Craster and the Snowy Owl

Welcome to our first guest blog for Your Northumberland. First, a little introduction. I’m Harriet, chief writer and restaurant-picker, whilst Alex is chief route planner and pub finder. We are adopted Geordies, having lived in Newcastle for 4 years. We love the outdoors and food, luckily these two go hand-in-hand in this part of the world. This is our Northumberland...  For our first blogging ,adventure we decided to go up to one of our favourite parts of the coast; Craster. 

 The plan was to walk the 5 mile path up along the coast to Dunstanburgh Castle and back across the farm track. According to our AA walking guide taking 1hour 45 minutes, leaving plenty of time for a hearty pub lunch at the Jolly Fisherman, or so we thought. We whizzed up the A1 in Derek’s little KA (we take our friend Derek walking with us when we can’t find a dog to adopt) and soon arrived at Craster- about 45 minute drive from Newcastle. We parked in the car park for a reasonable £2 all day fee and started our walk, first down to the harbour. 

A short break at the harbour, to take some photos and for some faffing whilst Derek runs back to the car park to check he’s locked his car, and we are on our way again. We soon join a muddy path of families and fishermen trekking across the fields, the former wrapped up warm in colourful hats and scarves, the latter carrying bucket loads of tackle. For some reason it doesn’t seem right to be amongst a crowd on our frosty Sunday stroll, so we drop down to the rock pools to the right of the path, which are just beginning to ice over. 

It is down here where we get our first majestic view of the skeletal like structure that is Dunstanburgh Castle. You can’t help but imagine how imposing and incredible it must have been in its hay day. We rejoin the footpath further up the coast and walk up to the ruined castle. We don’t however pay to go in like most, in my opinion the real beauty is to be seen from the outside (plus we were saving our pennies for lunch). 

Walking round the side of the castle was one of the trickier mud negotiations, but we made it. Embleton bay appears around the corner and it would be hard to suppress the child-like urge to run around kicking up sand. This is one of our favourite beaches in Northumberland and I am not disappointed even in the icy conditions. In the past we have continued walking up to Newton by the Sea to the Ship Inn, but hunger calls and we decide to continue along our mapped route and walk back to Craster. 

We up the pace when we realise it is approaching 2pm. Past the golfers, through a farm and along the farm track; we turn around and head back South. Being set back from the coast by about ½ mile we appreciate the beauty of Dunstanburgh Castle from new angles; it really is my favourite castle. The path hooks a left and takes us over the Heughes which are really quite an impressive natural landscape. Some minor map negotiation errors cause us to head purposefully towards a new stone wall which isn’t on the map- watch out for this! We arrived back to the sleepy fishing town at 3pm exactly, just missing last orders for food at the Jolly Fisherman, which stop, at 3pm, exactly.

I do aim to support local, especially as part of my job at Taste North East www.tastenortheast.co.uk but they make it so difficult sometimes with their opening hours! Instead we head back to the car and off to the Snowy Owl at Blagdon. Part of the Vintage Inn chain the Snowy Owl lacks seaside charm but at least we can count on it being open, at what I would class as optimum Sunday lunch time. 

We pop ourselves down at a table, noticeably much more mucky than the other diners, and there is that great smell of an open fire crackling away somewhere in the large pub. They have actually just done the pub out, to coincide with the opening of Northumberlandia right on its doorstep, and it does have a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We order, to my disappointment not a single local producer on the menu as far (as I could see) and eagerly await our food. I go for a duo of venison (just to play the wild card) and the boys opt for classic gammon and chips.

The food was just slightly above average. The mash tasted like smash and the venison shepherd’s pie thing added absolutely nothing to the plate. However the venison itself was tasty and I can’t remember the last time or if I’ve ever had venison before so I was happy to give that a go. Peas are peas. Apparently the gammon was good and came with both egg and pineapple which is always a bonus, although it did leave Alex and Derek still hungry. Our waitress was friendly and service was quick, we also had a 20% discount voucher which came in handy.

Our advice to you would be; wear wellies and get up early so that you make lunch at the Jolly Fisherman! Enjoy!

Harriet and Alex

For more information about Craster and Dunstanburgh Castle visit our Craster Guide!

The Coquetvale Hotel in Rothbury - Sunday Carvery

Sunday Lunch at the Coquetvale Hotel

I'm not going to go into full details here as we've reviewed the wonderful Italian restaurant at The Coquetvale Hotel in Rothbury before. When we heard that they were now offering a carvery on a Sunday we just had to check it out and we were not disappointed! It's the same high standards we've come to expect from Chris and his friendly team and is surely an early contender for the best Sunday Lunch in Northumberland title that will once again be decided by the year end! High praise indeed.

Starters were very reasonably priced, well presented and extremely tasty. The pate can be seen below and we can also recommend the crab cake which was particularly delicious (and generous in size!).

The star of the show is definitely the carvery, everything is served to you by the friendly chef.... he even carried my mum's plate to the table for her! There was a choice of beef (medium or well done - something I've only seen at one other carvery in Northumberland - the award winning Battlesteads Hotel in Wark), turkey and a glazed ham. I had a mix of ham and beef and both meats were a delight. On top of what you can see below vegetables were then brought to the table, carrots, broccoli, french beans, more potatoes and creamed leeks in a cheese sauce, all wonderful!

Desserts also sounded delightful, but we simply didn't have room! This was an outstanding lunch, you simply must visit.

