Review: Rhubarb, Blackburn

3:19pm Monday 10th November 2008

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I HADN’T visited Rhubarb for quite some time and thought it was worthy of a look.

For those who don’t come to Blackburn very often and are wondering where Rhubarb is, you’ll find it at the rear of the recently revamped visitor centre. It’s a shame that the weather’s turning against us for there’s also a rear courtyard which is one of the town’s great secluded spots.

Inside you’ve got a choice of very squashy sofas (a word of advice, don’t sit here if you’re tackling anything substantial food-wise as you’re quite likely to slop it all over your shirt. I know this from personal experience!) and tables and chairs. The menu is in the main soup, sandwiches and wraps area, but with a twist. And you will find an interesting range of specials too.

You might think that there are a number of cafes which offer a similar range, and this is true, but it’s what you get on the plate which is the true test, not what the description is on the menu.

And this is where Rhubarb scores quite highly in my view.

For a start it actually offers interesting sandwiches. I chose a warm sandwich of bacon, brie and cranberry on granary bread. When it arrived there was a colourful and tasty garnish, not just a few limp lettuce leaves, and the sandwich itself had plenty of filling which worked very well together.

My companion ordered a jacket potato with tuna and sweetcorn — again pretty standard fare, but the portion size was very generous and again the “trimming” made it look as though it was a dish that had been carefully prepared rather than just slapped on a plate.

There’s a good selection of teas and coffees available and they’re not overpriced either. Our lunch with drinks was around £12.

And there’s a final bonus. You walk out through the visitor centre’s exhibition space so the chances are you’ll not only have a decent meal but you might find an unusual Christmas gift along the way.

The verdict

One of the town’s great secluded spots.