The Jesmond Dene House Hotel in Newcastle is rather characteristic and traditional whilst remaining up to date with its design and approach to service. And this approach is mirrored in the Jesmond Dene House restaurant, which is located inside the hotel. The restaurant currently holds three AA rosettes and focuses on fresh and local produce.
The restaurant’s cuisine is based on traditional flavour combinations and high quality ingredients, the kitchen team also inject innovative creations into their dishes. Embracing contemporary styles and attitudes, the chefs produce beautiful dishes that were a delight to look at as well as taste.
We were delighted to find that the restaurant provided both a regular and a vegetarian tasting menu. As a long-time vegetarian, I was particularly pleased to have this option; it’s not a luxury I’m often given the opportunity to enjoy.
Having chosen our tasting menus and spoken with the knowledgeable sommelier, we decided to sample the wine pairing with our tasting menus, the first glass of which was Champagne Vincent Testulat, Blanc de Blancs, France. Accompanying my dish of baked Jerusalem artichoke served with apple and crème fraiche cheese, caramelised onion macaroon, tofu and Korean mustard.
My partner, who chose the traditional tasting menu, was presented with rock oyster served with apple and lavender salt cod brandade, pea sphere with salt and vinegar rice and crispy rabbit belly. Both dishes were an exciting start to the meal, displaying creative and innovative flavour combinations that were certainly successful.
“We didn’t have a bad word to say about the Jesmond Dene restaurant.”
For our second dish we both enjoyed smoked cauliflower and wild garlic soup with a glass of Reichsrat Von Buhl, Trocken Riesling, Gremant, 2011. The soup was very delicious and the quality of the ingredients was clear through the simple but effective flavour combination. I followed this dish with a garden herb salad. Not the traditional garden salad, I was very impressed with the selection of ingredients and the beautiful presentation that made it look almost too good to eat. My partner chose an equally impressive dish of seared hand-dived scallops served with cauliflower puree and wild garlic jus. Also seemingly simple, this was a very well-presented and delicious dish.
For our next main dish I was presented with summer truffle and artichoke risotto paired with a glass of Chardonnay, Neil Ellis, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2011. This was a very delicious dish and the addition of truffle was particularly pleasing. My partner enjoyed a dish of squid served with black beans. Simple but effective, the squid was beautifully cooked.
For my final two savoury courses I was presented with char grilled asparagus, girolles and quails eggs, followed by pecorine mille-feuille. These were paired with Maranges, Vieilles Vignesm Burgandy, 2009, and Malbec, Tolentino, Mendoza, Argentina, 2011, respectively. Both dishes were beautifully cooked. Unusual and incorporating innovative flavour combinations, I was once again impressed by the high quality of the cooking.
My partner enjoyed a ballotine of fois gras served with char grilled carrots followed by organic spring lamb served with broad beans, girolles and Tokyo cross turnip. Simple but thoroughly enjoyable, the dishes focussed on the impressive flavours and beautiful ingredients.
For dessert we both enjoyed a glass of Moscato Passito, Dindarello, Maculan, Veneto, 2009 whilst enjoying a selection of desserts including a vanilla parfait with rhubarb, chocolate gateaux with aerated chocolate and a roast peach sable Breton. All deserts were extremely delicious and, again, beautifully presented. We did not have a bad word to say about the Jesmond Dene restaurant, and I hope to have the opportunity to visit again in the future.
The Bill: £89 per head
