On a Saturday afternoon we trekked our way to the coast to finally visit the heralded Omni Cafe in Monkseaton. A short 2 minute amble from the Metro Station, this is a gem for the locals.
Upon entering Omni Cafe, a small and cosy vibe greets you, along with the cheery staff and owners. Grab a stool to people watch while you eat or share a communal table and have a natter but be warned, get there early or be prepared to wait! This place is super popular and we can see why.
The menu is small and perfectly formed with ‘authentic’ Asian dishes that leave people raving and most importantly, flocking back for more. Daily specials are listed on boards and probably the most Instagram’d infused water in Newcastle changes daily too.
With dishes on the small side at Omni Cafe, it’s a great way to mix and match with your companions to try a bit of everything without overdoing it, Asian tapas style.
Juicy chunks of pork in the Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Belly (£7.95) were braised in honey and soy sauce to make them sweet and sticky and moreish. Complimented by rice the bite size pieces made the dish easy to share, a quick grab with chopsticks and you had a tasty treat!
The Vegetarian in the group tried the Roasted Sweet Potato and Cashew Nut Curry (£7.95), along side a rice. The curry was richer and by far thicker than what was anticipated which made the dish feel a bit more special. With no kick to the curry, the spices were warming and brought out the sweetness of the cashews and coconut milk. Fresh spinach and toasted nuts topped the dish of perfectly. It was so delicious and filling.
The Pad Thai with Prawns (£8.95) was a feast for the eyes. Beautifully presented the flat rice noodles were adorned with egg ribbons, peanuts, bean sprouts and chillies. Succulent prawns and a fresh lime topped the dish off. Bit unwieldy to share due to the tangle of the thick noodles but to be honest, it was so bloody delicious there was on way in hell I was going to share!
As a menu curveball, the Husband chose the Ka Prow (£7.95) and hasn’t quite finished singings its praises yet – weeks later. Lightly flavoured jasmine rice is tossed with thai basil, chillies, garlic and soy sauce. The slow cooked pork shoulder was buttery tender and worked well with the oozing yolk of the fried egg that garnished the whole dish. Mixing the bold yellow yolk with the rice gave the dish a new twist over the more usual cooked egg ribbons.
Unable to resist, the salt and chilli fries (£3.50) came piping hot and pimped with spices and a sriracha mayo. Perfect dippy nibbles to share on the table.
There’s a selection of cakes and bakes available for pudding but we opted for a liquid dessert – more beers in the pub!
There’s no dedicated parking for Omni Cafe so bear that in mind if you visit, naturally arriving by Metro would be the best solution. Be sure to visit the Left Luggage Room in the Metro station building while you are in the area!
Oh I LOVE Omni – we really over-ordered on our last visit but it’s the sort of place where you just want to try everything isn’t it.
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That’s the best bit – trying everything!