June Days

I've been out and about snapping away at anything and everything on my Instagram this month and have a fair few photos and stories that didn't make the blog.

Beautiful Views

We've finally bought a car and we are so excited. Whilst deciding what make and model we were going to purchase we got to do some test driving which meant adventuring about the North East in a lovely new car. Visiting Tynemouth for some beautiful evening sunshine was the highlight and we had the best fish and chips I've ever had from Longsands Fish Kitchen. Look out for a full post all about our new car coming very very soon!

Pet Lamb Love

I've been hooked on watching two Geordie lasses from the Grainger Market on YouTube recently. Kay and Katie at Pet Lamb Patisserie have their own channel on YouTube and it's brilliant! Make sure you subscribe for cake making tutorials and hilarious games and Q&As. Unfortunately watching their videos does always make me hungry. In the end I had to give in and head to the shop for a paper bag full of snacks. It's always great to pop in for a chat and to choose cake. Did I mention that these amazing ladies are making my wedding cakes? LITTLE BIT EXCITED!

Wedding Countdown 

How's this for a reality check? I've officially started the wedding countdown with an 100 day countdown. Something tells me the time is just going to fly now. I'm not panicking too much yet and we've managed to tick a fair few things off the list recently. I am so so excited to become a Mrs and am looking forward to watching that number drop. Is it September yet?

Gaming Geek

Ask Simon what his biggest wish in life is and I'm pretty sure that me becoming a gamer is pretty much up there. Simon has a huge passion for the games industry and I know at times he wishes that I shared it. Every now and again I dip my toe in and give it a go but I'm yet to be convinced. My latest attempt involved a squirrel game where I kept accidentally falling into a waterfall and having to start again. So annoying! I really didn't need to wear the headset, I just wanted to look like Simon!

Eating Naked

Following our night at the launch of Naked Deli in Gosforth the love is very real! We popped in for a delicious Saturday lunch and both opted for burgers. The burgers at Naked Deli are beautiful and so filling and knowing that you're not shovelling dirty rubbish into your body just makes things even better. There are several burger options, Simon had his with a rye bun but I opted for the mushroom alternative. Yes, my burger is actually sandwiched between two giant mushrooms - amazing! Simon practically lives at the Naked Deli now, it's surely only a matter of time before they name a table after him.

Climbing Monument

Remember my North East Bucket List? Well I'm very happy to tell you that I've finally ticked something off and we have climbed Monument. There is a blog post coming next month but I couldn't resist sharing this beautiful photo of the view from the top. So proud to be an honorary Geordie.

Honeymoon Shopping

The biggest news of the month has to be that we've booked our honeymoon. We'll be heading to Miami for a 3 day stay followed by a 2 week Caribbean cruise. We have to wait until March but the 6 month wait gives me plenty of time to sort out my wardrobe for honeymoon clothes. I've already started with these gorgeous patterned shorts from Primark, they were only £4 each and I love them. If anyone has any blogs about Miami or the cruising the Caribbean please do let me know.

The Tea House

Some places on my epic food list have been there for an embarrassingly long time and the Olde Young Teahouse in Middlesbrough in one of those places. So when my friend Sarah offered to drive me there on Saturday I was one very happy lady. I'm so glad to finally have had a chance to visit and let me tell you this place is AMAZING! We had afternoon tea for £10 each where we got to pick our sandwiches, cake and scone and the food was perfect. I just wish I had the tummy capacity to try every single sweet treat on offer because there were some beautiful cakes on the counter.

OOTD

Who doesn't love an outfit of the day. All too often I leave the house looking like a complete scruff but every now and again I apply a tiny amount of thought and manage to pull together an outfit that doesn't look too bad. This bomber jacket from New Look is my current love and makes any outfit look far better than it actually is. Minimal effort always gets a thumbs up from me!

For more adventures from New Girl in Toon make sure you follow me on Instagram - I post a new photo every day!

Breakfast at Longhorns, Newcastle

I've been wanting to try breakfast at Longhorns in Newcastle ever since they first introduced the menu and recently my dreams finally came true!

Entertaining our friends Rachel and Rich who had travelled up from Yorkshire to visit, we were keen to pick somewhere awesome to show off how great the foodie scene in Newcastle is. Breakfast at Longhorns seemed like the perfect way to start the day.

