Slug & Lettuce Newcastle Central
Grainger Street
Newcastle
www.slugandlettuce.co.uk/central-newcastle
Yates was one of those pubs that you'd just assume would always be part of the furniture in Newcastle but, alas it is no more, after it shut its doors at the start of the summer.
A place popular for showing live sports, playing cheesy music at weekends and its offers on cheap jagerbombs, Yates was one of those places every Geordie probably drank in at least once, whether they can remember it or not!
But, let's not harp on about the past, as its replacement is a fantastic and almost unrecogniseable replacement.
And it's a name you'll most definitely be familiar with. There no longer remains just one Slug & Lettuce in Newcastle as, joining its Quayside sibling, there is now another one on Grainger Street in the city centre.
I paid a visit with a friend last week to see if we'd leave longing for for Yates to return or full embracing its new identity.
And the verdict is in...
To start...
I'll kick off by saying you'll be spoilt for choice by Slug & Lettuce's extensive menu. Having tended to drink, rather than eat on visits to other 'Slugs', I'll admit I was surprised by some of the more refined options available.
With no advertised starters as such, myself and my dining companion for the evening took a while to decide on sharing plates to have from plenty of different options.
We ended up going for Margherita Arancini, Chicken & Chorizo Croquettes and Teriyaki Salmon Skewers - available as part of a 3 for £11 deal.
And while also tempted by the likes of Southern Fried Chicken Goujons and Steamed Buns, we ended up very satisfied with our choices.
The piping hot melted cheese of the arancini balls turned the heat up a few notches but was gooey perfection, the croquettes were massively moreish and the salmon salmon skewers were cooked and presented beautifully.
Our enjoyment of the starters was added to by the fact that, after over hearing our conversation about the big news that day, our server was more than willing to add his 2p to the 'it's Rebecca Vardy's account' scandal that had everyone talking.
WAG Wars and wine - what better way to spend Wednesday evening!
Onto the mains...
After a terrific introduction to proceedings, we were both hoping and expecting the mains to follow suit and, for the large part, they did.
If you've ever read any of my food reviews before you know the word 'halloumi' is like red rag to a bull for me so as soon as I saw Halloumi & Chips (£9.99) my mind was made up.
That's not to say there aren't loads of tempting alternatives available too; with the Chicken, Pancetta & Brie Pie and Butternut Squash Lasagne doing their best to tempt me to cheat on halloumi.
My friend almost fell into the clutches of halloumi too, but ended up going for the £8.99 Chipotle Bean Burger.
She wasn't quite as impressed with her main as I was with mine, saying the accompanying chips were slightly too dry for her and her burger wasn't quite as flavoursome as she was hoping for.
My halloumi was both tasty and plentiful and after the very filling starters, left me feeling like one of those Weeble toys from my younger days!
Any dessert?
See the comment above for your answer to that one!
Room for improvement?
If the review had been written on the starters alone, there is no doubt it would be a straight five stars, so truth be told, there is very little room for improvement.
The stylish and chic aesthetic of the new Slug & Lettuce is a world away from how the venue looked in its Yates and makes it a fantastic new addition to Newcastle's social scene.
Just as the look is strikingly different to Yates, the drinks prices aren't in keeping with what the old clientele would have been used to, with my friend slightly horrified at forking out £8 for a large wine.
That said, the food menu offers great value for money, particularly during the day, with dishes like Fish Finger Wraps and Chilli Con Carne available as a £5 lunch option.
And another mention to our server on the night who, from our receipt, can gather was called Liam S. Liam, if you're reading this you were brilliant! Attentive and very welcoming without being even the slightest bit overbearing.
Former Yates regulars should definitely give the Slug a chance and for those who are already fans of the brand, there's no need to totter down to the Quayside anymore for your fix if you're already in town!
Scores
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ambiance: 5
