Restaurant Menu

December 2021

Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients.

See our separate gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free menus. You can also choose lighter dishes from the Lounge menu, but the minimum food spend in the restaurant is £18 per person.

Seasonal Cocktails (or ask to see the full cocktail menu):

Spiced cranberry Bellini £8.50  Christmas Crackler £9.95   Rumgroni £11.95

Filtered still or sparkling water is free of charge

Sourdough bread from Allotment bakery with Italian extra virgin olive oil

or with Netherend Farm salted butter £1.95

Marcona Almonds £3.95  Olives marinated in garlic & herbs £2.95  Rosemary & thyme crisps £2.95

Red pepper hummus with char-grilled pitta bread £7.95

Onion bhaji (x 3) with mint yoghurt £4.95  Sticky pork belly chunks with spicy soy dip £5.50

Carrot, coconut and chilli soup, with crème fraiche and sourdough bread £8

Pan-fried Brussels sprouts with mustard, chilli, candied nuts and pomegranate £8

Salad of smashed butterbeans and roast squash with rocket and toasted almonds £8.50

Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge (Isle of Lewis), cucumber & capers £10; Larger portion with green salad £16

Grilled whole king prawns (in the shell) with samphire and garlic butter £2.35 each or 6 for £13

Breast of pigeon with salted grapes and hibscus and port wine sauce  £13 (may contain shot)

Ham hock terrine with spiced fig jam, picked shallots and toasted sourdough £8.50

Mushroom Wellington with king oyster mushroom, potato & sweet potato terrine and leek sauce £21

Vegan steak and chips: marinated and char-grilled cauliflower steak with chimichurri sauce,

cauliflower and cashew bon bons and chunky chips £18.50

Fish and chips with crushed peas, tartare sauce and pickled onions and quail eggs £17.95

Fillet of stone bass with squid ink risotto, fried squid, samphire and aioli £26

Fillet of sea trout with crushed pistachios and almonds, spinach, roast cauliflower, turmeric potatoes and

cumin-pickled fennel £24

Loin of venison with mashed potato, wild mushrooms, cauliflower & celeriac purée, kale and crispy kale £33

Turkey Wellington with fondant potato, glazed carrots, Brussels sprouts, chipolata and cranberry sauce £25

Char-grilled Norfolk steaks with chunky chips, Caesar salad and peppercorn sauce

8oz Rump £25;  10oz Rib-eye £29; 10oz Sirloin £33

All are carved in the kitchen unless requested otherwise

Add:  Fried double yolk egg £2.95   Fried onion rings £3.95

Skinny or thick-cut chips £4.95 or with truffle mayonnaise £5.95

Buttered new potatoes £3   Truffled mashed potato £4.50

Caesar (side) salad £4.50  Roast curried cauliflower £4  Tenderstem broccoli £4

Cheese, from the UK’s British cheese specialist, Neal’s Yard Dairy

Served with biscuits, apple, celery and pear & apple chutney

Westcombe Cheddar (Somerset) – unpasteurised, classic, hard cows’ milk cheese

Baron Bigod (Suffolk) – unpasteurised, soft, Brie-style, cows’ milk cheese

Stichelton (Nottinghamshire) – unpasteurised, creamy, blue, cows’ milk cheese – Stilton style

Ingot (Cartmel, Cumrbria) – soft, unpasteurised, goats’ milk cheese

Choose any 3 cheeses £9.50 (£8 for 2; £12.50 for 4)

Port and sweet red wine by the glass (75ml)

955   2018 MAURY, Domaine Pouderoux, Roussillon £4.50 Sweet, rich, spicy red wine

964   2016 LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT, Quinta de la Rosa £4.50 Powerful, black-fruited, classic style

971   20yr OLD TAWNY PORT, Sandeman £7.20 Twenty years in wood; soft & gentle

A beer to partner cheese: TRIPLE KNOT, Adnams – Belgian style (10%, 330ml) £8.95

Sweets (with recommended sweet wine)

