Review: The Beach House, Whitley Bay
Summer is still here (although the weather may have forgotten), and we're in the mood for a trip to the coast followed by delicious food
Formerly Café 19, following its rebrand and refurbishment The Beach House has coastal-inspired decor inside and out. Strolling along Whitley Bay’s promenade you’re greeted with straw umbrellas and twinkly fairly lights draped over the front patio area, and inside the theme continues with ocean blue seating and huge windows that make the most of the view.
We take a seat by the window to look over the drinks menu, and settle on cocktails. I’m in the mood for a Hugo Spritz (a Prosecco-based cocktail with elderflower liqueur, soda and lime, garnished with cucumber and mint) whilst my friend goes for the French 75, another Prosecco-based option, this time with gin and lemon juice.
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Our eyes wander to the food menu, and whilst we sip on our cocktails we notice diners around us tucking into a variety of main dishes and small plates. I like the sound of the Mediterranean seabass, but we eventually decide to share a number of small plates and sides. First up generous slices of warm sourdough bread are served with balsamic and oil, plus a sprinkling of sea salt, accompanied by a large pot of olives.
We’re only around halfway through the tasty bread board when our other small plates arrive. The king prawn skewers are cooked in lemon and garlic butter, and come with a salad garnish and a sweet chilli sauce with a subtle kick. The buttermilk chicken is succulent and served with a sweet sauce – this time a mango chutney which is great for dipping the strips of chicken, as well as our side of fries.
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The portions here are generous and the flavours are strong too. The four chunky fish goujons coated in crispy beer batter are my favourite dish – they’re served with a wedge of lemon and a delicious tartare sauce. My dining partner comments on how creamy the wild mushrooms are, cooked in a parmesan cream sauce and served on giant slices of sourdough – if you’re looking for a lunchtime snack, this small plate alone would be perfect.
We order another drink, this time switching our original order so we can each try what the other had. My French 75 turns out to be a great after dinner palate refresher. We take our time and graze at what’s left of the bread and olives before finishing our drinks and heading out to a now quiet promenade. We’re just steps from the beach, and there’s no better way to round off the evening by taking the long way home, walking slowly along the sand.
The Beach House
19 East Parade, Whitley Bay NE26 1AP
thebeachhousewhitleybay.co.uk
What we expected
A casual restaurant at the coast.
What we got
Delicious small plates and refreshing cocktails overlooking Whitley Bay promenade.
What we wish we tried
The scallops and black pudding with minted pea purée – we can’t wait to go back to try it.