Contact Details
Restaurant Italia Plus at The Coquetvale Hotel

Station Road
Rothbury
Northumberland
NE65 7QH

Tel: 01669 622900
Fax: 01669 620379

email: stay@cvhotel.co.uk
Web: www.coquetvale.co.uk

The Kitchen Garden at Meldon Park

It wasn't long ago that Meldon Park was featured on Channel 4's "A Country House Rescue" so we thought we'd pop in and see how The Kitchen Garden was shaping up. From talking to friends and family the Park doesn't seem to be very well known yet, it's located on the road out towards Wallington from through Mitford, just 6 or 7 miles from Morpeth and the A1.

The Estate really is a beautiful location for a tea room and they have certainly made the most of it, the cafe is in the warm conservatory overlooking a lovely walled garden, which visitors are free to explore. The Cafe is run by Emily Cookson who also knows how to put on a warm welcome, so nice was the atmosphere we decided to stay for lunch. Prices in the cafe are quite competitive with a range of home-made light lunches, cakes, tea and coffees etc offering good value for money. I ordered a cappuccino and the bacon and sausage sandwhich which was swiftly brought out and came with a fresh side salad. For a weekday that was fast approaching Winter there were plenty of people enjoying their lunch and wandering in the garden.

Admittedly it wasn't the best time of year for plant life when we called in, but it was still a nice little walk around the garden after a warming lunch. You can really see the work that they have put in - and just how much of their own produce that is used in the cafe.

The gift shop as you enter to the left is also impressive, filled with festive treats and gifts - if you can't find something you like here there really is something wrong with you! They have a really good range of local crafts and produce to choose from. With a Christmas Fair coming on the 8th and 9th December (entry £4, children free) this might be the ideal time to give the Kitchen Garden at Meldon Park a try for yourself.

We really enjoyed our visit and will definitely be back!

Contact Details
Meldon Park
Morpeth,
Northumberland,
NE61 3SW

Tel 01670 772 321
Email mrscookson@compuserve.com
Website www.meldonpark.co.uk

A Visit to the Congregational in Rothbury

The Congregational Art Gallery and Cafe in Rothbury

We've known about the Congregational Art Gallery for a while and it's one of those places that we've been meaning to visit for ages - a week or so ago we finally got round to it - and we are so glad we did, what a hidden treasure!

Open from March until December in the beautiful Village of Rothbury, the Congregational Art Gallery (pictured left) bills itself as 'Contemporary British Art with a Northern Edge'. You'll find the gallery at the far West of the Village, set back off the main road that leads through to Thropton, just passed the majority of the shops on the high street. Rothbury has more than its fair share of churches and from the outside you would think that this was another place of worship.... but oh no!

The gallery is really successful as a contemporary space for art, despite its classic Grade II listed setting. We were particularly impressed with the good use of  natural light giving a bright and airy feel to the art on display.

It was the Winter Exhibition that we saw, showcasing local and international artists from the finest ceramics and glassware to high quality prints and even a selection of greetings cards and gifts. The cosy seating area with a roaring fire was a really nice touch so we decided to stop for lunch while we were there. The Congregational cafe offers a limited menu in the off-season, with a choice of soups, scones and cakes with a range of coffees available when we visited.

We opted for the spiced lentil soup with a cheese and chive scone and pumpkin seed topping and the mushroom soup with home made bread. Cappuccinos were expertly made and delivered to us in no time, what a winter warmer this light lunch turned out to be! Beautifully spiced soup and a scone as light as a feather, just delicious.

We then took the opportunity to browse the wonderful gallery, there are plenty of talking points here and we had plenty of different opinions on the pieces, but that's the beauty of art. We had a fantastic hour or so at the gallery and would definitely recommend a visit if you're in the Rothbury area. Rothbury really does punch above its weight with many independent retailers, galleries and a great cafe culture and the Congregational stands amongst them perfectly. I'll leave you with a few photos of the gallery and their contact details at the bottom of the page.

Contact Details

The Congregational Art Gallery and Cafe

Upper High Street

Rothbury

Northmberland

NE65 7TL

01669 621900

www.thecongregational.org.uk 

info@thecongregational.org.uk

Review: La Bodega Mediterranean Tapas, Morpeth

La Bodega Mediterranean Tapas in Morpeth

For me having tapas isn't just a meal, it's a joyous social occasion that brings back so many great memories. Thoughts of holidays long passed, of sitting grazing into the wee hours in some very special places. Of Spanish friends that I love dearly, of sharing their spectacular food in their homes and being welcomed and treated as if part of their family. Just mention tapas and you'll get a big old smile from me. So it was with a great sense of pleasure and excitement that I booked a meal at La Bodega Mediterranean Tapas in Morpeth. Located on the main road into (or out of) Morpeth, La Bodega occupies a former pub building and is intimately decorated and a good atmosphere.

There is subtle lighting in the evening, especially in the corner where we were seated so I really must apologise for the awful standard of photographs of the food. They really don't do justice to what we were served, but you can get the idea of portion size and presentation. We were warmly greeted on this Saturday evening by friendly staff that showed us to our table and we ordered bread and ali-oli while we perused the menu. What a great start this proved to be! I sometimes find ali-oli can be two overpowering and a little bitter, but not the La Bodega way! A smooth, subtle flavour of garlic with a hint of herbs with crusty bread still warm out of the oven and I was in appetiser heaven, this bodes well I thought.

Stack of Nachos - £4.75

We decided to order the Stack of Nachos as a starter before the main tapas event. What came out was easily enough for two people to share with an abundance of toppings including a fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, jalepenos, plenty of cheese and a wonderful surprise of re-fried beans underneath. Two out of two so far for La Bodega, I was beginning to get that buzz of excitement that comes with finding a great little foodie mecca. For our main course of tapas we ordered the Piri Piri Chicken, Albondigas (meatballs), Chorizo a la Riojana and Patatas Bravas. What a feast! The chicken was juicy and tender with a good hit of chilli, the chorizo packed with flavour and a delicious sauce from the Rioja.