Longhorns is the kind of place where kitchen roll is definitely required. There's loads of meat and a tonne of sauce and inevitably a lot of it will end up covering your fingers and running down your chin.

The breakfast menu at Longhorns is one of the best I have ever seen. Packed full with waffles, pancakes, sandwiches and eggs I knew immediately I'd be needing to return to start making my way through the entire menu. I literally want to try everything.

The boys both ordered the 2 Meat Breakfast - a choice of either pancakes, waffles or Texas Toast served with oak baked bacon, sausage patty and fried or poached egg.

I have to admit i was a little disappointed by the presentation of Simon's breakfast. For me there are a few factors that get me excited about food - and the look and smell of a dish can be just as important as the taste. When the 2 Meat Breakfast turned up the presentation reminded me a little of, dare I say it, a McDonalds Breakfast. Maybe it was the tray it was served on, or maybe it was the little McDonald's style container that the syrup was in?

Luckily it didn't taste anything like McDonalds and Simon was quick to cover his entire dish in a thick spread of syrup and gobbled it up so fast I barely got the chance to steal anything from his try (still gutted about that)

The presentation of my breakfast was far superior and got a big hearty thumbs up from me!

I went for the Pit Bean Benedict - poached egg with oak smoked bacon, on a toasted muffin topped with Pit Beans. After a muddle in the kitchen I found myself with a pot of Pit Beans on the site but I was more than happy as it meant I got to do this.

Oh yes!

There's something very satisfying about pouring something all over your food like that. I did wonder if it may have looked a little more artistic if the kitchen had done it, but I was pretty proud of my big mountain of food once I'd tipped the entire bowl of pit beans over it.

I can't even explain to you how good my breakfast was (which is a little ridiculous considering how many food reviews I do on this blog).  I am a huge fan of Eggs Benedict, but the addition of pit beans just pushed it up to another level.  It was absolute heaven, and my only complaint was that I was left with such a gorgeous saucy mess of yolk and bean juice at the end and could have done with something to mop it up with.  I hated having to leave something so good but thought it would perhaps be a little gross to clean it all up with my fingers when out in public.

As you all know I'm a big fan of restaurants using local produce and I was thrilled to see that Pumphrey's Coffee was on the menu. We all ordered ourselves lattes and had a lovely time chatting whilst enjoying our delicious coffees. I admit we stayed there a little longer than we probably should have done but as there were plenty of tables free the lovely folks at Longhorns were more than happy to let us be which we all really appreciated.

Breakfast at Longhorns was fantastic and we left kicking ourselves that we hadn't tried it sooner. We will definitely be back, the Blueberry Moonshine has my name written all over it.

Anyone else been to Longhorns for breakfast? Let me know your favourite places in the Toon to enjoy some good morning scran.

Wedding Chat: Bridal Consultation at Jo Malone

Being a bride is hard work! Organising the biggest day of your life can be pretty stressful, very expensive and, at times, a test on the strength of your relationship before you've even got to the part where you say "I Do".

So taking some time out to look after yourself and enjoy some quality time with your best friends is essential to keeping your sanity and if you can also manage to get some bride prep in at the same time then it's even better.

I recently booked myself in for a Bridal Consultation at Jo Malone in Newcastle's Fenwick store with my friend Sam for some pampering and perhaps a little bit of shopping.

Bridal fragrances are definitely not a "must" for every bride and are a bit of a luxury. I decided that for my wedding day I wanted to treat myself and as I don't have a signature scent I was keen to have a wedding fragrance, something that I would forever be able to associate with the day I became a Mrs.

Jo Malone offer a free Bridal Consultation to all brides with absolutely no obligation to purchase and as I've always loved their scents and am after something special for the wedding I was excited to book in and took along my friend Sam to treat her to a morning away from the kids.

Our consultation began with a complimentary glass of champagne each. Being engaged is a special time and enjoying endless glasses of fizz is definitely one of the perks.

