After a pleasant drive through the Bedfordshire countryside to get to our final destination we were in good spirits and had high hopes for the Pen & Cob, a brasserie located in the Bedford Swan Hotel.
As we approached the entrance, we were immediately blown away by the bright and tropical decor, a breath of fresh air on what was otherwise a dull and rainy day. We were promptly given a warm welcome by a bubbly server who showed us to our seats. The chairs, whilst aesthetically pleasing were also notably comfortable, a quality I find often overlooked in restaurants.
We were given a few minutes to decide on drinks from a menu that we felt had a good amount of variety. Both being cocktail people, we ordered a classic Aperol Spritz, and a Blueberry Gin Burst. My drink being the latter, I was impressed, to say the least. Equally, my guest was pleased with her choice.
Next on the agenda was food. A good selection made our choice a little difficult and we became more indecisive with every delicious-looking meal that passed by us on its way to another table. Ultimately, we decided to share the Maldon salt and black pepper squid, cayenne mayo and rocket salad as our starter, and I can confidently say that it was the best squid dish I’ve ever had. Both flavourful and crispy, I would probably say that it was my favourite part of our meal.
Following a tastebud high from our starter, we moved on to our main. I ordered the smoked salmon and lemon cream cheese bagel with broccoli and Stilton soup for my main meal, which on arrival I realised also came with chips and coleslaw. The salmon was of good quality and the zest of the lemon flavour was balanced well with the creaminess of the cheese. The bagel itself could have been softer but was by no means unenjoyable. The soup was top notch and the Stilton flavours were not overpowering as I know that Stilton can be an acquired taste, though the more the better in my opinion.
My guest had the double buttermilk chicken burger with tomato relish, chips and coleslaw. From where I sat it looked incredible, though when prompted she said it was nice but nothing to write home about. In an ‘eyes bigger than belly’ moment we had also opted to share the mac and cheese, which we found a little bland and overcooked.
Finally, the time for dessert came, and though we were stuffed, we felt it wouldn’t be fair to our readers if we didn’t sample some.
I ordered a mini baked vanilla cheesecake with raspberry and coconut puree and pineapple and chilli salsa, and my guest had ordered the mini chocolate fudge brownie, but unfortunately both turned out to be rather dry and a bit of a disappointment.
Overall, though, it was a positive experience, our drinks and the first two courses were tasty and the menu selection was impressive. The characterful inside decor had a lot of personality and was pristinely kept and that, in conjunction with the terrace space, made it a lovely place to choose to eat with the view out onto the river being an undeniable selling point.
It was a shame about the desserts because otherwise, I’m not sure I would have had a negative word to say., and I would still strongly recommend a visit as the first leg of lunch was wonderful.
To take a further look or make a reservation, visit their website.
This visit was booked anonymously and the food and drink was paid for by the writer
