Last Wednesday I attended #TasteOfNewbridge, a bloggers event held at Newbridge on Usk, a 200-year-old country inn and restaurant sitting on the banks of the River Usk, near Tredunnock.
Newbridge on Usk is owned by the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales and is situated just a few miles upriver from the Resort itself, although complimentary shuttle transport is available for residents. I’ve visited the Resort before for Vintage Afternoon Tea and to review Terry M restaurant, both of which were very impressive.
As we arrived at the inn, my friend Sarah and I were welcomed by restaurant manager, Ronan Hunter and escorted to some comfy leather sofas where we met fellow bloggers, Leanne (A Slice of My Life… Wales), Sarah (Hills and Daffodils) and Jamie (Explore with Ed).
We enjoyed a glass of champagne and canapés of olives, anchovies and caramelised cashew nuts, before being taken on a tour of the inn and its kitchen garden by Ronan.
Newbridge on Usk has a lovely riverside terrace seating area – I bet this gets very busy on a hot day!
From here, you can enjoy breath-taking views over the River Usk and according to Ronan, you can even spot a few salmon jumping out of the water on their run upstream.
Most of the fresh vegetables used in Newbridge on Usk’s seasonal menu are grown in the kitchen garden to the rear of the inn – local produce at its very best!
Following our tour, we enjoyed a live cookery demonstration with Newbridge on Usk’s Chef, Adam Whittle.
Adam showed us how to make an Eton mess with a twist using Italian meringue, French meringue and Turkish Delight meringue to create a delicious combination of tastes and textures. He finished it off with edible flowers (geranium, cucumber and nasturtium) from the kitchen garden and a strawberry soup flavoured with star anise, red wine and woodruff sprigs.
After sampling some Eton mess, we enjoyed some pea and mint soup served with freshly baked miniature savoury pastries. The soup tasted fresh and wholesome and the pastries were very moreish, especially the ones filled with cheese – mmm!
Turning our attention from food to alcohol, Ronan introduced us to some of Newbridge’s home-made infused spirits including Newbridge Spiced Rum, coffee vodka, strawberry and basil vodka, Newbridge Mojito Rum, raspberry gin and ginger Jack Daniel’s, to name just a few. This delectable range of spirits is just one example of how Newbridge on Usk experiments with different plants and herbs growing in the garden, to produce an exciting array of flavours.
Then we met Barman, Matt who showed us how to make a few different cocktails including the Newbridge Summer Fizz (fennel and tarragon gin, strawberries and Prosecco), Newbridge Mojito and Newbridge South Seas (spiced rum, red wine, lemon juice and lemonade).
Matt even let us have a go at making our own cocktails. Guess who managed to spill crushed ice all over that shiny, polished table?!
I made a Newbridge Mojito using Mojito Rum, fresh lime, mint leaves, sugar syrup, soda and crushed ice (well, at least I managed to get some of the ice in the glass!)
Upon leaving, we each received a goody bag including recipes from the evening, two miniature bottles of infused spirits with personalised name tags and a freshly baked loaf of bread.
The bread made getting out of bed the next morning that little bit easier; it tasted delicious toasted and spread with salted butter.
Sarah and I had a great evening at Newbridge on Usk and we would love to return in future for a meal in the restaurant, or even to stay overnight in one of the six en-suite bedrooms. It would make for the perfect retreat for a quiet, relaxing weekend.
Newbridge on Usk
Tredunnock, Usk,
NP15 1LY
Visit Newbridge on Usk’s website
I was invited to Newbridge on Usk as a guest and our food and drinks were provided complimentary. However, I was not obliged to write a positive review.
Great post Kacie, lots of detail here!
I wish I saved some of my bread for toasting now – although I did enjoy it with soup.
It was nice to meet you, catch you again.
Thanks Jamie, the bread was so good 🙂 I bet it tasted great with soup. Nice to meet you too!
I do love Eton mess! Sounds like a fun event.
Thanks, we had a great evening. The Eton mess was fantastic!
It looks like you had a wonderful time! That kitchen garden is just fantastic! What a great idea x
I thought it was lovely too. It’s nice to know where your food comes from!
Wow the canapés of olives, anchovies and caramelised cashew nuts look so delicious! What a lovely place to visit – I’m putting it on my list 🙂
Claire
x
The canapés looked delicious, I love the wrapped olives (Anchoas en Escabeche) the food you had looked so delicious.
Ooh lovely. I had no idea that’s what they’re called 🙂
That terrace area looks like a great place to kick back with a refreshing cocktail and the food looks fab. Thanks for sharing. I wish I lived closer.
Yes, it was really beautiful with the river in the background and the kitchen garden just a few yards away!
It sounds lovely and I love the twist on the Eton Mess, I bet a meal there would be delicious x
me too Cath! Our goody bags contained a 50% off food voucher… the perfect excuse to return for a meal 🙂
This place looks amazing. How wonderful and that view! Fantastic
It was a great view! Highly recommend a visit if you live nearby.
Great post 🙂
It was lovely to meet you, I do believe I’ll see you again tomorrow? If not I’ll see you soon!
I agree, the cheese pastries were delicious.
Ooh, what’s happening today that I don’t know about?! Lol! ahh is it the event at The Angel? I was going to go but forgot to buy a ticket before they stopped selling them – doh! >.< It was great to meet you too 🙂 Hope to see you again soon!
Such a great review, I love the detail in the post. The Newbridge Mojito looks great, any cocktail in a jug has won me over! haha
It was lovely 🙂 Using sugar syrup rather than sugar itself meant that I didn’t get those grainy bits of sugar in my cocktail 🙂
Now that sounds like a lovely evening – who wouldn’t enjoy cocktails and canapes in such a lovely surrounding. x
Thanks, it was a lovely evening indeed 🙂 Cocktails were delicious!
What a fab event! That Eton Mess needs to get in my belly NOW!
I know that feeling Sian 🙂 I wolfed mine down!
Looks like a fantastic place to visit. It’s now on my list 🙂 x
great to hear it, I highly recommend it 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time. The food looks lovely x
Thanks 🙂 We loved it and are looking forward to our second visit.
That looks like amazing place!iT reallly remind this place in cheshire that my friend draged to walk 2h there 😉 but it was worthy though 😉
Hehe, sounds like fun 😉 Thank you x
The Eton mess looks divine. I would adore that as my dessert. Fantastic post.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. It was delicious 🙂
Looks like a great event Kacie . Being so no northerly ,I really miss these . Great photos and detailing x
Thanks Anushree, I had a lovely evening. 🙂
I love how the Pea and mint soup with savoury nibbles is served x
Yes, it looked good – would have liked more than one shot glass of soup though >.<
I am liking the sound of this! I’ve not tried this place but I’ve had friends rave about it so I think I’ll have to treat myself x
It’s well worth a visit – treat yourself 😀
It looks like a great place in a nice setting too. That mojito looks lush R
Thank you, it was lovely. We enjoyed our evening and would love to go back for a proper meal.
I loved looking at all of these photos, this looks like a place that I NEED to go. When I got to the mojito picture I could almost taste it 🙂 It’s one of my fav drinks.
It looked like a brill event and I’m glad you had such a great time
X X
Thanks, it was one of the best mojitos I have ever tasted 😀 xx
Looks like a lovely event, I’d have been happy with just the Champagne and Canapes! Cocktail making is alway good fun.
It was great fun and I loved being able to take away samples of some of the infused spirits too 🙂
Oh wow what a lovely event and those cocktails and canapés look divine
Laura x
What a beautiful building. The food looks yummy too.
Daniella | Freshly Pressed Beauty