Showing restaurant week how it’s done, in Shields.
It’s a bit of a chore for me to get to Shields these days, despite it being my stomping ground for 25+ years. Which is partly why I keep forgetting about 31 The Quay (Ground Floor, Smokehouse Two, Smith’s Dock, North Shields, NE29 6BZ).
A while back we went for breakfast, but have been meaning to come here for literally years for a proper meal. It’s one of those places where the kitchen just seems to quietly smash it out day in and day out. And if you want an insight and teaser of what you might get (and you do), I featured chef-owner Lewis’ account on my ‘chefs to follow on Insta‘ post a while back. He seems to have nailed those dishes that look simple on the plate, but where there’s actually a deceptive amount going on.
In January the restaurant ran a 3c for £20 menu to coincide/compete with the Newcastle Restaurant Week offerings. Many in NE1 were doing 3c for £25 which isn’t really ‘offer’ territory for me. So instead, we headed along to the Fish Quay’s offering.
For £20, obviously to some extent the menu was ‘down to a cost’. But that’s not to knock the quality at all, and most importantly, the accuracy of the cooking.
Starters —leek and potato soup (top) is just deeply comforting. So silken in the mouth it feels like about 90% cream and just what you need on a miserable January evening. The cheese brioche on the side was even better, which retained a puffy lightness despite a hefty quantity of cheese.
The softest slab of confit pork was enveloped in a load of crunch, and served with a tart Braeburn puree and a little celeriac remoulade. Textbook stuff, and just the kind of appetite waker-upper I like.
The trend of comforting classics, bistro-style food continues. It’s food that has been shimmied into place enough to feel like properly well-thought-out dishes. A beef pithivier stands out as a classic example — slow-cooked in a red wine bath for a suitably long time, it’s a satisfyingly strong dish.
Sea bass is in the pan not a second longer than needed, and backed with a deep langoustine sauce which invites a plate-licking. There’s also a potato terrine which is crackling crisp, like a potato croissant. Yet still it manages to be only the second crispiest thing on the plate behind that bass skin. Not a smidgen is wasted, partly because that sauce is so good, but mostly because the cooking is faultless.
Service on a busy Friday night doesn’t miss a beat. If I’m looking for holes, much like Lovage lately, a short wine list doesn’t travel much further than France or Italy though a Romanian rosé is a welcome diversion.
A little break before dessert is welcome, though pacing and portions are well-judged. Sticky toffee pudding is a fine example of the classic, managing to not be too sweet, though the only dud of the night is a vanilla ice cream. It’s got still-frozen icy bits which jars heavily against the otherwise satin-esque pud. Kate’s whipped chocolate custard isn’t much of a looker, but would surely satisfy any chocoholics’ desire for a decadent, luxurious gob full of cream and cocoa.
For twenty notes, this was insane value. The regular set menu is twice as much as that, but you’ll find higher-cost ingredients, and generally more adventure to be had. The Sunday lunch is pretty well-regarded too. I mean… look at it.
I can’t fathom why the allure of this place has escaped both the Michelin and the Good Food Guide. It happily punches alongside, and in some cases better than some of the most well-regarded restaurants in the region.
I can’t wait to get back. So if you’re looking for a date night on the river, a place to take the family, or just a bloody great restaurant, keep 31 The Quay in mind.
Contact: 31thequay.co.uk
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