With the 'best Sunday lunch' in Newcastle almost on my doorstep, there was only one place I was going to be heading to get my roast fix this week.
The Tanners Arms was recently voted by Chronicle readers as number one spot in the city for Sunday lunch at the Newcastle Loves awards, and the pub is clearly proud of their title, displaying the award on the bar for all to see.
I first tried their lunches during the Covid lockdown when the pub began a takeaway service. But this would be my first time actually sitting inside the Ouseburn venue and enjoying my food in the appropriate pub lunch surroundings.
Read more: Our verdict on Sunday lunch at Blackfriars in Newcastle
Luckily I had managed to book a late slot a couple of days before, otherwise we would have struggled to get served on what was a very busy bank holiday weekend.
The sight of diners all around us savouring their meals gave us a tantalising preview of what was on offer - word has clearly gotten out about the quality of the food here.
Drinks are paid for at the bar before a member of staff takes your food order at the table - to be honest, it would be easier if you could order both at the same time - but at least we weren't waiting too long to be seen.
Sitting close to the kitchen, we were able to watch others' plates arrive with envy, before our own gammon and beef brisket dishes arrived. And because pigs in blankets are not just for Christmas, we also ordered two as a side along with two stuffing balls.
Each lunch was priced at £12.95, with chicken, belly pork and vegetarian options also available. The pigs in blankets and stuffing ball side then cost us an additional £4.95.
We tucked in and immediately my partner urged me to try the mash. The velvety mash with a hint of garlic was incredibly moreish. I don't know what the secret is but I suspect a generous helping of cream may be involved.
But it was by no means the only highlight of the meal. The green vegetables, carrot, parsnip and roasties were all delicious. Although I'm not the biggest fan of cheese, the cauliflower cheese was just right.
Personally, I prefer my Yorkshire puddings to be fluffy rather than crunchy and I was in luck here. Even the gravy was noticeably tasty.
The pigs in blankets and stuffing ball side were worth the extra pounds, and just added a little bit more variety to the heaving plate.
Unfortunately, my gammon was fattier and chewier than I expected and I struggled to taste the advertised mustard, honey and beer glaze. After trying my partner's tender-to-perfection red wine infused beef, I did slightly regret my own choice.
Practically fit to burst, I was nonetheless spurred on to ask a server if they did desserts - for the purposes of the review, of course.
It seems this is a strange and unexpected question to ask at The Tanners Arms. The staff member didn't know and said he would have to check with his boss, who then seemed incredulous that some diners would have a hankering for something sweet after their main course.
With no starters on offer either, if you're looking to fill your boots with a standard three courses, you might want to look somewhere else.
But to be fair to The Tanners Arms, they know what they do well and what their priorities are.
The people of Newcastle claim it is the best, and for what's it's worth, I can't disagree with them.
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