Browns Restaurant Newcastle Review

Browns Restaurant
Newcastle

www.browns-restaurants.co.uk

Reviewed by Diane Wilkinson

My partner Louise and I were delighted to be asked to review Browns Restaurant on Grey Street in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. We drove and luckily found a parking space on the street, which we didn’t expect. That particular part of the city is extremely busy and parking would normally be at one of the city centre multi-storey carparks. It is easily reached from the nearby Monument Metro station, too.

We had reservations for a Saturday evening and the restaurant was packed with diners when we arrived at 6.45pm. We were greeted by a friendly host who quickly found our table and gave us menus, immediately followed by a waiter who took drinks orders. He recommended the cocktails but when I said I was driving directed me to the drinks menu page of “softails” of which there was a good choice. I opted for Diamond Fizz (apple juice, elderflower, lime and ginger beer) which was delicious, while Lou had a glass of Pinot Grigio.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was relaxed with the buzz of lots of chatter and busy waiters. Our waiter was friendly with a good sense of humour, knowledgeable about the menu and efficient. For starters we had tomato soup and seared scallops. The soup bowl was large and came with a hunk of wholemeal bread. It was seasoned with lots of black pepper which was a little overwhelming and so I did not finish it as I wanted to leave room for the other courses. Lou declared her scallops delicious. They had a dusting of curry which wasn’t too strong. As a vegetarian I was pleased to see 3 options of main course and I ordered the filo parcel filled with sweet potato, squash and mushrooms, smothered with stilton and served with cranberries and grilled pear plus a side of rosti. Lou liked the sound of the chicken, bacon and leek pie with a broad bean and shallot salad but asked for chunky chips instead of the mash, which was happily accommodated. Both mains were a good size and this time it was Lou who could not finish the plate! The pastry was lovely, the generous filling was tender, and she particularly liked salad which speaks volumes as she is not usually a fan of beans. The veg filo parcel was filled to bursting but again seasoned with lots of black pepper. This was somewhat counteracted by the sweetness of the cranberries which went well with the dish. I was not at all sure about the pear, though, which was too firm for my liking and didn’t seem to go with the rest of the dish.

For dessert we chose the Peruvian chocolate brownie and the Brown’s Eton mess, both of which were very large portions, and we tried our best but just could not fit them all in! The brownie was rich and velvety, served with pouring cream instead of the vanilla ice-cream on the menu as they had run out. The Eton mess was a twist on the original with cherries and hazelnuts instead of strawberries and raspberries which was a delicious treat. We both opted for coffee – mine black, Lou’s a latte – and it was very strong so I would recommend asking for hot water with it if you prefer a normal strength.

Throughout the meal the staff were attentive without being overbearing, friendly without being over-familiar, and efficient with orders. The decor was pleasant with lots of interesting lighting, plants, pictures and mirrors, and there seemed to be a mixture of people, from couples to friends, to families and workplace gatherings.

Overall the service was excellent, the food was good and the value fair.

Rating: 4/5

For more information, to view menus or to make a booking visit www.browns-restaurants.co.uk.