Oli’s and Joe on Gosforth High Street opened towards the end of 2016. Yet another restaurant in Gosforth we wanted to try out. The branding on the outside looks amazing. The design is eye-catching and we were hoping the interior would live up to our expectations!
Gosforth High Street is quite a popular location for restaurants and has seen several new openings and refurbishments within the last few months. Hopefully, this location will be a good move for Oli’s and Joe as they are among good company.
Oli’s and Joe Gosforth
Before I go into the restaurant, I’ll air my comment that I can’t help saying. Surely the name of the place isn’t grammatically correct. Unless there is a situation where the Restaurant is Oli’s, and then there is Joe. Then saying that there is another restaurant in Westerhope called Joe and Oli’s, with the same style branding. Is this a purposeful variant, a signwriter’s mistake or am I missing something?
Turns out that the menu cover’s say Joe and Oli’s, yet the menus read Oli’s and Joe. There’s an identity crisis, or is it an issue with the menu covers? OK… I’ll let it lie!
Oli and Joe’s Gosforth
Our table was booked for 6:30pm, as a treat out to celebrate my Mum’s Birthday. Our table consisted of Me, My Mum, Imogen and Abigail, and my Brother and Sister in Law (David and Claire). The interior is light and fresh. in my mind it is similar to how I remember Classico’s (the previous occupants) looked.
Our kids were starving. Abigail kept telling me. So instead of the kids menu we decided to go with half portions of the main menu for Abigail, while Imogen went full on adult size.
Starters
Imogen had been dreaming all day about the classic Italian restaurant classic of potato skins. To her delight, it came with a garlic dipping sauce. Abigail prefers a simpler life or just plain, non dipped potato skins. I opted for Scallops in Garlic and parsley butter.
The portion was nicely presented and I finished every single one off the plate. I’ll moan a little that they didn’t have a lot of flavour. My brother had also gone for Scallops and said the same. I’m not sure if it was the type of scallop or the cooking. Either way, they didn’t hit where I hoped they would have, although I did clear the plate off.
Mains
Now, you have to love a restaurant that actually promotes a 50/50 split of Pizza and Pasta. Occasionally a Pizza alone can become labour, but add a pasta section and it’s a balances plate.
Abigail went for Spaghetti Bolognese. Imogen chose a pizza pasta combo of Spaghetti bolognese and a Ham and Pineapple Pizza. I went Penne Carbonara and a Mix Meat Pizza. The pizza was tasty and the carbonara was delicious.
Oli and Joe’s Mix Meat pizza was spicy beef, Pepperoni, Chicken and Ham. I knife and forked chunks of the pizza and scooped on the carbonara to complete the bite. Similar to scraping on some mash potato on to a slice of beef at a Sunday dinner. Abigail’s face was getting covered in sauce as she slurped up the spaghetti. Then Imogen threw in the curveball. “My pizza has a soggy bottom!”. As she lifted up the slice it drooped. Normally, this isn’t an issue for me and shouldn’t be an issue to her. Although I think with the crispiness of Pizzastorm pizzas or Cal’s Own in Jesmond, it becomes a consideration. When you’ve experienced an alternative you notice a difference.
Desserts
Usually the Hoopers are not big dessert eaters. Yet when I looked at the menu something jumped out as a semi challenge. A blue coloured ice-cream dessert, with a description of “One for the kids”! No way is it a kids exclusive dessert, so I ordered it.
The Base was a biscuit cheesecake style base. The Blue middle was Bubblegum flavoured ice cream. What looked like coco pops on the top was a toffee coated popping candy. As you can imagine, Imogen and Abigail were climbing over the table to try it. Imogen loved it, Abigail wasn’t keen. It amazes me at how different the two girls are with so many things.
All in all we enjoyed our night out at Oli and Joe’s. The food was nice and comparable to other Italian restaurants in the area.
Soggy Bottoms
Leaving the restaurant you have to go down a flight of stairs towards the High Street road. Imogen had noticed a wave of water hitting the step every so often. I unfortunately ignored the warnings. We stepped out of the door and said our goodbyes on the pavement. Just then a car drove through the large rain puddle on the road side. The kids got a slight splashing, I was soaked top to bottom. We ran back to the car, dripping. The kids laughing all the way. “Dad, this was the best night out ever!” said Abigail.
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