PEACE AND LOAF, JESMOND

I can't believe that it has been a year already since my last visit to Peace and Loaf. I have been planning to return for a while now, so I made sure that the big brother booked us in for dinner, after we had eventually finished off the last remains of the Christmas turkey (it really wasn't all that bad...).

As much as I looked forward to the delicious food, I was also quite excited (like a twelve-year old stuck in a twenty-something year old's body) to have a look at my enlarged doodle that currently adorns one of their walls. It looked pretty awesome, if I must say so myself, but enough about me, and let's move on to the food.

Headed up by 2010 MasterChef: The Professionals finalist David Coulson, Peace and Loaf offers an exciting and seasonal menu inspired by traditional British cuisine and Chef David's innovative ideas.

Like before, we started off with some warm, crispy bread, this time served with creamy and indulgent beef dripping. The amuse bouche consisted of an appetising array of sweet meatballs, fish cake, balls of Christmas stuffing and meringue.

I love steak tartare, so the Raw Steak & Oyster Pie definitely caught my eye. It wasn't exactly a pie, but more of a deconstructed version of one, but tasty nonetheless. The steak was nicely chopped up and still had some texture to it, as opposed to mushy minced up steak that I'm not very fond of. I also particularly liked the mini pickled mushrooms, and the fragrance from the truffle was lovely.

Ham, Pease pudding, Beetroot, Stottie

Root Vegetable Salad, Mushroom, Truffle

Thanks to the kind Chef David, we were also had the pleasure of tasting the delightful Scallop starter, served with parsnip, creamy ducks liver, crunchy bits of hazelnut and rosehip.

After a moreish snack of crackers topped with smoked eel, our mains arrived.
I went for the Fillet of Halibut with chestnut, wild mushrooms, smooth creamed potato, and interesting beer-flavoured gel-like drops. The fish was cooked beautifully, and although I'm not usually a fan of of beer, the taste did grow on me with each mouthful.
As always, I also had a little taste of my brother's and sister-in-law's food (sharing is caring) - the hake was cooked nicely and the roast goose was pink and tender.

Fillet of Hake, Seaweed Roast Carrot, Squid

Roast Goose, Red Cabbage, Fondant Potato, Redcurrant

I still have good memories of the amazing dessert platter that I had last time, so of course we had to once again order the Assiette of Desserts for Two to Share - or in our case, 'Three' - because why settle for one dessert when you can have four?

The platter this time came served with:

Flavours of Black Forest
Blue Cheese, Pear, Almond, Port
Blackberry, Tea, Granola 
Fig, Plum, Warm Spices 

All four of them beautifully presented with so many different flavours and textures. 
I can't wait until next time to find out what new desserts await me...

Another very pleasant and satisfying dinner, and definitely a gem worth visiting if you're up North. Cosy, welcoming, and great value for good quality food.
Thanks again Chef David for the great food (I have a new doodle for your screensaver!).
I look forward to next time - hopefully it won't take as long as another whole year...

The Cheekster, signing out x

PEACE & LOAF, JESMOND

I'm not too familiar with the food scene in the North East, but my brother who loves food just as much as me recommended this place, and I was pleased when he made a dinner booking for us during my stay.

Peace & Loaf is headed up by 2010 MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Dave Coulson, who is known to have a reputation and passion for creating flavoursome and innovative dishes. Opened in autumn 2013, the restaurant offers exciting seasonal menus that incorporates Dave's signature dishes, and utilizes the freshest and locally sourced produce.

The restaurant is spread across three levels, with simple decor and exposed brick walls which gives it a very warm and welcoming feel. We were seated on the first floor where the kitchen was and had a view of the pass at the far corner. I particularly liked the birdcage candle-holders and the lights hanging from the ceiling.

We were started off with some warm loaves of bread and butter, and small snacks - arancini and salmon deep fried lollipops and beans on toast.

For starters, I had the earl grey tea cured salmon which was served with some crispbreads. An interesting combination of flavours with the citrus taste of the lemon fanta and the smokiness of the anchovy. My brother had the braised oxtail which was really soft and tender, served with creamy saffron risotto. My sister-in-law had the scallops which were nicely cooked.

| Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon, Lemon Fanta, Smoked Anchovy |

 | Scallop, Cucumber, Purple Broccoli, Bergamot |

 | Braised Oxtail, Saffron Risotto, Red Wine, Parmesan |

After clearing our starters, we were served an amuse bouche of black pudding. It was really delicious and my brother who has obviously eaten more black pudding than I have said that it was one of the best ones that he has had so far.

For my main, I ordered the vanison which was tender, with a nice pink centre. The black pudding was served in a sort of springroll which was light and crisp. The mash was smooth and creamy, and the whole plate was really tasty and vibrant.

The confit duck egg had a nice, runny centre, and had a nice crunchy texture from the granola bits.

The monkfish had a firm and meaty texture and was served on a bed of pasta, and some tasty ham knuckles on the side.

| Venison, Black Pudding, Beetroot, Pear, Port |

| Confit Duck Egg, Celeriac, Wild Mushroom, Black Garlic, Granola |

| Monkfish, Ham Knuckle, Minestrone, Sourdough |

And then came my favourite part of the meal - dessert. The Assiette of Desserts was recommended on the menu for two to share, but the waitress told us that the portion is pretty generous and enough to be shared between the three of us. 

The platter came served with:

Frozen Yoghurt, Burnt Clementine, Pumpkin

Rum & Raisin Cheesecake, White Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate Tart, Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Eggnog Pannacotta, Mulled Fruit

Christmas Pudding 

My favourites were the chocolate tart and the rum & raisin cheesecake. This was definitely one of the most satisfying and best value dessert platters that I have ever had.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable meal - great food, lovely presentation, and friendly service.

I am keen to go back when I'm next up North, and would recommend if you happen to visit the area.

The Cheekster, signing out x