The Ashbridge, Cwmbran
Posted on 06. Jul, 2011 by Robert Gale in Pubs
Brief History and Interior
Located just north of Cwmbran, the Ashbridge was opened by Whitbread 21 years ago. Originally a farmhouse, the restaurant has been extended beyond the original building and has a capacity of around 300. The restaurant is popular serving approximately 2,500 meals each week. Also on the site is a Premier Inn which opened in June 2010.
The interior is extremely spacious with many partitioned areas and features a wide range of seating options which allows people to have a meal, relax on more comfortable seating with a coffee or get together on stool around a high table with drinks.
The Food
At this point I should say that I was invited to the restaurant as part of a promotion of their local dishes but I like to think that my review isn’t biased as I genuinely enjoyed the food that was served.
As well as the usual meals that you would find in a pub restaurant like The Ashbridge, they also offer monthly starter, mains and dessert specials that feature local produce from around the UK. This promotional event was organised as renowned local butchers Douglas Willis have been providing lamb and beef for the specials for a few months.
Featured in May was a Welsh Hill Lamb Lancashire Hot Pot which featured meat from lambs that they had reared themselves on a farm in south Wales. Douglas Willis have had their own animals for many years but they are now reaching a point where almost all of the meat they provide originates from one of their farms. This provides great traceability so customers known exactly where the animals originated from and how they treated (and according to Sean Willis, grandson of Douglas Willis, they are extremely well looked after).
The other dish featuring Douglas Willis’ meat was a Beef and British Root Vegetable Casserole with Rumplethumps. This dish arrived on the special menu in June and is made from high quality beef that is very tender. The beef was paired with a dish consisting of layers of potato and swede, cabbage and topped with strips of warm bacon.
Also featured on the menu were Gressingham Duck Sausages which tasted fantastic, Whitebait Fillet that is landed in Brixham, Devon, delicious Black Pudding and Smoked Haddock Fishcakes made using fish landed in Grimsby and Hand Battered Haddock which is extremely popular at The Ashbridge.
Two starters that are always available on the Table Table menu were available for us to try – the Table Table and Continental Platter. The Table Table platter features a medley of breaded mushrooms, battered chicken strips, potato wedges and nachos. The Continental Platter featured cured meats, olives, baguette slices and an amazing baked Camembert. Both platters have proved to be popular and are great for sharing.
The special desserts available are very traditional but well presented. They included Bread and Butter and Rice Pudding which both featured on the May special menu, Strawberry Fool which featured on the June special menu and this month’s special, Raspberry Cranachan.
The Beer
There are always two ales available at The Ashbridge with Brains Bitter always being available plus a guest. When I visited in July 2011 a well kept Old Hooky from Hook Norton was available.
As well as the usual keg offerings, Aspall cider and Staropramen lager are available in bottles and the July drinks specials included Korev Cornish Lager, Westons Organic Cider and Sun Dew ale from Woodfordes. I’m not sure how many of those were available or how often throughout the month they are available.
More Photos of the Ashbridge
Venue Location
The Ashbridge
Avondale Road
Cwmbran
NP44 1DE
Tel: 01633 876 678
Ads by Google
-
Dylanmallett
Become a Contributor
Like visiting pubs, breweries and beer festivals?
Become a Travels with Beer contributor and share your experiences.
More pubs, breweries and beer festivals
