Chucho's, Byker, Newcastle Mexican restaurant review

Byker _____

If you’re of a particular age then it’s highly likely there's only one word you'd use to fill in the blank.

After nearly 20 years since it’s been on TV, Byker Grove and its motley crew of Spuggy, PJ, Duncan and Geoff, are still what this area of Newcastle is most famous for.

However, I'd argue that nowadays Byker should be just as well known for its tacos as its grove.

The reason being, it’s home to the excellent Chucho’s.

Jesus Tavizon Sosa (nickname Chucho) hails from Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico but has lived in Newcastle for 15 years. In 2017, he opened Chucho’s on Shields Road in Byker, and ever since it’s earned a steady stream of glowing reviews. Even comedian James Acaster singled it out on Off Menu, naming it his favourite taqueria in the UK. 

On a grey and icy day, Chucho’s is a sunny spot with its colourful vinyl tablecloths, primary-coloured walls and sultrily posed Dia de los Muertos doll.

Chucho's menu is dominated by a selection of 15 types of taco, all of which are served on homemade corn tortillas. If you want something else, there are quesadillas, enfrijoladas and burritos.

On the booze front, a good margherita had plenty of citrus and a good whack of tequila. I've always been intrigued the Michaelada, a beer-based cocktail, and intriguing might be the best way to describe it too. Malty modelo lager, spiced tomato juice and a Tajin rim combined to make an unfamiliar yet enjoyable combination. 

A pair of salsas lurking on the table were a herald of things to come. Smoky scotch bonnet salsa roja had a nuclear chilli build whilst a more vibrant yet still hot green salsa was a soothing balm in comparison.

A plate of nachos (£8) had been constructed with the same care as a bouquet of flowers. Gorgeously crisp homemade tortillas were embedded in a pile of comforting refried black beans, thick guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, tangy feta and coriander.

A trio of tacos, made with impeccably fresh soft corn tortillas, were absolute monsters that were well worth their £13.50 for three price tag. 

Crisp battered white fish was paired with shredded red cabbage and a sweet and fruity mango salsa. Earthy spiced nuggets of homemade Mexican chorizo worked exceptionally well alongside a pile of pink pickled onions. Finally, crisp-edged shreds of pork carnitas with thick guacamole were very good too.

We saw a neighbouring diner nodding with approval after every mouthful of his enfrijoladas (£7). So, we decided it was probably a good idea to order a portion. A quartet of soft corn tortillas were stuffed with hearty refried beans and topped with tangy feta, onion and coriander. The clincher was the nuggets of crisp and smoky chorizo (£2 extra) that were scattered over the top.

Impressed so far, it would have been rude to turn down a portion of churros (£6.50) for dessert. Crisp and well-coated in cinnamon sugar, they were naughtily served on a generous pool of Nutella. 

We had an excellent lunch at Chucho’s and I’d concur with James Acaster that they’re some of the best tacos I’ve eaten in the UK. Despite the wealth of excellent restaurants in Newcastle, I’d be itching for a return to Byker for some tacos next time we’re in the area.

The Details:

Address - Chucho's, 279 Shields Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1DQ
Web - https://www.chuchosmexican.co.uk/
Telephone - 0191 265 7458

The Cook House, Ouseburn, Newcastle restaurant review

It’s a testament to how exciting I find a restaurant's cooking when I try and replicate the dishes that I've eaten at home.

After visiting Long Friday in Jesmond, I had a crack at making their cacio e pepe beans as soon as we got back to Cardiff.

Now, having visited their sister restaurant The Cook House in Ouseburn, I’m definitely going to have a bash at both the salad dishes we devoured.

Owned by cook, restaurateur and food writer Anna Hedworth, The Cook House stands out as a brooding black brick beacon in the middle of Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley.

Their dining space is set over two floors, a subterranean bar area and a much brighter upstairs room where there you can watch the chefs at work in an open kitchen.

It’s no exaggeration to say that I wanted to order every dish on offer on their eclectic menu of small plates. I shed a tear that plates like pork, pistachio & sage terrine; beef shin ragu on sourdough toast; and ox tongue with English mustard aioli didn’t make the final edit.

The Cook House has an interesting selection of wines by the glass and even a couple on tap. We both started with some fizz, a minerally Albert di Conti pet nat blend of sauvignon and chenin blanc (£7.50) and a super dry L’archetipo Susumante (£8), both of which I’d class as enjoyably interesting rather than delicious. Much more successful was a glass of briochey Match Play champagne (£13) and a very gluggable Vina Albergada rioja (£5).

