IT’S hard to imagine that a restaurant exists deep in the woodland valley that is Jesmond Dene. Set well back from the main road lies the Fisherman’s Lodge, an eaterie famed for its seafood. So secluded is the location that, on my way there, I begin to wonder if the taxi driver has taken a wrong turn, as all I can see is trees, shrubbery and not much sign of life. Yet it is this tranquil location that has made the Fisherman’s Lodge so popular, setting it apart from its contemporaries and, quite frankly, you couldn’t ask for a nicer view from the restaurant window. Just as impressive as the setting is the menu, which offers a good choice of both seafood and meat dishes. For starters I opt for Cornish crab, a blend of fresh white crab meat, créme fraîche and pickled vegetables. Without the kick of the veg the dish runs the risk of being a tad bland, but this was a perfect combination, and was not too large a serving to spoil my next course. My friend was tempted by the chicken and foie gras – a terrine with a warm salad of fine beans and mushrooms with roast apple puree. Sadly, it didn’t quite live up to its delicious description, only arousing an ‘OK’ from my slightly-disappointed fellow diner. While tucking into my grub I admire the dining area, which is a compact room with a modern decor of purple walls (this season’s ‘in’ colour apparently), and silver with crisp, white table linen. There are also large windows along one wall so diners do not forget they are deep in the heart of the Dene. Next up was the main course. I was lucky enough to be given a sample of both the Northumbrian beef fillet, with sautéed spinach, fondant potato and Bordelaise sauce, as well as the grilled lobster. The beef was amazingly tender and literally fell from the fork straight into my mouth. I sometimes find spinach can be tasteless, but this was an interesting blend of flavours, and I couldn’t get enough of the fondant potato – extremely yummy. Dining in a restaurant known for its fish dishes, the lobster did not disappoint. It was cooked so that it didn’t lose its distinctive flavour, but it was the beef that won hands down for me. Sea bass with creamed leeks, crispy potato straws with Noilly Prat sauce was my friend’s choice and proved more successful than her starter, receiving a firm thumbs-up. After quite a feast we weren’t sure if we would have room for desserts but, after reading the mouth-watering menu, what girl could refuse? We shared a white chocolate and strawberry crême brûlee with fresh strawberries, marshmallow ice cream and sherbet caramel. It was dangerous. Just as soon we had finished the last spoonful, we instantly wanted more. It was amazing, and even writing about it makes me want hotfoot it to the Lodge for lunch. The restaurant is a popular venue for weddings and, unfortunately, we’d been unable to get a weekend reservation so we visited on a Tuesday night instead. There were only two other couples dining that night so there wasn’t really an atmosphere, and we had to speak in hushed tones, so as not to broadcast our conversation to the waiters and other diners. I’d like to go back there in a busy period to gauge the atmosphere and see if the food and service is still up to a good standard. The biggest seller for the Fisherman’s Lodge is the food and of course the beautiful setting. | 
