Baxter’s 101 Bridge
101 Bridge Street
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
(484) 927-4481
“The Case of the Babbling Bartender”
… With apologies to Erle Stanley Gardner
When I first reviewed 101 Bridge in September 2008, I remember remarking that the leap from casual “pub grub” to upscale, gentrified gastronomic fare was a perilous one. But the folks who own Baxter’s in Malvern, West Chester, and Paoli made this transition with a definitive sense of style. Ensconced in the tastefully restored Phoenix Steel Company, 101 Bridge represented, in my opinion, the ideal union between understated casually traditional surroundings and stylishly sophisticated new American cuisine. Offerings were not only feasts for the eye, but incomparable treats for the palate as well.
Before long, however, things began to hit the fan. And the quality of the food, according to many diners (my wife among them), took a definitive nosedive. And then the restaurant closed its doors… only to be reincarnated several weeks later as Baxter’s 101 Bridge.
As a professional “hired belly,” I have always been of the opinion that, in preparation for any review, or to learn what’s going on behind the scenes at a particularly eatery, the bartender is an invaluable source of information (read here “gossip”). And this particular bartender, who shall remain nameless, needed very little prompting to air what I would consider a good bit of the restaurant’s dirty laundry.
To paraphrase… Seems the original chef used only the highest quality – and expensive – ingredients, a fact that was clearly evident in the outstanding quality of his cuisine… But when the economy began its suffering period, management types sat on the panic button and prevailed upon him to cut corners – which he refused to do. Exit chef number one (whether he fell or was pushed is a moot point). Enter chef number two (with a diminished food budget and diminishing expectations)… enter also a decided downturn in the cuisine.
Shortly thereafter the doors were shuttered, the damage surveyed, and new strategies plotted. The establishment then reopened as a mere shadow of its former self. Management’s entire culinary philosophy had obviously undergone a seismic shift, not only in the restaurant’s subtle name change, but also in the look – and, more importantly, the taste – of the menu, which had clearly abandoned its innovative first-class status for the undistinguished innocuous comforts of economy coach.
So forget about the imaginative subtleties of starters like a gorgeous ratatouille Napoleon, sumptuous butter-poached scallop tart, tuna tower with wasabi vinaigrette, or savory wild mushroom cannelloni with herbed ricotta cheese. No, no, it’s back to the likes of spring rolls, wings, fired calamari, chicken quesadilla, and not so crisp iceberg wedge drowned in blue cheese dressing and adored with Styrofoam-like diced tomatoes.
When it comes to entrées, my advice is to stick to the “pub grub” and opt for what this restaurant and the other Baxter’s appear to do best: burgers. Some of the sandwiches aren’t bad either. But the pick of the litter, in my opinion, was the tuna melt spruced up with rich Russian dressing… which has been unaccountably deep sixed from the menu.
Other main courses, like the ubiquitous flounder Francaise, generic vegetable pasta, or variations on the Atlantic salmon theme simply aren’t worth the price of admission.
And there are other issues at work here… There’s a fairly good wine list and selection of vintages by the glass… but the restaurant is constantly running out of this or that. Someone – perhaps the bartender – needs to be watching the inventory more closely.
Then there’s the service issue… On one occasion our server – either by accident or by design – double charged us for two espressos. It is certainly not above restaurants to pad the bill in this manner in the hopes of increasing revenue… or above servers, in the hopes of increasing the amount of their tip. I’m not saying that’s what happened here… but, given the establishment’s recent monetary concerns, it does make one wonder.
On another occasion, we had barely delved into our appetizers when out popped the entrées. This is never a good sign. Not only does it demonstrate a lack of communication between the server and the kitchen; it is also an indication that management likes to turn tables as quickly as humanly possible. The monetary issue once again.
Then, of course, in the ultimate irony department… At the conclusion of our most recent visit, our server returned my credit card along with a slip for my signature. But the pen she left for the signing ceremony was from Creed’s Seafood and Steaks in King of Prussia, PA. Her last place of employment?
Ignorance is, indeed, bliss. But there is a certain poetic justice here… How deliciously appropriate to inadvertently furnish free advertisement to a local restaurant that is infinitely superior to Baxter’s 101 Bridge.
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