Blackfriars

One of my favourite rstaurants in Newcastle, we went a few days ago for a mid week meal.

Bit of history...

Situated just off China town in Newcastle upon Tyne, and dating back to 1239, the restaurant claims to be the oldest in England, and was once a hostel accommodating Henry VIII, as well as being the refrectory for the monks. The site where the restaurant now stands was donated by three anonymous sisters and the first Mayor of newcastle, and when more donations came from local people and Henry III, the Blackfriars were established in the city.


The Restaurant

As I mentioned before, this is the oldest dining room in the UK with the main restaurant originally built to house the refectory for the Black friars and as a working inner-city former monastery. There is a horseshoe of buildings accessed off Stowell Street and through a gated area. These buildings house craft shops and there is a medieval courtyard for outdoor eating and drinking in the summer months.

There are two doors into the restaurant- the main door at the front and a side door which leads directly to the upper area. At the main front door we were greeted by the manager and quickly seated, having been given a choice of tables- this being mid week and 7pm, it wasn’t overly busy but it did quickly fill up with couples and groups of people. The wooden tables are dotted around the restaurant with high backed wooden but comfortacble chairs. There are inglenooks and hide away corners for more intimate dining but we chose a middle table as I like to have a good look around! However, for anyone wanting a romantic meal, it’s worth knowing that this restaurant was voted 6th most romantic in the country.

Around the walls are pictures and historical references with lots of wooden panelling and a general air of cosiness. The table mats are detailed maps of the local area with information on where the restaurant sources its food, usually from local farms and markets.

The menu...
The menu offers largely traditional British food including an a la carte, a set menu and an al fresco Terrace Menu, accompanied by a very large wine list and beer list- we actually commented that there was more choice of drink than there was of food! Reading through the menu is quite interesting because with all of the dishes comes a suggestion of what to drink, whether that be the type of wine beer or cider (never is a soft drink suggested).

We ate from the evening menu which firstly offers Aperitifs and nibbles and suggests, amongst others, Bone-dry Manzanilla Sherry from Andalucía, a glass of Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne, Kir Royal, a Gin & tonic or a local beer. No prices are quoted and since lots of drinks are suggested, it’s wise to refer to the drinks menu for prices!

Starters include: Broccoli & Yorkshire Blue cheese soup, crispy florets £4; Hot smoked Scottish salmon, apple & watercress, English mustard mayonnaise, £6 Pumpkin & rose petal tart, honey vinaigrette £6 (vegetarian).
We opted to go straight to the main course, and with offerings such as: Locally foraged mushroom, with Yorkshire blue & walnut Wellington, sage cream sauce, £9 (vegetarian); Poached Cumbrian chicken breast, stuffed with garden herbs, and served with braised little gem, girolle £13; Smoked North Sea cod, saffron spiced risotto, poached egg, curried garlic butter,£15 ; Tenderloin & braised belly of Durham pork, creamed sprouts & bacon, mash, sage jus, £16, it was quite a tricky choice. There is also the option to select Roast Lancashire suckling Pigge plus trimmings at the princely cost of £240 but serving up to 12 people. Himself opted for the Loin of Scottish venison served with truffle &celeriac mash, and wilted spinach, Port sauce,£17 whilst i went for theHadrian Heritage ribeye steak, with hand cut chips, roast tomatoes, and garlic butter, £19.

Side dishes include hand cut chips, creamy mash and seasonal veg at £3 and cauliflower chees, creamed sprouts and bacon at £4.

Puddings include: Lemon tart, orange sorbetat ; Vanilla rice pudding, cherry & brandy jam; Chocolate, caramel & hazelnut tart, vanilla cream; Crème brûlée, shortbread, mascarpone cream. They all cost £5 except the North of england cheese which is £8.

The food when it arrived after just the right wait, was beautifully presented and although the portion of venison (served pink as it should be), did look small, himself pronounced himself too full to finish the last of my steak which was done exactly as i had asked for it, and which was really tender. The chips were “proper” chips- hand cut and not at all greasy.

We had a really good coffee to finish off although had it not been mid week I believe I would have tried the Lindisfarne mead- next time...

We paid around the £60 mark for the food and drinks which included a couple of glasses of wine at £4 a glass and some of the locally brewed beer. Whilst it’s not the cheapest place to eat, the quality of food, service and surroundings makes this well worth it and good value for money.

Verdict...

Blackfriars was awarded ‘Best restaurant in the North East by readers of The Observer, Metro Newspaper, and Hi-Life Dining Club and has also gained an AA rosette, inclusion in the Which? Good Food Guide, Hardens and Michelin Guides. Given our experience in the restaurant, it’s not hard to understand why. The staff are friendly and professional and attentive without being over powering. The food is a great selection of fresh, local, organic and seasonal foods, all of which look and taste fresh and great quality. The drinks list will probably have something for everyone and the location, whilst being city centre, feels remote and countryfied.

A great restaurant and one which I would highly recommend., although I'm not dure it's the kind of lace you would go to with young children.

Thanks for reading.

Daniela xx