I am up in Newcastle next week. I'm taking some friends/family out for a really special meal on Saturday night. Can anyone recommend anywhere for me (non-fish, non-Asian) please? Staying on the Quayside if that helps. What os Courtneys or the Blackgate restaurant like? Thanks - in advance.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Answers

The tapas place opposite the baltic is really nice .. cracking menu , good service and nice and lively if theres a few of you . Well worth a visit .

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

21 Queen Street was always popular with Journalists. Good food, over the road from Courtneys. Try the Malmaison Hotel Brasserie - not too bad. But maybe a bit "small time big shot businessman and his brassy wife"

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Swift

You should write restaurant reviews: 'small time big shot businessman and his brassy wife'

Classy prose. And cutting.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Cheeky get , we had wor breakfasts in there on Sunday morning : - )

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Cheeky get , we had wor breakfasts in there on Sunday morning

Speaks volumes!

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Ken youre starting to wind me up now ; - )

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

I asked this same question last year, and got the same sort of useful suggestions. This was Xmas dinner celebratory meal to take my ma and pa, and sister visiting from Portugal, and aged Granda(along with all the MacBeths).

Despite the obvious reservations I ended up booking the Magpie suite. Not cheap, but excelletn service, food and plenty to talk about as we were allowed out to the see inside the ground. (Don't go Xmas week it was artically cold).

Food was top class. Well worth it, probably around #20 per person, don't know how much your brassy wife would need to be spent on her.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

If it's any recommendation, the guy who used to run 21 Queen Street is now running the Magpie Suite.

And an excellent Italian is Pani's just opposite the Bacchus.

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000