|
These are some of the places we have
had lunch at recently and marks out of 5 for various qualities. (3 is average
totally acceptable,
nothing special, nothing bad).
Smokers will need to find out what
arrangements the restaurant now offers (outside, terrace etc)
Surroundings 3,
Food 4, Portions 4, Service 3, Toilets 2.
Dining area just redecorated. A varied menu using local ingredients - some specials. Always popular at
lunchtime. Winter warmer lunches include soup and main course for £5.50. Try it! (Last visit
Dec 06).
Top
Surroundings
4,
Food 4, Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 4.
Dining area separate from Bar. A varied menu using local ingredients -
a dozen or more lunchtime specials at £4.25 (OAP discount 50p). Always popular at
lunchtime. Try it! (Last visit Jan 07).
Top
Surroundings 3,
Food 4, Portions 5, Service 4, Toilets 3.
One of the best fish and chips in the area. The
chips are crisp. The batter is too heavy for me to finish though. Sole is superb and you get 3 pieces if they think they are
small. Parking now getting more difficult due to North Tyneside's pricing policies.
The floor always seems greasy. (Last visit April 07).
Top
Surroundings 4,
Food 4, Portions 5, Service 4, Toilets 4.
This has
overtaken the Waterfront (above) in our estimation. The fish seems fresher and
the batter tastier and less oily. They seem only to stock the less popular
fishes when they are truly fresh, so for example sole is not always on. The
floor never seems greasy and the table and chairs are smart and durable.
Parking is easier opposite here or Wrights shop than down at the Waterfront. (Last visit
July 07).
Top
Surroundings 3,
Food 4 Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 4.
Great value £16 for 2 lunches including
drinks is typical. Waiter
service. Specials on the blackboard. Also does breakfast until 11:30.
They also take notice of comments if your food is not up to scratch. (Last visit
Dec 06).
Top
Surroundings 3,
Food 4 Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 3.
Specials on the blackboard are great value £7.95 for 2 lunches.
Other a la carte blackboard too. Order at counter from blackboards. Waiter
service. Also does breakfast until 11:30. (Last visit July 07).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 4 Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 3.
Order at counter from blackboards or the identical menu on the table. No
Lunchtime specials. Main courses from about £7 - £15. Starters and
desserts from about £4.50. We had scampi for our first visit and we
thought it was better than anywhere else, and the chips were freshly
cooked from fresh potato. (Last visit Mar 07).
Top
Surroundings
4,
Food 4 Portions 3, Service 4, Toilets 5.
Mostly set out in cosy booths. American/Italian menu all freshly prepared. Waiter
service. Specials on weekday lunchtimes We like the 60s background
music. (Last visit Jan 07).
Top
Surroundings
4,
Food 4 Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 4.
Good table spacing with some banquettes in corners. Italian menu all freshly prepared. Waiter
service. £7.99 3 course Specials on weekday lunchtimes include an
excellent home made soup and choice of
pizza or pasta. (Last visit Jul 06).
Top
Surroundings
4,
Food 4 Portions 3, Service 4, Toilets 4.
Good table spacing with some banquettes. Mainly Italian menu all freshly prepared. Waiter
service. No specials at lunchtime, but kids menu available. (Last visit
May 06).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 3 Portions - DIY, Service 2, Toilets 4
Currently £4.95 until 5:30pm with 10% off for pensioners
(£4.50). Formica tables with adequate chairs. At lunchtime there is an
adequate selection of the most common Chinese dishes. Good selection of fruit
including fresh apples, oranges and melon slices. The variety improves when
the price goes up in the evening. 3 bottles of beer for £5. Tables usually
cleared whilst you get your next helping. A good value filling nosh is more
important than the basic surroundings here. They also offer a cauldron
cook-it-yourself at the table menu. (Last visit July 07).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 3 Portions - DIY, Service 2, Toilets 4
Currently £4.95 until 5:30pm with 10% off for pensioners
and students Mon-Thu only (£4.50). Two bottles of Stella for £3. Formica tables with adequate chairs. At lunchtime there is an
adequate selection of the most common Chinese dishes. Good selection of fruit
including fresh apples, oranges and melon slices. A good value filling nosh is more
important than the basic surroundings here. (Last visit Jan 07).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 3 Portions - DIY, Service 2, Toilets 3
Very popular for lunch -
queues from 1230pm. Currently £4.95 until 5:30pm with 10% off for pensioners
and students Mon-Thu (£4.50). Formica tables with adequate chairs. At lunchtime there is an
adequate selection of the most common Chinese dishes. Good selection of fruit
including fresh apples, oranges and melon slices. The variety improves when
the price goes up in the evening. 2 bottles of Stella for £3. Tables usually
cleared whilst you get your next helping. This one was a bit too crowded for
us, especially as we had to fight our way out through the queue! (Last visit
Jan 07).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 4 Portions 3*, Service 4, Toilets 3.
The inside is a pleasant "farmhouse" feel, but is a total sham on not
too much closer inspection. (The farms were knocked down relatively recently to
make way for this modern poor reproduction - no attempt at proper imitation
beams - lots of plywood/chipboard with dark varnish). Order at counter from blackboards or the identical menu on the table. No
Lunchtime specials. Main courses from about £7 - £15. Starters and
desserts from about £4.50. My wife had scampi and I had
haddock for our first visit and we
thought the scampi was better than anywhere else, and the chips were freshly
cooked from fresh potato. Unfortunately the haddock came with that chemical
holocaust from a tin called "mushy peas" - not what we expect in a
quality pub. (Last visit Feb 07).
* Friends of ours
had something like Beef Bourguignon here one evening recently - they said that
it was about 8 tiny cubes of beef in a sparse pool of sauce accompanied by one
tiny carrot, one tiny sprig of broccoli, and 2 tiny new potatoes. They were so
surprised that after speaking to the waitress about the sparseness of the
serving, they asked the manager if there had been some mistake and the accompaniments
had been forgotten. He was not in the least fazed and said that was all
there was and it was quite normal. They skipped the desserts and coffee, went
home nearly £30 lighter and very hungry, resolving never to go again.
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food 4 Portions 4, Service 4, Toilets 2.
This is a traditional pub in which
we were given a warm welcome and shown the fish menu in addition to the days
specials. The tables are glass over traditional cloths and are situated in an
extension facing the steeply rising rear "beer garden". We both
chose scampi (£6.95) which came on a huge bed of varied salad and a separate bowl
of chips. It was well cooked and tasty as well as very filling. 2 meals
and drinks aprox £18. The (mens) toilet was typical pub style, almost outside,
with no heating and fairly basic. (Last visit Mar 07).
Top
Surroundings
3,
Food n/a Portions n/a, Service 1, Toilets n/a.
I have included
this because it is the place we tried for a meal before going to the Cross
Keys above, and it was very good for bar meals at one time. There were only
three people at the bar and no one was eating. The restaurant area was deserted.
Prices for fairly mundane dishes like a gammon steak were around £8. Although
we picked up a menu, we were totally ignored , not even being asked whether we
wanted a drink. We walked out! Passing the pub later having left a very
full Cross Keys car park, we noted that there were no cars outside this
pub at all. WE won't bother trying to eat here again unless it changes hands for
the better. (Last visit Mar 07)
| 
