Yahoo News I tried the Heaton bagel shop whose new menu aims to take diners around the world
Chillingham Road has undergone a bit of a foodie transformation since the coronavirus pandemic, and there's now vegan sushi, Arabian street food and even fine-dining tasting menus alongside late-night takeaways.
One that's become a mainstay on the street is Dot Bagel, having originally opened as an extension of the now-defunct Brew and Bite, and then re-opened under new ownership in December 2022. Despite spending the majority of the last four years with Dot Bagel on my doorstep in Heaton, I'd somehow managed to avoid it.
However, with a new menu announced recently that is aimed at transporting diners around the world, it seemed like a good time to check out the place that plenty rave about. And it's a nice place to be; it's fairly minimalist interior light, bright and welcoming.
Signs on the wall proudly proclaim that it's a living wage employer, and there's produce from other local businesses. A whole shelf in the fridge is dedicated to the ferments of Belle and Herbs Farm at Rising Sun Country Park (which you may have seen on the Hairy Bikers) and there are drinks from Newcastle's Life Kombucha.
The ever-growing bagel menu presents plain, sesame, and heatwave just some of the choices for the bread alone. Names such as Salt on Chilli Road and the NFC (Northern Fried Chicken) raise a smile and a bit of intrigue, but I pick one of the new additions, the New York Parmo (£8.95) and a cappuccino (£3.10).
I'm promised breaded chicken breast, marinara sauce with tomatoes, herbs and garlic, mozzarella cheese, rocket and Dot's signature sauce. It takes a while to come, which is surprising as there was no-one else waiting for food when I arrived at ten to nine.
A near-20 minute wait would be more understandable on a weekend, when the café always looked packed from outside. That said, I wasn't disappointed when my name was eventually called, though I was surprised at the bagel's lack of hole!
However, when you consider the amount of sauce inside, it's probably saved a lot of mess. The sesame-topped bagel is light and fluffy around a rich and stodgy filling - there's no skimping on the breaded chicken here.
I'm not sure that the Dot sauce is needed - it supposedly has garlic, coriander and lime in, but any of those flavours are cancelled out by the much stronger marinara. Nevertheless, it's enjoyable - the firm and juicy fried chicken combined with the familiarity of the flavours of a margherita pizza make it an overall winner.
Other new additions to the menu include the Shawarma Del Rey, a vegan version of a middle-Eastern kebab; a Sriracha Slide, another plant-based bagel with tofu fried in sriracha, maple, sesame and soy sauce; and the Hallou-Me, a roasted Mediterranean vegetable offering. Pizza bagels and pizza pops have also been added and are available now.
