Does Michael Grahamslaw approve of Newcastle's hottest new venue?
The Alchemist is gaining quite a following. With branches already firmly established in the likes of Manchester, London, Liverpool and Leeds, it’s one of the most widely anticipated venues to arrive in Newcastle in recent times. Since opening just over a month ago, this newest addition to Grey’s quarter has enjoyed buoyant trade with its creative food menu and niche in molecular mixology (more on that later). We pitched up recently to find out what all the fuss is about.
Inside it’s cocktail bar turned science lab. The team have created a trendy, copper-hued interior which features many swanky fixtures and fittings. There’s industrial girders, moody, ambient lighting and inked wall murals which provide a nod to the dark arts of alchemy. Indeed, the potion-master aesthetic pervades the whole offering which really enhances the sense of theatre. The dining area is well thought out with the large booths being tailor-made for cosy dining whilst the atmosphere is defined by a general feeling of easy-going bonhomie.
It didn’t take us long to settle and what better way to begin than with one of the Alchemist’s signature cocktails? Their selection is innovative and far-ranging with drinks arriving in all manners of different vessels. At the centre of everything is this notion of “molecular mixology” which combines inventive cocktail ingredients with dry ice, billowing smoke, changing colours and hot & cold sensations. I struggled to pay attention in Chemistry class but my interest was piqued here!
Of course, being the Alchemist, the cocktail menu is presented in periodic table form and is divided into a number of different categories, notably; fruity, creamy, fresh & light, dark & smoky, new classics, serious spirits and non-alcoholic.
The staff are super-friendly and are also very well clued-up so our waitress was happy to suggest a livener based on our own personal preferences. In the end, we settled on the chemical symbols Mo (mojito) and s1 (smoky old fashioned) two classic cocktails given a modern twist. My mojito arrived in a bubbling test tube whilst my son Jack’s old fashioned (he’s been watching that Mad Men) was first “smoke-gunned” and then cooled by a huge cueball-sized ice cube. Hats off!
The Alchemist also serves food from morning til moon and boasts a fine menu which draws upon dishes from across the globe. Having worked up quite an appetite, we were happy to find an emphasis on comfort food. Many of the starters (or tapatisers as they’re called here) can be eaten with either forks or fingers and pair nicely with the drinks offering. We opened with the thai fish cakes lifted by a sweet chilli dip and the breaded coconut prawns. These were presented with élan on lollipop skewers and came accompanied by a katsu curry sauce which provided an eye-opening marriage between sweet and savoury flavours.
Similar diversity is available for main courses too. Diners can look forward to jerk chicken, Japanese ramen, fish & chips and blackened salmon in addition to a wide selection of gourmet burgers and sandwiches. For me and the boy wonder though it was to be the 7oz fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and the Cajun chicken fajitas loaded with extra chilli my most favourite chemical reaction.
This had been a memorable meal and one befitting of a grand finale. Once more following our Waitress’ recommendation, we rounded off with a “Lightbulb Moment” a gin-based cocktail which gurgled over a tripod before being served up in a chemical flask. A real coup de grace.
The Alchemist is a venue which really offers something different. In addition to all the little touches they’ve also mastered the not-so-dark arts of food, service and atmosphere. It’s nice to see the clever concept executed so well here on Tyneside and it’s a venue which deserves to slot right into the fabric of the city. I urge you to try it.
