For THE FREE LANCE-STAR
She: The first time I went to Bridges Brick Oven, the service was so effervescent, the portions were so generous, and the insistence that I really must try the fresh tiramisu so unyielding that I wondered if I'd been busted.
Could there be photos of The Free Lance-Star's restaurant reviewers pasted on the walk-in freezer in the kitchen, with a "Be On the Lookout" notice? Would I have to return in my elderly Aunt Agatha disguise?
Nah. The paranoid delusional notion that I'd been recognized subsided when subsequent visits suggested that that's just the way the service and portions are at Bridges.
He: The Bridges in Central Park marks Staten Island native John Portelle's first eatery enterprise outside of his native New York, and touches of New York sophistication are evident in the Fredericksburg establishment, which opened last winter.
Stark, artsy, black-and-white photographs are interspersed with tasteful sconces upon caramel-colored walls of faux stucco and faux marble. Sinatra is in heavy rotation on the sound system.
She: In fact, "New York, New York" was playing when several of us met there on a recent weekend afternoon and settled into one of the dozen-plus square tables surrounded by simple ladderback chairs.
Despite the touches of sophistication in decor and audio, Bridges is extremely child-friendly. The ratio of highchair occupants to taller humans was about one to five on this visit.
He: I started with the large calamari appetizer ($11), and was presented with a heaping and hot platterful of gently fried squid rings. It combined nicely with the marinara served in a gravy boat alongside.
She: The smooth marinara also made a welcome appearance beside the "mozz-n-corrazza" appetizer ($6.50), which turned out to be like mozzarella sticks that aspire to run for office.
The four large triangles were crisp and golden brown on the outside and filled with an abundance of melted cheese. At only 50 cents more than Bridges' standard mozzarella sticks, they get my vote.
He: I was less impressed with my entree, shrimp scampi ($16). While the capellini I requested (diners can pick from a number of pastas) was plentiful and perfectly al dente, and there were a dozen medium-to-small deftly cooked shrimp in the dish, I found it lacking in any pronounced flavor.
She: I found my lasagna entree ($10) similarly unmemorable except for its size, which was impressive. Once again, the pasta was perfect; however, while the red sauce was rich and abundant, I prefer more meat and ricotta than this version contained. I would happily swap for a smaller portion with more attention lavished on the ingredients.
He: A companion's prosciutto and provolone hero ($6.50) was a better bet. A crisp roll hugged melted cheese, wafer-thin ham, lettuce and roasted peppers, and the whole was kissed by a drizzle of oil and vinegar. Crisp shoestring fries were served alongside.
She: I now 'fess up to a failing as a restaurant reviewer, and some would say as a human being: I do not care for pizza. Chalk it up to too many cheap dates in college or the fact that I think the world contains far too many mediocre pizzas.
So it was with some trepidation that I approached Bridges' pizza, of which the menu and the signage make it clear they are proud. Could I be fair?
After a taste of a companion's small pepperoni, sausage and mushroom pizza ($9.50 with toppings), it turned out the proper question was altogether different. It was: Why on earth didn't he order a bigger one?
It wasn't merely that the toppings were dealt out with a lovingly liberal hand or that the red sauce and cheese were rich and bountiful. The skillfully baked, crisply browned crust alone may have snapped me out of my longtime pizza ennui--no small feat.
He: Bridges also offers "gourmet" pies for the untraditional, including vodka pizza and lemon chicken pizza, the latter featuring chicken, potatoes and a lemon chicken sauce.
Bridges likes lemon. They also offer a lemon house dressing that is subtly zingy, a lemon chicken hero, and a lemon chicken salad.
She: Of the lemon entries, I recommend the lemon potatoes side dish ($4). The unusual combination of crisp fried potatoes and piquant lemon sauce works astonishingly well.
He: Of the desserts, I found the attractively presented cannoli ($2.50) creamy and rich, with a delightfully crunchy shell. But it's the silky, melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu ($4) that gets my top honors.
She: Mine, too, and I now understand why the server on my first visit was so insistent that I try it.
He: Last thoughts. Creditable Italian fare and friendly service in an atmosphere that combines casual and classy. Lemon lovers are apt to mob the place.
She: My heartfelt thanks to Bridges for finally shaking me out of the pizza doldrums.
Nancy Dearing Rossbacher and Stephen W. Sylvia publish a Civil War magazine together. She likes to cook. He likes to eat. To reach Rossbacher and Sylvia, e-mail them at editor@nstcivilwar.com.
BRIDGES BRICK OVEN Address: 1291 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg (near Lowe's in Central Park) Phone: 540/786-5551 Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads: $1-$11 Panini, heroes, calzones and rolls: $4-$12 Pizzas: $6.50 (small)-$15 (large square), additional toppings extra Pasta dishes and entrees: $7-$18 Beer (imported and domestic) and wine (emphasis is more on type--chardonnay, etc.--than label) available. Takeout available, with a separate entrance for pickup. Atmosphere: Newish and whistle-clean, with upbeat service and unobtrusive decor. Can be a trifle noisy if both Sinatra and the wee ones are serenading at the same time. Small patio tables available in front for dining or time-outs. Wheelchair accessible and nonsmoking. Payment: Major credit cards accepted. |