Taking our glasses over to the consultation table we both took a seat and met our lovely Jo Malone therapist who immediately showered me with lovely little gifts to take home - some sugared almonds (which I've since become addicted to) and a little pouch to keep my jewellery in (so useful for travelling)

As we sipped on our champagne we got to sniff as many fragrances as we liked with me deciding which ones I loved and which I wasn't so keen on. We were pretty quick to realise that I like light and fruity scents and before long we had it narrowed down to two scents, both pretty popular with brides - Peony & Blush Suede and English Pear and Freesia.

Sam wasn't left out and also got to have a good sniff of all the fragrances so she could pick out her favourite too. The Jo Malone Bridal Consultation is definitely a great way to treat a friend or bridesmaid and I loved that she was made to feel special too.

Having picked our favourite fragrances it was time for our complimentary arm and hand massage. Using the shower gels, body creme and perfumes of our favourite scent we were each treated to a relaxing massage that gave us a great opportunity to have a good smell of the scents we loved. As I couldn't decide between my two favourites I had a different scent on each arm.

I was also introduced to fragrance combining, something which Jo Malone are so good at. Their fragrances are designed to be worn together and if you're looking for a scent that's more unique it's possible to mix your favourite scents to create something perfect for you.

After my massage it was clear which was the winner for me. The delicate fruity scent of English Pear and Freesia suits my relaxed country wedding perfectly and I could really imagine myself wearing it on my wedding day.

Our Jo Malone therapist offered me loads of helpful tips on how to smell great all day by using a combination of bath products, creams and scent to layer. As a bride you spend a lot of your wedding day hugging friends and family so it's good to make sure you smell great on the day.

At no point during our consultation did I feel obliged to buy any of the products, in fact I was encouraged to go away and think about things if I wasn't completely sure, something that really impressed me - there's nothing more awkward than feeling like you have to buy something when you don't really want to!

It was a no brainer for me, I was in love with English Pear and Freesia and wanted to be able to layer my scent to last all day. I bought a small bottle of cologne (£42), the body wash (£28) and the body cream (£50). All packaged up beautifully in a Jo Malone box I left the store one happy bride to be and it's exciting to think that I wont be opening the box again until my wedding day.

Anyone else use Jo Malone on their wedding day?

Summer at Rossopomodoro

Eating pizza in a street café in the south of Italy, doesn't that sound like heaven? Unfortunately most of us wont be heading to Italy any time soon but, provided you have a little bit of imagination, I've got a great alternative if you are planning on staying in Newcastle this Summer.

Rossopomodoro, hidden inside John Lewis in Eldon Square, offers an extensive and authentic menu of delicious Neapolitan food, and I guarantee if you shut your eyes whilst eating you will be instantly transported to Italy.

You may remember that I visited Rossopomodoro back when it first opened in Eldon Square and was really impressed so I was keen to revisit when I heard that they had launched a new menu. Full of delicious new flavours featuring Neapolitan tomatoes, Mortadella, roasted Porchetta and seafood as well as plenty of new dishes including Pagnottielli, stuffed pizza dough bun and plenty of seasonal pasta and salads, it all sounded amazing.

The menu at Rossopomodoro is overwhelmingly huge and, for a foodie like me, it's not easy to make a decision when you're presented with so much choice.

I decided to start with Bruschetta and picked the Pomodorina (£4.95) - chargrilled homemade bread, fresh vine tomatoes seasoned with garlic and basil. I was feeling pretty virtuous when my dish appeared, there were so many tomatoes on my plate I was confident that I was going to easily hit my "five a day" in one bite. It tasted really fresh and so full of flavour, the perfect start to my meal.

Despite being pretty full already from my starter I was instantly drawn to the I Calzoni menu, when it comes to calzoni my eyes are forever bigger than my belly. I  always forget how huge and filling they are.

I went for the Ripieno (£12.95) an indulgent calzoni stuffed with mozzarella, ham, buffalo ricotta, mushrooms, tomato sauce and basil. Definitely not one for the dainty diner, when it showed up even I was amazed at how huge it was. It was delicious and easily one of the best calzoni I've ever had. Despite its size I managed to eat the entire thing with not even a speck of sauce left on my plate.

There is always room for dessert!

I clearly have expensive taste in dessert as I ordered the Tortino Al Cioccolato (£7.95) - quite a hefty price for dessert but the description made it sound like it could be worth it. Hot dark chocolate soufflé served with ice cream.

