Bistro FORTY6 - Shoe Box Superiority

These days the country is littered with generic contemporary Italian or contemporary English restaurants, with little character and uninspiring menus. Often there's nothing wrong with their food (aside from being borderline extortionist), but fine dining must be visually exciting and gastronomically arousing. The Fat Spoon demands it. Gladly, Bistro FORTY6 knows exactly what it's doing. Despite being the size of student's living room, the tantalizing aromas from the kitchen, attractive decor and decent clientele helps create a very pleasant atmosphere in this dwarf restaurant. Don't expect to have your food in a hurry, as the lone waitress covering the whole restaurant herself can only go so fast and why rush something that is going to be brilliant. Despite seemingly running the whole show single-handedly, this particular waitress had more banter than a drunk comedian, a big plus for the Fat Spoon. The menu is strong. It showcases a range of sound but interesting seafood and meat dishes. And they certainly have a knack for scallops, the tempura scallops starter suggests a dish resembling deep fried shoe sole. But this dish was executed with razor sharp perfection. The main dishes also have masses of finesse, a particular favourite being the belly pork dish. Sex on a plate. Although it isn't at the cutting edge of fine dining, it's pretty damn close. Bistro FORTY6 isn't the cheapest of restaurants, but at least that keeps the scabbier diners out. They do offer a substantial discount with the Gourmet Society card however, making a visit here an absolute bargain. 85%

Santana's Jesmond - An Italian with Budget Brilliance!

Looking for authentic Italian food that doesn't cost the world? Then you needn't look elsewhere. Santana's is a proper Italian restaurant that delivers expertly cooked and substantial cuisine, but unlike most good Italian restaurants, they don't charge obscene prices. Although the menu isn't at all outlandish, there are a few interesting quirks as well as classics that are all worth sampling. If you are looking to splash the cash, they have a great selection of wines and some brilliant fillet steak, Sea-bass and king prawn dishes. The deep fried brie is a crucial starter to opt for. The level of service is good, although some of the younger waiting staff are a little untrained, they do offer friendly and welcoming service across the board. But where Santana's really hits its stride is the sheer mind-boggling value for money of their set menus. Even the stingiest of students can't complain at 3 course lunch for less than £4! A strongly recommended restaurant for anyone, regardless of their budget. 84%

Bar at the Brandling - Lunchtime Bargain!

The Jesmond branch of this diversely popular pub chain is more than just a refuge for those on a student budget. Behind the fairly drab décor and dull lighting are a number of excellent delights to behold. The menu is very fairly priced, the quality of food is good and the customer service is generally very good. But the real prize here are the pizzas.

Authentically stone baked, generously laden with masses of toppings and offered at a very attractive £5, including a drink. Student or not, that's a bargain you can't overlook and despite the pub's target audience, there is always a more than adequate selection of real ales. And if this isn't enough to entice you to the Bar at the Brandling, then there are other 'features' of the restaurant that are renowned for bringing in customers. Definitely worth a visit. 69%