Newcastle: dining at it's best.

If you're thinking of dining out at a restaurant in January, make sure it's in Newcastle!
As well as many restaurants having 'January Sales' deals where you can get a percentage off the total bill with a voucher, it's also Newcastle Restaurant Week from the 23rd - 29th January 2012.

There are over 20 restaurants participating in the Newcastle Restaurant Week offering deals of £10 per person, which is a good saving, especially for some restaurants on the list. With cuisines spanning from Indian to American as well as some restaurants offering dishes from Japan, Cambodia and Vietnam, there really is something to suit everyone!

(John Hughes© : available from here)

Here are my top five restaurants to visit during Newcastle Restaurant Week:

1. Electric East

This restaurant is offering two courses for £10pp.

If you are sick of going to Italian restaurants and eating lasagne and carbonara, this is your restaurant! The cuisine is inspired by dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand so aren't the usual ones you would find on the menu, but the interesting flavours will definitely brighten up your taste buds and your evening!

2. Northside Diner

This restaurant is offering two course (main course and dessert) + soft drink for £10pp.

This restaurant is found on the 3rd floor of the Fenwick department store, and has a quirky1950's diner interior. This is the place to come to if you want hotdogs and fries. (I came here once and ordered 'a bucket of fries' as my side order. I just thought it was a quirky measurement, but my fries actually arrived in a proper bucket. There were so many of them!) 

3. Barluga

This restaurant is offering two courses for £10pp. 

A gastro-pub with a glamourous edge. If you are in the need of some good, soul-warming food: this is the place to come! But don't be fooled into thinking it's just going to serve you fish and chips, or mince and dumplings, Barluga is different in that it offers you those winter warmers but filled with a mixture of tastes. 

4. Hei Hei

This restaurant is offering the Wuhan Banquet for £10pp.

A Cantonese restaurant that is designed to impress you. They pride themselves in providing authentic Chinese cuisine and are just going from strength to strength, celebrating their fifth birthday two days ago! This restaurant is not found buried with all the other Chinese restaurants on Stowell Stree (China Town) but at Dean Street.

5. Woosa

This restaurant is offering 2 courses (starter and main course) for £10pp.

A very new addition to Newcastle's culinary scene. Woosa just opened in October 2011 and provides a fusion of Malaysian and Thai dishes. This deal is great as you can choose any starter and any main course that you would like, whereas all the other restaurants just give you a choice between a select few. Help this new restaurant get on it's feet by dining at it during Newcastle Restaurant Week!

I haven't decided which one I'll be dining at yet, there is definitely too much choice!

Have you been to any of the above restaurants before or dined at any that are participating in Newcastle Restaurant Week? Help me choose!