The Eaves Restaurant

Situated in a corner of the market town of Bridgend and on the banks of River Ogmore, The Eaves Restaurant at Cae Court boutique hotel is a welcome and unique addition to the town’s restaurant scene. Looks can be deceiving, as from standing in front of this impressively lit exterior, the building doesn’t seem particularly large. However, step inside this eye-catching Gothic hideaway, and you’ll find eight bedrooms, a cocktail lounge boasting a Danish Petersen brick fireplace, and The Eaves Restaurant.

Offering numerous seating options, guests can perch on the sun-drenched patio, curl up in the snug lounge next to a stunning fireplace or pull up a pew in the sophisticated and contemporary dining room overlooking the River Ogmore.

The restaurant offers fine dining within relaxed surroundings – a balance that is seldom achieved and made us feel immediately welcome. The dining room has a boutique feel to it, with comfortable seating, modern artwork and striking lighting. We settled down with a crisp class of Prosecco in hand, admiring the view of the river, and pondered over the mouth-watering menu that includes favourites such as slow-cooked beef and pan-fried sea bream alongside more unusual dishes such as lobster tempura and chicken liver brûlée.

Our amuse-bouche of foie gras and salted mushroom macaron was a sign of the inventive and delectable dishes to come. Up next, we enjoyed the diver-caught king scallop paired with foie gras, black pudding and caramel – a creative combination with perfectly soft scallops and rich foie gras contrasted by scrumptious black pudding. My companion went for the refreshing Vietnamese spring roll accompanied by prawn and pistachio, spiced vegetables and ginger dashi.

The new season Welsh lamb that followed was perfectly seasoned and melted in the mouth, with the mint and anchovy croquette providing a delightful twist to this Welsh classic. There’s creamy risotto with crunchy, oozy Perl Las fritters, taken to the next level with a deliciously salty porcini mushroom tea. Every mouthful we tasted was perfectly cooked and seasoned, right down to the freshly baked accompanying mushroom, and cranberry and poppy seed bread.

We struggled to settle on a dessert choice, so while we enjoyed a pre-dessert treat of ginger and rhubarb crumble, restaurant manager Craig suggested the sharing platter, which comprises honey panna cotta, summer pudding, mango sorbet, mango and passion fruit macaroon, and chocolate brownie with peanut brittle, honeycomb and marshmallow. We simply couldn’t say no. Newly appointed head chef Jonathan Edwards, with a background in award-winning fine dining, personally presented his stunning dessert platter to us – it was a sheer work of art and tasted as divine as it looked. His dedication shone through in every dish; he clearly enjoys experimenting and constantly develops the menu to exceed guests’ expectations. Diners often spot the chef picking herbs from the venue’s very own herb garden and chatting to local suppliers.

Cae Court offers something for every occasion, whether you’re after a tipple and some cheese in the sunshine, a sumptuous Sunday lunch with the family or a special celebration. The restaurant’s à la carte menu is complemented by an excellent-value set menu available in the evening from Tuesday to Thursday and for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday.

There’s an impressive wine list for the discerning connoisseur. Coffee, cocktails and afternoon tea are also available, and there’s a children’s menu so little ones don’t miss out on the action. Private events and conferences can also be arranged either at The Eaves Restaurant or the business suite nearby.

Our enjoyable evening ended with a coffee and a chat with the friendly staff at the bar. Throughout the evening, the service was seamless, again striking the perfect balance between relaxed and sophisticated. Overall we were delighted and surprised by what they are achieving here, and no doubt The Eaves Restaurant will continue to innovate and thrive.