Editorial
Front Page - Friday, July 10, 2009
Weekly Indulgence
Samara Litvack
I’ve had Between the Bridges Café on my list of restaurants to try for quite some time now, and last Thursday afternoon seemed as good a time as any to check it out.
I wasn’t sure exactly where it was on the North Shore, so we parked near the Walnut Street Bridge and headed toward Coolidge Park. As my luck would have it, we were on the wrong side of the road and headed in the wrong direction. But we soon found it, located at 109 Frazier Avenue, just where it was supposed to be.
I was impressed with the atmosphere before I even fully entered the door. Tall ceilings, hand-painted shutters against warm, brick walls – it felt as though we’d stepped into a French country café.
We sat ourselves at a table against the wall and admired the yellows and deep blues in the linens and china. Our server, Carol, greeted us promptly to take our drink orders. When she returned, I asked her what I should order if I wanted a taste reflective of what Between the Bridges has to offer.
She suggested exactly what I’d had my eye on – the chicken salad croissant with a cup of the creamy tomato basil soup. I’d also heard someone mention the quality of their quiche, so I ordered one of those, as well, to split with my lunch date, along with the soup of the day, rosemary chicken dumpling.
As we waited for our food, we enjoyed faint French music and absorbed the feminine, tearoom atmosphere. Carol brought us some small, lemon poppy seed muffins, which she said are made fresh every morning. They were moist, sweet, fluffy and delicious. I could have eaten 10 of them, but thankfully, she only brought us two apiece.
Our lunches arrived shortly after. The first thing I tasted was the rosemary chicken dumpling soup. It was wonderful. Filled with corn, red peppers, carrots and all kinds of other goodies, it was flavorful, yet not overbearing. And the small dumplings were a wonderful accent.
The creamy tomato basil soup was absolutely more my style. Creamy indeed, the texture of the soup was perfect. The tomato flavor was bold, but the spices – particularly the basil – were the predominant flavors. I finished every drop of it; it was out of this world. I can confidently say it was the best tomato basil soup I’ve ever had, and that means a lot coming from this tomato lover.
The quiche lorraine was exceptional – flaky, thanks to a puff pastry crust, and light. I’ve never been a big fan of quiche, but I would definitely order this dish again. It was served with a leafy green side salad, topped with candied pecans and shredded cheddar cheese. Dressed in balsamic vinaigrette, the salad was also delicious.
The chicken salad was great, too – sweetened by only grapes, as far as I could tell. It was served on a light croissant, and the perfect portion. I was pleasantly full by the time we’d cleaned all our plates.
As usual, I wish I’d saved room for dessert. Carol recommended the key lime pie, and I politely refused. But, when I saw one go by a few minutes later, looking pretty and scrumptious, I made a mental note to save room on my next visit.
When we finished our meal, two of three owners of Between the Bridges came out to chat with us. Mary Lynn Ferrell and Dana Rutledge had once been school teachers at East Ridge Elementary with friend and co-owner Bobbie Martin. Upon retirement, the three decided to open a restaurant for lunch several days a week. Two and a half years later, there we sat.
Dana explained that Mary Lynn is the creative force behind the project, but Mary Lynn modestly deflected the attention. They explained how they’d visited every tearoom in the Southeast, taking note of what they liked and didn’t like about each one.
Dana said they wanted to create an atmosphere where people could come in, relax and enjoy fine food on fine china. Mary Lynn’s vision was that of a French courtyard. They found the china first – the same yellow and blue print they use today – and the idea just kind of grew around it.
Dana and Bobbie worked as tasters as Mary Lynn worked out recipes to put on the menu. (This included the creamy tomato basil soup I loved so much, as well as the quiche lorraine.) Mary Lynn quickly pointed out that the chicken salad was the fruit of Dana and Bobbie’s labors (and, as I’ve said, it was marvelous).
Between the Bridges is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 2, and will open after hours for special occasions with big enough groups.
Contact Samara at samara@hamiltoncountyherald.
com
|
|