Crème brûlée with blackberry sorbet £8.50 (wine 915)

Apple pie with mini toffee apples, brown butter ice cream and Chantilly cream £7.95 (wine 954)

Chocolate marquise with salted caramel ice cream £9.00 (wine 955 above)

Poached plum in mulled wine, fresh figs, granola bar, spiced fig ice cream £7.95 (wine 920)

     Or (to be dairy-free) with vegan coconut ice cream

Affogato (single scoop of vanilla ice-cream with espresso coffee or luscious PX Sherry) £4.95/£5.95

Homemade ice-cream and sorbet: £2.50 one scoop; £1.50 per extra scoop

Ice cream: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; caramel (salted); spiced fig. Sorbet: blackberry; apple & lime

Sweet wine by the glass  (75ml) – arranged from lighter to heavier

915   MOSCATEL DU SETUBAL, Sivipa 2017 Portugal  £5.00 Floral perfume but intense richness too

920   SAUTERNES, Château Laville 2016 Bordeaux £6.95  Honeyed, concentrated & complex

954   RUTHERGLEN MUSCAT, ‘Rosewood’, Chambers. Australia £5.95  Fortified to 17.5%; rich & luscious

950   PEDRO XIMENEZ, San Emilio, Lustau. Sherry £5.95  Liquid raisins; extraordinarily intense

Coffee (from Monmouth Coffee Company) – with biscotti  (Soya or Oat milk 50p supplement per drink)

Espresso, Macchiato, Piccolo £2.95  Regular, Cappuccino, Latte, Flat white, Double espresso £3.95

Drip-filter (in a mug) or Cafetière £3.95

Iced coffee (milky) £3.95

Hot Chocolate (Musetti Choc-issimo) £3.95  Pump Street Drinking Chocolate (75% Cocoa, from Jamaica) £4.50

Tea with shortbread biscuits – all at £3.95

Black teas – English Breakfast; Earl Grey; Darjeeling; Virunga Chai; De-caff; Green tea.

Infusions – Peppermint; Lemongrass & Ginger; Chamomile; Red berry.

Homemade chocolate truffle  95p    

Cognac 75 (Le Reviseur Cognac, sugar, lemon and Prosecco) £9.95

Eastern Spice Espresso Martini (Eastern Spice spirit, stout, Crème de Cacao, espresso) £11.95

Truffle Gin (A single shot of the extraordinary truffle-infused gin from Cambridge Distillery) £6.75

Lounge and Bar Menu

December 2021

12 – 9pm

Champagne and wines by the glass – see overleaf

Seasonal Cocktails (or ask to see the full cocktail menu):

Spiced cranberry Bellini £8.50  Christmas Crackler £9.95   Rumgroni £11.95

Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients

You are also welcome to order from the restaurant menu at lunch and dinner time.

Sourdough Bread from Allotment bakery with Netherend Farm salted butter

or with Italian extra virgin olive oil £1.95

Salted Marcona Almonds £3.95  Olives with garlic & herbs £2.95   Rosemary & thyme crisps £2.95

Onion bhaji (x 3) with mint yoghurt £4.95

Sticky pork belly chunks with spicy soy dip £5.50

Pigs in blankets (x 4) with mustard cream sauce £6.50

Battered halloumi with chilli dip £4.95

Kale salad, with avocado, pumpkin, mooli, seeds, nuts & mustard dressing £7.95/£11.50

Add grilled halloumi cheese £2.95 or hot peeled king prawns £2.35 each

Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge (Isle of Lewis), lemon & capers £10; Larger portion with green salad £16

Baked whole Camembert, homemade focaccia, pigs in blankets and onion jam £15

Ploughman’s – Stichelton and Westcombe Cheddar cheese; pork pie, haslet and

ham hock terrine; apple & pear chutney; sourdough bread £13.95

Grilled whole king prawns (in the shell) with samphire and garlic butter £2.35 each or 6 for £13

Fish and chips with crushed peas, tartare sauce and pickled onions and quail eggs £17.95

