Quadrata Cafe, Central Square, Forth Street

This one has been in my sights since I was shown it when on a heritage walk last year.  The knowledgeable guide marched us into this office block, regaled us with details of the architecture (sadly now lost in the mists of my memory) and then marched us out again.  But a seed was sown, as they say.

You'll recognise the place, it's behind Central Station and has a tower of shopping trolleys outside (modern art, not vandals).  Walk boldly in past the reception, the cafe is at the back but not advertised.  They serve Costa, so you know the standard.

I ordered a latte and danish and took stock of my surroundings.  I was sitting in a large and, honesty compels me to say, not entirely comfortable armchair.  It looked like it was angry that it was not a sofa and so was determined to swallow me up anyway.  I could have sat on a proper chair at a side table but I'd chosen the centre.  Other customers seemed to have come from the offices and were holding business meetings.  On one side was the internal spiral staircase rising like a cathedral column.  On the other side, beyond the large water feature and the living trees (amazing those trees, I think the roots were planted in soil below the foundations), was a glass wall looking out onto a modern sculpture of a hand reaching skyward.  There was no background music, and  conversations were held in muted tones.  In fact, the place felt quite sacred.

I drank in the silence with my latte.  Got one or two things straight in my head and then went for a walk.  I headed along the remains of the city wall towards the quayside and then turned and followed a path along the top of the bank towards the High Level bridge.  There were little peeps and vertiginous staircases leading down to the quayside, and along the top were seats to enjoy the view (though I must say I wouldn't recommend anyone else to go there alone), the bivouacs of homeless people could be seen in the undergrowth, and there were little secret cobbled ways back to the Castle Keep and surrounds.  It was a timely reminder that Newcastle has hidden delights still to explore, including the cafe on the quayside that I've earmarked for next week - watch this space!

 

Lickerty Lick!

Like I said, I may just have to try it out, and what better than a Monday with a friend who's in the holiday mood.  The ice cream was great.  I hadn't realised until today that there is great rivalry between the two camps, so I will make no further comments or judgements other than to say, come on chaps, don't bankrupt each other in court!  Surely there are enough sundae lovers to go round.  It's only a name after all.

Lickety Split!

This is strictly outside my remit, but in the line of duty I just had to sample an ice cream sundae with friends on a sunny afternoon when, by all accounts Newcastle was still experiencing monsoon weather.  When we arrived the queue was literally out the door as a class of soon-to-be-demobbed school children were there for an end of term treat.  Apparently the Brownies like it too.

Eventually we got inside and admired the 50s style decor including bench seating back to back alongside tables, and a lifesize cardboard cutout of Elvis.  Appropriate music was played throughout.  Nothing like Unchained Melody to go with your sundae.  I chose Truly Toffee but the berry one and the Chantilly one with white maltesers in it also looked edible.  In fact I could probably force one of everything on the menu down, over a period of time naturally.

It's a one-off, a lovely treat.  And, I'm told a something similar has now opened in Fulwell.  I may have to investigate...

Coffee Beans, Old Eldon Square

Dodging Newcastle's weekly monsoon (is there some supervillain at the Met office organising these to coincide with my visits?), I lifted the soggy menu card on the outside tables at Coffee Beans and headed downstairs.  On a warm sunny day it would be great to sit outside and watch the comings and goings but in the event a basement table seemed safer even with the dangers of flooding factored in.

Coffee Bean have gone for The Homely look (see Chelsea Dock post) with laminate flooring, neat round tables and comfy leather dining chairs.  No sofas is always a plus.  I think the artwork on the walls may have been for sale but I didn't crawl over to examine it too closely.  Bucking the trend, there were one or two people coming and going and some of the customers seemed to be regulars which again is a plus.

Unusually, the staff do not serve from behind a counter but have a bench against the wall, don't know how they feel about this, I'd feel a bit on display but it makes the best use of a small space.

My order of tea and a cheese scone was served with matching china, milk jug, real butter and a giant scone which really filled a gap until supper time.

Keep this one in mind for a quick coffee or snack when in town.  You could go across the square to Starbucks (as a friend and I did on Sunday) and you'd get fast service, latino music, good standard and choice of coffee and cake.  You'd also get a very busy atmosphere.  Coffee Beans for a relaxed time and a chance to take stock and watch the world go by and sometimes that's what it's all about.

A Grand Day Out

Been on a bit of a jolly today, and I couldn't have picked better weather!  Antiques Roadshow this morning, so the world will see just how gorgeous the North East is when it is broadcast.  The queues were phenomenal!  Fortunately I have no antiques (just went to be nosey) so I was able leave early on for my next appointment at Seven Stories.

