Hello Lovelies,
Last Sunday, Mr Tramp, myself and the in-laws took a trip to The Staith House on the Fish Quay, North Shields. Previously own to a less than salubrious boozer from yester year, the Staith House is a very pleasant change to the scenery.
Inside, it is a mix between old wood panelling, pews, tables older than myself + Mr Tramp put together and the perfect juxtaposition of modern chairs and wall coverings. Despite being quite a small restaurant with around 13 tables the space is light and airy yet the tables are close together. The bar area did feel cramped when we arrived but as all the tables were taken up with diners, the drinkers had nowhere decent to perch. The waiter managed to spill a large glosh of father in laws pint all down my trouser leg while trying to get between two tables after we were seated. No apology was forthcoming and I stunk for the rest of the evening.
We had our table booked for 3pm and on reflection this was a mistake as a live acoustic singer began his set then too. Thankfully we were tucked away at the front of the restaurant but I would have not been impressed if I had been at the poor table next to him. No mention was made when we booked and had we known, we would have adjusted our booking to avoid this. It made chatting over lunch somewhat strained.
We ate from the set Sunday Lunch menu, as below. Between the 4 of us we ordered 2 Rydal Beef (£12.50), a lamb (£14.50) and the lemon sole. The Beef + Lamb were served with deep fried battered courgette, beetroot mash, 1 potato, onion in cheese sauce, peas and cabbage. The gravy was flavourful and packed with meat juices, a true “proper” gravy.
Mr Tramp polished his lamb off in record time with absolutely no complaints and enjoyed the modern unique take on the traditional Sunday lunch veg. I think had another one arrived that would have been devoured also.
I was wholly unimpressed with my entire meal unfortunately. My meat was as tough as old boots and had I known the Sunday lunch was served with these veg I would not have chosen it. I felt let down that a Sunday staple had been “messed” with and it didn’t give any clue on the menu. I didn’t think the battered courgette sat well in the gravy and left it mushy. I left the vast majority of my lunch and made do with the onion, 1 roast potato that needed a hammer to break the crispy exterior and the Yorkshire pudding as well as what meat I was able to get my knife through.
The lemon sole was also a disappointment. With the fish being served skin side up with the sauce on top made it incredibly hard to eat, remove the skin or navigate the bones. The brown shrimp were also somewhat lacking and the courgette had made a few splodges of fat on the plate during dressing that hadn’t been removed and looked far from appealling. The sauce however was delicious and the fish well cooked.
For pudding, again we were left a little disappointed, so much so there are no photos.
The Lemon Posset was an absolute delight yet came in a small jam jar with an unwieldy tea spoon to eat with. Unless you got your finger in there you left quite a lot in the jar.
The Chocolate Brownie was another one of those staples that had been “messed” with, without any indication on the menu. When was the last time you saw a chocolate brownie covered in marshmallows being served? Exactly. Again, this was not noted on the menu which made it highly disappointing when it was placed in front of someone who detests marshmallows.
