The Lock and Key Restaurant - A Steal!

Some restaurants tart themselves like many of the Bigg market's Saturday night clientele, serving very amateur and weak cuisine under the guise of a stylish modern restaurant. Playing the 'contemporary card' coupled with over zealous price tags can often fool many a restaurant goer. But you can roll a turd in truffle oil all you want, it's still going to smell of sh*t, even if it costs a lot. On the other hand, there are some restaurants that are quite the opposite....the relatively new Lock and Key Restaurant is a prime example. Situated in a shady and confused pub/bar hybrid near St James', this gastro-pub is likely to go unnoticed by the majority people. But their very fairly priced menu is surprisingly strong, offering some classic dishes delivered to a good standard. The Lock and Key is no Cafe 21, but with a decent wallet friendly menu, various cost-cutting set menus and 2-4-1 cocktail deals....you literally cannot go wrong! Interesting starters such as "Black pudding Magic"; very affordable Chateaubriand, shoulder of lamb and sea bass mains; as well as crème brûlée for a mere £3.50 all make the Fat Spoon very happy. OK, the menu makes about as much sense as the city centre's roads, but for what you are paying, a visit to The Lock and Key is sure to make for a very prosperous meal out. You will receive typical Geordie pub hospitality, which is charming of course....but don't expect anyone to ask if they can take your coat, unless you are hoping to never see it again. 75%

Paradiso - Charming and Chilled

Paradiso is a funny one, but not necessarily a bad one. It advertises itself as a caffe, bar and a restaurant. And it isn't really any of those to be honest, it's an interesting eatery. The Fat Spoon often rages at such venues that claim to greedily span across several trades, but Paradiso does generate an unusual vibe of it's own. The menu, possibly put together by a food lover on crack, is as random and as mismatched as the serving staff, but it does offer some delightful dishes amongst the confusion. With heavy Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish influences delivered with a slightly contemporary slant you are sure to find a dish to suit your taste, thus making Paradiso ideal for a mixed or fussy table. The open kitchen on the first floor makes for a lively atmosphere but other levels of the crystal-maze-like venue have a far more subdued feel to them. What is particularly good about this place is there ability to produce simple dishes to a solid standard. And even an ultra radgie real life Italian wouldn't complain about their homemade pizzas. There are no major thrills here, but the price tag across all of their numerous, buffet, al a carte and tapas menus will please almost any wallet. At busy times however, you will find yourself wondering whether you should just start clearing the table yourself, but at least the staff are very friendly. If you can fight through the chaos you are sure to enjoy an experience at Paradiso. 73%