As I was early I thought I'd check out the Ouseburn Farm first.  Cheapest mug of tea in town at 60p!  A little local difficulty with the cheese scone, easily resolved by having a fairy cake instead!  The cafe overlooks the Cluny and the Ouseburn and on a sunny day it was fab. 

From there it was a short toddle to Seven Stories where I was booked on a tour round.  Fascinating place!  The tour ended with a cream tea in the cafe.  The staff had laid the table beautifully for us -  folded serviettes, the works.  And we sat overlooking the Ouseburn again enjoying a wonderful scone and cream, tea and coffee.  I had to educate the rest of the party about the cream going on first, so my livin has not been in vain.
You can visit the cafe without paying to go round Seven Stories and there is free parking nearby.  Could turn out to be a nice little bolthole...

Chelsea Dock, Scotswood Road

There seem to be several schools of thought when it comes to cafe design and furnishing.  On my travels this yearI have observed The Corporate (whatever town you are in our cafes will look exactly the same);  The Homely (clean, pleasant, functional);  The Quirky (let's mismatch the furniture and crockery and visit the local flea market for some decor).  And then there is Chelsea Dock, unique among the cafes I have visited (ever), proudly designed and almost opulent in its furnishings.  We are talking real leather upholstery, retro tiling that is really retro, colour changing lighting round the bar, carefully researched photos adorning the walls. From the ceiling lights, portraits of Marilyn Monro and Audrey Hepburn look down on beautiful crockery and matching everything.

It was perfect - until I walked in.  I had chosen to visit on the day Newcastle experienced its monsoon season and staggered through the door literally dripping wet.  It's the ultimate test of customer service, really. How will you react when a soggy customer drips all over your best decor, threatens to ruin your ambience.  I am pleased to report that Chelsea Dock came up trumps.  I got a towel to dry my hair to go with my latte and carrot cake, and a friendly, chatty welcome.  You won't get that in the corporate coffee houses.

Half an hour later, sun was out, the pavements steaming, and I was returning to the car and resolving to return to Chelsea Dock one day soon to try the bacon sarnies, maybe wearing a frock or something smart enough to be worthy of those leather seats.

Mid year hiccups

I can't believe it's halfway through 2011 already.  I might be drinking tea well into 2012 at this rate.  Just to record other places I've visited this year so far.  Libby and Pepe's cafe on Adelaide Terrace for one, it serves a wide variety of English, oriental and filipino dishes and probably deserved more attention than my feeble cup of tea and Kitkat.  And there's Expresso Lounge in Eldon Gardens.  Nice latte and packaged organic shortbread.  Candy coloured seats and mugs with colourful jelly handles. And the whole surrounded by a rather alarming pink hedge of artificial twigs. For some reason I was reminded of the Glastonbury Thorn, though if the pink stuff grew it really would be a miracle.

And now, the roll of honour.  Places I can't include in the blog cos I've visited them before.  Here goes in no particular order

Nobles off Northumberland Street
Laing Art Gallery cafe
Kaffecinos
The Sage
The Baltic
Debenhams
The cafe in the Grainger Market
The Singing Hinny on Shields Road
cafe at St Nicholas cathedral
Cloister cafe at St Marys cathedral

Sky Apple Cafe, Heaton Road

This is one place that I've meant to visit for literally years, but would never have got round to had I not set myself this quest.  Got there fine, parked easily (and for free!) on the roadside and then paused at the cafe door.  What to order?  The menu was full of delights such as nachos and falafels and I was in a savoury kind of mood...then I saw the magic words Cream Tea.  So in I went.  Should I sit down and wait to order, or go to the counter?  I went to the counter which turned out to be the right move and my order was taken speedily and in a friendly manner.
The cafe was quite busy when I arrived, unusual for establishments midweek (or so I observe) so reassuring that people in Heaton can still afford to eat out.  The Sky Apple surroundings feature the mismatched tables and chairs, a truly lovely crystal chandelier and sky blue walls and ceiling with beautiful puffy white clouds sailing by.  Truly a place for blue sky thinking, if we're still doing that.  Everything must be freshly prepared and there was a little wait for food.  The food coming out for other tables looked very yummy and when my cream tea arrived I have to say it was yummy too.  Naturally as a Devonian I put the cream on the scone first and then the jam.  All other ways are heresy I tell you!  I have also to report that the Sky Apple menu listed butter when the cream tea which  is utter sacrilege - fortunately the butter did not reach my table so I had no reason to be scandalised.
So, what do I really think?  I wish I'd had more time to spend at Sky Apple instead of just doing a quick raid and then been able to follow it up with a walk in Heaton Park.  All the more reason to go again and try the falafels ;-)
btw, do visit their website http://www.skyapple.co.uk/.  there's a fab sounding recipe for butternut squash schnitzel on Andy's blog