Reality bites at a local favourite
THERE has been hype around Starks Kitchen on Chillingham Road in Newcastle’s Heaton since it opened a couple of years ago.
The restaurant has gained an excellent reputation among locals, and it has a loyal customer base.
But what is all the fuss about? Does Starks really deserve its seventh place on Tripadvisor for the best restaurants in the city?
As a Heaton resident, I was keen to find out so headed there to see whether it was worthy of such a glowing reputation...
WHAT’S THE PLACE LIKE?
Starks, it has to be said, appears a little out of place in terms of location on first viewing. There are other eating establishments on Chillingham Road, but the majority of those are cafes or takeaways - and none are pitching at quite the same market.
In the unit with formerly housed Cal’s Own, now resident in nearby Jesmond, the white-fronted building looks inviting and the layout is homely.
One criticism would be the tables are a little closely packed together, making it difficult to hear. This is probably unavoidable, however, as it is a rather small unit and understandably they want to maximise that space.
A detail I certainly like about the restaurant is the open hatch behind the bar into the kitchen, where you are able to view the chefs freshly preparing your meals.
It brings an authenticity, as well as a closeness to the chefs, which many restaurants in the area lack.
HOW WAS THE FOOD?
As soon as I started reading the menu, I was excited about the food with just about every option sounding appetising.
Given there were four of us, we were keen to sample as much as possible, and so ordered a wide variety of dishes.
Our starters were pumpkin soup (£5), treacle-cured salmon (£8), and potato, ham and cheddar croquette (£7). The soup was velvety and full of flavour, the salmon sweet with treacle and perfectly complemented by the fermented apple, while the croquette was fluffy and comforting.
Although all the starters were delicious, they were a little on the small side given the price, and so we were all still hungry when the mains arrived.
The two star courses were my own rolled lamb belly with borlotti beans (£16) - and my girlfriend’s roast cod with wild mushrooms (£22). The lamb was cooked to perfection; tender on the bottom, and delightfully crispy on the top. The cod, meanwhile, flaked beautifully and balanced well against the earthy mushrooms.
As for the other two mains, although
both boasted quality ingredients, neither was perfect.
The parsnip rosti with a fried duck egg (£14) was well cooked, but a little bland.
And the same could be said of the crispy chicken breast with bearnaise sauce (£16).
Admittedly the rosemary and thyme potatoes which accompanied it were exceptional - I could have eaten a plateful of those - it needed a green veg component to complete it as a meal. It was just a little basic for a dish priced at £16.
On to the desserts, and the winner there was the pear tarte tatin (£8) which was just the right balance of tartness and sweetness.
My chocolate and sour cherry fondant (£8) was bitter and sharp to taste but, unfortunately, a cardinal culinary sin was committed: there was no runny centre.
It didn’t detract from the flavour, but it was a little disappointing not to see the chocolate ooze out when I stuck my spoon into it.
The final pudding, peanut butter and jelly ice-cream sandwich (£7), was a little on the bizarre side.
A frozen ice cream came served inside two biscuits and, although the individual component parts were tasty, it did not necessarily come together as a meal.
WHAT ABOUT THE SERVICE?
It is great to see a family-run restaurant doing so well - and that is one of Starks’ unique selling points.
The staff are warm, friendly, and clearly passionate about providing quality, fresh and local food.
Our waiting staff were extremely attentive, and the restaurant also catered for a garlic allergy which one of my fellow diners had.
Having warned ahead about the allergy, while three of us were presented with the full menu for the evening, he was handed a bespoke menu detailing what he was able to eat.
SO, WHAT’S THE VERDICT?
The food at Starks is of excellent quality, of that there is no doubt - and I am pleased to see a local business thriving.
But, given that Starks is essentially attempting to offer fine dining on a budget, I think it is a little over-priced for what it is.
True, it is cheaper than the likes of 21 or Peace & Loaf, but it is not quite on their level.
Our bill came in at £140.40 for four three-course meals plus drinks, which is not an insubstantial sum of money.
This review may seem a little harsh in parts but, when you are paying the best part of £20 for a main course, you do expect all of the cooking to be flawless.
On saying that, I would certainly recommend a visit for a special occasion. Starks has a loyal local customer base, and it is easy to see why given that there are no other restaurants like it on Chillingham Road.
With a few tweaks - or a 20 per cent reduction in prices - Starks really would be excellent.
It just isn’t quite at that level at the moment