Meatballs are possibly my favourite part of any tapas meal and a good barometer of a chef's skill and these were particularly good, a gentle sauce accompanied a generous portion and every drop was excitedly mopped up with the left over bread. The star of the meal however is definitely that ali-oli, the patatas bravas came smothered in it, coating the spicy tomato sauce.

Tapas selection at La Bodega

So gentle and so smooth, it soothed the chilli kick from the piri piri chicken perfectly, I couldn't get enough of it. I genuinely hope that it's made on-site otherwise I think I would be a little disappointed - I have enquired but as yet haven't had a reply, I'll keep you posted! The dessert menu was brought to our table on a blackboard, a fairly limited but nice choice, we went for the apple tart and the bread and butter pudding. Both were enjoyed but they didn't quite reach the culinary heights of the meal before it. The atmosphere by now on a Saturday evening was buzzing, a really nice mix of people out to have a good sociable meal.


Needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at La Bodega, but that's not to say it was without fault... our table was really quite wobbly and our main tapas was brought to us before we'd finished the nachos we had ordered as a starter (not the standard tapas route I know). The meatballs could have been a tiny bit lighter in consistency, but that's being really nit picky and none of it mattered in the slightest - it's tapas! Our meal of appetiser and three courses with drinks for two people came to around £45 which in my book is pretty good value considering the quality of the food.

La Bodega Mediterranean Tapas' Scores
Venue: 3 and 1/2 out of 5
Ambience: 4 our of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Presentation: 4 out of 5
Taste: 4 and 1/2 out of 5
Value for Money: 4 out of 5

Overall Score:  With offers like three tapas for a tenner in the afternoon/early evening and a sharing menu at £15.95 there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't eat here, even if you've never tried tapas before. Morpeth really does deliver on international cuisine, so give it a try, I'm quite convinced you won't be disppointed. 4 out of 5.

My scoring system explained: 1 = Poor, 2 = Average, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent, 5 = Outstanding

Contact Details
84 Newgate Street
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 1BU

Tel: 01670 516055
email: info@labodegamorpeth.co.uk

Web: www.labodegamorpeth.co.uk

Review: The Three Wheat Heads Inn, Thropton, Nr Rothbury

I have really fond memories of visiting The Three Wheat Heads Inn many years ago when I was a kid, we used to go regularly for Sunday lunch as a family in the 80's. It's strange what you remember with crystal clarity from your childhood, I remember the car park at the front and the panoramic view from the restaurant, but nothing of the food. So I had a quick chat with my mum before writing this review 'Why did we stop going to the Three Wheat Heads?' I asked her 'because it went crap' was her reply and she hasn't been back since the late 80's! She always did have a way with words and it just goes to show that it takes years to build up a good reputation, but just seconds to bring it crashing to the ground and that's what sticks.

I'm sure The Three Wheats Heads Inn has changed hands many times since I was last there, but what hasn't changed is that view. Oh what a view to behold, the Coquetdale Valley in all it's glory on a sunny day warms the soul and the restaurant uses this feature well. Large glass sliding doors open out to a garden area with seating and a little play area for the kids, you can't help but stop for a moment and just take it all in. It was a little overcast on the day we visited which was a shame as it would have been nice to show you this special place at it's very best.


On to the food, it was early Sunday afternoon and we hadn't booked a table in advance which wasn't a problem for the friendly lady who welcomed us into the restaurant. Had we been ten minutes later I don't think they would have been able to fit us in so I would recommend booking ahead. The carvery lunch comes in three sizes: small, medium and large so we promptly ordered two large meals and some drinks which were brought to our table. The large portion certainly lived up to it's billing. We were told we could go up to the carvery and we went for the 'bit of everything' option which consisted of beef, lamb, turkey, ham and roast pork with 8 roast potatoes, three home-made yorkshire puddings and stuffing! There was also a choice of three different types of gravy, one plain, one with mint added and one for vegetarians along with the usual array of condiments you would expect to see. Vegetables were brought to our table in a bowl, which I have never seen before in a carvery and did raise small concerns about wastage - I wouldn't have chosen to put all those veg on my plate.

It wasn't until we were up at the carvery that we saw there was a blackboard with a range of starters, which weren't mentioned when we arrived. As there was no menu given to us we had assumed that the carvery was all that was on offer and with a restaurant full of people they are potentially missing a lot of extra revenue here. Nevermind we thought, there was more than enough food to keep us going in front of us! All the meats were extremely tender and tasty with the roast potatoes being particularly good and the gravy (I had the plain) thick and rich.


Despite a really strong appetite we just couldn't get through all the lightly cooked vegetables that were brought to us, which as I mentioned earlier was a shame. A lot of effort has clearly been made by the current owners to make the restaurant a pleasant and relaxed dining area with modern furniture and fairly plain decoration, perhaps intentional to keep the attention on that view.


We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch (which was £9.95 for the large carvery) and had absolutely no room to even contemplate a dessert after such a gargantuan plate full. I've informed my mum that after her 25 year hiatus it's safe to go back to the Three Wheat Heads Inn. And so the long, slow process of building word of mouth and a good reputation is restarted and I wish them the very best of luck.


