The Embankment Hotel, Bedford

BY STEVE LOWE

It is a platitude to say the riverside is one of Bedford's best features.

I also believe that full advantage is not taken of this with regard to leisure pursuits. Whenever I have mentioned this before, suggesting access to river boats and more restaurants and pubs on the riverside, I have met general hostility from residents who live by the river and those who use it for rowing.

They seem to feel it is part of their back garden and not something the plebs of Bedford should get their hands on. There are, however, two establishments by the river and one, The Embankment Hotel, underwent a refurbishment recently.

It is now more a pub that serves food, rather than the bar and restaurant of former years. So I took the present Mrs Lowe along to try it out.

The atmosphere is excellent and relaxed, whereas it always seemed a bit of a stuffy place to me. And the food is the same.

For starters I had caesar salad and the wife, home-made soup of the day, which was mushroom and a rather large bowl at that.

For the main course Michele chose pan-fried sea bass and I had lamb steak with cabbage, peas and bacon.

I love a bit of cabbage, which goes back to school dinners.

All the food was very good, with the lamb just cooked enough and the sea bass, according to my wife, delicious.

There was also plenty of it and so no room for some lovely looking puds. There is a good selection of wine and the prices, for both food and drink, are reasonable.

It is a big improvement and the whole place has a relaxed urban feel to it, with views of The Embankment itself.

One suggestion, which may also upset Old Bedford and the council, is that tables are placed over the road on the Embankment itself. I cannot imagine any bar/restaurant on the continent denying itself such an opportunity.

All in all, a definite plus and for me, the more life by the river, the better.