The Urban Coffee House, Brentwood Avenue, Jesmond

This blog was born of a spirit of adventure, let no one tell you otherwise!  Today's visit illustrates this.  I'd been to the Mixer market (part of the Jesmond Community festival) at the British Legion, bought nothing and was strolling back down Thornleigh Road wondering if I could make Starbucks my destination of the week when I spotted the signpost to Brentwood Avenue Shops.  I was off into uncharted territory - not quite hacking through impenetrable jungle although I did have to negotiate an overgrown shrub as one stage - but certainly an area of Newcastle that I hadn't visited before.  And behold!  on the corner The Urban Coffee House - never heard of it, not on my list, but before I knew it I was inside ordering a rocky road slice and an americano.

Braver souls than I were sitting at the tables outside, but I opted for the window seating - armchairs round small tables that appeared to have been recycled from something that housed cable (bobbins?  dunno, word not in my vocabulary).  There was more seating behind the counter.  Nice smiley staff, upbeat latiny music, all the decor looked clean and recently done out.  On the walls were sketches for the interior of the cafe.  On the toilet walls were prints of well known people from the world of popular entertainment.  One might have been Jimi Hendrix.

The rocky road slice was sweet and gooey.  I suspect the coffee was stronger than I like but as I am nursing a cold I couldn't really taste it  I couldn't see the opening hours, but this cafe is one to linger at during the day or early evening to watch Jesmond pass you by on its way to the metro or Osborne Road

Scrumpy Willow and Singing Kettle, Clayton Street

Had to make this a flying lunch hour visit due to changes in the working week, but think I managed to do it justice.  It's bang next door to the Clayton Street Kitchen but completely different in every way.  Anyone from south Devon wandering through the door could be forgiven for thinking they had been transported back to Totnes!  Can't think of anywhere else in Newcastle that would have Resurgence magazine on display. 
I ordered by coffee and scone, remembering in time to have butter not cream with it (the North East has many and varied delights but proper clotted cream is not among them), and took my seat in the small street level seating area.  The table wobbled like mad but the waitress was very helpful in wedging it with wadges of paper.  Maybe I should say at this point, that this small area is the only flat bit of the establishment.  The toilets are down a steep flight of stairs and there is another flight up to what I assume is a further seating area.  During my visit, a couple tried and failed to get a buggy though the door (had staff been on hand I'm sure the other side of the double door could have been opened).  So, the place may not be DDA compliant but it has got atmosphere - elderly standard lamp in corner, fantastic Indian wooden screen concealing the fridge, cheese plant and peace lilies in the window, interesting cushions on the chairs, interesting choice of music (think I heard Van the Man at one point).
And an interesting mix of clientele too.  In the window, a couple in their 40s I guess.  She wearing the type of Breton striped top that the Times magazine declared 'on trend' only last week.  He casually but not cheaply dressed.  I imagine a place in Northumberland with wood burning stoves, eco gadgets galore and some kind of expensive electric car.  Middle table was vacant when I arrived but soon occupied by a man in a farmery type of tweed jacket, old fogey style but not that old.  He clocked the waitress straight away and wasted no time in chatting her up as he waited for his kedgeree and tea.  Kedgeree!  Talk about a throwback to the days of the raj!
So, the coffee was fine, the scone and butter was fine too, the apparently homemade raspberry jam served with it was so good that I used the whole lot, but the best of all, the taste to beat all tastes, was the organic peppermint cream that I bought on a whim as I paid.  It was large, sweet and so subtly pepperminty and so unlike anything mass produced that I walked on air all the way back to work.

The Fat Hippo, Jesmond

It's good when a plan comes together, and when the plan involves friends, dancing and my new year resolution so much the better!  So today found me at The Fat Hippo in Jesmond with a friend ordering tea and a club sandwich before going to French dancing at the British Legion up the road - nice!
I'd spotted the Fat Hippo a few weeks ago and put it on the hit list, then had cold feet as I thought it might be more of a restaurant than a tea shop.  I found it to be the kind of place you might go for a snack and being Jesmond it was very trendy.  We were the only oldies there and during our stay a couple of parties of students came in.  The decor was mustard yellow walls, grey paintwork, wooden floors, a rather lovely dandelion clock light, tables and chairs for two (but staff willing to push tables together). Music vibrant but not unpleasantly loud.
The tea was served in individual pots, just enough for two of their nice sized cups.  The club sandwiches were enormous!  half a stottie (bet they say ciabatta in Jesmond) with plenty of filling (I had cajun chicken with roasted red pepper and BBQ sauce), chips and a salad garnish.  Enticing though the caramel shortbread sounded, we did have the dancing to go to...
So yes, I'd rate the place.  A cut above my usual cheap and cheerful standard but definitely one for the young and trendy or those who think they are!

Clayton Street Kitchen

Some days only mince and dumplings will do.  On such a day I chose to visit the Clayton Street Kitchen - it was a last minute decision as my first choice was closed but it was not a bad decision.  There are two doors, I entered by the one partially blocked by the chill counter and came face to face with rather nice-looking caramel shortbread, tiffin and other delights but I was not swayed, only mince and dumplings would do.
With hindsight I should have picked up on the clues that they were about to close, instead I settled down at a table where I could view the passers by and took in the interior decor.  Red quarry tiled floor (wish I had one), light, nice tables a sensible distance apart, selection of magazines to read, a smaller place than I had imagined, music slightly loud but as I was on my own and not planning to hold a conversation (even with myself) it was OK.
Then the food arrived good and hot and accompanied by a lovely strong cup of tea.  Then the waitress began pulling in the chalk boards from the street and I began to feel a bit awkward.  The staff were really kind and said there was no rush as they were around till much later.  That said I did have to eat up and go, just to get back to work on time so I don't think I outstayed by welcome.  Tiffin did look good too...

Caffe Nero, corner of Clayton Street

If you want to experience what I experienced at Caffe Nero, just go to your local CN and sit for twenty minutes with a latte and a lemon and poppyseed muffin.  That's what corporate is all about, isn't it?
That said, it was nice to sit in the bucket chairs watching Newcastle pass in front of the window, and the muffin was nice even if the coffee was a bit strong for my taste.  The friend who had ventured to join me felt that the table could have been cleared for us, but I can cope with moving a tray and mopping up a bit of water with some napkins.
So, as a TV programme used to say, let's review the evidence.  Dark wood furniture and leather bucket chairs, loud, latiny music, centrally produced cakes and biscuits, coffee in lots of different guises.  Who drinks coffee in a place like this?  The young.  The trendy.  The ones who couldn't find their way to Costa, or Starbucks, or Coffee Republic or wherever.  Do I need to say more...