The Three Wheat Heads Inn's Scores
Venue: 4 out of 5
Ambience: 4 out of 5
Service: 2 ½ out of 5
Presentation: 3 ½ out of 5
Taste: 4 out of 5
Value for Money: 3 ½ out of 5



Overall Score: The Three Wheat Heads Inn have the advantage of an effortlessly beautiful location so it's hard not to recommend visiting for a Sunday lunch, or any other day of the week for that matter. The view will take your breath away, the front of house staff will welcome you and you will receive good, hearty food. It should certainly be on your list to consider for a good honest family meal. 3 ½ out of 5.

My scoring system explained: 1 = Poor, 2 = Average, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent, 5 = Outstanding

Contact Details
The Three Wheat Heads Inn
Thropton
Nr Rothbury
Northumberland
NE65 7LR

Tel: 01669 620262
email: info@threewheatheads.co.uk

Web: www.threewheatheads.co.uk

Review: Restaurant Italia Plus at the Coquetvale Hotel, Rothbury

For such a small place Rothbury has a surprising number of places to eat and drink and a good variety of cuisine to choose from. There are plenty of pubs, an Indian restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a variety of cafes and tearooms. On this occasion we decided it was time to revisit Restaurant Italia Plus at the Coquetvale Hotel which is located just a short distance from the River Coquet. We visited on a Thursday evening and received a warm welcome from the staff behind the bar who asked if we had booked a table. To be honest we hadn't considered booking, but fortunately they were able to squeeze us in provided that we were able to vacate our table by 8pm. As we had arrived early (approx 6.15pm) we thought this would be no problem and as we were to soon find out, Restaurant Italia Plus is certainly a popular place to dine. The interior is unexpectedly grand to say the least with it's high ceilings, beautiful cornicing and softly lit intimate atmosphere. First impressions are really important and it would be difficult not to be pleased with the stylish look and feel of the restaurant and the friendliness of the welcome.

Potato Skins Starter (£3.95)

We were given our menus and the special 'early bird' offer was explained, if you order your main course between 5pm and 6.30pm the price you pay is the time you order! We didn't know about the offer in advance so quickly made up our minds, there was still plenty to choose from on this menu. Starters ranged from £1.95 to around £3.95 which we all agreed seemed extremely reasonable, we chose the home-made soup, potato skins and the pate between us. Our drinks arrived £14 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and £3.40 for a bottle of Peroni (sampled just to keep the Italian feel, of course...). The starter portions were generous and was pretty much exactly what we expected from the description on the menu.

Fresh Soup Starter (£2.95)

The potato skins were just that (not hollowed out jacket potatoes, thankfully!) with a good serving of dipping sauces and a light side salad. The fresh home-made soup was tasty and looked really quite appealing and the pate's proportions were well beyond it's £3.45 price tag. All starters were readily consumed and while they didn't deliver a huge amount of style or delicacy they were definitely flavoursome, delicious and extremely good value for money. By now the restaurant was almost packed to capacity with a really diverse clientèle - a 70th birthday family celebration on one table, lots of couples and a teenagers birthday meal on another. It all made for a bustling atmosphere without ever being too lively to overwhelm conversation.

After a brief wait it was on to the main event and we had chosen to sample: Pizza Pepperoni (Pepperoni sausage, chilli oil, red onion, grated mozzarella), Pollo Piccante (Roasted chicken breast with chorizo, roasted peppers, garlic and spicy tomato sauce) and Costada di Manzo al Diane (6oz rib-eye steak with sauce of mushrooms, French mustard, red wine and cream). All were priced at £6.25 as we ordered at, you guessed it 6.25pm and came with a choice of vegetables, chips or salad.

Pizza Pepperoni

I had the pizza and what can I say? It was a taste sensation, honestly one of the best pizzas I have had since sampling the world famous Lombardi's in New York's Little Italy, Americas first pizzeria. It was what was done differently here that made it so special, the red onions were slowly caramelised, not fresh and sharp which married with the flavour of the pepperoni beautifully. The light touch of chilli oil gave a bite that was softened by the herbs and creamy mozzarella, it is just a glorious combination of flavours that was bang on the mark. I am somewhat of a pizza fanatic so this is high praise indeed! Our other main courses were also very well executed including a very moist chicken breast with a rich tomato sauce and a steak cooked with precision, exactly as ordered.

By now we were approaching 7.45pm and we were very aware that we had agreed to leave our table by 8pm. We were asked if we would like to order a dessert and questioned whether or not we would have the time with the member of waiting staff. The lady who looked like she was in charge came over to us and said she had re-arranged the tables to accommodate us, should we wish to take our time over dessert. This was a lovely gesture and we decided to order just one dessert to share between us as the rest of the meal had been so substantial.

We opted for the Pear and Basil Tarte Tatin which was actually turned out to be the low point of the meal. We needn't have worried about the proportion of the dessert and the flavour was overpowered almost completely by the use of herbs. Add into this a slightly undercooked pastry base and I wasn't exactly enthralled by the end to our meal. My dining companion on the other hand said she thoroughly enjoyed it...
vive la différence... or whatever the Italian translation of this might be.

Restaurant Italia Plus' Scores
Venue: 4 out of 5
Ambience: 4 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Presentation: 3 ½ out of 5
Taste: 4 out of 5
Value for Money: 4 ½ out of 5

Overall Score: It's not the authentic Italian feel that you may get from such places as Marabini's or Gianni's in Morpeth, but the food elevates the restaurant way beyond this very slight niggle. A wonderful atmosphere in what is obviously a very popular restaurant delivered an excellent Italian Meal. 4 out of 5.

