Ridiculously good? 🪤
Just when you thought there wasn’t any more room in Newcastle for single dish concept restaurants…think again. I reckon we’re gonna see frigging loads of these over the next 24-36 months. And why not? Here’s my guesses: Geordie Crumpets: ‘add some pulled pork!’. Wey Aye Briquette: ‘BBQ, but done properly this time!’ And something I’d personally love to see, a fish finger sandwich virtuoso. Y’never know.
It’s a safe route to market, really. Create a proof of concept and graft all of the street food events until you’ve got some capital/can crowdfund to have your own space somewhere relatively inexpensive. It’s gotta be a hell of a lot easier than doing out a city centre restaurant unit and hoping for the best.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese is a no-brainer for this type of thing because really, which wronguns are out there saying ‘No…I don’t really like cheese and pasta‘. It is as safe and universally loved as Tom Hanks, surely?
The eponymous redhead behind the operation is Jamie Pagett who did a good shift at Porterhouse / Saltwater so you know there’s sound fundamentals there. If you’re gonna do just one thing, it had better be good, and for now it’s safe to say Redheads is the best macaroni and cheese you’ll find in Newcastle.
The core béchamel is obviously the not-so-secret sauce here. When your Redheads is piping hot, it’s got that ooze and creaminess, that homogeneity, that cuddle of yeasty cheesiness which warms you from the inside out.
Redheads was a lockdown saviour of ours, when someone else cooking for you felt like a real treat. A heavy portion of some molten cheese and oodles of pasta noodles is a dish you hope will just always be there for you. It is truly one of the reliable comfort food greats. Which is why it’s so disappointing when you get it in a restaurant and it’s just bland, or thin, or worst of all — doesn’t even taste of cheese. Not here.
There’s a few twists on the formula, from naked cheese (£6) to a range of mostly meaty toppings which add some textural interest for an extra quid or two. Most are worthwhile distractions: viscous and beefy Philly cheesesteak with peppers and pangrattato. Sautéed mushrooms with truffle oil. Sticky rib. N’duja. Korean beef. You get the idea. Always add Sriracha.
Specials occasionally get playful. There’s been nachos, pesto, parmos, and sliders as toppings. There’s fried chicken tenders, or this grilled cheese. Not the GOAT cheese toastie, but still satisfying and a hefty feed for £6. The cheesecake is quite dirty in all the right ways, too.
Then when you’ve done one thing well, the next step is just world domination. Jamie has launched a heat at home range which future you will thank your freezer for. Having one of these on standby is pretty much gonna trump most shitty takeaways out there. At time of writing, you can get them from Rehills, or the curious H&S Convenience Store in Wallsend.
As well as that, get your cheese fix most days in the Grainer Market. Or find your macaroni hit everywhere from Beach Box, local music festivals, and of course, HWKRMKT. Need that carby cheese pull in bed? You can get it delivered too. What a time to be alive 🧀
What’s next? Redheads is apparently joining the growing cluster of independent single-dish restaurants on Chillingham Road. It’ll fit right in with that casual-but-great strip of Dot, Flint, Bao Bar, et al. Hopefully Redheads 2.0 doesn’t stray too far from it’s MO, and I’m sure it’ll do well there too.
If you’re gonna do one thing, and do it well, here’s how. Surely, the best mac and cheese you can takeaway and eat at your leisure for ~£7.
Find Redheads at the Grainger Market (permanently), or at various street food locations and popups including the Quayside Market each Sunday. Chilli Road restaurant looks to be done by end of 2021.
Contact: redheadsmacncheese.co.uk
Food hygiene rating: 5/5
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