Kaltur, Newcastle

If I was ever asked for a recommendation of a hidden gem in Newcastle, Kaltur would be the one. Tucked away in the charismatic little street High Bridge, Kaltur is a little buzzing Portuguese restaurant and wine bar. Its cozy, candlelit and intimate. One of those restaurants where you are practically sitting on top of each other, smelling each other’s food. The downside of this, is that it is always filled to brim and so you almost have to shout or physically get up to get the waiter’s attention. When we arrived on time for our booking, our table wasn’t quite ready so we had to wait some time, but we were happy to perch on the window seat and sip an aperitivo. They take there wine very seriously at Kaltur, their wine list is one of the most extensive in Newcastle. And they have a lot of vintage wines too.

The food never fails to surprise. Their menu changes regularly, but they are sure to always have their tapas staples, such as calamari and patatas bravas. However, since our last visit, they had some amazing vegetarian and vegan specialities. One of these consisted of flaked tuna, artichokes and chopped red pepper served in a bath of decadent almond crème. Absolutely mouthwatering, and so unique. The saltiness of the tuna was a match made in heaven with the rich, sweet creaminess of the almond sauce. I would be surprised to see that on a menu again, but I will be dreaming of it for days. We also tried a courgette cannelloni, wrapped up in a delicious blanket of pasta, herby ricotta and tomatoes, a small bite of deliciousness. A must-have for us was the boiled octopus, which is served on a bed of mashed potato. The mashed potato has the perfect kind of texture - thick and rustic, rather than processed and creamy, with a light Spanish seasoning of paprika. And the octopus was beautiful as always, moist and buttery. No chance of rubbery fish at Kaltur. My mum lives for calamari, and so that was also an obvious order. I like a little taste, but in general, too much fried food doesn’t agree with me. However, this calamari was exactly how it should be: crispy, but light and dunked in homemade mayonnaise.

This is another special dinner spot that will be hugely missed. I have also heard that they have recently opened up a spot on Dean Street, that serves brunch on the weekends. To be honest, I was surprised to hear this, but I am sure that it will allow for a more varied menu, and for the Kaltur team to extend their expertise. I would definitely consider a Sunday brunch trip to see what they have in store, as Portuguese brunch is certainly an unusual prospect.

#Fresh #Portuguese #Dining #Newcastle #Kaltur