My scoring system explained: 5 = Outstanding, 4 = Excellent, 3 = Good, 2 = Average, 1 = Poor

Contact Details
Restaurant Italia Plus at The Coquetvale Hotel
Station Road
Rothbury
Northumberland
NE65 7QH

Tel: 01669 622900
Fax: 01669 620379

email: stay@cvhotel.co.uk

Web: www.coquetvale.co.uk

The Treehouse Restaurant at The Alnwick Garden - Review

Alnwick Castle from the approach to the Restaurant

However you approach The Treehouse Restaurant at The Alnwick Garden, you cannot fail to be impressed by what meets you. From the main town car park you walk by a beautiful view of Alnwick Castle which at this time of year is carpeted with spring bulbs and you get a sneak peak of the grand cascade of the garden. Even from the Garden’s main car park you have the imposing view of the Treehouse itself and its stylish decked entrance. If you weren’t excited about your meal when you set off you certainly will be when you arrive, it’s hard to imagine a more impressive and unique venue.

The Treehouse Restaurant

Once inside the Treehouse itself the sense of wonder continues, it’s a living landscape and offers a dining experience like no other anywhere in the world. The building was built around the trees, some of which now appear to grow through the floor and everywhere you look there is twisted bow and twig forming the walls. It’s hard to see where the building stops and the trees start, it’s such an elegant and natural setting with a roaring scented fire in the middle of the room and thousands of subtle lights intermingled within the branches. There’s a lot to take in and you may find yourself stopping and staring in wonder when you walk through the door, until a member of staff politely gets your attention!

We had a table for four booked for a Sunday lunch, our coats were taken and we were shown to our table by the fire in the centre of the room. I slid along the bench to sit with my back to the fire and it was an unfortunate coincidence that both myself and my father who were seated here both suffer from bad backs. Within in a couple of minutes I became uncomfortably warm with the fire being no more than 2 feet away and the concrete lip of the fireplace was in my lower back with no support above it. We quickly realised that we wouldn’t be able to comfortably enjoy a long, relaxed meal at this table and made the awkward decision to ask to be moved. We were one of the first groups to arrive and the staff were incredibly accommodating so it wasn’t an issue at all despite our waiter’s joke ‘yes we can move you to a table just outside the door’. He really deserved praise for how he interacted with us and the tables around us, he had just the right balance of friendliness and cheeky humour without ever overstepping the mark. The service we received throughout the meal was almost faultless.

Inside the Treehouse Restaurant

At our new table we relaxed and perused the menu which was cram packed with local and seasonal produce, which was excellent to see. Local produce included Brinkburn Goats Cheese, Swallow's Smoked Haddock, Doddington Dairy Ice Cream, Northumbrian Cheeses and sustainably sourced fish.

I found myself distracted by the beauty of the room and had to keep drawing myself back to the task in hand – choosing from the extensive Sunday Lunch menu. We all commented that it was nice to see menu where we were tempted by so many dishes, it was genuinely a difficult decision to make for each course. Around the table we had the Goats Cheese and the Treehouse Terrine for starters. The generous portion of Terrine was pork and duck wrapped in bacon and served with salad, a sauce and toasted brioche. The goats cheese was equally generous in size and served with salad, beetroot chutney and a basil and balsamic dressing. The quality of ingredients, particularly in the terrine shone through with an excellent depth of flavour and simple, clean presentation.

On to the main courses, being Sunday most of our party opted for the roast dinner (beef and pork) and we also had one chicken. I’ll get the one downside of the meal straight out of the way, the topside of beef was extremely tasty but by no stretch of the imagination could it be described as tender. The pork however was a delight, so tender it barely managed to hold its form and served with a delicious honey crunch mustard and apple sauce. Each plate was cleanly presented with the meat of choice, several roast potatoes, mashed potato, a huge homemade Yorkshire pudding and in the case of the beef a good serving of extremely tasty, rich gravy. Vegetables for the table of four came in a small cast iron pot and consisted of mange tout, French beans, broccoli, carrots and courgette. When they arrived I was concerned that there might not be enough for four, but as it turned out it was just the right amount. The trend recently with many restaurants is to provide an obscene amount of food in an attempt to give the appearance of value for money, a wasteful bandwagon I'm pleased to say the Treehouse hasn't jumped on.

Roast Topside of Beef and homemade Yorkshire Pudding

The divine Sticky Toffee and Ginger Pudding

We were all extremely pleased with our main courses, the Roasted Supreme of Chicken came with a leek and herb crust, confit potato and a blue cheese sauce, a difficult dish to present well. It would have been rude not to have sampled a dessert, so after a short break we had a look at the menu. What choice! Classic dishes with a modern twist included Sticky Toffee and Ginger Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream, Treehouse Lemon Posset, Homemade Cheesecake, Dark Chocolate and Orange Tart and a Trio of Northumbrian Cheeses. I tend to rate a restaurant's desserts by the standard of their Sticky Toffee Pudding so the decision, for me at least, was straighforward.

As it turned out it was the highlight of the meal, the light pudding had a good warm hit of ginger which was balanced by the butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream perfectly. The addition of the ginger to the pudding was a new (to me) combination of flavours which made the taste buds sing and I will certainly be taking this idea away with me. The Cheesecake and Lemon Posset were also throroughly enjoyed with the posset having a consistency and smoothness close to a panna cotta. After all this wonderful cuisine we couldn't even manage to fit in a coffee to round off the meal, we were perfectly content.

It came time for us to head home and we could barely bring ourselves to leave the table, a sure sign of a great meal. We will be returning!

