Lunch at Jesmond Dene House
By Hellofreckles
@tashajsteel
I never really venture to Jesmond and I'm not too sure why. I'm only around 20 minutes from Newcastle and after this trip to Jesmond Dene House, I really want to go back for a walk around the dene, followed by afternoon tea, or perhaps more lobster ravioli!Jesmond Dene House is a luxury restaurant and hotel located in Jesmond, just outside of Newcastle. Set withinwoodland grounds, the 19th century building is very popular, not only for meals, but as a wedding venue it seems too. Being seated in the conservatory looking out across the terrace to the gardens meant we had front row seats to see wedding guests posing for photos. The bride looked lovely and children running wild provided some entertainment between courses.
The food was amazing! We both opted for lobster ravioli, samphire, iberico ham and bisque as a starter. It was a great size and I could've happily eaten more as my main course, it was that good! It was my first time trying lobster and it definitely won't be the last. The presentation of the dishes and attentive staff really make Jesmond Dene House stand out. For mains we chose beer battered north sea cod with thick cut chips and roast chicken with leeks, pommes anna and herb crumb. Nick barely spoke while eating what was a small whale on his plate and I couldn't fault anything on my plate, the thinly sliced potatoes were a particular favorite and the gravy was thick and full of flavor.Everyone always makes room for dessert, especially when rhubarb features on the menu in the form of sorbet and poached slices (with a couple of edible flowers), accompanied by vanilla créme brulée. Nick seemed to enjoy his selection of sorbets and ice cream, the mango was especially nice, as I had a quick taste!
A lovely meal in a great location. A three course lunch from the set menu will cost you £25 each (with a £3 supplement for lobster starter and steak for main if you choose them) which I think is really good value for what you're getting. In fact, I'm already considering when I might return for afternoon tea or an evening meal - that lobster and chips is seriously appealing!
Have you been to Jesmond Dene House or it's sibling, St Mary's Inn? I'd love to know what you had and your thoughts. You can see my thoughts on St Mary's Inn afternoon tea here.
Jesmond Dene House invited us for a 3 course lunch for 2. I'm sharing this today as I really enjoyed the meal and to highlight that I've finally tried lobster! All photos and words are my own. Please ask before using.