Cornish mussels with linguini and chorizo, white wine and cream sauce; and focaccia £16.95

Prawn laksa – spicy broth with king prawns, noodles, coconut, lemongrass and pak choi £16.95

Sweet potato, chick pea and spinach rogan josh with steamed rice, mango chutney and poppadum £14.95

Chicken tikka with coriander and apple chutney, mint yoghurt, carrot & pak choi slaw, on pitta bread £17

Beef burger with crispy pancetta, smoked tomato relish, cheddar and skinny chips £18

CHEESE AND SWEETS are available all day from 12pm – see the separate menu

COLD SANDWICHES on sourdough bread from Allotment Bakery; with rosemary crisps

Smoked salmon with cucumber, crème fraîche and dill £10.95

Honey-roast ham with apple and pear chutney £8.95

Roast beef with celeriac remoulade and caramelised onion £9.95

Chicken and avocado with tarragon mayonnaise £9.50

WARM SANDWICHES

Turkey, stuffing and cranberry with skinny chips £11.50

Steak sandwich with caramelised onions & grain mustard, with skinny chips £13.95

Vegan pitta sandwich with artichokes, roast peppers, falafel and hummus £9.95

SET LUNCH MENU

December 2021. Monday to Friday, 12-3pm.

£26 for 2 courses with coffee; £32 for 3 courses.

2 courses with coffee or tea £26; 3 courses £32

Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients

Carrot, coconut and chilli soup, with crème fraiche and sourdough bread

Creamy smoked mackerel pâté with cucumber and toast

Ham hock terrine, spiced fig jam and toast

Vegan steak and chips: char-grilled, marinated cauliflower steak with

chimichurri sauce, cauliflower and cashew bon bons and chunky chips

Fillet of sea trout with tenderstem broccoli, new potatoes and hollandaise

Slow-cooked pork belly, cauliflower and celeriac purée, tenderstem

broccoli, mashed potato and apple sauce

Westcombe Cheddar and Baron Bigod (Brie-style from Suffolk); with

biscuits, celery and apple & pear chutney

Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream.

Sunday Lunch

November 2021

Seasonal Cocktails (or ask to see the full cocktail menu)

Spiced Cranberry Bellini £8.50  Winter Spritz £9.95   Apple Bakewell £10.95

Filtered still or sparkling water is free of charge

Sourdough Bread from Allotment bakery with Italian extra virgin olive oil

or with Netherend Farm salted butter £1.95

Marcona Almonds £3.95  Olives marinated in garlic and herbs £2.95 Rosemary & thyme crisps £2.95

2 courses £29.50 or 3 courses £36  (£15/£20 for children under 12 years old)

Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients

Sweet potato, coconut and chilli soup, with sourdough bread

Salad of salt-baked beetroot and fresh figs with beetroot purée, black garlic and caramelised nuts

Harissa-roasted squash with couscous, fennel, red onion and mint yoghurt

Smoked salmon from Uig Lodge (Isle of Lewis), cucumber & capers

Four grilled whole king prawns (in the shell) with samphire and garlic butter

Chicken liver parfait, port-poached-plum, fig jam, pickled shallots and toasted brioche

Roast sirloin of English dry-aged beef (cooked pink) with Yorkshire pudding, savoy cabbage,

broccoli, roast potatoes and gravy

Roast chicken with potato cake, butternut squash, kale and chicken gravy

Roast pork loin with apple sauce, crackling, roast potatoes, broccoli and savoy cabbage

Fish and chips with crushed peas, tartare sauce and pickled onions and quail eggs

Pan-fried salmon, sauté potatoes, cannellini beans salsa and buttered curly kale

Mushroom Wellington with king oyster mushroom, potato & sweet potato terrine and leek sauce

Crisp-fried polenta with spinach purée, cannellini bean salsa, grilled artichokes and roast parsnips

Cauliflower cheese, for two to share £4.95

Two cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, served with biscuits, apple, celery and quince jelly

