LIFTING THE VALE

Ok so we had heard rumors, exciting ones, and you know us we just cant help ourselves! The Blue Bell, under new management? New food menu, new, well everything really. And so it was that we decided to pay a visit

Jesmond Vale is a beautiful part of the city, and the Blue Bell boasts big outside areas for having a beer and sunning yourself in the summer while overlooking the dene. The setting is idyllic, but it had been a while since our last visit.

Imagine my surprise to find out that it had been two and a half months since the new guys took over, there were already at least half a dozen friends seated at the bar and at tables either side of where we sat. After being there for just a few minutes I realise this shouldn’t come as a surprise at all, This new crew are some of the most professional guys we know, they have just migrated from the city centre to Jesmond that’s all, yey!

At first glance you wouldn’t think that much had changed but there are massive plans afoot, to refurb the inside and show local artists work on the walls, to landscape the outside and put a roof on one of the decked areas of the huge beer garden.

All this is of course great news and I’m looking forward to it, but sensibly they have started with a new kitchen and a new chef.

Now you can enjoy some exotic spirits, cocktails and even Prosecco by the glass! Sadly its still Stoptober and I’m not allowed to indulge, so I’m thinking ‘the food better be good! Good you say? well wow! I take a glance at the menu and I just don’t know where to start. There are great starters and snacks, Ciabatta’s, salads to die for, from beetroot and goats cheese to nectarine, walnut and grapefruit. Amazing sharing platters and a mains menu from classic fish and chips to twenty eight day aged marinated Ribeye with a choice of sauces.

Time to decide, for Michael marinated Camembert with crispy crostini, I love cheese and this came as a whole cheese, hot aromatic and delicious. I jokingly say, ‘you can always tell a man by his muscles’ and promptly order muscles in white wine, cream and garlic sauce. They were fresh and tender, I often cook them myself so I think I’m a bit of a connoisseur, thank god I decided to say no to bread. Otherwise I would have mopped up every drop of the divine sauce.

Next we had decided on the ‘Sticky Icky Ribs, and for me the Mexican burger, my eight ounce burger came topped with melted Mexican cheese, chilli beef, onion rings, sweet and sour sticky chilli, jalapeno mayo, tomato and lettuce. As good as it sounds? And some, it melted in the mouth I could have eaten a plate full of the succulent chille beef on its own.

Being the renowned, self confessed food thief that I am, I had to steal a mouthful of the ribs too, dripping with barbecue sauce the meat was falling from the bone and they came served with cajun slaw and skin on fries, it seems these guys just cant put a foot wrong.

I’m not surprised that this new food menu has taken off like a rocket, this is pub grub? Wow! I’m now hearing tales of a legendary Sunday roast, Oh dear oh dear, please hurry up November so that I can go back to the Blue Bell and have a glass of red with a Sunday roast, or try out their fabulous cocktail menu I literally can not wait!

Oh and more bonus points, you can take your pooch too!! l

TEL: 0191 232 1774

THE BLUE BELL, JESMOND VALE, JESMOND, NE2 1PH

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