my surroundings in more depth. A gorgeous, pale wood floor was laid in a classic herringbone pattern, its natural grain picked up by the slightly darker wood of the sturdy square tables. Thickly padded, mid-back chairs were upholstered in paler tone than the deliciously dark Forest Green that adorned the bottom half of the walls, partnered beautifully by a warm, Clotted Cream shade on the upper half. Simple faceted glass pendants, and matching wall fittings, cast a cosy glow around the space, subtly enhanced by burnished gold-edged mirrors on one wall. Plain frames housed modern prints and these created discreet, but effective, decoration throughout.
The delicate aroma of food cooking began to drift towards our nostrils and we both smiled in happy anticipation. Before too much longer, the lovely young lass was bringing laden dishes and plates over to us, and we dug in enthusiastically. I loved the fact that my Shakshuka bore all the hallmarks of being oven-baked – the thick, baked on Tomato Sauce at the periphery was a dead giveaway. A pair of Hens’ Eggs were nestled in the dark red ‘sea’, and I immediately broke their surface and let their sunny yolks bleed into the sauce.
Vast plumes of steam erupted as I pierced the surface of the dish, and I wisely let it cool, busying myself with spreading the accompanying crusty bread with butter in the meantime. My patience was rewarded when I took that first, marvellous mouthful; a multitude of flavours washed over my palate; earthy Cumin, smoky Paprika, bright Tomato and Red Onion, sweet Red Peppers, and quite stunning chunks of Chorizo.
Regular followers know that I am a fussy bugger (to say the least!) when it comes to any sort of Sausage product, and over the years I have encountered many variants of Chorizo: some of which have had the dreaded ‘repeat factor’. I was fervently praying that this wouldn’t be the case here in Whaley Bridge….and, joy oh joy, it wasn’t. Instead, the Chorizo was rounded and marvellously fragrant with Paprika’s warming hug, and its boldness was matched by the sweetness and intensity of Tomato, Onion and Pepper. Right on the edge of the Shakshuka’s flavour profile was the unmistakeable ping of Cumin’s earthy note, bringing a wonderful balance in the mouth. I do say that it’s often the simple things that deliver ‘main character energy’, and this was certainly the case here at Bridge 42. When something is so tasty, you can bet your last penny that there will be no scrap left behind; enter the crusty wedge of bread – the perfect vessel with which to soak up any straggling sauce.
As part of The Man’s Breakfast choice there were sautéed Wild Mushrooms, and my hopes of having them passed over materialised – thank you, food Gods! When you get a real smorgasbord of ‘shrooms, you can’t fail to appreciate the varying textures and depths of earthiness that flood your mouth; I was one happy camper, that’s for sure. His Nibs didn’t feel that he’d missed out by handing over the Wild Mushrooms and, to be fair, he did still have more than enough food on his plate to keep him occupied for quite some time.
Wilds Butchers Bacon Chop was a hearty little number, easily equivalent to three rashers of Bacon – a detail which didn’t escape Mr Greedy-guts’ appetite! Thick and meaty, this chop was superb and was surprisingly tender to the bite – another thing to recommend it to any Full English aficionado. Although I didn’t partake, The Man said that the [eye-wateringly large!] Wilds Butchers Sausage was absolutely top-notch and wouldn’t repeat on me. This whopper had a dense texture to it that only comes from a high meat content, so safe to say that its satiety scale was high. Any self-respecting Chef knows that, when it comes to a ‘fry-up’, you cannot skimp on the quality of your Bacon and Sausage; they are the cornerstones of your offering, the King and Queen of the plate, if you will. If found wanting, the whole meal is ruined but, when done right (as here), the meal sets you up for the entire day. Bravo, Chef!
Instead of Black Pudding, the team at Bridge 42 use [non-blood containing] White Pudding in their breakfast offering and its lighter character went superbly with the chunky Homemade Beans. The Cannellini Beans were comfortingly soft and bathed in a ‘proper’ Tomato sauce, no additives or chemical preservatives in sight ! A golden Hash Brown revealed pale shreds under its crisp outer, and this got utilised as a scoop for the unctuous, rich yolk of the fried egg. Thick slices of toast completed this jolly good brekkie, again used to gather up any escapee sauces and juices.
Check-backs had been done whilst we were munching, and His Nibs had been offered a choice of sauces prior to his Bridge 42 Breakfast arriving. We would more than happily return to this lovely little venue, so Hot Wings awarded with no reservation. To book a table call 01663 769628, or visit www.bridge42restaurant.com and hit the ‘make a reservation’ button (for up to 4 people). Bridge 42 is closed on Monday, with service times Tues-Thurs 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8.30pm, and Sun 10am-4pm.
If breakfast is your favourite meal of the day, you can explore more recommended spots in our guide: Breakfast In Derbyshire