Westcombe Cheddar (Somerset) – unpasteurised, classic, hard cows’ milk cheese

Baron Bigod (Suffolk) – unpasteurised, soft, Brie-style, cows’ milk cheese

Stichelton (Nottinghamshire) – unpasteurised, creamy, blue, cows’ milk cheese – Stilton style

Ingot (Cartmel, Cumrbria) – soft, unpasteurised, goats’ milk cheese

Pear and blackberry frangipane pudding with blackberry sorbet (allow 20 minutes+)

Apple pie with mini toffee apples, brown butter ice cream and Chantilly cream

Chocolate marquise with salted caramel ice cream

Poached plum in mulled wine, fresh figs, granola bar, spiced fig ice cream

     Or (to be dairy-free) with vegan coconut ice cream

Homemade ice-cream and sorbet: any three scoops

Ice cream: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; salted caramel; spiced fig. Sorbet: blackberry; apple & lime

Coffee or tea with homemade biscuit £3.95 (Espresso £2.95)

Sunday Steak Night

November 2021
Sundays, 6-9pm

SET PRICE STEAK MENU – 2 courses £24, or 3 courses £29

Please tell us of any allergies; dish descriptions do not include all ingredients

Sweet potato, coconut and chilli soup, with sourdough bread

Or: Three grilled whole king prawns (in the shell) with samphire and garlic butter

Norfolk steaks: 8oz Rump; 8oz Ribeye; 7oz fillet tail; or 10oz Sirloin (£3 supplement)

all served carved, with triple-cooked chips, Caesar salad and peppercorn sauce

Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream

Or: Three scoops of homemade ice-creams/sorbets:

ice cream: clotted cream vanilla; chocolate; caramel (lightly salted); spiced fig. Sorbet: blackberry; apple & lime

Alternatively choose from our A La Carte Menu or Lounge & Bar Menu. 

We cannot, however, allow ‘substitutions’ from the A La Carte to the Steak Menu; and there is an £18 minimum spend in the restaurant.

Afternoon tea

Our ‘normal’ tea service at the Old Bridge is relaxed and informal. It is served on comfortable seats in the lounge and bar. Our renowned homemade scones (served with Jersey cream and strawberry jam) come out of the oven around 2.30pm. Or there are  cakes, sandwiches, biscuits or homemade crumpets. It is on a ‘first come first served basis’ – we cannot reserve tables in the bar or lounge.

Our “Full Afternoon Tea” can be pre-booked at 3.30 or 4pm.

Your group will be in either the Dining Room or the Restaurant, depending on availability that day. You will normally be seated at a dining table. We cannot reserve tables in the bar or lounge.

If you were keen to have a room privately to yourselves then the Dining Room can sometimes be booked for the afternoon, with a hire charge of £150.

In all cases we do need your table back by 5.30pm, ready for our evening service.

Our full tea menu is priced at £21 per person. It is served on vertical tea stands, except for larger groups when it is served on long white plates from which your guests can help themselves.

Tea or Coffee

English breakfast; Earl Grey; Darjeeling;
Virunga Chai; Green tea;
Peppermint; Lemongrass & Ginger; Chamomile; Red berry.
Monmouth Coffees: Americano; Espresso; Cappuccino; Latte; Flat White; or Cafetière.

Finger Sandwiches

Smoked salmon & cream cheese; Coronation chicken;
Egg mayonnaise; Beef, watercress & horseradish.

Fruit scone with rich Jersey cream and strawberry jam.

Mini cakes

Chocolate, almond & boozy cherry; Fruit meringue; Caramel éclair.

(In December the menu alters to give a slightly more ‘festive’ feel).

And if you are celebrating…

A glass of Prosecco ‘Ca’ di Alte’ £7
A glass of the local Saffron Grange Brut or Rosé Sparkling Wine £9.50
Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve, Champagne £12

Please note for bookings up to 5 we require card details. For groups of 6+ full payment is required upon booking.