Definitely one for the chocolate lover, I could have sat and watched that delicious chocolate pouring out of the centre of my dessert all night. It's definitely worth your extra pennies if you live for chocolate desserts.

Up until this point I'd more or less been ignoring my friend's meal, I'd been far too interested in my own. Lucky for you she ordered something that I know you'll all be interested in.

The Calda Calda (£5.95) consists of sweet fried pizza dough, vanilla sugar and nutella. Unfortunately my nut allergy makes this an obvious one to avoid which I'm so sad about as she seemed to be loving every second of it. It smelt amazing!

I've definitely left you with a photo that'll get your tummies growling. I'm pretty sure the only cure is to book a table at Rossopomodoro so you can try out all that delicious food for yourself. Let me know if you try anything different on the menu.

Thank you to Rossopomodoro for inviting me for dinner. My meal was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Day Trips from Newcastle by Train

Welcome back to my monthly guides to the North East. If you've missed my previous guides then make sure you check out The Best Cocktail Bars in Newcastle, my Guide to Adventuring in the North East without a car, The Most Romantic Dates in the North East and the Best Afternoon Teas in Newcastle.

With Summer on our doorstep my mind has turned to adventure. I will admit that one of the (many) things that attracted me to living in Newcastle was all of the amazing cities you can day trip to from Newcastle Central Station. So this month's guide is my ultimate guide to adventuring on the train from Newcastle.

These are my favourite places to day trip from Newcastle by train, are all do-able in a day with no changes required (because lets face it who wants the hassle of changing trains!) and, if you book in advance, will cost under £35 to get you there and back.

Leeds

Of course I am faithful to Newcastle and it will forever be my favourite city in the North, however Leeds comes a pretty close second.

Leeds offers the very best shopping in the North with the amazing Trinity which is my all time favourite shopping mall. The building is beautiful, it has huge shops and is also home to Trinity Kitchen which brings pop-up street food to the mall.

The Victorian Quarter is my favourite place to mooch, I love pressing my nose up against the windows of all the designer shops and if you are after a little bit of luxury without having to spend serious cash then I recommend heading to the top floor of Harvey Nichols to enjoy a cocktail on their roof terrace.

New restaurants are popping up in Leeds all the time so make sure you do your research before you arrive, there are so many great places for food and cocktails including Almost Famous (home to the craziest burgers) and Roast + Conch the Hotel Chocolat restaurant where all the food is made from chocolate!

Check out my Leeds blogs: Going Solo in Leeds and A Leeds Love Affair
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 1 hour 23 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £9.50

York

York has a little bit of everything - cobbled old streets, scenic walks and great tea shops. It's not my favourite shopping city (the range of shops is definitely limited) but tends to be somewhere we head if we fancy a potter, especially on a sunny day.

We love to take things slow in York with a little stroll round the Museum Gardens before stumbling across a tea room for cake, Betty's is popular with the tourists but with the crazy queues I definitely recommend hunting for an alternative. Personally we love Chloe's of York (not just cos we share a name, the cakes are damn good!)

Walking the city walls is a great way to burn off some of the cake and we love seeing the city from a different perspective.  If you love great views Yorkminster and Clifford Tower are both worth a climb.

In the early evening there are loads of great bars and sunny beer gardens to enjoy a cocktail, it's fun to wander and see where you end up, but Missoula is a great place to start.

Check out my York blogs: Visiting York, Our Anniversary in York, York's Chocolate Story
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 55 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £6.90

Edinburgh

One of the great things about Newcastle is that you can catch a train to a different country. Scotland is easily reached from the North East and Edinburgh is the city that we visit the most. There is so much to do that we always try to get an early train to maximise our time.

If you love a good view then the climb up to Edinburgh Castle is well worth it, even if you don't pay the admission to go in. For the best view in the city though you have to climb Arthur's Seat. The hill walk is easily accessed from the city and takes a fair level of fitness but the rewards at the top are worth the climb.

There are plenty of streets to explore and every time we go we spot so many restaurants that we'd like to try. It's definitely worth arriving with an empty belly and a notepad to list all of the places you want to try in the future.

