…June 21, you say?
While we creep closer and closer to perhaps getting back into restaurants, bars, and everything else in May/June, here’s a few more takeaways for the past couple of months which have helped keep me sane.
Everyone seems to be smashing in takeaways left, right and centre at the moment but something a little fancier than your day-to-day cooking is definitely a little comfort, and still a great way to support all those struggling in the trade. It’s not the most exciting content for you guys though, so this’ll be the last one, with normal service resuming soon. Promise 😘
Hjem: The Valentine’s Day Edition
It’s very much ‘when you can get it’ but newly Michelin-starred Hjem are occasionally offering up limited boxes for delivery which are a proper little treat at home.
Over the last year, we’ve done ‘3c of whatever’ a million times, so this felt a bit more unusual and be extension that bit special. Just everything was perfect, and there’s a lot of it going on. Perfectly cured salmon gradvalax, fluffy custard doughnuts, North Acomb pork pie, food miles meticulously counted. Just really lovely all round. A proper treat, and reasonably priced too.
If you can’t get to the restaurant any time soon — with that ⭐️ you’ll definitely have to wait for a table — this is a nice way to sample the Hjem experience at, well, Hjem.
Order: only one choice, £50 — but you’re in safe hands.
Contact: restauranthjem.co.uk
Meat:Stack @ Home
Had to be, didn’t it? The guys recently celebrated their fifth birthday (has it really only been five years?) and having a bit of Meat:Stack at home felt like a perfect Friday/Saturday night substitute for a night out pre-drinking/carb loading.
Carefully packaged, idiot-proof instructions, and the nice touch of Meat:Stack wrapping for your burger made you feel like almost, it’s time to get back into a restaurant and pay to have someone else cook for you. Almost.
For now, roast your own wings, smash your own patties, add loads of filthy sauces. It’s salty, it’s fatty, it’s weekend food that helps you get through this shit-show.
Order: West Coast Classic or whatever special is on, taters, some beers (~£40). Weekend sorted!
Contact: meat-stack.com
Peace of Pie
Dave Coulson & his Peace & Loaf team have been banging out the pies for a while now, and they’re becoming more wildly ambitious in scope each week it seems. With classics like mince & IPA, or curried chicken, there’s now Philly cheesesteak, lamb gyros, and even a lobster Thermidor pie (by Hairy Biker Si King).
They come in portable-size for about £4, or in sharing size to make a proper meal of it. This (inc. wine) was I think £30 and was A Big Feed.
All of the trimmings done with that little bit of care you expect from Peace & Loaf. The pies? Of course they’re fabulous.
Order: fingers crossed for the return of their phenomenal take on the Festive Bake, or the IPA mince and onion, butter chicken, and especially the meal deal with all the trimmings.
Contact: peaceandloaf.co.uk
Sachins @ Home
Sachins has been in our mainstay repertoire for over a decade now, and is still for me the home of British Indian Restaurant style curry in Newcastle. Of course all those local takeaways via Uber Eats et al are always tempting, but honestly, Sachins is just a whole step-change league ahead of them and justifiably worth the ‘restaurant’ prices.
Lots of food, as you’d expect. And good selection, whether you’re after veggie starters, or big lamb-laden curries. Spiced with a deft hand, stupidly easy to reheat at home, and because you get so much, the absolute best leftovers for breakfast the next day. Don’t pretend like you don’t love it…
Order: something with lamb, tikka starters, some nice drinks to go alongside ~£35
Contact: sachins.co.uk
Breddos Tacos x Swaledale Butchers
We tried and failed to get to Breddos twice last year, once during the infamous Eat Out to Help Out, and once when the place was just too damn busy during a fleeting LDN trip (remember those?). So it was a no-brainer when they started offering up tacos at home kits.
Purchased via their butcher Swaledale (also worth a look for excellent meat delivery), the kits come with marinated carne asada, Al Pastor chicken thighs, and Toluca-style chorizo as well as tortillas and other essentials.
Apparently for 2, but again it’s a lot of food. Not too much effort required, just grilling some meats, add a couple of margaritas, and you’ve got a pretty good restaurant experience at home.
Order: only one choice, but add in some toppings of your own like chopped onion, more avocado, peppers or whatever takes your fancy. £35
Contact: no longer unavailable
Midnight Pizza Cru
Ah, Detroit style pizza. You’re sure to be the pizza du jour of 2021, with your crispy crusty edges, your excess of toppings, and your Instagram-fame.