We can provide a similar menu for gluten-free guests, or most other food intolerances, but we do need to have exact details at least 48 hours in advance.

Breakfast

All included for residents on b&b rates – if you book directly with the hotel it is always included!

Full breakfast £19.00 – Your choice of cold or hot dishes, with toast, juice and coffee or tea

A La Carte options –

Cafetière coffee (from Monmouth Coffee Company), or choice of teas £3.95

Apple or orange juice £1.50 per glass

Toast (sourdough bread from Allotment Bakery) with butter and jam or marmalade £2.95

Croissant with butter or jam £3.95

Cornflakes, Weetabix, Bran Flakes or Muesli with milk £2.95

Greek yoghurt with fruit and/or fruit compote and homemade granola £5.95

Porridge £8

Full English breakfast: two fried free-range eggs, Chatteris banger, bacon, homemade baked beans, chestnut mushrooms, hash brown, black pudding, tomato £13

Vegetarian English breakfast: free-range eggs, homemade baked beans, spinach, chestnut mushrooms and hash brown £12

Old Bridge Eggs Benedict – homemade crumpet with sugar-roast ham, poached egg and hollandaise £8.95/11.95

Scrambled egg, smoked salmon, crème fraiche, chives £11

Smoked haddock, poached egg, spinach, chive butter £11

Wine

Click on the PDF link to see the full, current restaurant wine list.

The owner of the Old Bridge, John Hoskins, was the first person in the restaurant industry to become a Master of Wine. It’s therefore not surprising that wine is a very important part of life at The Old Bridge.

See the separate pages about the Wine Shop and the opportunity to taste (and buy wine) whilst visiting the hotel.

The bar offers 15 ‘house’ wines by the glass. This is supplemented by 20 more wines we have open on our ‘Enomatic’ machine in the wine shop.

The main restaurant wine list looks rather daunting in its size, but we do have plenty of choice at the all-important £20-£30 bracket, as well as many fine wine options for those looking for something really special. Our aim is simply to find the very best examples of any particular style.

Price is a key part of our appeal. Like almost every restaurant, our starting price is quite high (£22) as food, wine and room sales all have to pay for our staff and our building. However, our mark-up is actually one of the lowest in the country. We add between £10 and £20 on to a normal retail price, never more, even for the most expensive bottles.

The majority, but not all, of the wines in the shop are on the restaurant wine list. So you are welcome to come into the shop and buy anything to drink in the hotel. The ‘corkage’ charge is £15. If you want to bring in wine from outside the hotel then the corkage charge is £20 per bottle.

We have been lucky enough to win all the major wine list awards in the country over the country – from the AA, the Egon Ronay Guide (when it existed) and the Harpers Wine Trade magazine. In 2021 we were awarded the accolade of BEST VALUE WINE LIST for the whole of EUROPE, by the the prestigious ‘World of Fine Wine’ Magazine. We hope you will have an exciting wine experience when you are with us.

The Bar

Groups & parties

Obviously we have to restrict numbers in line with government guidelines while ‘social distancing’ is still imposed on us all. The details below are for pre- (and, we hope, post-) covid times, so please bear that in mind.

The Dining Room is a private room for parties of 16 to 60. The first half of the room is normally a private lounge for aperitifs or coffee. It’s a lovely setting for business entertaining, family celebrations or smaller weddings.

The Mallard Room, on the far side of the main Restaurant, is an intimate (short-hand for small but cosy) room for up to 8.

The main Restaurant can also be let to groups of over 60.

For all these rooms we can offer set menu suggestions, or you can choose your own menu using dishes from our normal menu. Wine tastings are a speciality of ours: John Hoskins or one of the key team members can provide a ‘tutored’ tasting before the meal. Alternatively we can simply give your guests a brief explanation of the chosen dinner wines once you are all seated.

Click here for sample menus. But please do ring, we can be flexible to your needs.

Please go to the Events pages for information about Private tastings.

Christmas

Click here to see the 2021 Christmas Menus.