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REVIEW: Miller & Carter, Newcastle

Posted on April 13th 2017 by Whats on Northeast

Words: Laura Brown for Proper Scrumptious

We celebrated Mama’s Day a little early this year; I’d booked to go and see Not Dead Enough at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle the Friday before Mothering Sunday. We both love crime novels and suspense, plus I’d never really seen anything at the theatre that wasn’t a musical. With rave reviews and a cracking cast including Laura Whitmore and Shane Richie, we were expecting big things. And it delivered. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’d highly recommend. Based on the best-selling novel by Peter James, with humour and a good story line, we were gripped.

The night kicked off, however, with a visit to Miller and Carter. I’ve been before but Mama Jan hadn’t and it’s a lovely place to celebrate something special. Now, it’s hard to please me with a chain restaurant. In my opinion, they’re average at best. Controversial, I know. Don’t get me wrong, there are some exceptions, and when they’re an exception, they’re normally an incredible one. Just like Miller and Carter.

I’ve had some great steak. Fantastic, in fact. But this, from what I can remember, probably takes the number one spot. To start, I ordered a side. Rule breaker. It wasn’t that the starter choices were poor, more so that I just love crab. And one of the steak sides was tempura battered soft shell crab – nothing beats that for me. It was incredibly tasty and very meaty; a huge portion with just the right amount of batter. It could have done with an accompanied sauce or dressing, but it was a side, after all.

For mains, there really is no other option than the fillet steak, cooked rare. There are cheaper options on the menu, but this cut was thick, tender and purely meat. Worth the £24.50, trust me. Each steak comes with fries (normal or sweet potato), a sauce, an onion loaf and lettuce wedge. I asked for normal potato fries and the blue cheese and truffle oil steak sauce.

Now, I think the lettuce wedge needs a special mention. It’s insane how good a wedge of lettuce can taste. Mama Jan found it entirely difficult to tear away from it when her actual steak arrived. You choose a dressing to go with the wedge; I went for stilton and blue cheese. Seriously, I know that without actually trying it, the goodness is hard to imagine. That’s what makes it so amazing – you just don’t expect it.

The last mention goes to the side of lobster mac and cheese. I can’t go to Miller and Carter without succumbing to its rich, creamy loveliness. Thick and fresh lobster with soft pasta and an abundance of cheese – if you’re a seafood or cheese lover, this is a must.

Three of us, two bottles of Prosecco, two courses each including a banging steak. I was more than happy to pay around £120 for the affair (Prosecco is on offer for £15.00 a bottle on Thursdays and Fridays, you’re welcome), especially when you’re treating someone as amazing as my Mama. If you’ve got a special occasion, or even if you’re just feeling fancy, head to Miller and Carter. A calming atmosphere with friendly, helpful staff and amazing food.

And it’s in the perfect location for those heading to the theatre after.

Laura Brown is a guest blogger who runs her own dedicated food and drink blog. You can see more of her reviews of restaurants, takeaways and more from the region and beyond on her website, Proper Scrumptious.

For more information about Miller and Carter, click here.

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