Twin Farms, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle

Mar 7 2010 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

I WAS in search of the perfect perennials. Mrs Eats was in search of food. No surprise there then.

We decided to make the most of a snow-free Sunday and take a trip to the garden centre. Ever since the woman from up the street commented on my sweet peas, I’ve fancied myself as a bit of an Alan Titchmarsh. Mrs Eats wasn’t suited. She was hoping to look for a new kitchen. She should be so lucky.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s something strangely therapeutic about garden centres. There’s nothing therapeutic about the prices, though. I decided to put our money to better use and take her for lunch instead.

Just along the road was Twin Farms at Kenton Bank Foot. The country-style pub looks like it’s been there forever, but it was only built a decade or so ago. We thought by 3pm we’d have missed the lunchtime rush, but judging by the jam-packed car park, we’d be in for a wait.

The pub has a no-booking policy, so we were slightly peeved at being turfed off our table due to the “waiting list”. We soon found our own table, though, in the quieter end of the pub, which suited us better.

With open fires and beamed ceilings, the cosy venue was a welcome retreat. On closer inspection, however, the torn upholstery on our seats nodded to the fact the place was in need of updating.

With a good selection of real ales, Twin Farms is definitely my kind of pub. To wet the old whistle, I opted for a pint of Landlord, while Mrs Eats went for a glass of red wine, the Merlot. The Sunday lunch menu is small, but well formed, offering everything from traditional roasts to house favourites such as fish and chips and sausage and mash.

For starters, I chose the chicken liver pate with port and red onion marmalade and hazelnut toast for £4.50. Mrs Eats opted for the soup of the day which was green lentil and bacon, at £4.25. For mains, I went for topside of beef with rich, red wine gravy, and Mrs Eats plumped for the pork with black pudding and crackling, both £8.75.