A standout roast at traditional pub
THE Eatsmobile’s ‘satellite navigation’ – aka Mrs Eats’s mapreading skills – failed us yet again and we ended up in Killingworth, North Tyneside.
Resigning myself to the fact that we weren’t going to reach our destination (and secretly rather happy as we had been heading for a dreaded Sunday craft fair), I decided to make the best of the situation.
As luck would have it, we discovered a boozer which you can’t miss. The New Coach Inn stands proudly on the corner of Killingworth Road and Great Lime Road. We hadn’t been to the New Coach Inn for a number of years and we decided to give it a whirl.
The bar area has an old-fashioned pub feel to it, with a large eating area to the right of the entrance. It’s a traditional boozer with no airs and graces. In terms of decor it’s a bit dour to be honest and it could do with a bit of a revamp. But as we say, never judge a book by its cover. And, as luck would have it, we got our wish and were sat where we wanted to be, with a couple of families already tucking into their dinner. There’s also an extensive been garden at the back of the pub but it was freezing outside and we prefer warmth. Through the week, the pub offers a range of homecooked options but reverts to Sunday lunch classics on, er, a Car park..................... Kids allowed...................... Real ale..................................... Wine by the bottle........................ Credit cards..................................... Vegetarian food............................. Sunday lunchtime, and we were glad as it was just what we were in the mood for.
Unfortunately there weren’t any starters so it was straight to the main event.
There were four roast options silverside beef, chicken supreme, horseshoe gammon and pork loin (all £8.95) all served with seasonal trimmings. They also do a large plate for £10.95.
I ordered at the bar and we didn’t have long to wait. I went for the beef and Mrs Eats went for the chicken.
The beef was served with the homemade, gigantic Yorkshire pudding, creamy mashed potatoes and countless roasties. It was also swamped with gravy, just the way I like it.
The beef slices were thick, sweet and juicy. The Yorkshire pudding was excellent, crisp on the outside, and meltingly soft on the inside.
The chicken came with the same additions. It was wellcooked and full of flavour. Mrs Eats said her chicken was good quality and it could be said of the whole meal. While the portions of gravy were generous we were also given an extra jug, which was a nice touch.
Our accompanying vegetables were savoy cabbage, maple roast parsnips, carrots and turnip.
In short, the scran was everything we look for in our weekly Sunday outings. The staff were friendly, the service was quick and efficient, and the surroundings were pleasant.
Despite the sheer volume of food piled onto my plate for my main course, I still managed to dust the lot down. And, despite that, I still had a hankering for something a little sweet.
The homemade apple pie, (£3.50) a failsafe comfort pud, was Mrs Eats choice.
I had the rockslide brownie (£4.50). And that was yummy. Quality and taste shone through again – a great pud.
We really couldn’t fault our dishes. We were very happy with our visit but I did miss my starter. However, if you’re after a homely setting and stand-out tasty pub food. I think the prices are also very reasonable.
And good service at this hostelry has to be singled out for special mention. Nothing was too much trouble for the efficient staff.
Overall, a standout Sunday lunch in the traditional bar, with its friendly staff, made this a very good day out.