Bowled over time after time by taste of authentic Asia
Nudo, Nudo, Nudo! It’s fair to say a restaurant has won a following when it gets its own chant demanding a visit. We mainly call in before or after the cinema and the turn around of orders are quick, with mains served within around 20 minutes, which is handy if you’re catching a film or show,
While it might look small when you first step in, there’s an upper level of seating, so getting in without a reservation has never been a trouble, even on a Saturday night.
You might recognise the name from its sister cafes, Nudo Sushi Box, which has taken the cuisine to high streets including Sunderland’s Market Square and Durham’s in North Road.
I’d love to see one of these restaurants join them on Wearside.
Here, punchy starters and plates of ‘small eats’ are served alongside an extensive sushi menu.
Rice-topped Nigiri, Gunkan, Futomaki and Osomak, each wrapped in Nori seaweed, Temaki, cone-shaped handrolls, and Sashimi, slices of raw fish, give fans of the Japanese delicacy plenty to try.
If you love chilli - and I mean exceptionally hot - I recommend the stir-fried string beans and the wok-fried spicy edamame, although we tend to stick to a bowl of those sprinkled with salt and chilli as a starter.
Braver diners might be tempted by the beef tendons with udon noodles in a spicy soup, Japanese-style grilled eel or spicy beef tripe with celery.
That’s no slight on the skills of the kitchen.
If there’s anywhere to try something different, this would be it and I’ve been pushed to pick a few new things thanks to friends, who are evangelical about their favourite dishes.
More often than not, it’s the huge bowls of rice, noodle or ramen dishes which win our custom.
Favourites include the belly pork with chilli, beef and leek - which has quite a gravy-like sauce rather an Oriental one really tasty - and a soup of shredded pork with preserved cabbage. I’ve also tried the fried chicken karaage, various dumplings and the shredded crispy beef, which are tame but tasty, and my Nudo ‘partner in crime’ always goes for the tofu, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The fresh juices, cocktails and mocktails get the thumbs up too. The staff are always spot on and the venue offers a loyalty stamp card. It’s back lane setting may not give the best impression, but it’s no reflection of what lies beyond its door. My only grumble is the cost of the starters and small eats are almost the same as a main course, and it not that they aren’t worth the pennies, but it does mean it adds up. People with mobility issues might also struggle with the stairs to the toilets. Its website, nudonoodles.co.uk, lists its menu and versions which highlight gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian dishes.