Autumn Comfort at Gustos Newcastle

I love Autumn. I could pretend it's because of the beautiful changing colours of the leaves or the opportunity to go for long walks in the crisp air, but in reality it's because I can hide behind big snuggly jumpers and indulge in warming dishes in Newcastle's best restaurants.  Autumn sees the arrival of some of my favourite foods and I am more than ready to embrace the flavours of beetroot, carrot and parsnip and fill my tummy with warming soups, pastas and hot desserts.

Gusto on the Quayside have recently launched their brand new Autumn menu and if, like me, you are a big fan of hearty meals now the weather is turning cooler you are in for a treat.

I popped along to my favourite Quayside restaurant with the lovely Katie to check out the new menu.
Many old favourites remain (I was relieved when I realised the Peking Pizza still existed!) and there are a few new additions, perfect for the Autumnal season.

The day had been a particularly wet and cold one so we were both more than ready to get cosy.  I love Gusto at this time of year, the beautiful lights in the restaurant always put me in a good mood and it's one of the best restaurants in Newcastle to warm yourself up on a miserable day.

Tackling the important things first, I had a long look at the cocktail list.  I always struggle choosing what to have as everything sounds so good.  As Simon is endlessly talking James Bond at me I decided to go for a Martini, but a Chloe friendly variety!  Strawberry and Vanilla Martini, made with fresh strawberries, Ketel One, Licor 43, shaken with lime and gomme and served in the all important classic martini glass. 

Reading through the menu I decided to make an effort to eat seasonally and therefore try things that perhaps I wouldn't usually order.  There's something really lovely about eating with the seasons.  Filling yourself up on hot comfort food when the weather turns cooler is a definite way to keep your whole body feeling warm.

For my starter I opted for a new addition to the menu, the Cauliflower Soup with taleggio, herb crumb and baked focaccia.  Cauliflower isn't usually a flavour I'm that bothered by so I was interested to see how it would work in a soup.  Served piping hot it was indulgently creamy and it wasn't long before my bowl was completely clean.

One of my favourite meals to enjoy in the Autumn months is macaroni so I was really happy to spot that Oven Baked Macaroni has now appeared on the Gusto menu.  A delicious classic dish with the added magic of cauliflower, truffle oil and Grana Padana crumb.

The new addition to the menu that really got us interested was the Butternut Squash and Dolcelatte Pizza with flaked almonds, sage and mozzarella.  Butternut Squash really isn't something I'd ever think to have as a pizza topping so I was happy when Katy ordered it.  I managed to steal a slice off her and surprisingly it worked really well!

Of course my favourite part of any meal is always dessert and I managed to resist my usual Gustos treat (Chocolate and Coffee Mousse!) and instead focussed my attention on the newest addition to the menu, Banana and Salted Caramel Meringue.

WOW!

WOW!

WOW!!

I'm not sure I can actually put into words how much I enjoyed my dessert!  It was perfection and I was trying really hard to savour every single bite so it wouldn't come to an end.  The Meringue had a crispy shell and gorgeous soft and chewy centre and it tasted so good with the banana, salted caramel, cream and mint.  I'll definitely be ordering it again!

We finished our evening with a Peach and Passion Fruit Julep - peach puree, passion fruit and mint smashed through with Woodford Reserve and gomme, dragging the time out for as long as possible before we had to head back out to the cold Quayside.

I don't think it'll be long before I'm back in Gusto, I just can't seem to stay away, and having had a sneaky little look at the Christmas menu I think it's safe to say I'll be returning for the festive season!