CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY DECEMBER 2014
I photographed this At Christmas 2014 - Both businesses remain open and operational on Bridge Street along the riverbank in Trim, County Meath.
Sally's Riverside Bar & Cafe (traditionally known as Sally Rogers Bar) occupies a prominent position on the western approach to the river crossing.
The premises operates both as a traditional public house and riverside cafe, featuring a rear terrace suspended over the River Boyne with clear sightlines towards Trim Castle.
The property has maintained continuous operation under the Sally Rogers identity while modernising its daytime offering and riverside viewing decks
Wau Asian Cuisine continues to trade next door at Bridge Street, offering a menu spanning Chinese, Malaysian, and broader pan-Asian dishes.
Established in Trim in the late 2000s, it expanded its footprint over the years while maintaining sit-in dining and takeaway services.
The restaurant's building forms an integral element of the unbroken 19th-century streetscape fronting the bridge approach.
Ireland's Oldest Bridge (Trim Bridge, or the Old Bridge) crosses the River Boyne immediately outside both premises.
Dating from between 1330 and 1393, it replaced an earlier wooden crossing destroyed by catastrophic flooding and is widely documented as the oldest unaltered stone bridge still carrying traffic in Ireland.
Built from local limestone rubble with pointed cutwaters and four segmental arches, it historically linked the walled Anglo-Norman borough surrounding Trim Castle on the south bank with St Mary's Abbey and the northern settlements.
The structure retains its original medieval fabric, having resisted modern widening schemes that altered most contemporaneous crossings across the Pale.
Is the restaurant actually owned by a Chinese Family
Yes, the restaurant is a family-owned business run by the Chew family (led by head chef and director Yoon Phin Chew, alongside family members including Yuk Wan Chiew).
A few specific details regarding the family and business background:
Malaysian-Chinese Heritage: The owners are of Malaysian-Chinese descent. This background directly shapes the identity and menu of the business; the name "Wau" refers to the Wau bulan, the traditional Malaysian crescent-moon kite that features in the restaurant's branding.
Cuisine Style: Rather than functioning strictly as a standard Irish-Chinese takeaway, the family operates it as a pan-Asian establishment with strong emphasis on Malaysian specialities (such as curry mee, sambal dishes, and satay) alongside regional Chinese, Thai, and Japanese offerings.
Local Expansion: Yoon Phin Chew established the Trim operation in 2006. Following its success on Bridge Street, the family later expanded the brand to a second location in Ratoath, County Meath.
Wau Asian Cuisine
The unified deep plum/purple livery across all three facades was one of the most striking visual features of that corner of Bridge Street back in 2014. It created a continuous ribbon of colour tying the terrace right down to the river wall and the bridge abutment.
The Harvest Home Bakery & Café (which was run by bakery chef Alan Reilly) was a fixture on that row, known for its artisan breads, daily bakes, and lunch trade. Over time, that specific business ceased trading. The premises subsequently transitioned into The Olive Tree, an Italian café, bistro, and tapas bar, which took over the spot on the terrace beside Wau and Sally Rogers.
Along with the change of occupancy, the bold matching purple across the terrace eventually gave way to separate identities and softer, more individual exterior paint schemes. Back around Christmas 2014, though, that shared palette made the entire three-bay river approach look like a single, sculpted block stepping down toward the Boyne.
Sally's Riverside Bar & Cafe (traditionally known as Sally Rogers Bar) occupies a prominent position on the western approach to the river crossing.
The premises operates both as a traditional public house and riverside cafe, featuring a rear terrace suspended over the River Boyne with clear sightlines towards Trim Castle.
The property has maintained continuous operation under the Sally Rogers identity while modernising its daytime offering and riverside viewing decks
Wau Asian Cuisine continues to trade next door at Bridge Street, offering a menu spanning Chinese, Malaysian, and broader pan-Asian dishes.
Established in Trim in the late 2000s, it expanded its footprint over the years while maintaining sit-in dining and takeaway services.
The restaurant's building forms an integral element of the unbroken 19th-century streetscape fronting the bridge approach.
Ireland's Oldest Bridge (Trim Bridge, or the Old Bridge) crosses the River Boyne immediately outside both premises.
Dating from between 1330 and 1393, it replaced an earlier wooden crossing destroyed by catastrophic flooding and is widely documented as the oldest unaltered stone bridge still carrying traffic in Ireland.
Built from local limestone rubble with pointed cutwaters and four segmental arches, it historically linked the walled Anglo-Norman borough surrounding Trim Castle on the south bank with St Mary's Abbey and the northern settlements.
The structure retains its original medieval fabric, having resisted modern widening schemes that altered most contemporaneous crossings across the Pale.
Is the restaurant actually owned by a Chinese Family
Yes, the restaurant is a family-owned business run by the Chew family (led by head chef and director Yoon Phin Chew, alongside family members including Yuk Wan Chiew).
A few specific details regarding the family and business background:
Malaysian-Chinese Heritage: The owners are of Malaysian-Chinese descent. This background directly shapes the identity and menu of the business; the name "Wau" refers to the Wau bulan, the traditional Malaysian crescent-moon kite that features in the restaurant's branding.
Cuisine Style: Rather than functioning strictly as a standard Irish-Chinese takeaway, the family operates it as a pan-Asian establishment with strong emphasis on Malaysian specialities (such as curry mee, sambal dishes, and satay) alongside regional Chinese, Thai, and Japanese offerings.
Local Expansion: Yoon Phin Chew established the Trim operation in 2006. Following its success on Bridge Street, the family later expanded the brand to a second location in Ratoath, County Meath.
Wau Asian Cuisine
The unified deep plum/purple livery across all three facades was one of the most striking visual features of that corner of Bridge Street back in 2014. It created a continuous ribbon of colour tying the terrace right down to the river wall and the bridge abutment.
The Harvest Home Bakery & Café (which was run by bakery chef Alan Reilly) was a fixture on that row, known for its artisan breads, daily bakes, and lunch trade. Over time, that specific business ceased trading. The premises subsequently transitioned into The Olive Tree, an Italian café, bistro, and tapas bar, which took over the spot on the terrace beside Wau and Sally Rogers.
Along with the change of occupancy, the bold matching purple across the terrace eventually gave way to separate identities and softer, more individual exterior paint schemes. Back around Christmas 2014, though, that shared palette made the entire three-bay river approach look like a single, sculpted block stepping down toward the Boyne.
SALLY ROGERS BAR