Highlight: The Treehouse itself, the food could be michelin standard and still easily be overshadowed by the pure genius of the venue.
Lowlight: It's being very nitpicky as we enjoyed the meal so much, but the tenderness of the roast topside of beef could be improved.

The Treehouse Restaurant’s Scores
Venue: 5 out of 5
Ambience: 4 ½ out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Presentation: 3 ½ out of 5
Taste: 4 out of 5
Value for Money: 3 ½ out of 5

Overall Score: Sunday Lunch at The Treehouse cost £22.75 for three courses or £18.50 for two courses. In my view this prices the restaurant into the ‘special occasion’ category, regular dining here might be somewhat extravagant and beyond the means of a lot of people especially in these hard times. That’s not to say I wouldn’t consider it to be reasonable value for money, the special venue certainly justifies (in my mind) a large part of the premium you’re paying. It’s the kind of dining experience that you’ll remember for a long time, the stuff great memories are made of and in my mind you can’t put a price tag on that. 4 ½ out of 5

My scoring system explained:
5 = Outstanding
4 = Excellent
3 = Good
2 = Average
1 = Poor

Review: Jolly Fisherman, Craster

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THE JOLLY FISHERMAN HAS CHANGED HANDS SINCE WE WROTE THIS REVIEW - MANY THANKS.

The Jolly Fisherman is located in the beautiful fishing village of Craster, which just happens to be the starting point for one of my favourite walks. Nothing can beat a ramble along the rocky outcrops to the majestic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle and on to the beautiful sands of Embleton Bay. On a crisp day the views are simply stunning, but you'll probably need to sit by a roaring fire afterwards to help thaw out your limbs.

This is where the Jolly Fisherman comes in, it's right on the harbour and has fantastic clear views out to sea. When we arrived the fire was indeed roaring and there were many walkers warming themselves (and their dogs - allowed in the bar) with a hot drink and a meal.  The menu, as you would expect, consists mainly of fish dishes and seafood. If you're not a lover of the fresh catches from our great seas I would recommend you look elsewhere, I counted two options that didn't contain fish. We were looking for a light lunch so we ordered fish goujons with chips (£8.50) and the pea and leek soup (£3.95) with a side order of chips (£2.95) and took a seat by the window to admire the sea cascading over the rocks by the harbour.

It genuinely is a wonderful vantage point and we did enjoy the uninterrupted views, unfortunately the food couldn't quite live up to the surroundings. I'm afraid to say there is no other way to describe the soup presented to me other than 'poor'. It was essentially a bowl of what tasted like luke warm tinned peas with two strands of leek running through it, it even tasted as though the tinned pea juices had been used as stock. The chips came in a separate bowl, were meagre in portion size, slightly undercooked and oily. The cost for these two items alone came to £6.90, simply not good enough quality to justify half that price tag.  The fish goujons were a vast improvement over the soup and were tasty, but did come with the same oily (and often black) chips.

Unfortunately after a few mouthfuls of peas I couldn't stomach any more and had to leave half the bowl (and I really hate to leave food to go to waste). I can only hope that the other fish specials on the board are of a much higher quality than the food we were given. We went to the bar to pay and I was ready to give honest feedback about the quality of the meals we had been served. The bar staff however didn't ask if we had enjoyed our meals or if everything had been OK, they seemed very keen to take the payment without conversation. We left still hungry, with a slightly bitter taste in our mouths and a much lighter wallet.

Highlight: The wonderful vantage point that the Jolly Fisherman offers and the warm and cosy (dog friendly) bar area.
Lowlight: Disappointing food quality and service.

The Jolly Fisherman’s Scores
Venue: ***1/2
Ambience: ***1/2
Service: *
Presentation: *
Taste: *
Value for Money: *1/2

Overall Score: I would recommend the Jolly Fisherman as a brilliant stop off point after a bracing walk along the coast. A warm drink by the fire or sitting and watching  the waves crash over the harbour walls with a pint, it doesn't get much better than that. However, based on what we ate I couldn't honestly recommend the food, it was in my opinion of poor quality and didn't represent good value for money. *1/2

My scoring system explained:
***** Outstanding **** Excellent *** Good ** Average * Poor

Number 19 at The Close House Hotel, Heddon on the Wall - Best Sunday Lunch Campaign Review

Number 19 at The Close House Hotel, Heddon on the Wall
As we approached the entrance to the Close House Hotel, the location of Number 19, it was late afternoon and the low winter sun was just above tree level with a gentle mist starting to form. The beautiful half mile tree-lined driveway certainly gives an air of exclusivity to your arrival for Sunday Lunch. We parked in a car park full of very expensive cars and suddenly wondered if we had come under dressed for the occasion! As it happens we hadn't, the venue was relaxed and friendly, and without exageration absolutely stunning.

The approach to Number 19, which is a separate building entirely to the Close House Hotel, opens out to reveal an uninterupted view of the Tyne Valley. The low afternoon sun highlighted the forming mist in the Valley, giving it an ethereal glow. We stood and took in the glory of this view for a while and as we were a few minutes early had a walk around to the front of the building. You really couldn't ask for a better location, the flocks of starlings were in their pre-roost dance of murmuration above the surrounding fields which provided a magical natural spectacle. It was almost a shame to go inside, however one of the main strengths of Number 19 came in to play when we were seated at our table by the huge wall of glass - the glory of the valley was still perfectly on display from the inside, too.

