The 90th Birthday of Newcastle's Tyne Bridge seemed a rather apt day for lunch at Aveika, which is merely 100 yards away from the landmark.
Opened by King George V in 1928, the iconic structure was originally erected to join Newcastle/Gateshead and improve transport links to and from the city. In the decades since, the area has witnessed unprecedented change with waves of regeneration bringing a parade of different bars and restaurants, many of which offer tastes from afar. One such eatery is Aveika, a modern Japanese restaurant which reworks classic Asian dishes with innovative twists. A recent win in the British Restaurant Awards prompted my son Jack and I to learn more.
Aveika is quite unique in the respect that it offers the three D’s dining, drinking and dancing under the one roof. On arrival, it’s clear that this is a venue with that real VIP feel. A glitzy, crystal chandelier is suspended above the dancefloor whilst a mezzanine late lounge offers table service private booths.
The restaurant is upstairs to the left of the dancefloor/main bar area. Bathed in rich shades of purple, the dining area is supremely stylish whilst an open kitchen offers a sense of spectacle.
After ordering a couple of Asahi’s, Holly the super-friendly manageress explained the menu in greater detail. This is a venue set up for sharing with diners encouraged to sample multiple dishes over several courses. Appetisers include a variety of Robata grill skewers, sushi and sashimi, tacos and other traditional small plates. There’s also more substantial main courses and a set menu which really caught my eye.
To begin, I chose the Salmon Nigeri balled sushi rice topped with fresh slices of Salmon served with soy sauce, pickled ginger and a pop of wasabi. Jack enjoyed the Urakami Aveika’s speciality ”insideout” sushi rolls with a crispy chicken katsu and schimi mayo filling. There’s certainly much to get excited about here – even for the most discerning sushi connoisseur.
Following up, I stuck to the set menu, greatly enjoying the Aveika Green chicken curry. A medley of chicken, aubergine, courgette and peppers created a fragrant, aromatic dish possessing a real depth of flavour and served with sticky coconut rice.
Jack took a more tapas-style approach. First up were chilli beef skewers marinated in sriracha, garlic and marin. Then came Kamaboko Japanese fish cakes to you and me alongside ‘Aveika Rock Prawns’ coated in a crispy tempura batter. We were also recommended a side of salmon & prawn firecracker rice, reportedly something of a ”staff favourite” which packed a pleasant kick. There was a real zip & zing to the cooking, making it clear that Aveika draw upon only the freshest ingredients.
Sadly, with further work commitments to follow we swerved the obligatory post-meal sake, not to mention a fine selection of signature cocktails.
We did leave though having enjoyed a business lunch to remember. Despite being renowned as a bar for late night revelry, Aveika is also a restaurant with real culinary credentials. Their modern, inventive cooking has garnered national acclaim and from our visit it’s easy to see why.
