The Bridge House Tavern, Penge

I wouldn't review a bad pub but I am familiar with the territory having lived around here for a long while (I went to school nearby) and I know something of the other pubs in the area and was seriously disappointed by this pub.

I hope the people who run the Bridge Tavern are reading this review and others that are pointing out serious failings with their pub/gastropub...

I took my family to this place for the first time recently on the recommendation of a friend. I knew that the owners had run the Mansion in Gipsy Hill - the food there was passable but any shortcomings there were made up for with good beer and an individual approach to the interior deco of the pub. In short The Mansion was pretty charming and worth a punt off and on.

Anyway, on with the review of the Bridge, we ordered a couple of southeast asian themed starters. The roti was pretty lame, basically a stale roti singed under a grill and served with a dip of bland green curry sauce. The satay was indescribably bad with what seemed like reformed chicken with yellow colouring on a stick and a naff peanut sauce e.g. low grade catering pseudo malaysian crap as per the worst thai/malay restaurants. Zero points.

My kids bravely attempted to eat their kids meal of fish fingers etc While my elder son struggled through, my little kid spat the fishfingers out. I tasted them and really, really wish I had not - vile, rank, oily, and bottom grade would be a kind way to describe them. How this place can serve waste products like that to kids is beyond me. So take note those with children - the kids meals here are near poisonous on the basis of this meal so AVOID.

This brings us to the mains...

A reasonable test of modern pub food is a �10 burger. For a tenner you expect a burger that has some flavour, evidence of being freshly chargrilled and decent fries, bun, salad etc What you get served at the Bridge Tavern is this - a totally tasteless patty with a smear of melted cheddar in a crappo bun....and the chips...the chips...waxy, yellow, catering trade deathbolts that stick in your gullet and taste of nothing. Appalling.

I was hoping that this place would serve better food than the Rosendale in West Dulwich, where the bar menu is slightly cheaper, the choice is better and the food is ok but not great.

Sadly, the Bridge Tavern pulls of the spectacular feat of being very bad indeed and more expensive while not being in the posh environs of SE21.

On the plus side it boasts a decent interior (apart from some irritating oxhide stools and circa 1986 wine bar chic in the lower bar) and the staff seem sincere and pleasant. However, the selection of beers seemed tired and expensive.

This place is obviously in 'cream mode' and exploiting the fact that it is the most obvious gastro-type pub south of the park but, really, the food here is very bad, tasteless and overpriced.

Go elsewhere!

8 Apr 2010 23:34