El Castano

The couple who own and run this charming restaurant seem to know their stuff. There is a real passion that is evident in the details. The furnishing, for instance, is very atmospheric, cozy and one can immediately see that it was well thought through. The wooden furniture evokes images of the sunlit Spanish countryside, and the candle light creates a more intimate atmosphere. The tables are laid thoroughly and beautifully — really puts you in the mood for food.
The menu is a good mix of familiar Spanish recipes and dishes that are less widely known. All the ingredients tasted really fresh and well put together. Sangria is a must try.

Friday nite was apparently El Castano’s re-​opening nite.
This was my first experience of Tapas — something I was greatly looking forward to. Unfortunately, visiting this restaurant has put me off!
The service was not good. There seemed to be no communication between the waiting staff themselves, or between the waiting staff and the kitchen staff.
My friend enjoyed ordering our food in Spanish — which is requested! A fun part of the nite!
The food that we ordered was nice and was served hot. We ordered 12 dishes between 4 of us, as is suggested in the menu and by the waitress. This was not enough, as the portions are small.
We did not get two of the dishes we ordered, so requested that they bring them. We had to ask 3 times before our potatoes were served — 20 minutes after we had eaten the rest of the food. However, we were told we would not be charged for these.
The bill arrived and we WERE charged, so an argument ensued with the waiter. We did get the potatoes for free, which to be honest, was the least they could do.
After still having a space in our stomach’s, we were looking forward to a nice Spanish dessert. Unfortunately, we were told that all they had was Crème Brulee! (on their re-​opening nite???)
We had to call in somewhere else for dessert on the way home, as we had been left unsatisfied by the meal.
The cost of the meal was reasonable, especially near the centre of Newcastle, however I feel the experience could be GREATLY improved!