The Bear Inn, Bradford on Avon
3:18pm Thursday 30th June 2011 in Eating Out
The Bear Inn has re-opened as a gastro pub
The Bear, 26 Silver Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1JY.
Last week I had an excellent meal at The Bear, in Bradford on Avon, which recently re-opened under new management.
The pub, was closed for more than a year, amid fears that it would become a venue for loud live music and rowdy drinkers But one visit is enough to demonstrate that concerns are unfounded.
On entering you are presented with a smart, uncluttered dining area – there is little obvious room for drinkers – and a small courtyard area outside.
Clearly The Bear is another addition to the area’s collection of gastro pubs, but the menu is more pomme puree than chive mash, and the service is surprisingly formal, though friendly.
I ordered a brie, onion and asparagus tartlet to start, which was nicely presented and full of well-defined flavours.
From a brief wine list I chose an Australian shiraz cabernet, which proved an excellent accompaniment, although I was slightly disappointed to find European reds were missing.
To follow the tartlet I had a seared tuna loin with a salad niçoise including quail eggs, cherry tomatoes and black olives.
The tuna had a good rosy pink colour inside and was tender, and the flavour went well with the eggs and olives in the salad.
Feeling that I still had some room left, I ordered banana parfait, with caramelised banana slices to accompany it, which seemed very good to me, my not being a big pudding eater.
By the end of the meal which, with wine cost around £30 for one, I had that pleasant feeling which comes from having eaten enough, but not too much.
Other dishes on the menu included joints of meat, pan-fried liver and sea bream and tiger prawns on the fish specials board.
I felt The Bear was relatively inexpensive for the food it served.
It would be an excellent place for a business lunch or romantic dinner alike.
The surprisingly high number of people dining, late on a Monday, suggests that The Bear is already enjoying some success.
Open daily, 11am-3pm; 6pm-11pm
Town centre, no parking
Private owner, leased to managers Mark Crookshank and Kayleigh Webb
Disabled access but no disabled facilities
Courtyard garden
Re-opened after renovation
Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Gazette without prior knowledge of the owners.
