Starters & Puds, Newcastle

May 23 2008 by Jane Hall, The Journal

WE have the three statutory meals in our house. We also have a fourth: dib and dob. So named by our eldest son dib and dob is, as the name suggests, a meal where you do just that.

It involves mummy turning leftovers into surprise dishes and dips that can be picked over at diners’ leisure.

So popular is this form of meal that when John David turned nine in January, he requested a “dib and dob” as his birthday treat.

Starters & Puds opposite Newcastle’s Theatre Royal is an upmarket version of the dib and dob concept.

As its name suggests, there are no main meals. Only starters and desserts. The idea is simple; the menu features lots of small dishes made up of interesting combinations of ingredients of which you can choose as many as you want to either share or keep for yourself.

Housed in a former bank vault below street level, all was thankfully cool and calm as we entered the barrel ceilinged eating area on a warm May Saturday.

At our table we grazed on marinated black and green olives as we perused the menu.

For the uninitiated it is daunting. How many starters should we have? Would there be enough to sate the appetites of two hungry children and two adults?

We went with one dish each plus a couple of side orders, with the proviso we could always order more if wanted.

JD’s posh beef burger was a juicy miniature roundel of Aberdeen Angus topped with melted mozzarella served in a home made bread bun. Small it may have been, but the meaty burger turned out to be a hearty affair that almost – but not quite – defeated the lad.

It was left to little Matthew, daddy and myself to share the remainder of the food. The Spanish meatballs were succulent mini-rounds of beef coated in a rich tomato, onion, garlic and herb sauce served on a bed of just tender tagliatelle. Matthew particularly liked the chicken breast strips with their crunchy cayenne pepper and poppy seed coating served with a silky lemon aioli mayonnaise. He even devoured one half of two fish kebabs, generous chunks of flavourful salmon, prawns and cod skewered and served with salad. Side orders of homemade chunky chips cooked to perfection, a fresh Greek salad and crunchy garlic ciabatta bread, completed our starters.

Desserts beckoned. In the interests of this review, we all heroically made our choices despite feeling full. John David’s selection of three ice creams went down a treat. Daddy’s rhubarb crumble with creme anglaise was a lovely light affair with a not-too-heavy crunchy oat topping. Matthew’s old fashioned treacle tart served cold with clotted cream was the most perfectly conceived and lightest treacle tart I have had in a long while. Still hungry, Matthew nibbled on one of the wholemeal biscuits that came with my cheese selection, triangles of salty Roquefort, creamy Northumberland nettle and mature cheddar.

I leave the last word to JD. As we ascended into the afternoon sunshine, he announced he had eaten his “ultimate meal ever”.

I wonder if they take children’s birthday party bookings?

Starters & Puds, 2-6 Shakespeare Street, Newcastle

Tel: (0191) 233-2515

Open: 11am-11pm Monday-Saturday. Closed Sundays.

Where is it? Next to the Theatre Royal in the heart of Newcastle.

First impressions: Blink and you could almost miss the entrance, sandwiched as it is between a jewellers and a designer shoe shop. Steps lead down into what turns out to be a cosy subterranean retreat.

Welcome: Friendly and cheerful.

Style, design and furnishings: Barrel vaulted ceilings hinting at the building’s past as a bank, exposed brickwork, iron pillars, cream walls.

Cuisine: World cuisine meets traditional British on the pudding menu.

Wine: Unoaked Chardonnay, Foundstone, Australia. Initial soft flavours of lime and melon give way to a zesty, crisp finish; £3.20 a glass or £13.45 a bottle. Bottled beers include Becks at £2.30 and Newcastle Brown Ale at £2.75.

Service: Efficient and polite; especially good with children.

Value: £66.60.