David Kennedy's River Cafe - Fine Tyne Dining

Although historical naivety in the management of the Black Door might have cost David Kennedy's Food Social at the Biscuit Factory its existence, the highly reputable cuisine brought to the North East by the restaurant chain certainly lives on in North Shields. The slightly more casual venture - David Kennedy's River Café, aptly named for its Fish Quay situation, provides a refreshing outlook on archetypal fine-dining that effortlessly avoids any pretentiousness or need for nonsensical exorbitance. To put it bluntly, David Kennedy's River Café offers delicious British cuisine that is both wholesome and elaborate without being up its own arse.


The restaurant's menus strike the perfect balance between intricacy and value, the well constructed à la carte, set menu and Sunday selections boast robust, classical dishes with sufficient finesse to drive away any sense of pub food culture. In particular, the restaurant does well to avoid the drabness usually associated with Sunday lunch by ensuring every element of their food is perfectly on point. And better still, the kitchen capitalises on their waterfront location by regularly incorporating products from the local fish market into their cooking, resulting in ultra-fresh and expertly prepared fish and shellfish dishes that absolutely must be sampled by avid seafood fans.


As with the menu, the décor here is clean-cut but warming and similarly the service offered reflects that theme very well. It's only major limitation versus other fine dining ventures within its class is probably its location, whilst providing picturesque views and seafood sourcing benefits, North Shields might not be the most attractive prospect for the unfamiliar. However, for those looking for no-nonsense British food, cooked to an exceptionally good standard and almost ludicrously low prices, David Kennedy's River Café provides the perfect setting. 89%


 

Peace and Loaf - Ultra-fine Dining Has a New Name

Despite the UK still very much recovering from a lengthy stint of recession, the social bubble that is Newcastle has seen an exciting number of new eateries pop up in late 2013/early 2014. The Fat Spoon being both greedy and insatiable, has of course already been on a feeding rampage to trial many of these new places. Peace and Loaf is exceptionally different to any of the other new restaurants and in fact different to anything else Newcastle already had to offer. Boasting a Masterchef: The Professionals finalist as the restaurant's head chef, as well as a very extravagant menu and a beautiful interior to match. Being a top-end dining experience, this new kid on the block certainly has enough bite to make some of Newcastle's other big guns quiver in fear and check their underpants with shaking hands. That's because the food at Peace and Loaf oozes arrogance, flare and sensation like none other. The menu has been put together with originality at the very forefront and thankfully has the skill to deliver these gastronomical bombs with devastating effect. The finest ingredients matched with explicit flavours, an outstanding level of service and well balanced atmosphere will make a venture to this beauty truly special. Although students will have to sell a kidney to afford stepping inside Peace and Loaf, the experience itself will make any special occasion a long lasting memory. What's also great is that the menu is constantly changing and developing, each dish as impressively artistic as the last. It isn't just about aesthetics here, the flavour heroes here will leave you feeling hot and bothered...and possibly a little wet....in a good way of course. 94%

Café 21 - The Ultimate in Celebratory Cuisine

Surrounding the festive period and New Years the majority of restaurants across the country, both good and hideous will whore themselves out with 'special' seasonal menus. Many involve feeble attempts at festive cuisine with pointless 'quirky twists' and minuscule portions, which only enrages the Fat Spoon. That said, some of the festive menus are outstanding, but there can only be one king of celebration. That is Café 21, which specializes in offering excellent yet fairly priced set menus all year round. And being part of the 21 Hospitality Group you can expect amazing dishes with a great deal of effort behind each one, made with the finest of ingredients and erupting with finesse. Café 21 is only really out shadowed by it's burly bigger brother, The Broad Chare. But when you want fine dining with all that glitz and glam guff, then Cafe 21 has to be your first choice. So break out the champagne and make your choice from the range of contemporary dishes boasting great game, rotund beef dishes and exquisite seafood. The beautiful presentation across all dishes will make your best efforts look like MasterChef gone wrong. High level food should look as good as it taste, as should the serving staff. Thankfully Café 21 doesn't disappoint. There is also a convenient Café 21 installation in Fenwicks, if MacDonald's doesn't cut it as mid-shopping bait. Definitely another big shot...94%