Sidney's Restaurant

Sidney's opened in 1999 and has never looked back, with one AA Rosette and a Michelin BIB Gourmand to its credit as well as a clutch of regional awards. Located in Tynemouth, a pretty seaside village 10 miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne, Sidney's is popular as a place for all occasions, with a style of cooking that draws upon a global approach, with special attention to vegetarian and seafood dishes.

A number of different menus serve customers, including a good value set menu, daily blackboard changing specials, special gourmet food and drink nights, and a full à la carte.

The à la carte starts with a helpful list of aperitifs, perhaps for those suffering from temporary memory lapse, but may be I am the only person who suffers from an over active mind when such a question arises. However a kir royal having triumphed over a glass of champagne we are in to selecting the food, with around six starters amongst which are tempura hake with sweet chilli sauce, a vegetarian mezze, or a langoustine risotto with yellow cherry tomatoes and saffron.

Mains come up with a Caledonia Crown rib eye with black pepper mustard, a North Sea bouillabaisse fish soup with crusty bread, or for our vegetarian chums local wild mushroom toast with a truffled potato salad and olive oil egg. Calf's liver with mash, balsamic puy lentils and Parma ham sounds good to me and there are side dishes of leaf salad, new potatoes and sautéed greens with whatever dish you choose.

The crème brûlée is rumoured to have something to with those Awards, but in case it's not your choice try the strawberry fool with shortbread biscuits, or full cream panacotta with raspberry sauce.

Another feature of Sidney's is the wine list which has undoubtedly had an influence on the Awards, with some fine New and Old World wines, together with a collection of single malts of distinction. For beer drinkers there is Black Sheep Bitter, Leffe Blonde Belgian, and Western Stowford Press Premium Dry cider, or a really awesome IPA Bitter, St Cuthbert at 6.5% from Durham.

For information updates on changes at Sidney's please check on their user friendly Website.