Midnight Pizza Cru are Sunderland-based pie slingers who have been doing the rounds on social. Admittedly, it’s not my favourite pizza style, but I can see why its suddenly booming in popularity. This was the Sun City — triple cheese, pepperoni, pepper, onion, pickled jalapeños, quintessential chilli honey drizzle.
Get it in 4x squares or the whole pizza box sized 8x for 2 to share, and then some. Catch the guys at popups all over the North East, but mostly Sunderland on a Saturday night.
Order: go big or go home. The ‘8x’ size costs you about £20 but will feed a good few.
Contact: via Instagram
Great Northern Provisions: Pies from Chris Eagle
More pies! There’s just something incredibly homely and comforting about a really good pie. And isn’t that all we need right now? For me it’s one of the ultimate comfort foods, so who else would you want making them other than 21 / Porterhouse / Broad Chare / Saltwater top dog Chris Eagle.
Made fresh every week with rotating flavours — mint & lamb, beef & brown ale, etc. pick ’em up direct (STILL WARM) and smash one of the way home, and then add some filthy buttery mash and some veggies to make a meal of it. Flaky pastry, burnished bottoms, beautifully cooked fillings. Pies don’t get much better than this.
Order: lamb & mint was great, but really, whatever is on that week. 4 for a mere tenner.
Contact: via Instagram
Cal’s Own: New Gaff on Acorn Road
Since it moved from its Holly Avenue location late last year, Cal’s Own has moved to a ‘by the slice’ model (£3-4ish) which is an enticing temptress each time walking down Acorn Avenue. You won’t find the classic sloppy Neapolitan pies anymore, think more NY style, huge, few quid, with toppings ranging from Korean chicken to pepperoni, and this artichoke cream classic.
Really hungry? Get stuck into the sandwiches — the most legit Philly cheesesteak you’ll find in the North headlines, with other classics like chicken parm and a meatball hero also proving to be hefty winners. Readily available, always hot and always satisfying.
Order: the artichoke cream slice is a corker, and Cal’s remains the undisputed best square slice around.
Contact: calsown.co.uk
Momma Bains: Takeaway via Sat Bains
Maybe the only place you’ll get a blend of 2 Michelin star cooking with homely Indian comfort food. Sat Bains pivoted to meals on wheels during lockdown and this is the output.
Made in conjunction/bossing about by his mam, Momma Bains is Indian classics, done with minimal of fuss, but maximum flavour. This week’s flavours were lentil daal, aloo gobi, aubergine sabji & mung been daal, but it’s on constant rotation to keep you hooked. Intensely flavoured, just hoy in a couple of breads, and you feel like you’ve gotten something special.
It’s pretty limited edition, and christ I think it’s too expensive (£36 + £11 delivery), but relish in 2* luxury via humble Indian street food.
Order: rotating menu with a mix of pakoras, daals, curries.
Contact: mommabains.com
FEDs Fried Chicken
Technically opening just before lockdown hit, FEDs is to fried chicken, what Meat:Stack is to burgers. That is, bloody cracking.
You can still catch the guys in the quite sad looking Grainger Market on Thurs-Sat. Newcastle has been sorely lacking a strong fried chicken game for a number of years now, so it’s good to finally have some chicken to rely on. Go big with the meal deals — various pieces of chicken anatomy dredged and fried, with really quite good fries & slaw, littered with bits of broccoli and all sorts. Add a sauce and away you go.
This was I think £8 and kept away the hunger for the rest of the day.
Order: the meal deal! ~£10, any mix of tenders and pieces, fries, slaw, Nashville hot sauce, and a lie down afterwards.
Contact: fedsfriedchicken.com
Northern Soul Grilled Cheese
And one from Manchester, just ‘cos I miss it so much 🐝
Northern Soul are the grilled cheese daddies of Manchester, and did a bit of a one-off toastie at home situation a while back. Two grilled cheese, in this case a festive edition with stuffing, cranberry, turkey, sausage, and all sorts. Lots of cheese, even more carbohydrates, and even a ‘for later’ £10 gift voucher for that much-yearned-for return to Manchester.
If you happen to be reading, you’re a great candidate to make the leap to Newcastle as well guys!
Order: one plain and one with whatever daft topping you fancy. Mac & cheese on the sided, naturally…
Contact: northernsoulmcr.com
If the UK can behave itself, hopefully this is the last of the break and shitposts on here, and in April, I can go back to sharing the best places to eat in Newcastle again. Be good, everyone 🤞🏼
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