Astley Arms, Seaton Sluice, Northumberland

Mar 1 2009 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

Telephone: 0191-237 0057
Food served: 11am to 10pm
Drinks: Pint of Carlsberg £2, Tetley Smoothflow £2, Guinness £2.60, large house wine £2.60, gin and tonic £2.70, fresh orange £1.25.
Rating: 16/20

WE’VE been in this game long enough, you’d think we’d know by now.

The first hint of sunshine towards the end of February and it seems like every person in the North heads to the coast.

This year, that day happened to be last Sunday . . . the same day on which Mrs Eats and I had already planned to visit a pub by the sea at Seaton Sluice.

The Astley Arms had been recommended to us by a friend, who waxed lyrical about its carvery and hefty platefuls. Always a man to sit up and pay attention when the words hefty and plateful are used in the same sentence, I was determined to try this eaterie for myself.

It’s worth pointing out that careful planning goes into this scranning malarkey, which means I have a fair idea about where I’m going to go a week or so ahead and, once Mrs Eats got the idea of a carvery into her head, there was no going back.

Which was why we found ourselves queuing along the sea front along with the world and his dog.

“You’ll appreciate it all the more when we do finally get there,” I assured the missus, as the rumbles coming from her stomach filled the trusty Eatsmobile.

Her frosty response was the best I could expect and we sat in silence the rest of the way until, eventually, the pub was in sight. Managing to grab the last space in the car park, we headed inside.

Now, imagine if you will, a couple who have sat in a queue of cars for 45 minutes, only to walk into a pub and find a queue some 10-deep at the bar, and a demand for tables which had the staff frantic.

It wasn’t ideal, but we had made it inside and as we were hungry we decided to sit it out. Finding a table in the bar I enjoyed a nice pint of Tetleys while Mrs Eats cradled a lime and lemon.

It was a good half hour before we were shown to our table, where we had to choose our food, order at the bar — there was still a bit of a queue — then take our ticket to the carvery.

Starving after all the sitting around — sitting can be very hungry work, I’ve discovered — we kicked it off with a starter each. I went for the prawn cocktail which, at £2.79, came in a marie rose sauce flavoured with brandy and pink peppercorns. She Who Must Be Fed began her eating campaign with spicy chicken tikka, £2.99.