By Maggie Matsko
Sherri Wong, Chef John Wright and Sandy Call.
Perched at the top of Bridge Road in Charleston’s South Hills, the Bridge Road Bistro is known for its flavorful menu and welcoming atmosphere. Founded in 2004 by Robert and Sherri Wong, the restaurant’s mission has always been to reach people through food and community.
In 2010, Sandy Call joined the staff as the general manager. Two years later, Robert passed away unexpectedly, leaving his wife, Sherri, as the sole owner. Ready to begin a new adventure, in 2018 Sherri sold the bistro to Sandy, leaving the popular dining venue in the hands of a familiar and trusted friend. On December 31, 2018, the transition in ownership will be complete.
Having been a part of the bistro for the past eight years, Sandy has come to love all aspects of this South Hills landmark, but what she enjoys most about the bistro is its versatility, which draws in a variety of customers. “You can have a five-course meal paired with our award-winning wine list, or you can just come in to indulge in cocktails and appetizers with friends,” she says.
Bridge Road Bistro is proud to offer cuisine that is classically rooted with global and contemporary influences while supporting local entrepreneurs, regional producers and the community. “We are dedicated to supporting our local farmers with our seasonal menus,” says Sandy. “Since we are a farm-to-table restaurant, we love to showcase our Appalachian flavors and style.”
Since joining the bistro in 2011, Chef John Wright’s unique dishes have received much praise. He believes the popularity of the bistro’s menu is due to the mixture of cooking styles he incorporates in the kitchen.
“What makes my dishes so special is the influence I have gained from either personal or professional relationships,” he says. “Whether it is French, Italian, Asian, German, Southwestern, Appalachian or Cuban, I believe these cultures have made an impact on my cooking and have helped me think outside the box.”
Bridge Road Bistro offers both a lunch and dinner menu. For lunch, guests can choose from selections like the Bistro Steak Burger, BRB Cobb Salad and Fried Green Tomato BLT. The dinner menu offers favorites like the Baked Bistro Crab Cake, Apple and Bourbon Brined Pork Chop and Chef’s Filet Mignon of Beef. To end the meal, patrons satisfy their sweet tooth with the Sun-Dried Cherry and White Chocolate Cheesecake, Banana Walnut Donut Bread Pudding or a scoop of ice cream from local favorite Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream. For special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and New Year’s Eve, Bridge Road Bistro also offers specialty menus. To add to the bistro experience, patrons can enjoy a variety of live entertainment acts Wednesday-Saturday nights throughout the year.
Bridge Road Bistro has seen so much success that a second location was opened in 2012 in the Columbia Gas pipeline facility on MacCorkle Avenue. The Bistro Café is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. for breakfast and lunch on weekdays. While the menu differs slightly from that of the South Hills location, it still focuses on high-quality ingredients with every dish. The café has a fresh salad bar, burgers, hot entrees and made-to-order pizzas. With the expansion into a second location, the restaurant also launched the Bistro Food Truck, which now caters to all the fairs and festivals in a 20-mile radius.
With the transition in ownership, Sandy is excited about carrying on the Wongs’ traditions while contributing her own touch to the future of this South Hills jewel.
“I’m excited about what the future will bring,” she says. “First and foremost, I want to show respect for the legacy Robert and Sherri created. They founded and built a phenomenal brand. I look forward to enhancing that brand with my own personal touch.”
Bridge Road Bistro
915 Bridge Road, Charleston, WV
(304) 720-3500
Monday-Thursday
11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Braised Short Ribs
Makes 6 portions
- 6 pieces of single boneless short ribs
- 2 c red wine
- 2 large onions, diced large
- 5 large carrots, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 6 celery ribs, large bias cut
- 2 qt beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns, whole
- 6 garlic cloves
- 8 thyme stems
- 2 rosemary stems
- Oil
- Salt and pepper
Season and sear the short ribs in a sauté pan—be careful to not overcrowd the pan. Brown the ribs on all sides. Place in a baking pan and deglaze with red wine.
Roast the vegetables in the oven until nice and brown, and put them on top of the short ribs. Add stock, tomato paste, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Cook for 2-3 hours in a covered pan. When the fork comes out freely, they are done.
Remove the short ribs, and place them on a serving dish. Strain the liquid into a pot and thicken with roux or cornstarch or reduce on stovetop.
Can be served over egg noodles, rice, polenta or whipped potatoes.
Italian Sausage-Stuffed Hungarian Peppers with Sugo Sepleche
Stuffed Peppers
Makes 6-8 portions
- 1½ lb Italian sausage
- 12 Hungarian banana peppers
- 1 egg
- 2⁄3 c heavy cream
- 1 c panko bread crumbs
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 c shredded parmesan
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp ground pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Mozzarella or parmesan cheese
Cut the peppers horizontally and clean the insides, leaving a little rib and seeds. In a large bowl, mix the sausage, egg, heavy cream, garlic, shredded parmesan, parsley and ground pepper thoroughly. Add the panko bread crumbs.
Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture, and lay the peppers
seam-side down. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the peppers are slightly browned and the sausage reaches 165 degrees.
Place the peppers in a baking dish with the sugo sepleche and top with parmesan or mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is brown and bubbly.
Sugo Sepleche
Makes three quarts
- 3 cans Cento San Marzano tomatoes in juice with basil
- 1 bunch basil leaves
- 3 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp pepper
- 9 garlic cloves, minced
- 1⁄2 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp sugar*
*Check the sweetness of the canned tomatoes. If they contain sugar, the additional sugar is not needed.
In a blender, combine one can of tomatoes with the basil leaves and puree the mixture. Take the other two cans and pulse until it hits the top of the blender, usually three to five pulses.
In a pot over medium heat, add the salt, pepper and sugar, if needed, and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
In a small sauté pan, add the oil and minced garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add the baking soda. Be careful—this will foam.
Chocolate Decadent Cakes
- 2 c Baker’s chocolate cubes
- 2 sticks butter
- 4 eggs
- 4 yolks
- 1 c sugar
- ½ c flour
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the chocolate cubes and butter in a stainless-steel bowl and melt over a water bath. In a mixer, add the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla. Use the paddle
attachment to mix until pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
Fold half of the egg mixture into the chocolate. Fold in the flour, then fold in the other half of the egg mixture. Spray a muffin pan or foil cups with oil and sugarcoat them. Ladle the mixture into the pan or foil cups. Bake 14 minutes exactly.
