Inn fails to fully warm the heart
IT’S a place that’s been visited by everyone from the Geordie Shore cast to Jedward and a few weeks ago I headed to The Lakeside Inn for a bite to eat for the first time.
Last summer I headed to the pub, at East Fellgate Farm on the cusp of Wardley and Jarrow, for a friend’s birthday night out which ended up with us having a few too many cocktails as we stumbled upon and thoroughly enjoyed a drag cabaret night there.
There were no sequins to be found this time round, although The Lakeside is a place that is capable of shining in its own right.
So did it sparkle on a cold Monday night?
TO START
At first it looked as if we might regret not booking in advance as the pub’s Farmhouse Restaurant was full of fellow diners but, after taking just a moment or two to find a table for us, our waitress gave us a number of different menus to choose from.
Having done a bit of online perusing that same day I knew which main I was having and my starter was nailed on too once I spotted the words ‘chicken skewers’ staring back at me. Very reasonably priced at under £5, they were just the right size for a first course and were nicely presented alongside a sauce that has a bit of a kick.
Opposite me, and also very easy on the wallet, seafood gamberoni was well received too, setting us both up very
nicely for the main event.
ONTO THE MAINS...
Having been on the second week of a juice diet that involved drinking glorified pond water for breakfast and lunch, I was more than ready for a filling main and I’d already eyed up the ginger and chilli fillet steak noodles to do the job.
Unfortunately, while the steak was cooked to my medium request the noodles were more spaghetti-like and didn’t pack the punch I’d anticipated.
And after being in agreement about how pleasing our starters were, there was also shared disappointment from my dining companion over their main.
While full of praise for the home cooked chips that came on the side, they weren’t exactly singing from the rooftops with positivity for their vegetable crumble.
They said the vegetables lacked a certain freshness while the consistency beneath the outer crumble was a touch too soup-like.
ANY IMPROVEMENTS?
We both felt that if we were to order from the more traditional offerings on The Lakeside’s menu we might have walked away from the table a bit happier. Chips, while simple, aren’t necessarily a food that everywhere does well, but the plentiful and very tasty ones served up at The Lakeside suggests they do them, and other comfort food, extremely well. The service was definitely with a smile although I did wait ages for a drink, only to have to ask again before I got one. And the warm and welcoming demeanour of the rustic Farmhouse Restaurant was spoilt by the fact that what looked like should have been a roaring fire wasn’t roaring in the slightest, making the experience more than a little chilly. Price wise, the starters represented better value than the mains but overall there was little complaint with the bill. There are options and daily deals to suit all budgets in both the bar area and restaurant. My high hopes weren’t quite met but I’d happily go back to try something else, with the tapas menu sounding very tempting!
My high hopes weren’t quite met but I’d happily go back to try something else Simon Duke