Restaurant Review - YOLO Ponteland

When this lavish bistro-bar opened its doors to Darras Hall residents just over a year ago, it attracted a flourish of foodies (and drinkies) eager to gain a taste of the high life.

The North East’s restaurant industry is becoming increasingly competitive, with nothing less than a 70% gross profit turnover indicating feckless failure.

However, YOLO was a blessing upon Ponteland, a town crying out for a stylish spot to boost the social scene – hence making the bar unspeakably successful within its first year of trade.

Due to the popularity, owner Neill Winch took the plunge to shut up shop from mid-February to early March, giving the trend-setting eatery a re-vamp to further boost its appeal. This involved extending the overhead mezzanine, as well as constructing a new state of the art bar downstairs to fully transform the former off-licence.

The lure of a pristine renovation at the renowned glamour-gaff was too strong to resist, so I promptly booked a table for Mother’s Day - in the hope that my mum would appreciate the ‘vibrant social experience’ that the website promised.

As we drove through Cheviot View, it seemed this pledge was to be vindicated, as the spring sun drenched an exuberant outdoor platform-terrace, bustling with families treating their matriarchs.

On arrival, it was hard to ignore the awe-inspiring décor, with ornate overhead beams and plush cream leather seating helping to mirror a vaulted-barn style, all complemented by the refreshing tones of ‘Vance Joy – Riptide’purring over the stereo. Very much the encapsulation of laid-back-luxe.

We were warmly welcomed and swiftly shown to our pre-booked booth by an opulently styled waiter, who presented a complimentary glass of fizz. The service was excellent throughout – punctual, efficient and enthusiastic - the latter of which was appreciated the most, considering it was a very busy lunch service.

However, the real question regarding a jaunt like this is whether it has the bite to the bark, the ‘yo’ to the ‘lo’.

And, after scanning the vast menu offerings, I was hopeful that it would.

With it being a Sunday, we worried whether choices would be restricted to a lousy recycled roast or the mandatory soup-of-the-day, however our taste-buds were tingling at the prospects of fish and chips, sharing planks, burgers and hanging kebabs amongst many other options. All for under £11.

I opted for the ‘Rare Beef Salad - £9.99’, as I fancied something light on a sunny Sunday - a major benefit of this diverse menu. A cut of premium fillet steak soon arrived, finely sliced on a vibrant bed of mixed salad and olives, complete with a sticky soy reduction topped with toasted sesame seeds. The meat was succulent and tender, perfectly offset by the salad which in turn was dulcified by the sweet, honeyed glaze. The dish produced refreshing Thai flavours and in doing so, it rewrote the usual conventions of a tiresome steak salad.

This delight and proficiency was replicated throughout our dishes, as my brother left but a crumb of his fish and chips, and my mum made multiple appreciative ‘mmm’ noises as she polished off her niftily constructed chicken ‘hanging kebab’. Undoubtedly better than the replica you’d find at the chippy down the road.

You Only Live Once, but I can assure you, you’ll be visiting this place time and time again.

Yolo Ponteland Bar and Eatery, 9 Bell Villas, Ponteland, NE20 9BD. Food served 10am-9pm daily, cocktails 2-4-1 all day every Friday.

http://www.yolo.uk.com