Inside Number 19 the bar area and restaurant are split into two by the bar itself, with the restaurant area large enough to be used as a function room. The decor is modern and the chair covers gave the feel of an evening wedding function, if anything it felt a little on the corporate side. Perhaps the interior was left this way to provide a more plain backdrop to the amazing view, my gaze was continually drawn outside. We almost forgot we were there to eat! For our starters we chose the twice baked cheese souffle and the smooth chicken liver pate with a pear chutney. Both were of a very high standard although for the very generous portion of pate there wasn't quite enough bread for me. The pate itself was incredibly smooth and the pear chutney beautifully spiced, the mix of flavours were considered and well balanced, this is clearly a chef with a delicate hand. My dining partner enquired as the plates were cleared as to which cheeses had been used in the souffle, the waitress returned from the kitchen to let us know it was a Northumbrian Cheddar and a parmesan.

For our main course I chose the roast leg of Ingram Valley lamb and my dining partner the red onion tarte tatin. The dishes quickly arrived on extremely hot plates, so hot that the waitress couldn't pick up the dish from the tray she brought it out on. She fetched a serviette and quickly placed my main course in front of me.

There was again a very generous portion of lamb which included a large dark piece from the outside of the joint which didn't improve the presentation of the dish. It did however provide a good kick of flavour. The vegetables came in a bowl of their own, carrots, peas, boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage all simply cooked to allow the full flavour to shine. I don't think that my Yorkshire pudding was reflective of the standard that the restaurant usually delivers as we saw so many towering puddings go by. Mine was unfortunately smaller and still a little doughy in the middle, a real shame. I would also have liked a little more gravy but there were no staff around and I didn't want to leave my meal to go cold so I tucked in. The red onion tarte tatin was presented beautifully and was a light and welcome alternative to the standard roast.

After finishing our main courses we decided to end the meal there so that we could more easily compare the dining experience with the other three finalists. We eventually got a member of staff's attention to let them know we had finished and asked for the bill, which we paid at the bar. Two courses at Number 19 cost £15.95 and three courses £18.95, which was slightly more expensive than the published price on the website. A pint of lager cost £4.50.

Summary
A stunning location for a meal, simply breathtaking. An excellent use of local produce throughout the menu celebrated the best ingredients that Northumberland has to offer.

Highlight: You simply won't dine with a better view anywhere.
Lowlight: Service throughout the dining experience was a little sparse.


Contact Details
Close House Hotel
Heddon on the Wall
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 0HT
Sat Nav – NE41 8BL

TEL      01661 852255
WEB     www.closehouse.co.uk/golf/the-clubhouse/
EMAIL events@closehouse.co.uk

The Running Fox, Felton - Best Sunday Lunch Campaign Review

The Running Fox, Felton

Located in the lovely Village of Felton, fairly central in Northumberland between Alnwick and Morpeth, The Running Fox occupies an enviable position overlooking the River Coquet. It is a small and chic country-style cafe that also has an on-site artisan bakery making a wide range of artisan breads, pies, cakes and scones. All of which are beautifully displayed in the window and behind the main counter and entice you into the cafe with their aroma and appearance. The nomination process revealed an amazing passion amongst the local villages for the Running Fox, many saying that it had 'transformed the Village' since it was taken over by the current proprietors at the start of the year. 

Having booked well ahead, we were shown to our table which had our name and time of booking written on a small chalk board. A very efficient idea for a venue that's on the smaller side compared to our other finalists, as it allowed the table to be used prior to our arrival, whilst still letting people know the table was booked. The Cafe was buzzing with energy with a lot of the tables chatting amongst each other, it was obvious that a lot of clients were regulars and knew each other and the staff very well, there wasn't a free seat in the house. The menu had a good choice for each course and we were very plesantly surprised with the value for money the lunch menu offered, just £10.50 if you wanted to have the full three courses! We also really liked the idea of being able to have a 'trio of meats' for a main course, giving the flexibility and choice akin to a carvery, with just a 50p supplement on the price (and at no extra cost if taken with two, or three courses).

We chose our starters which included the Leek and Potato Soup and the Smoked Salmon and Brown Bread Platter, both of which were delicious and came with a large portion of home-made bread. After a short while our main courses were ready, I had ordered the lamb and my eating partners the beef and the chicken breast with sage and onion. The meat and Yorkshire puddings were brought out on each plate surrounded by a dark, thick gravy. The vegetables were next, a mixture of roasted veg served in a lovely Le Creuset style pot, a bowl of sugar snap peas and french beans and finally a large oval dish of cauliflower cheese which had been nicely browned on top. It was good to know all the meat and veg on the plate had been locally sourced.

All were beautifully presented and the portion sizes were more than enough for our group to have a good second helping of veg. The lamb I had was wonderful, a really nice strong flavour which was enhanced by a rich, thick gravy and a good lashing of mint sauce. The other members of the group also reported tender and flavourful meat with one remarking that 'I couldn't have made it better myself', high praise indeed! The only possible piece of constructive criticism we could think of was that the plates the main course were served on could have been hotter, to help keep the food warmer for the slow eaters amongst us. This was not an issue for me personally, the food didn't stay on the plate long enough to go cold!

The staff were incredibly friendly throughout, checking everything was OK and if we needed more drinks, you certainly got the feeling that they cared and nothing would have been too much trouble for them. While we sat contentedly letting our main course settle the chef came out into the shop and gave a toddler a bag of stale bread to go and feed the ducks with by the river. It's little things like this that give you that warm feeling inside about an establishment and make you want to come back. As was the trend throughout our visits to the four finalists we didn't have room for dessert! I can however attest to the quality and excellence of the cakes (and artisan breads) from subsequent visits.

