What We Thought of The French Quarter in Newcastle
Classic French cooking, Parisian-inspired interiors and enough wine to sink a ship: we hop across to the continent without leaving Newcastle at The French Quarter
Highlight:
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, the duck was superb.
What We Wish We’d Tried:
Classic boeuf bourguignon for when the weather turns.
Our Take Away:
A triple threat of good service, great food, and an atmosphere you can lose yourself in.
Stepping inside, it’s obvious that the utmost care has been taken when curating this space. Vintage wooden tables, tiled flooring and shelves stretching high to the ceiling loaded with bottle upon bottle of wine suddenly have me feeling very chic. A waiter brings our drinks (a glass of Picpoul de Pinet and a rosé lemonade – both excellent recommendations) and swiftly guides us through the menu. Designed for sharing, there’s a good choice of charcuterie, apéritifs and cheese, alongside more substantial fish, meat and vegetarian dishes. I’ve also been running a sly eye over the specials menu while our waiter talks, and the honey and fig duck breast is calling my name.
As we make our final selections (frogs’ legs are a must, surely?), we’re surprised by the arrival of a trio of snacks. The first is salmon with chicory and lemon capers, followed by a miniature chicken and tarragon pot pie, and a wonderfully ripe fig with ham. The salmon was the standout for me, and my friend easily polished off the chicken pie. Soon, our smaller plates arrive. We opt for a small charcuterie board laden with pickles, cured meats and paté, as well as black olive tapenade, baked camembert and a healthy basket of fresh bread for dunking, dipping and dredging. What really impresses me is how knowledgeable our waiter is, sharing advice on staff favourites and how they keep the chef sweet so more dishes might be passed their way (the trick is regular coffee, I’m told).
The smaller plates are gone in quick succession and our mains soon arrive. We’ve gone for fresh figs with goats’ cheese mousse and walnuts, as well as frogs’ legs in a thick and herby sauce, the honey duck breast, mackerel croquettes and frites (because… of course). As expected, the duck goes down a treat and I’m surprised to find that frog really does taste like chicken. What stood out to me was how fuss-free the dishes were, a combination of fresh, seasonal ingredients cooked simply and well.
Soon it’s on to sweets and at our waiter’s recommendation we split the trio of miniature desserts which he tells us change regularly with what’s fresh and seasonal. This evening, we have a creme brûlée (our all-time favourite), a chocolate mousse and a wonderfully fresh berry mousse. We’re surprised again when the waiter returns with another treat from the kitchen. This time it’s the dessert from the specials menu, an indulgent blend of macerated strawberries, dark chocolate crumbs, walnut granola and a zingy sorbet. As someone who tends to lean sweeter, I was in heaven. Another glass of wine down and it was time to bid The French Quarter adieu, happily full and a fully converted Francophile.
