Chew on this - Old Eldon Square, Newcastle
By Amelie Austin • Aug 12th, 2008 • Category: food
While Old Eldon Square in Newcastle was once an intimidating place to meet up for many people, today it’s the best meeting point in town. The redeveloped area is nearing completion and will soon be littered with the city’s young professionals sipping on their Starbucks while they work from their Blackberry during lunch.
Old Eldon Square is littered with restaurant chains. Not usually something to shout about, but with a mouthwatering choice of Portuguese, Italian and Japanese all with outside dining, you’ll be glad that Eldon Gardens are back.
Strada strikes an affordable lunchtime deal. For £7.95 you can have a main course and a glass of wine whilst sat outside in the sunshine.
Try a large portion of risotto di verdure, a creamy risotto with freshly grilled asparagus, broad beans, peas, spring onion, zucchini green beans and mint. Top it with spinach and Parmesan shavings and you’ll not hear one peep from you or your friends.
Head to Wagamama for positive eating and positive living. How could anyone turn down an offer like that? Wagamama is for the social butterflies among you. Sit with old friends among friends you haven’t yet met.
The school canteen layout lends itself well to the laid back atmosphere and with an authentic menu and service it’s a cultural learning experience too. You might not expect all of that from a Japanese chain restaurant but Wagamama is modelled on the ramen bars, which have been popular in Japan for years.
Try some yaki soba - teppan-fried soba noodles with egg, chicken, shrimps, onions, green and red peppers, bean sprouts and spring onions. All garnished with mixed sesame seeds, fried shallots and pickled ginger. Wash it down with Asahi lager.
If all of the above sounds a bit too far from your comfort zone, stick with chicken and head for Nandos. Don’t let the Portuguese factor put you off. Boys, if you like your kebabs on the way home but always feel wrong eating one sober; Nandos has your healthy alternative.
Go for a chicken breast fillet pita laced with a baste of your choice – play safe with lemon and herb or blow your own roof off with extra hot, whatever you choose you can be sure the wonderful Nandos staff will help you every step of the way. Take an extended lunch break and make the most of your refillable glass.
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Amelie Austin is a writer for newcastlecentric.com and a girl who knows her food.
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Nandos is a South African company, not even remotely Portuguese.
Am I correct in thinking you are talking about Old Eldon Square and not Eldon Gardens.
I have lived in Newcastle for over 24 years and to my knowledge Eldon Gardens is north west of Percy Street. Interestingly I noticed recently that Google had all Eldon Square listed as Eldon Gardens in error, but the http://www.eldongarden.co.uk has an accurate map.
You’re probably right Alistair, although all the time I’ve lived here I’ve always thought they were one and the same. If somebody was meeting me at Eldon Gardens, I’d have ended up at Old Eldon Square. The council’s latest makeover means we have a garden square. Kinda.
“Nandos is a South African company, not even remotely Portuguese.”
Think you might be wrong there:
“Nando’s, the Portuguese-themed chicken restaurant, originated in South Africa from Portuguese who left Mozambique after the independence in 1975. The chain uses piri-piri in many of its dishes, and helped popularise them worldwide. The company, however, prefers the common South African spelling peri peri on its menus and branded sauces.”