Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re asking food-loving locals to reveal their restaurant crush. What local culinary hot spot do they go crazy over? Find out below, in our second installment!
Local in Question: Shawn Proctor
Reveal your Local Restaurant Crush: Even though Phoenixville’s becoming a food and beer lover’s paradise, it has to be Bistro on Bridge!
Pinpoint the exact moment that you fell in love: My wife and I were partaking in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl a few years ago. We peeked through the window and saw the makings of a classic bar: high tables, big televisions, and a good, friendly crowd. We slipped inside and I took one look at the beer list and couldn’t believe it. Usually I can’t find one beer in a bar or restaurant I haven’t tried at some point over the years, and here was a whole selection of beers of every style that I’ve never seen before.
Was it love over first bite (or sip)? Share the details of this mesmerizing taste: The beer was great, but the wings are seriously amazing. I am vegetarian 95 percent of the time, but couldn’t resist trying the wings that day. They were crispy and paired wonderfully with the bigger beers on tap.
Let’s be honest: They have you under their spell. What keeps you coming back? I keep coming in and they keep wowing me with that beer list. Twenty rotating drafts, and usually I’ve had only five or six of them before. Just as important is the cool wait staff. They remember you, even if it has been a little while since the last visit, and you can pick up the conversation where you left off. It’s a little like the bartenders at Cheers, minus Carla.
If you could share this one true love with any local, what would their introductory meal look like? What do they have to order to understand your obsession? Start with a beer from the menu and a split order of wings, preferably one flavorful selection and one hotter variety. (I won the Ghost Wing Challenge, but that is jumping in the deep end of the pool.) For the entree, I recommend the Caprese sandwich, which is very fresh and would also pair well, if you decided to order a more malt-infused beer.
What you’ll discover is that Bistro on Bridge is equally good if you just want to grab a quick beer or a slow nibble.
To jump-start your own love affair, find Bistro on Bridge at 210 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, or online at bistroonbridge.com.
Photographs credited to Kevin Dragone.
