Sachins, Newcastle
Sachins, Newcastle
Forth Banks,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3SG
(0191) 232 4660
Sachins
has been a part of the region's curry landscape for some time now.
Housed in what used to be a corner pub, it's a touch off the beaten
track, being tucked away among the high rises behind Newcastle
Central Station in what is becoming the burgeoning Stephenson
Quarter.
The
restaurant itself is quite plush and, with its low ceilings and low
lighting, is pleasingly intimate. It's on three levels, though, with
the main restaurant area up a short flight of steps and a further
level above that accessed via a curved open staircase, so this might
cause a problem for someone with a mobility impairment.
Staff
are courteous and attentive. We visited on a Friday evening so the
restaurant was busy which meant service was a touch slow at times,
but you've probably got to expect that on a Friday.
This
is a Punjabi restaurant so the menu had a pleasingly unfamiliar look
to it. Gone are the traditional British curry house favourites to be
replaced by a good selection of enticing and intriguing dishes. The
list of vegetarian starters is pretty extensive, with 11 items
listed. We choose the Hara Bara Kebab, which is a vegetable tikka
made with potatoes, paneer, peas and spinach, Samosa Chaat which came
in a deep bowl and was smashed and delicious, and the Panchrattan
Paneer Tikka which was beautifully cooked in the tandoor.
There
was a very good selection of main courses, too, all of which were
available in smaller side portions which could be ordered in
multiples, so if you simply couldn't choose between two mains (a
common enough problem, I find!) then you could have both and still be
able to walk at the end of the meal. Again, there were lots of
unfamiliar dishes here and it took a while to make our selection.
Our
party ordered the Malai Kofta,which was soft and delicious in a
creamy tomato and onion sauce; Raajma which is a dish made from
kidney beans in what's described as a rustic Punjabi sauce of
tomatoes and onions and which I hadn't tried before; and Palak
Paneer, chunks of soft paneer in what looked like a spiced spinach
puree. We also ordered a side dish of channa dahl and a bread basket
of three mini nan breads.
The
kofta was lovely, soft and flavoursome and the sauce was equally
tasty. The Raajma was dark and savoury and very rich, as was the
Palak Paneer although the paneer itself was reported to be a little
bland.
In
terms of spiciness, everything generally was a touch on the hot side
though the menu helpfully pointed out that dishes could be made
milder on request. What was noticeable, however, was the richness of
the sauces. It was clear that a good deal of cream and butter had
been used in their preparation and while this gave a luxurious feel
to the whole meal this might not be to everyone's taste.
The
channa dahl was delicious but don't expect to be able to constantly
dunk your nan into it as the chef certainly doesn't skimp on the
channa! Top marks for the nan, too. These were a decent size for one
person and available in plain, garlic and chilli & coriander. We
could have had parathas instead and we loved the bread basket idea.
Overall,
this is a great destination for the hungry vegetarian, especially if
you looking for somewhere which is a little more plush and upmarket
than your run-of-the-mill curry house. The vegetarian menu is fairly
extensive and although the dishes were perhaps a little too rich and
creamy for my taste, there is a great deal here to find pleasure in.
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