We kicked off with a belter of a snack – dinky warm and nutty pieces of rye bread (£8) were topped with super smooth and decadent chicken liver parfait that was punctuated by the fruity acidity of pickled cherries.

Our table was quickly covered with a procession of plates.

Lightly battered tempura cauliflower (£11) was just the right side of al dente and sat in a pool of comfortingly creamy coconut curry sauce.

A little pie (£12) really did live up to its billing, especially when considering the usual generosity of northern portions. Despite its diminutive size, it was excellent. A golden crisp crust (I think it must have been suet) had a soft-sided interior that was filled with tender shreds of spiced slow cooked lamb. The kicker was a thick courgette ketchup with a fiery punch of harissa.

A pair of salads were nothing short of brilliant.

Vibrant purple and slightly bitter radicchio leaves (£9) were topped with soft and sweet roasted grapes, crunchy and toasty roasted hazelnuts, and creamy and tangy whipped Elsdon goats’ milk cheese. It had a bit of everything going on – salt, sugar, acidity, creaminess and crunch.

 

Verdant spring greens (£9) were coated in a creamy and nutty tahini dressing that was punctuated by the fragrant acidity of blood orange and crunch of toasted seeds. It’s so nice to see salads on offer that aren't just composed of the usual suspects.

Finally, light and soft crumbed focaccia (£12) was topped with slices of tender fleshed, fat striped, spiced pastrami. Crème fraiche with a delicate kick of horseradish and sweet and zingy pickles added extra layers of flavour.

Rhubarb and custard tart (£9) is pretty much my dream dessert, so it was an essential order. A vision in pink, the combination of silky-smooth set custard and sweet and fragrant rhubarb in jelly were both great. However, the pastry case was disappointingly devoid of any crispness. Over the years of writing this blog, I think I’ve been let down by more soft-crusted tarts than anything else #FirstWorldProblems.

In contrast, Mrs G’s dessert hit the bullseye. A light and crisp meringue (£9) was topped with a bevy of treats – whipped cream with an extra note of complexity from the addition of fennel, sweet and zingy blood orange curd, slices of cleansing blood orange, and the crunch of pistachio.

We had a delicious lunch at the Cook House that was packed with interesting flavour combinations and textures. And, I don't think I've ever waxed lyrical so much about a pair of salads. My only minor quibble is over a few of the un-northern portion sizes - I guess it serves me right for not ordering more carbs. 

The Details:

Address - Cook House Foundry Lane Studios, Foundry Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LH

Web - https://www.cookhouse.org/

Telephone - 0191 276 1093

Small Canteen, Sandyford, Newcastle restaurant review

As a Geordie I’m probably slightly biased, but Newcastle is a bloody cool city.

It’s not just its beautiful setting on the banks of the Tyne, the stunning Georgian architecture, the 50,000 seater stadium located in the heart of the city, and the thriving cultural scene. It’s the food and drink scene that I’m primarily talking about. And I don't just mean the number of branches of Greggs.

Newcastle is a city where it’s possible to stumble between pub after pub serving excellent craft beer. It’s something that I always find strangely lacking in Cardiff, except for a few notable exceptions (and probably explained by the dominance of Brains pubs).

And it’s a city where there's always a huge list of restaurants that I want to visit, from street food to something swanky.

This time around it was the turn of Small Canteen, in the Sandyford area of the city, which we made our way to after a mini pub crawl that culminated in a half of Northern Helles at the excellent Donzoko Brewery.

Small Canteen is a restaurant that more than lives up to its name.

With just fourteen covers and the feel of a tiny café where chef-owner Sam Betts quietly cooks singlehandedly behind the counter, it’s undoubtedly one of the smallest restaurants that I’ve visited in the UK.

Understandably, Small Canteen’s menu is compact too – there are just three starters, mains and desserts. But, they all sound like compelling eating and the prices are impressively small as well - starters are £8, mains £18 and desserts around £8.

Whilst the dining room and prices might be small, the generosity of hospitality is huge.

There was excellent service all evening from the sole member of front of house. And when we arrived, our table was already set with baskets of crusty bread and kaleidoscopic dips - a punchy garlic allioli, sweet peppery romesco, and a vibrant salsa verde.

No sooner had we polished them off than we were brought a complimentary plate of golden salt cod croquettes, loaded with flakes of fish and light mash. They were delicious dunked in herb flecked mayo.

All the while, we got going on carafes of gluggable house wine, a fragrant viognier and berry packed Provencal red, which cost a mere £10.50 per half litre.

