Yahoo News I went to St James' Stack in Newcastle and was majorly impressed by the food on offer
I went to St James' Stack, The brand new venue outside of St James' Park, after seeing that it has been a huge hit with Newcastle United fans and other's in the city centre. I wanted to try some food from the place for myself, as I was curious to see what options there were, and how it stacked up (pun intended) to its previous iteration on Pilgrim's Street.
When I arrived, there was a real buzz about the place, despite this not actually being a matchday. I was encouraged by this, as it seems like not just NUFC fans have been enjoying the venue.
I was also immediately impressed by the overall atmosphere, as there was live music playing, and dozens of people sat around enjoying both the food and the company. I then headed upstairs to see what I could find for myself, which is when I spotted TipTop Asian Street Food.
Now Chinese has always been my favourite type of takeaway, so this place immediately spoke to me. I had a look at the menu and made my decision, I would have Garlic Chilli Beef with Egg Fried Rice, and a portion of chips on the side, with a diet coke.
I went up to order, and was greeted warmly by the server, who informed me that I'd have to wait around 8-10 minutes, something I had no issue with. I was very impressed when it took just five for my food to be ready, and I like the fact that you can watch your meal being prepared while you wait.
So, I sat down at one of the barrel-style tables, adorned with an NUFC badge of course, and tucked into my food. The chips were the perfect mix of crispy skin and fluffy potato on the inside, so I was able to eat what was a substantial portion.
The Garlic Chilli Beef itself was really tasty, with just the right amount of spice and a rich sauce that covered the succulent strips of beef. The addition of a Chinese food staple in Egg Fried Rice was a welcome one, and gave me something that soaked in the sauce and tasted very good in and of itself.
£14.80 was the total price of my food which, if you take out the £1.80 diet coke, isn't too bad for the big portions that I received. It isn't somewhere I would go for lunch everyday because of this, but before a match or if I'm out in Newcastle, I can absolutely see myself coming back.
Overall, my experience at St James' Stack was a great one, and I can definitely see why the venue has been getting a lot of what I's day is deserved praise. I look forward to coming back under non-work related circumstances, so I can have a few drinks and full immerse myself in the atmosphere.
