After completing my last essay of the year, in a fairly rushed manner, I thought I deserved a treat and what better treat than a meal out, with my friend Tegan, who is also a massive foodie. This was the third time I had visited Pan Haggerty and it’s one of my favourite places to eat in Newcastle. The food is of an excellent standard, the prices are reasonable, the menu changes regularly and it’s only a short walk from where I live, which is always a bonus.
I struggled to decide what to eat. This was the best I had seen the menu.
On the starters, there were four dishes that stood out for me:
Seared breast of wood pigeon with a wild garlic, chanternay carrot and fava bean salad, sweet carrot puree/Pan fried cod cheeks with crisp belly pork, apple and sage risotto and a tarragon foam/Potted brown shrimps with toasted brioche, crab and dill beignet, smoked haddock and herring caviar fishcake, tartare sauce/Tempura soft shell crab with pickled shitake mushrooms, confit duck Asian slaw and wasabi dressing
I opted for the potted brown shrimps and Tegan opted for the tempura soft shell crab. Both dishes were aesthetically pleasing, Tegan’s more so due to the colour in the Asian slaw. Mine was like a trio of mini fishy delights. There was a small ramekin of potted shrimps with a slice of toasted brioche propped up against it, a small fishcake sat on tartare sauce and a small crab beignet. The fishcake was a ‘proper’ fishcake. The flavour of the fish shone through, not the potato. The tartare sauce was delicious, I could really taste the lemon, gherkins and capers. The outside of the fishcake was perfectly crispy. However, the crab beignet was a little too soggy for my liking. I felt serving brioche with the dish was an odd concept due to its sweetness. I felt it would have been better served with melba toast. I tasted a little of Tegan’s crab. The tempura batter wasn’t greasy, it was deliciously light and the crab was gorgeously soft and flavoursome.
On the mains there were, again, four dishes that stood out for me:
Roast rump and slow cooked lamb shoulder with goats cheese mash, new season broccoli, fava beans and a minted Madeira jus/Pan fried loin of beef with wild mushroom tortellini, crisp ox tongue, mini oxtail pie and salsa verde/Slow cooked belly pork with black pudding hash, crispy ducks egg, spring greens, cider and apple chutney, sage gravy/Pan seared fillet of sea bream with queen scallops, sweet potato, leeks and a north coast crab bisque
I loved the idea behind the loin of beef, it really intrigued me. However, I chose the lamb. Lamb is a meat I rarely choose to eat when I’m out, but the idea of both shoulder and rump together with goat’s cheese mash, sold it for me. Goat’s cheese is one of my favourite foods and I adore mashed potato. Therefore, the two together were like heaven on a plate for me. I was also intrigued by the concept. Lamb and goat’s cheese mash? Would that work? But it did! The lamb was divine, it simply melted in your mouth. The minted Madeira jus was yummy. However, I had to ask for more as there wasn’t quite enough provided. I’m not a huge fan of mint in sauces but the mint wasn’t overpowering, it was wonderfully subtle. The fava beans ran through the sauce and there wasn’t too many of them, which I was worried there would be. The only disappointment I had with the dish was that I was given one tiny stem of ‘new season broccoli’, which I felt was a bit miserly. Tegan chose the seabream which I had a little taste of. The fish was perfectly cooked, it was moist and the skin was delightfully crispy. The crab bisque was fairly rich but it was gorgeously smooth and creamy and it complemented the seabream beautifully without overpowering it.
Pudding, for me, is ALWAYS a must, no matter how full I am. My best friend, Fay, and I say that there is a separate space in your stomach for pudding. You can ALWAYS make room for it!
On the puddings there were, again, four dishes that stood out for me:
White chocolate fondant with raspberry compote/Rhubarb and vanilla mousse with rosewater ice cream/Golden syrup tart with orange and brandy ice cream/Caramelised banana bread and butter pudding with salt caramel ice cream
I chose the white chocolate fondant. I’m a great lover of white chocolate and have only ever tried dark or milk chocolate fondants, so this really appealed to me. It was a huge let down. The ‘fondant’ was served in a ramekin with the raspberry compote on top. I could hardly taste the white chocolate. The raspberry compote completely overpowered it and resulted in the pudding tasting like warm victoria sponge. I was really disappointed as this was the second time that I had been let down by the dessert. On my first visit to Pan Haggerty I had a banana and chocolate bread and butter pudding, in which I could taste neither flavour. On the second visit though, I must say the pudding was unbelievable. I had a rhubarb and custard crème brulee and it was one of the best I have ever had. Tegan opted for a yoghurt bavarois with poached strawberries and honey ice cream. I had a little spoonful and it was delicious. It was incredibly smooth and creamy. Maybe I should stick to cold desserts when I visit Pan Haggerty in the future?
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