Being a huge fan of Jesmond's Lovage - which has quickly captured the hearts of local foodies - I was excited to visit their sister-venue, Osters.
The restaurant sits at the heart of Goforth High Street and offers diners a local, independent eatery to eat, drink and relax with friends.
Much like Lovage, which was recently awarded Michelin Guide status, Osters has culinary aspirations but keeps things real with homespun dishes sourcing local produce and foraged ingredients.
Its menu is simple, seasonal and fresh.
My last visit to the venue was to the old Pizza Express site, and it’s fair to say it’s had quite the ‘glow-up’ since.
The dining area comprises many nicely-spaced tables with old-school table lamps creating an immediate elegance and intimacy. Brown leather seating is perfect for kicking back while various nautical bric-a-brac hints at some of the seafood dishes to follow.
Most invitingly, there’s also a well-stocked bar featuring our favourite wines, beers and spirits.
It would be a bottle each of Peroni Red for my son Jack and I, a crisp palate opener. It’s also worth noting their homemade ‘Cocktails of the Week’ which reflects desire to get creative while catering for current drinking trends.
But, what of the food?
Honestly? It’s the type of menu where most things look appealing. Its menu is neatly divided into Meat, Fish and Vegetarian starters with a selection of snacks and starters preceding this.
First up, Jack would enjoy the lobster ravioli with fish cream and bottarga. I meanwhile kicked off with the king prawns, Nduja ragu and focaccia sourced from the local, Pink Lane Bakery.
This was washed down with a lovely bottle of Picpoul de Pinet.
Following on, Jack chose the Yorkshire duck breast with spiced carrot puree, salted celeriac and red wine jus. I opted for the R&J sirloin steak with bourbon peppercorn sauce, hand cut chips and charred baby gem lettuce.
Complementing this, we each enjoyed a small glass of house red which set the meat off exquisitely.
This had been so good a meal, we really wanted to round off in style. A dark chocolate tart with pistachio brittle and vanilla ice cream would provide a fitting finale.
Heading into the warmer weather, Osters is bound to serve up a host of fresh, homemade dishes befitting of the seasonal shift.
If your current dining out routine is in need of a spring clean, then this classy venue is well worth a look.
Gosforth has a new haunt for foodies.
For more information, visit www.osters.co.uk