For many years I have had the pleasure of sampling the food and hospitality on offer at the Soar Bridge, however on this occasion, my wife Jackie and I visited it for the first time since the recent arrival of new hosts and publicans, Darren and Lucy.
It just so happened that we visited on an evening when three options of pies were offered. Chicken & Ham, Beef & Horseradish, and 3-Bean giving a vegetarian option should we want it. To my dismay my wife opted straight away for the Chicken & Ham. I say dismay as I’d been looking forward to a pie all day and in my review I didn’t want to just talk about pies. However, I soon got over my food envy when I noticed that there were two mixed grill options on the menu. I selected the large 20oz option! As you can probably imagine, it took a little time to work my way through what was a veritable meat-feast of tender, succulent, perfectly medium-cooked rump steak, gammon steak, pork loin steak, lamb chop and two pork sausages, served with a field mushroom, fried-egg and patron’s choice chips.
Talking to experienced chef and landlord Darren after our meal, it was a pleasure to hear that all of the locally-sourced and farm-assured meats they serve at the Soar Bridge are supplied by esteemed local butcher Glenn Lewin of Sileby. Darren also told me that their Sunday carvery always sells out, so be sure to book ahead. They get rave reviews each week for the quality of the meats and, indeed, for their gravy which Darren gets up early to make himself from the high quality meats he uses.
It was also interesting to hear him talk about his chips which were sample tested and selected as mentioned before by their regular bar patrons. And for those of you who are partial to fish and chips, they have a weekly Fish & Chip night on a Friday, where they serve their chips with a 10oz Tiger beer battered cod fillet. If live music is your thing, you can have a side of it with your Fish & Chips on the last Friday of each month too!.jpg)
Coming back to Jackie’s individual Chicken & Ham pie, which purely for research purposes I had a taste of, was perfect. Not only to look at, being a picture on a plate served with veg, mash and gravy, it tasted fantastic, with just the right balance of meat and sauce encased in a suety pastry.
I can’t wait to get back there again to try one of my own. The Soar Bridge’s pies are the real deal. For the widest selection of pies on offer, book in on a Thursday night which is advertised as Pie Night.
Jackie couldn’t manage a desert, but despite being well and truly satisfied with my monster mixed grill, having the sweet-tooth that I do and crumble and custard being on the menu - how could I resist? It was the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness - a bowl of apple, crumble and just the right amount of custard served in its own jug - it was an absolute triumph. By the time you read this review the Soar Bridge’s new menu will be in place offering a wider selection of dishes, including their customer favourites over the last five months. The new menu will continue to be updated seasonally. I managed to get a sneaky-peek of it - trust me, it looks great with plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options alongside the usual meat and fish you would expect and others that you don’t see too often nowadays such as faggots. I’d suggest you take a look at their Facebook page for regular updates and menus etc, or simply drop in for a drink, take a look or order from the menu if you’re hungry and something catches your eye. I’m pretty sure that something will.
Finally, I must make mention of the Soar Bridge’s skittle alley and function room. Darren and Lucy wanted me to make sure that all Barrow Voice readers were reminded that it is there, flexible in its uses and widely available. Just give them a call to discuss your particular need. Thank you for taking the time to read this review, and don’t forget to give the Soar Bridge Inn a try the next time you’re looking for a local lunch or dinner out - they’re more than welcoming and in my opinion, their food is excellent.
Craig Johnstone