Firenze, Jesmond, Newcastle

Oct 25 2009 Sunday Sun

SOME weekends I fancy a lazy Sunday at home but the thought of a lovely roast dinner is enough to coax me from the sofa.

She Who Must Be Fed refuses to cook and for this I am grateful, as it means not only that we get to sample all the North has to offer in the way of Sunday lunch fare, but I also have one less day of the week when I have to sample her cooking.

It is not always a pleasant experience, I can tell you.

This week we found ourselves at Firenze in Newcastle, a new eaterie just off Osborne Road, in Jesmond.

Mrs Eats wanted to go for a walk in Jesmond Dene after our food so it seemed apt to head for Osborne Road.

I’d been out the night before supping a few real ales and playing darts with the lads in the local, so I wasn’t feeling my best, though my belly was full of hunger. Located slap bang in the middle of Jesmond, Firenze was easy to find, much to my delight, as well as Mrs Eats, who remarked I was like a bear with a sore head.

I admit my brain was slightly fuzzy but my stomach was craving some quality grub and a hearty Sunday lunch was just what I needed to get back on form.

We’d heard about Firenze, as owners Gavin Ayres and James Smith are well-known faces in Jesmond, having worked there for 10 years.

Firenze is in a great spot and has a car park, so we were able to drive the Eatsmobile straight to the door without having to worry where to park.

We pulled up at around 1.30pm and the eaterie was already bustling with families and couples. Luckily, we didn’t have to queue and were shown to a window seat at a quiet spot in the corner.

Firenze offers two-course Sunday lunches for £12.95 and three courses for £16.95.

The choice of roast dinner when we visited was either roast sirloin of beef or mint and lemon stuffed pork loin.

Beef wins for me every time, so I opted for this, as did Mrs Eats.