Check out my Edinburgh blogs: Day Tripping to Edinburgh 
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 1 hour 24 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £9.60

Glasgow

I discovered Glasgow for the first time last year and before then I'd never really thought about going. I'm so glad I made the trip and would definitely recommend it for a day trip.

I've never been that fussed by art (it was easily my worst subject in school!) but a trip to the Glasgow School of Art really opened my eyes and I'd highly recommend a tour of the beautiful Mackintosh Building.

Shopping in Glasgow is epic, it's actually the UK's largest shopping destination outside of London's West End and there are over 1,500 stores to explore.

Climbing the Hill at the Necropolois for amazing views, exploring the Botanical Gardens, doing a brewery tour at Tennents and getting to to the top of the Tower at the Science Museum (the tallest fully rotating freestanding structure in the world) are just a few of the reasons to visit Glasgow.

Check out my Glasgow blog: A Girls Weekend in Glasgow
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 2 hours 36 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £11.25

London

Day tripping to London from Newcastle definitely takes some determination and an early alarm but it's completely do-able if you wanted to explore the capital without spending money on an overnight stay.

Planning ahead is definitely needed if you're going to attempt London in a day and with so much to see and do it's a good idea to prioritise and work out your route before you arrive.

With amazing shopping, plenty of history, iconic monuments, fantastic restaurants and the glittering West End, our capital city is a place to be proud of.

Trains from Newcastle run into Kings Cross which is pretty central for the main attractions. Camden Market, Tottenham Court Road (for shopping on Oxford Street) and Waterloo (for pretty strolls along the Thames) are all easy to reach with no tube changes required.

Check out my London blogs: Adventures in London, The View from the Shard
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 2 hours 47 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £17.00

Manchester

Simon's home city and so, of course, I like to take the pee out of it as much as I can (it DOES always rain!) just to annoy him. Secretly though I am a huge huge fan of Manchester, just don't tell him! I love the culture and it really is such a cool city full of friendly people.

There's great shopping (hello Selfridges!) and I love the Northern Quarter where you'll find plenty of really amazing independent restaurants and shops. If afternoon tea is your thing I definitely recommend Cloud 23 at the top of the Hilton Hotel where you can enjoy our cake with an amazing view.

Check out my Manchester blogs: Hens Hit Manchester, Afternoon Tea at Cloud 23
Fastest journey time from Newcastle: 2 hours 23 minutes
Ticket price: Single tickets from £15.50 single

Where are your favourite places to head to on the train from Newcastle? There are a couple of destinations I've not made it to yet so I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Flat Caps New Coffee Shop in Newcastle

I have some very exciting gossip to share with you all today. Flat Caps Coffee are hoping to open a second shop in Newcastle!

Those of you who are already fans are probably already bouncing off the walls at this news, but for those of you looking at me with confused faces allow me to explain.

Flat Caps Coffee is a little independent coffee shop hidden away just off Northumberland Street in Newcastle. It is so hidden that its fantastic reputation, loyal customers and word of mouth has been the driving force behind the shop's success. That and a rather amazing guy called Joe.

Joe set up Flat Caps after being made redundant from his banking job and worked hard to make his coffee shop dream a reality. With a huge passion for coffee and an impressive amount of barista awards under his belt, Joe has made his business a huge success and if you ask any coffee lover in Newcastle where to get the best coffee in the Toon they will, without hesitation, point you in the direction of Flat Caps.

Escaping from the hustle and bustle of the streets above, Flat Caps is the perfect place to snuggle up with an amazing cup of coffee in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Keen to put Newcastle on the map of the coffee world Joe is now looking to expand and open a second shop in the city, offering the same amazing cups of coffee but with extended opening hours and hopefully more room for Flat Cap's legion of fans.

And here's where we can all help!

Joe has started a Kickstarter offering us all the opportunity to back his project and help him open up a second coffee shop. There are some brilliant incentives and something to suit every budget with some great perks, gifts and exclusive experiences.

I think you'll agree that this list of pledges is pretty cool:

Pledge £1 or more: For every £1 you pledge you'll receive £2 to spend on coffee in store

Pledge £10 or more: Receive Flat Cap's world famous Christmas card delivered to your door

Pledge £15 or more: Receive a personalised copy of the Northern Coffee Guide

Pledge £20 or more: Receive a personalised copy of the Newcastle Cook Book which features recipes from loads of amazing Newcastle restaurants.

