Newcastle's West End has a vibrant dining scene bursting with international flavour and one of its finest eateries is Solomons, situated in Denton Burn.
The restaurant, which is the flagship site of the Solomons stable, also boasts popular sister venues, Solomons Dhaba and Solomos Lounge in Fenham and Heaton respectively. Established in 1992, Solomons is a survivor which continues to dazzle diners with its true taste of Punjabi & Kashmiri cuisine.
I’d visited recently with my pals from “The Curry Club a band of curry-eating, Cobra-swilling aficionados and was so impressed that I’d been meaning to return with my wife Lisa and son Jack.
The restaurant is housed within a grade II listed old farmhouse and inside retains its exposed stonework which brings a sense of rustic charm. Patterned fabrics and little trinkets create an atmosphere which is authentically Indian, yet there’s also contemporary touches like plush sofas and chic spotlighting.
"Solomons remains an Indian food lovers paradise."
Michael GrahamslawGood service is another staple of Solomons and today was no different as we were greeted warmly and shown to our window table. It didn’t take us long to settle in with those familiar aromas of Indian cooking pervading the air.
Its menus are very extensive with a parade of tastes, textures and ingredients to choose from.
We kicked off with our favourite starters. Lisa who enjoys a taste of everything chose the Indian snack selection comprising onion bhaji, mini samosa and vegetable pakora. Jack chose a tangy, aromatic Lemon & Garlic King prawns whilst I enjoyed an old favourite, the Punjabi murgh tikka, tossed in a torrent of hot spices and cooked delicately in the tandoor.
In between a few long pulls on our cobras, main courses arrived. We dined regally on Chicken Tikka Madras (guess who?), Chicken Jalfrezi and a sizzling Chicken Shaslic another tandoori speciality with fresh peppers, onions and tomatoes in a Punjabi barbecue sauce. Dishes use only the freshest ingredients and boast that telling depth of flavour. A glance across the table revealed nods of approval all round!
All in all, Solomons remains an Indian food-lovers paradise.
