The Pavilion, Backworth, North Tyneside

Jul 5 2009 by Zoe Burn, Sunday Sun

Character ****
Quality ****
Service ***
Value ***

Ratings: 14/20

Telephone: 0191- 268 0711

Drinks: A pint of Carling lager £2.80; a pint of Black Sheep bitter £2.55; glass of wine £3.60; gin and tonic £3.45; glass of fresh orange juice £1.80.

SUNDAY lunch, as many readers will know, is one British tradition that must be adhered to religiously in our household.

All that is needed is a lazy afternoon, an expandable waist-line, the Sunday papers and She Who Must Be Fed in tow.

A cracking hangover from the night before is an additional extra which can always be soothed by a pint of bitter.

Sometimes we will head out on the recommendation of friends, but this time it was a taxi driver the night before who sold us our Sunday lunch venture.

The Pavilion is a million miles away from having a traditional pub feel. Located within the Backworth Business Park, this Sir John Fitzgerald bar and grill with an ultra modern glass exterior could be easily mistaken for an office development – and therefore overlooked by anyone looking for a Sunday roast.

In fact, the Eatsmobile nearly did just drive past it on our way to the coast.

Built to serve the new Northumberland Park estate, it looks swish from the outside and very plush and modern on the inside, with the dining area decked out with enticingly comfy chairs and sofas, and a bar that generates a lively, family-friendly atmosphere perfect for whiling away a Sunday afternoon. The menu itself exceeds pub expectations.

Open from 12pm to 9pm on Sundays for food, it serves a three-course Sunday lunch for £14.95 per person, with a menu which changes from time to time, although roasts always feature, alongside other classic Brit dishes.

Diners can choose from a good selection of about six starters, about half a dozen mains from the main menu, and then either a sweet or tea or coffee.

We hadn’t gone out for posh-nosh, so we kept it simple, both choosing chilli chicken salad, which arrived after a fashion, but it was delicious when it did. The bowl was dressed to perfection and could have served as a main course.

It was followed by a roast pork dinner, which went down well with great size portions.