Pledge £35 or more: Learn new skills at the Flat Cap's Latte Art class

Pledge £35 or more: Attend the Sensory Coffee Experience, a class on tasting coffee 

Pledge £50 or more: Get a table named after you in the new Flat Cap's shop

Pledge £75 or more: Learn home brewing techniques to make yourself the perfect cup of coffee at home

Pledge £75 or more: Grab yourself a ticket to the opening launch party at the brand new Flat Cap's coffee shop

Pledge £100 or more: Join the basic Barista Skill Course

Pledge £150 or more: Attend the intermediate Barista Skills Course

Pledge £200 or more: A master barista course offering a one on one lesson tailored to you

Pledge £500 or more: One year membership offering you free coffee for a year, a VIP invitation to the launch party and free invites to all events

Pledge £1,000 or more: Two years membership offering you free coffee for two years,  a VIP invitation to the launch party and free invites to all events

Pledge £1,500 or more: Three year membership offering you free coffee for three years,  VIP invitation to the launch party and free invites to all events

If you are as excited as I am at the thought of a second Flat Caps Coffee Shop in Newcastle then you can find the Kickstarter page here - let's get this brilliant local business the second shop that it deserves!

Student Accommodation in Newcastle

Students are an important part of the culture here in Newcastle and as the Summer approaches we get ready to welcome a fresh batch of students into our city. 

As you can imagine from such a popular university city there are several options when it comes to student accommodation in Newcastle. With housing in Newcastle City Centre and the popular residential suburbs of Jesmond, Heaton and Sandyford, it can be difficult to make a choice.

Having been a new resident of the Toon myself and a proud explorer of all that Newcastle has to offer I thought this little guide might be helpful if the various house locations are leaving you confused. 

City Centre

Whether you are studying at Newcastle or Northumbria University a City Centre location is ideal if you love the idea of being in walking distance of university.

Newcastle has a buzzing high street (we have one of the largest Primark stores in the UK!) and amazing clubs on the famous diamond strip (anyone else a secret fan of Geordie Shore?) as well as the convenience of banks, supermarkets and gyms on your doorstep. The City Centre also offers some beautiful places to relax with Exhibition Park (the new home of the fantastic Wylam Brewery) and the famous Quayside perfect for a break from studying.

There are plenty of coffee shops and cheap eats to be found in the City Centre (let me know if you'd like me to do a separate post on cheap eats!) and with everything you need on your doorstep, living in the heart of Newcastle can really enhance your experience of university.

Heaton

Every time I visit Heaton I can't help but think how effortlessly cool it is and how I secretly wish I lived there. 

Chillingham Road is a hot spot if you're a foodie. Man Vs Food do mammoth portions, The Butterfly Cabinet do breakfasts that see people queuing round the block or, if you fancy something healthy, the delicious Naked Deli serves clean food that tastes amazing.  

For study sessions Teasy Does It tea room offer a very warm and friendly welcome to students wanting somewhere peaceful to work and they also make fantastic homemade cake.

With all the amenities you need at your door and great transport links to the city, Heaton is an ideal place to look for your student accommodation. 

Jesmond

Jesmond is one of the most popular areas in Newcastle for student accommodation. Located a few miles outside the city it's a happy suburb of students and families. The travel links are great and if you're feeling particularly energetic it's not a bad walk from the city centre.

The bustling Osborne Road is very popular with lots of bars offering cheap deals for students. Jesmond is also home to Fat Hippo, serving the best burgers in Newcastle and Arlo, a great place to meet friends for coffee (they also do fantastic breakfasts ideal for hangover mornings!).

For a break from studying the nearby Jesmond Dene is a peaceful place for a stroll and once a month you'll find a food market on the Armstrong Bridge serving the very best in local street food. With its own food stores, bank and gym Jesmond has all of the amenities you need close to home.

Sandyford

Still can't decide? If you fancy living in a residential area but still walking distance to uni, Sandyford is the ideal spot with most student accommodation a short 10 minute walk from the city centre. Located half way between Newcastle and Jesmond you can experience the very best of both worlds.