To start, a trio of mushroom arancini (£8), continued the deep-fried golden ball theme. Well-fragranced with fungi and light in texture with a molten mozzarella core, their richness was balanced by a good dollop of herb yoghurt.

 

Potted sweet white crab (£8) was capped with a slab of butter. Its accompaniments, a trio of super short cheesy biscuits and cleansing dill cucumber slices, made the dish really sing.

Onto mains, and a hunk of gorgeously crisp confit duck (£18) was joined by iron rich Swiss chard, sweet and sharp berries, roast shallot, and a fruity berry jus. It was a lovely bit of hearty cooking. 

So too was a fennel and gruyere gratin (£18), the soft anise-twanged vegetable a lovely pairing for a thick, cheesy sauce. Whilst it was already a hefty portion, an excellent potato and pine nut salad added even more ballast.

Lighter but equally comforting was a slow-braise of gorgeously tender octopus (£18) dotted with soft spuds and sweet slow-cooked onions.

The generosity didn’t let up with dessert.

A slab of soft and sticky honey and polenta cake (£8) was topped with fragrant pear and served with an excellent scoop of crunchy nut flecked pistachio ice cream.

Cheese and fruit cake is an epic combination and a salty and funky brick of Colston Bassett stilton (£10) paired with a light, spiced fruit loaf was no exception. On the side, a shot of Courvoisier was included in the £10 price – I'm sure my palate isn’t refined enough but it always just tastes like fire water to me.

We had an excellent meal at Small Canteen and I’m all in favour of the killer combination of small dining spaces, menus and prices combined with big hospitality and flavours. Small Canteen adds further weight to my argument that Newcastle is a damn cool place. If you haven't yet visited then I can't recommend it highly enough. 

The Details:

Address - 17 Starbeck Ave, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1RH

Web - https://www.instagram.com/smallcanteen/

Telephone - 07816 524826

21 Newcastle Quayside restaurant review

If you’ve been dozing off at the number of North East restaurant reviews I’ve written over the last few months, then I’d like to reassure you that I’m not gradually becoming a Newcastle-based food blogger.

However, if I ever did, then Terry Laybourne’s Newcastle-based 21 Hospitality Group would be top of the list of places I’d be banging the drum about on a regular basis.

Their gastropub, The Broad Chare, serves exemplary takes on pub classics as well as an interesting selection of craft beer.

Whilst neighbouring St Vincent serves a corking selection of wine by the glass as well as a captivating menu which draws influences from across France and Italy.

Located just around the corner on Newcastle's Quayside is 21, the family's flagship restaurant. Oxymoronically, it bills itself as a “classic, modern bistro”. It’s certainly got the swankiest feel of the 21 Group restaurants we’ve visited, with its crisp linen tablecloths and more formal approach to service.

In keeping with its siblings, 21’s cooking is big on flavour and technique whilst at the same being free from fuss. On the a la carte, dishes include Provencal fish soup (£13.50), cheddar cheese and spinach soufflé (£14.50), and tournedos Rossini (£44.50). There’s also a £70 seasonal five course tasting menu on offer.

But, always on the look out for a bargain, we visited 21 for their £36 three course set menu, which is available lunch and dinner Tuesday to Thursday as well as lunch and early evening on a Saturday.

Pre-dinner drinks in the bar were accompanied by short and intensely cheesy dinky biscuits, which made for a compelling little snack.

Whilst 21’s wine by the glass selection isn’t quite as exciting as St Vincent’s, we both really enjoyed glasses of Akemi Rioja Blanco (£12.75) and Weinhaus Ress Riesling (£12.50).

A basket of complimentary first class crusty baguette was served with golden salty butter. Don't get me wrong, I love sourdough as much as the next hipster, but it does seem to be ubiquitous on restaurant menus.

Plump tempura oysters (£13.50 for three) were coated in the lightest and airiest of batters. They were sat on blobs of ozone twanged oyster mayo, which dialled up the shellfish intensity.

Onto starters, and a meaty tartare of fresh and smoked salmon had just the right hint of smoke. Topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, its richness was balanced by the clarity of an apple and cucumber dressing.

A quartet of golden cube-shaped croquettes were filled with tender shredded pork. Flecked with capers and accompanied by pickled shallots they both provided pops of acidity against the rich pork and fragrant wild garlic mayo.

For mains, a hunk of confit duck was a lovely marriage of crisp skin and tender flesh. Accompanied by sweet baby onions, salty lardons, duck fat potatoes, sweet peas and a meaty jus, it was a refined take on a classic dish.

