It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I like my Italian food, with pizza and pasta both high up on my list of favourite dishes. When I’m craving a traditional and authentic Italian meal, there is one place that stands out to me; Uno’s Trattoria.
Even just by admitting my love for Uno’s, I am in esteemed company, with Newcastle United legends Les Ferdinand, Rob Lee and Keith Gillespie all being known to frequent the restaurant over the years, as well as having a reunion meal there just a weeks ago.
Located in the perfect position on the Newcastle Quayside, Uno’s Trattoria has been a favourite place to eat in the city since it opened in 1989. The family-run restaurant is still going strong today, and I decided to take my family along to enjoy a meal.
The first thing I noticed as we arrived and got sat down was just how attentive the staff are, as they made sure we had our drinks, in my case a Corona, as soon as possible. Less than five minutes later, we ordered our starters and mains, with the food arriving less than ten minutes after that.
(Image: Chronicle Live)
We decided to eat from the early evening menu, which is priced at £16.50 for two courses, and ordered two starters to share between the four of us. The Meatballs in a Napoli sauce served with toasted Garlic Ciabatta and the Focaccia Flatbread were the two dishes we opted for.
The meatballs were succulent and felt like they melted in your mouth, and the sauce was beautifully rich and full of its tomato flavour, with the garlic ciabatta providing the perfect thing to dip into it. The focaccia flatbread was also packed with flavour, fresh and healthy, with a topping of onions and rocket and dressed in a sublime balsamic vinegar.
Then it was time for the main courses, and the four of us went for a range of dishes, as I opted for the Rustica Pizza, my dad got the Classic Lasagne, my mam and sister opted for the Amatriciana Pasta, in its penne and tagliatelle varieties respectively, and we got a Cheese Garlic Bread to share. The Garlic Bread was exactly what you expect, in the best way possible, with a crispy dough topped with gorgeous melted cheese, and a lovely garlic flavour.
(Image: Chronicle Live)
My Rustica Pizza had Parma ham, rocket, parmesan shavings, baby mozzarella & tomato on it, with a balsamic vinegar coating on top. I was very impressed with this, as the Parma ham was crispy and meaty in equal measure, the rocket added a nice kick, and the balsamic vinegar finished it off brilliantly.
The Classic Lasagne was everything that you would want it to be, with layers of oven cooked pasta, a crispy cheese topping, a rich tomato sauce and lovely beef throughout. I was a big fan, and my dad, who ate the majority of it, was even more impressed with the quality of his main meal.
Then, the Amatriciana Pasta, with its bacon, mushroom, garlic & tomato sauce, was just as much of a crowd pleaser. The flavour was spot on, and it worked equally with with both the tagliatelle and penne pasta shapes, so now it was just time to see if we had room for dessert.
Of course we did, but only two between the four of us, as we opted for the Chocolate Fudge Cake with Ice Cream and the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ice Cream. The chocolate dessert was incredibly rich and decadent, with the cold ice cream providing the perfect contrast to the warm cake.
(Image: Chronicle Live)
This was also the case with the toffee pudding, as the gooey consistency and top level flavour made it equally as delicious. This time, we were full, and it was time to pay up, with the overall price coming out at just £96.19, which includes the drinks.
Overall, myself, and the rest of my family, had a fantastic meal in a wonderful classic Italian setting, with the authenticity of Uno’s being the main thing that stands out. As I knew it would be, the food was of a very high-quality, and Uno’s really presents a genuine Italian experience that is very hard to find anywhere else in Newcastle.
Scores:
Service – 5/5
Atmosphere – 5/5
Value for money- 4/5
Food quality – 5/5
Uno’s Trattoria, 18 Sandhill, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/unos-italian-newcastle-quayside-review-31075062
