© Adam Ready
Taking our seats in a cosy windowside table , the immediate notable was that our accompanying diners were all repeat guests , such is the accessibility , lure and flourish delivered by the team , and Mr R and I are no exception having had the pleasure of dining post-lockdown last summer , pre-star . Presented with the daily menu by Natasha herself , yet more evidence of the fact that the husband and wife team live and breathe their restaurant ventures , we were delighted to see that their recently acquired and well deserved Michelin star has recognised what they were already doing well , rather than pressuring a change to the already brilliant and perfectly styled menu - hurrah !
Delighted with the promise of our return visit Mr R could not contain his excitement to see that the grilled potato flatbreads remain a shining star of the ‘ snacks ’ menu . Getting rather carried away , and forgetting the generosity of the portions to follow , he went full magpie mode , drawn to the buttermilk fried chicken ; crisp morsels of chicken thigh , lightly battered and served with a heady tandoori mayo to accompany the renowned flatbread dish which was topped with sweet caramelised onions and lardo , and promptly devoured . Oh , and a side order of fresh sourdough with the Arms ’ own cultured butter .
Our starters presented the hand-dived scallop , served in-shell with a rich garlic butter and salty seaweed loaf , alongside the impeccable Jerusalem artichoke tartlet . The ultra thin , ultra crisp tart shell ( we ’ d expect no less from a kitchen overseen by Tash ’ s Michelin-starred pastry acclaim ) was topped with a divine confit Burford brown egg yolk and Westcombe cheddar ; it was simply beautiful , especially when washed down with a crisp Montes Sauvignon Blanc .
Our main course caused us the most indecision of the evening . Finally settled on ‘ some kind of beef ’ we were left to navigate whether to opt for the aforementioned rib eye , the A5 Japanese wagyu sirloin , or a dish to share . Opting for the latter , we plumped for the 40-day aged 1kg rib of beef , recommended medium rare , to be presented with a heaving platter of sliced morsels . Offered with two sides , the super creamy creamed potato with crisp spring onion was a given , the hand cut chips with fresh rosemary salt a cheeky carb-loading gluttony , and , due to Mr R ’ s inability to resist - again - we ended up with a dish of , actually rather wonderful , Hispi cabbage which was served with smoked butter and tarragon .
Wondering quite if I ’ d have the room for my favourite course after our abundance of snacks , starters and sides , I was of course swayed when the dessert menu arrived . My R in a blatant attempt to just ‘ eat ALL the bread ’ opted for the warm brioche cruffin , which
was served with a light rum raisin soft ice cream and utterly moreish warm rum caramel . My pick of lemon meringue pie proffered the sharp palate cleansing hit of lemon alongside a crisp tartlet offset with the subtle sweetness of tiny meringue kisses - the perfect end to an indulgent evening .
With a seasonally changing menu accompanied by an unwavering commitment to fully realise the Bridge Arms ’ potential and standing , rather than just sit back in gloried acclaim , I for one am more than intrigued to see what comes next for Kent ’ s foodie power couple , and the band of fully invested epicureans along for the ride !
Bridge Arms 53 High Street Bridge Canterbury CT4 5LA www . bridgearms . co . uk
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