A pair of crisp-skinned seabream fillets were bathed in a compelling beurre noisette. If there was any risk of a shortage of butter on the dish, our fears were assuaged by a dollop of golden butter enriched silky mashed potato. Salty brown shrimp and samphire all brought extra seasoning to the plate.

Dessert delivered the best dish of the meal. A slice of Amalfi lemon tart was filled with the silkiest of custards with just the right hit of tart and fragrant citrus. But the impeccably crisp and thin pastry case deserves a special mention as far too often it’s soft pastry that lets the side down. 

I’ve noticed that you can order a whole lemon tart from 21 to eat at home, so that’s what I’ll be doing next time I’m in Newcastle by myself.

Finally, a gorgeously creamy white chocolate panna cotta had the perfect wobble. Tart and fragrant gooseberries (I wish I saw more of one of my top three fruits on restaurant menus) bathed in elderflower syrup were great, whilst shortbread nuggets provided crunch.

An Americano was accompanied by delicious chocolates filled with squidgy salted caramel.

We had a superb lunch at 21. Much like its stablemates it offers textbook hospitality whilst at the same time bringing something unique to the party.

The Details:

Address - 21, One Trinity Gardens, Pandon, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2HH

Web - https://21newcastle.co.uk/home/the-restaurant/

Telephone - (0191) 222 0755

St Vincent, Newcastle Quayside restaurant and wine bar review

After a series of impressive meals at the Broad Chare on Newcastle Quayside, we thought it would be a wise move to work our way through the rest of the restaurants in Terry Laybourne’s 21 Hospitality group.

One of the OGs of Newcastle’s restaurant scene, Terry held a Michelin star for nine years at his first restaurant 21 Queen Street (now the more informal 21) and currently has six establishments in the city, including Porterhouse Butcher & Grill and Saltwater Fish Company.

We settled on St Vincent, a vibey yet relaxed French and Italian inspired restaurant and wine bar, which happens to be located next door to the Broad Chare. 

As well as their a la carte, St Vincent serves a cracking value Saturday set lunch and early bird menu, which offers three courses for £27.50. 

Wines by the glass were excellent, including Tatty G champagne (£16), a sparkling red Bonarda dell'Oltrepò (£9.50) that tasted of dark fruit gummies, a highly gluggable La Cuvée des Copains Rhone red (£9.50), and an orange Gruner Veltliner (£8) with buckets of floral fragrance.

We kicked off with a couple of snacks. A plump baked oyster (£5.50) was topped with crispy breadcrumbs and drenched in butter which sang with parsley and garlic.

A golden orbed arancino (£5.50) was filled with molten stracciatella cheese and honked of porcini mushroom. It was crowned with a bouffant quiff of summer truffle and parmesan.

Onto starters, and a beauty of a salad combined sweet earthy beets, crunchy marcona almonds, a dusting of parmesan, and a dollop of light horseradish crème fraiche with a gentle nose-tickling kick.

A handsome slice of terrine had a delicate gaminess and was flecked with nuggets of mouth-melting fat and the crunch of pistachio and hazelnut. Its accompaniments were all bob-on – toasted sourdough, punchy cornichons, wholegrain mustard and a lightly dressed salad.

Mains were even better. A meaty fillet of hake was served Venetian style (apparently that doesn’t mean it’s overly touristy and at risk of flooding) with a mound of raisins, crunchy pine nuts and onions in a dressing which perfectly balanced salt, fat, sugar and acidity.

My hanger steak was perhaps the finest I’ve ever eaten. In fact, it was far superior to many ribeyes and sirloins I’ve ordered in restaurants. Clearly well-aged, it had an excellent beefiness, was cooked to a gorgeous pink, and was extremely tender too. Slow-cooked sweet garlic, hyper-crisp fluffy-centred roasties, and a parmesan adorned salad were all corking accompaniments.

A tangle of zucchini fritti (£7) were served on the pedestal they deserved. Lightly battered, and soft textured, they were delicious dragged through a pot of mayonnaise.

For dessert, Mrs G enjoyed a fine affogato.

A slice of Basque cheesecake looked like it was going to be a touch dense but it was in fact gorgeously light, smooth and silky with a nice tang and toasty burnt exterior.

We had an absolutely brilliant meal at St Vincent. Whilst the Broad Chare always seems to feature in the Top 50 Gastropubs and holds a Bib Gourmand, St Vincent strangely doesn’t appear to have any accolades. It certainly deserves bags of them and it should be high up your list of places to visit in Newcastle.

The Details:  

Address - St Vincent, 29 Broad Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DQ

Web - https://stvincentnewcastle.co.uk/

Telephone - 0191 232 1331