The price for their Sunday Lunch is £6.50 for a main course, £8.50 for two courses and £10.50 for three courses. They also offer a small portion of each main course for just £4. The Running Fox does not serve alcoholic drinks, but has a nice range of unusual soft drinks, teas and coffees and is also a newsagent.

Summary

This Sunday Lunch was the cheapest of our four finalists, in one case almost half the price another. We are thrilled to say that this was in no way reflected in the quality or quantity of the meal. We now understand perfectly why the locals are so ecstatic to have The Running Fox in their Village.

Highlight: The excellent value for money and friendly atmosphere.

Lowlight: Not being able to take the entire cake and bread counter home with me!

Contact Details
The Running Fox
2-4 Riverside
Felton
Northumberland
NE65 9EA

TEL 01670 787 090
WEB www.facebook.com/therunningfox
EMAIL runningfoxcafe@gmail.com

Battlesteads Hotel, Wark, Nr Hexham - Best Sunday Lunch Campaign Review

The Battlesteads Hotel, Wark, Nr Hexham
A beautifully clear and sunny Autumn day was perfect weather to enjoy the scenic drive out to the Village of Wark, the location of The Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant. It's just a short drive from Hexham, a few miles North along the country lanes where we found The Battlesteads on the outskirts of an idyllic rural Village. The welcome we received from the staff behind the bar was just as warm and comfortable as the atmosphere inside, the bar area itself is full of character and very nicely presented.



We ordered drinks and then were given the option of sitting in the restaurant or the conservatory to dine. As it was such a fantastic day we opted for the bright and comfortable conservatory that looked out onto a lovely walled garden area. We watched the many birds fluttering about the garden, on and off the numerous feeders and commented on how wonderful the outside space would be in summer. We were given our menus by a very personable member of staff that we had a chat with for a few minutes. We talked about lack of mobile signal in the Village and how the Hotel has wireless broadband in the bar area, but the signal won't go through the thick stone walls and reach where we were sitting.

We knew from the large number of nominations we received that The Battlesteads grow their own vegetables, but it wasn't until we were there talking to the staff that we realised just how deep this commitment goes. All the salad, fruit and vegetables are grown on site and their care for the environment is literally second to none. Two days prior to our visit the Hotel had won a prestigious Responsible Tourism Award for being 'Best Accommodation for the Environment' beating competition from such giants of the industry as the Savoy in London and other major hotels around the world.

We chose from the extensive menu and ordered our starters which were the Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup and a Salad of Baked Squash, Prosciutto and Pecorino Cheese with a Balsamic Dressing. The starters arrived with a mixture of home-made bread presented on a slate with pieces of butter that were a little on the hard side. The presentation of the Salad of Baked Squash in particular was fantastic, the beautiful colours of the dish were matched by the delicate balance of flavours perfectly. My soup was piping hot, plentiful and full of hearty garlic flavour which went perfectly with the variety of bread.

There were plenty of choices for the main course other than the option of carvery which was nice to see, but we had to sample the traditional Sunday lunch. When we approached the carvery area we were greeted by a cheerful chef and four of the largest joints of meat you will ever see. Two of the joints were local beef, one cooked beautifully to medium, perfectly evenly pink throughout and the other was cooked 'well done'. What a brilliant idea this is, beef is usually only served well cooked through at a carvery and I've certainly never seen this option anywhere else before. The other joints on offer were a delicious looking turkey and roast pork with crackling and stuffing.

We both opted for the medium beef which was expertly carved, I had a mixture of this and the roast pork. The chef then talked us through the vegetables on offer which included duck fat roast potatoes, carrot and swede, broccoli and cauliflower cheese and pan fried sprouts with bacon. You could also help yourself to the giant Yorkshire puddings (or rather Geordie puddings, as I was corrected!) and were invited to come back and help ourselves to more should we wish to. There was then a member of staff by the gravy and sauces to explain what was available, I had some of the wonderful horseradish sauce to go with the beef.

There were plenty of staff in the restaurant, more than you would expect from an establishment of this size which made the service a joy to behold. We returned to our table and eagerly demolished the fantastic lunch that was before us. The meat was as tender as could be with a fullness of flavour to match, and the freshness of the vegetables shone through. This is precision cooking of the highest order and I honestly couldn't fault anything on the plate. After we had finished our main course we decided that we wouldn't be able to manage a dessert, we had seen several go by us and they did look lovely. We asked for the bill and with it came two small chocolates which we were told had been made by the owners wife, Dee. They were small chocolate cups covered in caramel and tiny edible gold stars, with an alcohol soaked cherry inside. They were so good that we asked if we would be able to buy half a dozen to take away with us. If the desserts are of the same standard as these chocolates then we really did miss out on a treat. We even overheard the table next to us discussing how fantastic the puddings are before they'd even ordered a starter! Our strange request for chocolates to take home was no problem at all and within minutes they were delivered in a beautiful wrapping to our table by Dee herself, who just asked that we make a donation to Children In Need rather than pay for them.

The price for this meal was £12.50 for two courses or £14.50 for three courses, with drinks being reasonably priced, particularly the Peroni.

Summary
An absolutely outstanding lunch in a restaurant that has an amazing ethos and commitment to local sourcing that goes well beyond the call of duty. Extremely friendly, knowledgeable and attentive staff made the whole meal a pleasurable experience.

Highlight: The stunningly tender beef and the freshness and flavour of the home-grown vegetables.
Lowlight: Not being able to fit in a dessert.

Contact Details
Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant
Wark on Tyne
nr Hexham
Northumberland
NE48 3LS

TEL (0)1434 230 209
WEB www.battlesteads.com
EMAIL info@battlesteads.com