The Embankment, Bedford

We visited this newly renovated Restaurant on one of their relaunch nights and were very impressed by all aspects of it. The decor is smart, combining contemporary with the original character of the building. The staff were great from the initial greeting, to the barman and the waitresses. They were attentive without being overbearing and the courses were delivered at exactly the right intervals. The menu contains plenty of choice even for us, as vegetarians. The platters looked great and most of the starters can be converted into light mains. There was also a good selection of Steaks. The food itself was faultless. We had the Spinach & Ricotta Pancakes with Tomato Sauce (also available with Crad) and Pear & Stilton Tart to start followed by the Asparagus Risotto (also available with Ham) and Field Mushroom topped with Ratatouille. As sides we had Chips (adventurous eh?) and Buttered Greens, which were also great. The complimentary bread basket contained a nice selection of chunky granary and farmhouse bread. We finished off by sharing a slice of Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce which was lovely. We didn't have any wine but the list looked inviting for next time with some well known and some lesser well known varieties. The atmosphere was buzzy with a good mix of people. We ate at the rear of the bar (the room is shaped like a horseshoe) but there is also a slightly more formal dining room to the rear along with a terrace to the front overlooking the river. The Embankment has been somewhat overlooked in the past but in this new reincarnation I see it firmly establishing itself as a premier dining spot in Bedford. I would highly recommend you try it out for yourself.