Brunch Club at the Tyneside Cinema

I am obsessed with cute and quirky little independent cinemas.  Nothing beats watching a film on a crystal clear screen in a room with only a few rows of seats.  The Tyneside Cinema is the best cinema in Newcastle for this very reason and it beats all of the larger cinema chains hands down. 

Recently the Tyneside became even more special with the opening of its brand new Tyneside Bar Café.  Fully licensed for after work drinks it also offers a menu full of homemade bar snacks, lunches and 3 course dinners.  

The Bar and Café is the perfect place to head for great food and ambience with a huge amount of things taking place including Quiz Nights every Tuesday and Cult Classic Film screenings.

For our first visit we decided to head there on a Sunday to try out the Brunch.   Every Sunday morning the Café hosts "Brunch Club" where you can nurse your hangover with a hearty breakfast and a classic film.

We arrived just after opening at 10:00 am and had the pick of the tables.  It seems not everyone gets up as enthusiastically early on a Sunday as we do!

I loved looking over the menu, it was my idea of the perfect breakfast menu and to be honest I really wanted everything and found it difficult to make a decision.   Think of your favourite breakfast treat and it's probably on the menu - porridge, granola, eggs cooked every way, bacon sandwich, waffles, pancakes ... or if you want an authentic cinema experience you can even order a hot dog!

If that decision wasn't hard enough, when you go up to place your order, you are suddenly met with the wonderful site of a counter full of pastries tempting you to change your mind.

The menu is very reasonably priced, the cheapest option being the croissant with butter and jam at only £1.75.

I was out with Simon and my friend Lauren.  You'd think that when dining out with two other people we would have ordered a nice variety off the menu but it seems we're all huge egg fans and all ordered very similar dishes.

I chose the eggs benedict - poached egg and ham served on a toasted muffin and covered in hollandaise sauce.   I've had a lot of Eggs Benedict in my time and this was up there with the very best.  I couldn't fault my food at all, the yolk was perfectly runny, the sauce was delicious and I literally wiped my plate clean with the muffin.

Simon decided to order something that wasn't on the menu (awkward!) and spotting they had salmon elsewhere on the menu asked for Eggs Royale.   His request was immediately accommodated so he was very happy.

Lauren is a vegetarian and went for Egg Avocado which was also served on a toasted muffin.  Vegetarians aren't always very well catered for so it's great that the Tyneside have a nice selection of morning treats that don't feature fish or meat.

The Café quickly began to fill and I loved how many people came prepared with the Sunday Papers, ready for a good relaxing brunch.   The atmosphere in the Tyneside Bar is spot on - buzzing with people yet peaceful at the same time.

At 11:30 am it was film time and the famous Bond theme tune filled the Bar as Goldfinger started.  I will admit I was slightly torn between enjoying the last of my coffee and crawling about between the chairs pretending to be James Bond. 

I wasn't sure how brunch and a film would work together but it seems at the Tyneside it's a match made in heaven.   The screen is positioned at the back of the Bar with plenty of tables in front of the screen for the true film buffs to be right in the action.   Those with a passing interest are able to still enjoy the film from further back but the sound levels still make it possible to have a quiet chat without disturbing the enjoyment of others.

My only disappointment with brunch was that I couldn't sample more of the menu but luckily I have a brilliant plan for next time. 

I plan to keep an eye on the Brunch Club film list and as soon as something takes my fancy I'm getting myself down to the Tyneside where I plan to sit and watch an entire film whilst slowly making my way down the menu.   A 2 hour film is a perfect amount of time to eat a nice healthy almond milk porridge followed by some pastries and pancakes - leaving just enough room as the film reaches it's close for a bacon sandwich.

With favourite classics such as Princess Bride and Grease having already been on the menu, I know it's not long before something takes my fancy and I return.