Sambuca
57-60 Sandhill Quayside, Watergate Building, Newcastle, NE1 3RG
Phone: 0191 261 7767
Open: Daily from noon until 10pm (9pm Sunday)
sambucarestaurants.co.uk
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
A Tardis. We decided to have tea on the Quayside early one evening and on finding our two ideas for where to go were closed - one permanently - we hit upon Sambuca on the corner of the Swing Bridge.
Even though I regularly pass this branch of the popular Italian chain I'd only ever been in the building when it was Casa, though knew it better when it was Hanrahans, and had forgotten how big it is - cavernous even - as we were met near the bar and guided away from a school party singing at a birthday celebration and through its depths to the window area overlooking the Tyne.
As they readied a table for us, we were invited to take a seat nearby where we perused about three different menus while a background of festive music combined with the busy, cheery atmosphere and the very welcoming staff soon had us on the cusp of feeling Christmassy.
The fact our waiter for the evening sported a trilby hat covered in silver sequins tipped the balance.
Being seated overlooking the Tyne was a treat, with the lights of By The River Brew opposite and - in the far window - the reflection in the water of the Millennium Bridge adding more colour and charm to the scene.
Our main waiter - and we had several staff during the night delivering courses, scooping dishes or just stopping off to check on us and have a bit of chat - was super-helpful as he clearly had us signalled out as newcomers struggling to negotiate the menu.
WHAT WE HAD FOR STARTERS
It was hard to decide. In addition to an expansive main menu there were blackboard specials, which included a special Christmas deal on an elaborate dish featuring lobster and rib eye which was tempting and the waiter even offered to have a smaller plate of it made up just for me when my guest confessed he rarely - if ever - departs from his Italian staple of calzone pizza.
Then I learned that Monday to Thursday is also Steak Night - three courses for £17.95 - which also includes plenty fishy options so I went for that, choosing its bruschetta starter, while my guest picked a different bruschetta - caprino - from the main menu (£6.95) which adds goats' cheese and mixed peppers to onion, basil dressing and balsamic glaze.
After ordering, the waiter returned to say that they were out of goats' cheese so - amid some bruschetta confusion - I picked brie from the choice of replacement cheese given which my guest didn't particularly thank me for when we later realised it was for him.
He found it all too cold and missed the tomatoes that came with my bruschetta which had all the other traditional ingredients of basil, onion and balsamic drizzle while the lightly-toasted bread underneath was of the home-made crumbly kind. The bruschetta - from different menus - were very different and, in all, both were nice but nothing exceptional.
HOW WAS THE MAIN COURSE?
If there's ever one stand-out course among three, I always reckon it's worth going to a restaurant again. And for me the main made up my mind even before I came to dessert (more of which later).
While my guest stuck to his usual calzone pizza (£7.95) - and this was indeed the usual calzone pizza - I chose sea bass from Steak Night's fish options which also included cod and salmon.
The dish was a beauty, in every way. It can presented on a triangular blue plate, its contents artfully arranged around it, and we all - including the waiter - took a moment to admire it.
Two decent-size and lightly-cooked fillets of fish were draped over a mass of mussel shells and rings of squid all steeped in a bouillabaisse -style stock whose depth of flavour was cut through with a little side of rocket and lemon - which really did add something to the whole - while roast cherry tomatoes gave little pops of sweetness. It was delicious and filling enough for me to leave some of the seafood.
AND DESSERTS?
Our sequin-hat waiter, who turned out to be called Thomas and apparently also provides musical entertainment at the restaurant on set evenings, reappeared to announce that there was some special "Italian tapas" for me for dessert.
I didn't know what it would be and didn't much mind.
Desserts are the least important part of a meal for me and I tend to find the usual pudding list a bit boring - but I could never have guessed what might be in store here.
The plate brought to me looked like a mini winter wonderland - various shapes protruded from under a snow of cream and what looked like little icebergs were chunks of meringue - all covered in swirls of chocolate sauce and monkey's blood.
It really was quite extraordinary and there rising up from the centre - looking like a small palm tree in the middle of a exploded island - was a tuile tube biscuit with a sprig of mint stuck in the top.
Digging under the 'snow' around it revealed pieces of cake: one rocky solid outcrop turned out to be very nice biscuit and I found some banana - I don't know if it had escaped from a piece of cake or was there on its own but who cared. It was all quite exciting.
My guest, being too full, passed on dessert but was also tempted to have a lucky-dip sample and there was plenty to go around.
It was a bit mad but I liked it. I don't know if it's a way of using up leftovers. If it is, it's a great idea - and what's not to like?
COST
The total bill came to £42.30, which included a pint of Moretti and a large glass of good Sauvignon Blanc.
OVERALL
We loved it. The atmosphere was festive and we couldn't have received a warmer welcome. On leaving we were given a hug and a kiss and asked when we'd be back. Well, our return is guaranteed. Besides there being lots more I'd like to try on the menu, we reckon Thomas's music nights might be worth sampling too.
