This next blog will feature a throwback and the moment I stepped back into a restaurant after months of lockdown.
Now my fellow culinary bon vivants. This restaurant has to be one of my favourite places to dine in Newcastle. Its completely enchanting. Every dish I’ve ever ordered has been sensational. As a diner I eat with my eyes, and the chef at Branches make my eyes sparkle with desire. The presentation of the food is always executed flawlessly. The portions aren’t too arrogant or too modest.Exhibited with poise, vibrance and charisma. This restaurant is like high end Michelin star, without the heart-palpitating bill at the end. The interior is so generic, having a white flowered tree that climbed up the walls of the restaurant, giving that secret garden ambiance. Similar to an Ivy, or I always liked food. But I never really fell in love with food, until I fell in love with a man. Then- I truly understood what life was all about. Food and a good man, and I had both.
I’ve dined here twice with my partner and I remember the flavours like it was yesterday.
The first time I dined I ordered a life-long favourite of mine for my first course. Chicken liver paté. The chef always adds a slight twist, making his mark on each dish, but not changing it too much to delve in to offensiveness towards tradition. The twist? Black truffle. I always say- If you cant smell the truffle before its reached your seat- then there’s not enough. Undoubtedly the paté harnessed that aroma.
For my main I ordered, the wild mushroom carbonara with the infamous crispy egg. The yolk I thought resembled, what it would look like if sunflowers could melt. When are evening came to an end, and we walked out of Branches door the only thing on my mind was returning.
My second visit was years later. This was post the pandemic, and I hadn’t been to a restaurant in 5 months. Branches was the Harry Potter to my Voldemort- the chosen one. I was so apprehensive, I didn’t know if it wouldn’t feel normal, relaxing, everything you want when you dine out. Will they wear masks, will they distance, will there be an atmosphere? Has life in restaurants changed forever?
The staff wore visors as well as the chefs, which in my very controversial opinion, was a shame. But regardless of opinion, thats their rules which I can respect. The bread arrived right on queue. Again, the perfect temperature. To begin I ordered a fishcake. The cake was full to the brim of ‘North Sea’ fish which worked in perfect harmony with the surrounding garnishes. A pea puree, lemon mayonnaise and pea and shallot salsa. Great flavours and textures.
Following the starters the chef adds an intermediate course, just to make you feel that extra special. Like when a man buys you unexpected flowers- a gesture that means the world. And its as if they looked straight into my soul and chose one of my favourite dishes. Mac and cheese bites with truffle mayo. Little bites of heaven.
Then my main course arrived. The seafood tagliatelle. A creamy delight. With sensual, juicy tiger prawns, crispy skinned seabass, salmon fillets and white wine soaked mussels. I’d thought I had enough oral excitement for one day. This was a delight. The pasta tasted homemade and eggy. The dish was so creamy with an underlying taste of the sea! But such a huge portion I couldn’t possibly finish.
But then I got greedy and ordered a dessert. To share that is. The passionfruit cheesecake was heavenly, it had that fresh bursting passionfruit flavour, smooth cream cheese, solid digestive base and crunchy meringue surrounding it.
Chef Cevat Robert Ela, chef of the year 2015-2016, is doing something right in Newcastle.
Rating ****
Price ***
Dish to die for- Passionfruit cheesecake is the bomb.
(Anything you order will be top notch).
Table for One 