I tried again a few days later and happily found it to be a
delightful space to nip in for coffee and dessert.
Two months passed, and I decided to give Bombadil's another try
before handing in my final review. What a turnaround.
A traditional British phone box greets you as you enter the
eatery. The red kiosk is the first of many intriguing objects in
this roomy, well-lit space.
Crystals and mineral stones are displayed for sale in intricate
wood and glass cabinets. A small shelf holds board games, inviting
patrons to sit and stay awhile. Tucked to the left of the bakery
case, cascading down a narrow hallway, are floor-to-ceiling
bookshelves, lined with used books for perusing or purchase.
Punctuating purple swirls of textured paint bring color to an
otherwise bright-white-walls décor, interposed with dark-wood
woodwork and antique pieces and a quirky mish-mash of heavy wood
tables and chairs.
A small stage rests in one corner, for live music on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday nights and open mic on Tuesdays.
The menu board was a touch confusing to decipher, but after
asking a couple of clarifying questions, we were able to place our
orders.
The food itself was a lesson in complements. While some of the
food was tasty, other items bordered on the plain.
A generous portion of potato salad arrived first, a bowlful of
large cubes of soft potato, piquant onion, a bit of diced red
pepper and fragrant fresh herbs.
In keeping with its Celtic theme, Bombadil's offers pasties,
which originated in Cornwall, England, in the 18th century and
were the standard lunch of tin miners. The savory turnovers
consist of a short-crust pastry enfolding a chopped
meat-and-potato filling. Simple food for simple eats.
I ordered the sausage, egg and potato pasty, while one of my
lunch companions ordered the veggie version. Though the crusts
were moist and buttery, the fillings were beyond bland. Spicier
meat would have given the dish a boost.
Lucky for her, my friend ordered the Irish minestrone soup, a
tomato-based soup with beans. The soup was exceedingly spicy — so
hot that our server announced that a splotch of yogurt had been
added to temper the heat. The fiery soup complemented the pasty
well.
Organic bread is baked daily at the bakery. One was an olive
rosemary bread, which was soft and flavorful. A dark rye was also
served, sprinkled with pumpkin and sesame seeds.
My other dining companion ordered the polenta lasagna and a
bowl of Gouda broccoli soup.
Her lasagna was fine, if a bit compact. The concoction was
layered with wedges of firm corn polenta, a stripe of puréed
spinach and basil sauce, ricotta cheese and a thin slice of
eggplant. The Gouda broccoli soup was a bit of a mystery, brown,
thick and heavy, with a muddled and indefinable flavor.
I went back a few days later. A towering carrot cake I had seen
in the bakery case had enticed me in the ensuing days, and I was
anxious to give it a try.
Unfortunately, the carrot cake was gone by the time I arrived,
but I spied a chocolate Irish whiskey cake that looked equally as
tempting. I placed my order at the counter, and settled into a
comfy armchair with an accompanying side table.
A slice of the dark, thick cake was brought out quickly. Mmm,
now this was more like it. Sinfully rich, chock-a-block with nuts,
and crowned with a truffle topping, this cake was enough to sway
me to return to Bombadil's Garden yet again. I thought I should
give them some time to ease their growing pains.
A recent lunch visit to Bombadil's proved infinitely more
pleasant. Service was quick, affable and exceedingly competent.
I ordered the chicken and cheese pasty this time, and was
pleased to note a lot more flavor than my first sample. Piquant
pepper and flavorful cheddar cheese mixed with moist chicken
pieces and sizeable chunks of carrots to make a truly satisfying
entrée.
My lunch companion ordered the shitake and cauliflower soup and
a hummus plate. She declared her soup delightful, a pleasing blend
of exotic tastes both sweet and spicy, its vegetable base spiced
with curry.
The dense hummus was a bit on the dry side, but some people
prefer it that way. It could have used a touch more garlic. The
accompanying cucumber slices and crisp carrot sticks were a nice
addition, but a bit skimpy on the serving size. A yummy, crusty
dark bread was served with the hummus, punctuated by tasty pumpkin
seeds.
Bombadil's Bakery & Book has won me over. It's a charming
spot for a relaxed mid-day meal or coffee and a sweet treat. While
our first lunch experience was less than satisfactory, many of the
things that had been off kilter two months ago appeared to be
smoothed over during a recent visit. The service was so friendly
and earnest, I hope this charming bakery finds its niche.