Located close to the popular bars Mr Lynch and As You Like It you'll never be too far away from a great night out. With local shops and amenities, Sandyford is a great location for students.  

If you're a student heading to Newcastle at the end of the Summer let me know!

This is a collaborative post but all thoughts are my own.

Supper Club at The Factory Kitchen

The Factory Kitchen in the beautiful Biscuit Factory threw open its doors after hours earlier this month to celebrate the launch of the art gallery's Summer Exhibition.

I could definitely forgive you for not being too familiar with the Factory Kitchen as I'll admit it's somewhere that's pretty much slipped under my radar until now. Hidden inside the Biscuit Factory art gallery, the Factory Kitchen serves up fresh food throughout the day and I guarantee that once you've visited you'll be adding it to your list of favourite restaurants in Newcastle.

The Factory Kitchen is usually only open until tea time but during this month's Summer Exhibition launch the very first Supper Club happened, promising an evening of delicious food in the laid back surroundings of the recently refurbished Factory Kitchen. We were thrilled to get an invite to check out the first event for ourselves.

Stepping into The Factory Kitchen I was immediately kicking myself for having never been, and that was before I'd even had any of the food. The large cafe is so bright and dreamy with great views across Ouseburn and even comfy seating if you fancy a super chilled lunch.

For the first Supper Club it was lovely to see that almost every seat had a bum on it. It seems The Factory Kitchen has a lot of fans and that supper and art go pretty damn well together.

We had a special Supper Club menu for the evening featuring three courses and a glass of house wine for £20 per person. Each course featured two dishes to pick from and everything sounded so good we struggled to order and almost resorted to tossing a coin!

There's nothing I love more in the Summer than a nice cold glass of wine with my meal and it was great a glass was included in the Supper Club menu.

Simon started off his meal with the Bruschetta with prosciutto, heritage tomatoes, marinated olives and salsa verde. I've never seen such a delicious looking Bruschetta and the amount of delicious colour on his plate was seriously impressive.

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and order the Garden pea soup with chive creme fraiche and homemade focaccia. Pea soup is something that I've always turned my nose up at before, it just never appealed to me. I'm very glad I decided to give it a chance because it was the most delicious soup I've had in a long time. It was so fresh and creamy, served piping hot and although it was perhaps a little unlady like I couldn't resist slathering butter onto my focaccia and giving each piece a good dunk. There may have been pea soup all over my chin but it tasted so good I really didn't care.

We both ordered the same main course, Herb roasted chicken breast with allotment vegetables, country bacon and pink fir potatoes. The meat was beautifully tender and the vegetables tasted so fresh and crunchy. Heaven!

When it came to choosing which of the two desserts to have, I really struggled! It was literally like the chef had created the menu just for me.

In the end I opted for the Bitter chocolate and espresso chocolate cake. The best part was that it came served with a scoop of ice-cream of your choice, meaning that I got to take a look at the huge ice-cream counter. All ice-creams are homemade by the Factory Kitchen and I'd been eyeing them up when we first walked in. There was a great choice of flavours and after a tough few minutes gazing at each one I opted for the Toffee which was a great accompaniment to my delicious cake.

Simon ordered the Almond meringue with vanilla cream and English strawberries, on the promise that I could have a little try of it. In reality I was taking a spoonful of my own dessert followed by a huge spoonful of his. There aren't many restaurants that do meringue right but at the Factory Kitchen it was like heaven. Sweet and crunchy on the outside with a gorgeous chewy centre. The addition of the almonds and strawberries made it even better.

Once we'd finished we leant back on our chairs, buttons popping off and with huge grins on our faces. We both agreed it was the best meal we've had in a while (and we all know how often Simon and I eat out!)

Simon made me laugh when he admitted that to him supper usually means a bowl of cereal in front of the TV when you can't be bothered to cook. Well let me tell you, supper has a whole new meaning to us now and we're desperately hoping that Supper Club at the Factory Kitchen becomes a regular thing. We'll be front of the queue for a table!

This post is part of the #lovenortheast linky 

Thank you to The Factory Kitchen for inviting us for lunch. Our meal was complimentary, but all opinions are our own.