Red’s True BBQ

Red’s True Barbecue, Eldon Square, Newcastle
http://truebarbecue.com/newcastle/

 

The Cook’s Review (February 2017)

Red’s is the hot new place in Eldon Sq. and certain, in my opinion, was a premier choice of the new eateries that have just opened. We arrived in the evening and were politely informed that some of the dishes had ran out – namely the sausage and the ribs (thus scuppering our plans for the feast platter thing) – and seated. Things not being available would be a theme of the evening, but if anything the honest and polite way it was done onl served to underline one of the highlights of the evening, which was the service.

Food-wise, I ordered the Black Angus Brisket and Burnt Ends, with Swine Fries and a Cinnamon and Apple milkshake. The latter was absolutely lovely, full of flavour and a very generous pint serving. I wish the same could have been said about the brisket! For £16 I was served three small slices of brisket, four or five chunks of burnt ends, some salad and a slice of bread. For £16. Nope, that wasn’t going to do it, even with the £10 off vouchers we all had. So I had to order a medium beef long rib too, to make it even seem like a meal. This was the saving grace as the long rib was exquisite.

Pudding was sadly, another disappointment. The trifles were deemed inedible by the kitchen staff so I was reduced to the ice cream, which was three small scoops of albeit tasty ice cream. Nothing at all to write home about. No effort was made to make this into anything other than three small scoops of ice-cream in a bowl. Poor.

What about the other stuff? The service was excellent and our server was chirpy, polite and played along with our jokes. The meals were flavourful and served with a variety of house sauces that were a mission in and of themselves to explore. The garnishes were a departure from the norm, with raw jalapenos as part of the salad. Good for me, less so for others. The sides were very good, with the Swine Fries being particularly pleasing.

However, leaving Red’s I couldn’t shake the feeling that had I not had the voucher, this would have been a very expensive, slightly disappointing meal. The meat itself was absolutely great – kudos for that rib – but the overall experience was just lacking; the scant portions, the shoddy pudding etc.

Would I eat there again? Yes, but I’d be more tactical in my food and probably go for the large beef rib straight away, and just order another milkshake for pudding!

The Traveller’s Review (February 2017)

I ordered the Beef Long Rib & Sticky Chicken with an added portion of pulled pork. The sticky bit of the chicken was nice, though the chicken itself was just decent, as was the pulled pork. The beef long rib was the star. Very flavourful and melt in the mouth, and a nice portion of meat on the bone.

Along with the rib, the other standout was the selection of condiments. They were all very nice and handily told you which meat they went well with.

To finish I had a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. It was overpriced for the size of the portion but tasted fine enough.

I would definitely return for the long rib, which adds a full star to this review on its own, and to try out their other ribs as well.

Mr Quality’s Review (February 2017)

This was not my first time, and it won’t be my last. In spite of the 4 stars I’m giving it though, it was possibly one of the most disappointing visits, as it seemed almost everything I wanted wasn’t available. I was really going for the St. Louis Ribs, but, as fate would have it, they were off. So I had to settle for the Burnt Ends and Brisket… with a largish long rib on top for good measure. Red’s meat is really succulent and the flavours really come through in the beef in particular for this. The long rib in particular was extremely meaty, and makes an excellent addition to any normal dish.
One thing I love about Red’s is the sauces, in which you effectively have an outstanding condiment selection, and a matching list. What’s more, the mustardy sauce really does go well with the beef, and the vinegary sauce with the pork etc. all very well considered.

I went for a premium side in the swine fries, which were excellent and well worth it. I have a little issue with jalapenos, but fortunately they just put them on the top and they were easy to shift off. A great addition to any meal. I had the Chocolate and Salted Caramel Milkshake, which was divine, and well worth the £5. I liked it so much that I went for a second instead of dessert. Probably on a boozier night would have made both alcoholic.
Table service was excellent. Fast, cheerful and pleasant.

It’s a pricey place to be sure, but I would argue that you get what you pay for. We all went with a £10 off if you spend £30 or more voucher, and I feel that with that voucher, it was a reasonable price for what we got. Without the voucher I possibly would have been complaining about the value for money.

Will return for the Full Rack of St. Louis Ribs at some point!