Shouy Ramen
Tokyo Ramen
I feel like nobody has stopped talking about ramen the last few weeks. It’s really weird, one week I’m complaining about the lack of Asian cuisine in the NQ and faster than I can say ‘yakitori’, there is suddenly two which practically sprung up overnight! I went to Tokyo Ramen at the weekend to slurp a bowl of noodles and I was overwhelmed by the casual authenticity of the place but that’s a story for another time. Anyway, I went classic with the Shouy Ramen with scorched belly pork, nori, soy egg and garlic and it was heart-warming soul food at it’s very best. – Kate Tighe
Butterscotch Rocky Road
Wolf House Kitchen @ Mackie Mayor
I often get teased at work for my sweet tooth. It doesn’t matter if it’s an ice cream sundae or a pizza- the James Barker mantra is ‘sweeter the better.’ This butterscotch rocky road from Wolf House Kitchen at Mackie Mayor really took my fancy and I knew it was right up my street. Sugar overload with butter, marshmallows and all things good, this little treat is almost worth the diabetic coma it puts you in after you gobble it up. – James Barker
Bloody Mary
Volta
Everyone is fully aware that the Volta Bloody Mary is the best in town right? No? Well let me tell you again – it is mint. They put a bit of everything in it (Tabasco, celery salt, red wine etc.) which makes it pretty classic on that front, but the thing I like the most about it is they let you choose how spicy on a scale of one to ten. Pretty sure they lie though and always make it hot which is absolutely fine by me. No brunch is complete without one of these bad boys if you ask me. – Ben Brown
Sausages & Mash
The Bay Horse Tavern
I have officially tasted everything on the menu at The Bay Horse Tavern, and I cannot believe I left the sausages and mash until last. It is mega. This is a great dish to order if you are super hungry because it is fucking massive for lack of a better term. Creamy mash is topped with three different types of sausage, caramelised onions and their signature gravy – this sausage and mash is as good as it gets on a cold winter night. – Joe Wilson
Tajinaste Red Wine
La Bandera
You can’t keep us out of La Bandera and one of the reasons for that is their stunning, eclectic and unusual collection of wines. I am utterly obsessed with the Tajinaste red which hails from the Island of Tenerife believe it or not. Turns out the rich volcanic soil of the Canary Islands is fantastic for growing grapes, and wines from these Islands are quickly becoming known as some of the best and most unusual in the world. The wine is ruby red and full-bodied with notes of cherry, rose and black pepper and is the perfect pairing to literally anything from the menu. – Kate Tighe
Turkey & Parma Ham Roulade
The Lowry Hotel
Usually, I am very biased when it comes to Christmas Dinner, and I’ll only ever eat my mum’s home cooked turkey roast, however after eating at The Lowry Hotel this week its changed me. The roast consisted of succulent tender pieces of turkey wrapped in Parma ham and stuffed with huge amounts of stuffing, the crispiest, tastiest pigs in blankets, perfectly fluffy roasties, buttery multicoloured veg smothered in heaps of gravy what more could I want? Honestly, If I wasn’t in public I would’ve licked the plate clean! – Ellie Edginton
