Restaurant review of Fattoush Lounge at the Metrocentre in Gateshead

There are over 60 places to eat and drink from cafes and bars to chain restaurants and small artisanal independents.

But despite this, without a shadow of a doubt, in the 35-plus years I have been visiting, with and without kids, the place I have been most is: McDonald’s.

Read more: We tried afternoon tea at a charming North Yorkshire cafe - here's what we thought

It’s quick and easy, and I imagine most people do what they have come for, grab a bite and then shoot off.

But in recent years my family has started coming to the Metrocentre for a meal for birthdays with the kids as it can ties in nicely with activity such as bowling or a trip to the cinema.

It is ideal as we live about 15 minutes away, it is always easy, and free, to park and it does not matter what the weather is like.

Previously we have enjoyed Five Guys, several trips to Wagamamas, which is always great and a visit to Thaikhun, a charming Thai place.

Being an enormous fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, The Fattoush Lounge has always caught my eye and I have often found myself drooling at the menu outside.

Fattoush Lounge is near the cinema in the Metrocentre (Image: Northern Echo)

I went for my birthday earlier this year and it so good my son, Finn, the only other carnivore in our family, said he would like to return when his birthday came around.

The Lebanese grill is located in upstairs in the Yellow Quarter, just up from the bowling alley, and near the cinema.

So after Finn had been to Clip n Climb, early one Saturday evening, we rocked up, not thinking we might have needed to book a table.

The restaurant was full and we had to wait a few minutes but this was no problem and we just stood looking at the menu, agreeing what to go for.

One of the things I love about Middle Eastern food, something Joey from Friends and Smithy from Gavin and Stacey would hate, is that it is ideal for sharing.

And that was the plan: Get a couple of starters and a big plate of meat for the middle of the table, served all at once, for us to pick at.

Before long we were greeted by a friendly waitress who took out order and we started with a Coke (£3) and a blackcurrant and soda (£2.50) with a jug of water for the table.

Although it was busy, we did not have too long to wait before our feast arrived.

We went for the King Fattoush Mixed Grill (£32), a glorious array of charcoal grilled meat including lamb cubes, Adana kebab, minced lamb cooked on skewers, chicken kofta, chicken shawarma and chicken wings, served with onions and tomatoes grilled on skewers.

The King Fattoush Mixed Grill (Image: Northern Echo)

Everything was cooked to perfection, the meat tasty, tender and succulent and that char flavour was straight off a summer barbecue. Just incredible.

We chose to have it served with salad and opted for a side order of chips (£2.50) for good measure.

Our other side dishes included haloumi (£6.80) which was beautifully presented and satisfyingly chunky but could have done with a shade longer on the grill for my liking.

The haloumi was tasty but slightly underdone for my taste (Image: Northern Echo)

Moutabal (£5.70) is a smoking aubergine-based dip made with sesame oil and was topped with flat leaf parsley and pomegranate.

It was creamy and delicious and ideal for digging complimentary flat breads into.

The moutabal was amazing and a great alternative to hummus (Image: Northern Echo)

I was less fussed about the Tabbouleh 

(£5.50) but this is mainly because I was not quite sure what I was ordering, not that it wasn’t made abundantly clear on the menu.

It is essentially a parsley salad with crushed wheat, mint, tomatoes and onions finely chopped and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice.

There was nothing wrong with it, but the dish just wasn’t for me, given the cornucopia of other pleasures spread across our table.

Tabbouleh, the parsley salad (Image: Northern Echo) Finn and I enjoyed everything mouthful of our meal but if the quality of the food was not enough there was an element of the service that is raving about.

As I was taking photographs, the manager came over and offered to take a picture of us together and I mentioned we were celebrating my son’s birthday.

He wished him a ‘Happy Birthday’, then whispered to a waiter who returned with a large slice of caramel cheesecake ‘on the house’.

The complimentary cheesecake was a lovely gesture (Image: Northern Echo)

The staff and other diners also wished him ‘Happy Birthday’ making my 11-year-old suitably mortified, but I was beaming.

It was a lovely gesture and there was a genuine kindness from the staff you might not expect in a shopping mall restaurant.

I cannot thank them enough for this.

Fattoush Lounge’s website claims it is the ‘best place to eat at the Metrocentre’.

I don’t disagree and am already looking forward to my next visit.

Fattoush Lounge 

Saint Michaels Way

Metrocentre

Gateshead

NE11 9YG

0191 461 1701

thefattoushlounge.co.uk

Opening times:

Everyday 11am - 9pm

Verdict:

Food: 4/5

Value: 4/5

Surroundings: 3/5

Service: 5/5

For previous Eating Out reviews, see below:

• Dining with the brilliant Barretts at The Bay Horse, Ravensworth
• Breakfast wars break out in Northallerton (sort of)
• We tried the Wheatsheaf and found a warm welcome and menu packed with pub classics

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