Nice place but food for thought; ROBERT GIBSON VISITS POPULAR JESMOND EATERY.
ARLO Bistro & Cafe, 36-38 Brentwood Avenue, Jesmond, Newcastle, NE2 2DH, arlojesmond.com ONE of Jesmond's many charms is that it houses a number of distinct communities.I, for example, live near the Dene, which is a totally different experience to being stuck in the midst of studentville - or the fake-tan-splattered boisterousness of Osborne Road's boozing hub.
Cross the Metro line at West Jesmond and you'll find a further pocket of life centred on Brentwood Avenue, which is apparently regarded as 'trendy'.
I couldn't possibly comment - except to say it's all very pretty, a stretch of beautifully maintained independent shops, cafes and restaurants bringing a chilled-out buzz into the heart of a thoroughly pleasant residential area.
WHAT'S ARLO LIKE? From the outside, it's the jewel in the crown of Brentwood's offering in my opinion, its large windows, outdoor seating and canopies creating a continental vibe.
Inside, it pulls off that rare feat of having no particular organising principle as far as decor is concerned while still maintaining a sense of consistency.
Retro knick-knacks meet antler-based chandeliers meet a relaxed sofa area with books and whatnot to keep the kids occupied.
It all sounds very cluttered, if not off-puttingly eccentric. But the reality is far from that. The atmosphere there is great.
WHAT WE HAD FOR STARTERS The menu at Arlo is exactly the right size, large enough to offer for something for everyone, without being overwhelming.
From a choice of eight starters, I selected the Korean beef salad (PS5.95), which came a host of goodies from Asian slaw to rice noodles.
While I was pleased enough with it, though - it had all freshness and zing it should - there was nothing particularly striking about it and, while it's just a personal preference, I could have done with a bit more fire in there.
My dining buddies, Sid and Nancy, were similarly satisfied, but not blown away, with their choices: Tempura tiger prawns (PS6.95) and a smoked salmon and crayfish salad (PS5.95).
HOW WERE THE MAIN COURSES? A natural-born adventurer, I took to the specials menu, selecting the Gochujang marinated lamb rump with roasted vegetables, mustard pickled onions and Korean rice (PS14.50).
On the plus side, the lamb, which was perfectly pink as requested, was a quality piece of meat that was nicely enhanced by the complex coating.
On the negative, I felt the dish offered little as far as textural variation was concerned and just seemed a tad bulked out with all things squishy.
Nancy similarly objected to what she regarded as the excessive the use of fregula (little balls of pasta) in her baked cod dish (PS13.95), while Sid - a simpleton admittedly - complained his jerk chicken burger (PS13.50), as seemed to be fashion, was slightly too mountainous to facilitate easy chomping.
As an objective(ish) observer, I'd say Nancy was on to something, but Sid less so.
His skin-on chips, for example, looked great, and Arlo must be praised for the pulling out all the stops with the ingredients - everything from mango to chilli cheese and chipotle salsa.
FINISHING OF WITH DESSERTS Full on fregula, Nancy decided to give this course a miss, finishing off with coffee instead.
Sid and I, though, ploughed on admirably, ordering the sticky toffee pudding (PS4.95) and warm chocolate brownie (PS4.95) respectively.
Both were served with vanilla ice cream and once more hit the spot without inspiring screams of ecstasy.
IS IT VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN/ GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY? Celiacs won't be stuck for choice since even the main menu features decent gluten-free options - the brownie being one of them.
Arlo, to its credit, though, also offers a gluten-free menu for those who want a wider selection.
Vegetarians face a somewhat more limited choice, with just one main course option and one from the specials menu fitting the bill.
AS FOR THE DRINKS...
Arlo has an excellent wine list, with a good selection at reasonable prices.
We ordered the Malbec (PS19.95), and while it may have been more suited to my dishes than the others', there were no complaints.
OVERALL As the above suggests, none of us were particularly enthused about Arlo's food, agreeing that while the basics were there - quality local produce, reasonable prices etc - it was all fairly simple stuff, lacking in complex flavours.
In saying that, I'd happily go back for the lively, friendly atmosphere enhanced by excellent service.
On the whole Jesmond community thing, it's also worth noting that the place is something of institution, its long opening hours catering for everything from a morning cappuccino to a relaxed evening out with friends.
There's a lot of affection for Arlo and I can understand why - it's a cut above Osborne Road any day.
CAPTION(S):
Jamaican jerk chicken burger
Tempura tiger prawns
Korean beef salad
Warm brownie with vanilla ice cream
 Printer friendly
 Cite/link
 Email
 Feedback
| |
| Title Annotation: | Features |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England) |
| Date: | Aug 17, 2016 |
| Words: | 805 |
| Previous Article: | Four more players wanted. |
| Next Article: | Knights bring a light touch to darkness; HANNAH GRAHAM SAW CLASSIC NO MAN'S LAND AT THEATRE ROYAL. |
| Topics: | |