Kenny and Abbie Atkinson’s Solstice is the more refined Michelin starred sister restaurant to House of Tides. Both of these excellent restaurants are located on Newcastle’s Quayside but you’d be forgiven for walking past Solstice on Side, without realising that culinary magic is being created behind that very door.
We visited on a Wednesday night with Executive Chef Scott John-Hodgson at the helm and were welcomed like old friends. That’s the beauty of this place – it’s an informal, non-stuffy restaurant with only seven tables in total, but you’ll be eating some of the finest cuisine being served in the whole of the North East.
We can definitely recommend the window table as a perfect spot to enjoy the theatre of the evening. From here, you have a big round table for all of the incredible dishes you’re about to receive, but you can also see what’s going on in the open plan kitchen giving it a really exclusive feel.
The dinner experience served here is a set menu and the same for everyone. With around 15-18 servings being brought out across the evening, you’re told to allow for around three to three and a half hours for the full experience to play out. After we’d left, I remember thinking that it felt like no time had passed at all.
Crispy ‘chicken skin’ is a strong start, slathered with the contents of smoked eel, potato and hake cream with a hint of lemon, which has been topped with tiny drops of dill oil and caviar between stalks of the carefully tweezed dill. It’s a taste sensation and has you thinking no matter what you did to the skin of a chicken at home, it could never ever taste quite like this.
The beetroot course arrives next with a beer battered crust on the bottom filled with salt baked and dehydrated beetroot that gives it a somewhat raisin like consistency. It’s been rehydrated with beef fat for seriously big flavour and a hint of jamminess, served with a horseradish crème fraiche which is every bit as luxurious as it sounds. Devoured in one bite feels almost a shame but the intense hit of the flavour is amazing.
At this point, the duck parfait served with broth becomes my favourite course. But only until I try the pollock a little later! It’s an absolutely beautiful little tartlet wearing a fancy tuile hat which reminds me of Ladies Day at the Races. Glazed with Pedro Ximenez and Madeira and finished with a plum umeboshi for salt and sour notes, alysssum flowers add to the finesse with some sweetness. The accompanying duck consommé made with duck neck, soy and mushroom is rich and meaty and served at the table where fresh chilli, coriander and a hint of umami miso oil are added in front of us. The result is a hit of smooth sweet and sour and a hearty finish. Utter deliciousness.
Lindisfarne oysters come next, poached in their own shell to keep in as much flavour and juice as possible. A shio koji foam is dolloped on as we ooh and ahh over the natural beauty of this little seafood delicacy. This Japanese seasoning adds acidity and umami in equal measure while you get hits of intense salt and butter from an incredible benito beurre blanc. It happens to be the best oyster I ever did taste, topped with a dab of premium Oscietra caviar.
Scottish crab slow steamed and dressed with finger lime, lemon juice and seasoning gives a nice hit of zesty flavour through the custard like texture. Finished with a perfect disc of consommé jelly made from some of the shell of the crab gives it an intense and powerful taste.
The most delicate of courses is served ahead of the main. Hand dived scallops from the west coast of Scotland are served as a nice light tartare, delicately flavoured with natural sweetness and dressed with white soy and lemon juice with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt. Ponzu dressing is added at the table while the chef talks us through the dish for a nice citrussy freshness along with toasted sesame oil for just the right amount of smokey nuttiness.
Perhaps the most beautifully presented dish of the evening and the personal favourite of Solstice we hear, is the ‘Catch of the Day’ – pollock on the night we visited. Salt aged, brined and steamed, it’s the most delicate piece of fish wrapped in a yoghurt glaze and decorated with wafer thin lines of fermented black garlic puree which has the most intense sweetness and richness. Red pepper sauce poured at the table added plenty of smokey sweetness with a hint of chilli.
Craster is one of our favourite Northumberland villages and we’re delighted to hear smoked Craster kippers is one of the courses at Solstice which has always remained on the menu owing to Kenny’s fondness of it. Poached and then served as a rillette with chives and crème fraiche, pink fir potatoes provide some delicate stodge with a decent serving of smoked caviar. We loved the theatrical cloche which was removed at the table and because the kippers had been smoked using Craster smokehouse’s chips, you’re immediately transported up to Dunstanburgh when the cloche comes off. Smoked craster kipper cream had us desperately mopping up every last drop with the warm milk loaf – what a dish. THIS was our favourite and most memorable course.
The last of our main courses – French guinea fowl was succulent, delicate and mildly gamey, after being aged for three days for a bit of extra crisp then primed in herbs before being water bathed to make sure it stayed incredibly juicy. With bones, wings and trotters in a sticky Szechaun flavoured sauce, the flavour was incredibly intense – definitely our second favourite dish of the night!
Dessert courses start with a sorel leaf and blackcurrant which I’m glad to say wasn’t too sweet. A crème fraiche cremo wrapped nicely around the parfait with baby sorel balanced on top for an herbaceous edge.
Madagascan chocolate souffle served with a macadamia nut ice cream gave incredible depth of flavour courtesy of the 80% Valrhona with acidic note from the citrus and a Scotch caramelised miso. The nut ice cream with all its nuttiness and golden toasted caramelisation was just the most perfect accompaniment, served at just the right temperature to avoid the dreaded ice cream brain freeze!
The best Petit Fours we’ve ever experienced with a tasting menu provided the most wonderful end to the evening. Salted madeleines with brown butter and poppy seeds dunked in a brown butter and masala wine custard is something I’m still salivating at while writing. Juicy jammy orange pate de fruits pastilles, a coconut custard mini tartlet with coconut milk, lemongrass and lime zest and a pineapple compote with vanilla and lime zest were all simply divine.
Priced at £175pp with an additional wine pairing priced at £110, the Solstice experience is one reserved for special occasions, a big birthday or anniversary. It’s really no wonder Kenny Atkinson’s restaurant has retained its Michelin star since 2023 and has won countless awards since. An absolute must-visit for Newcastle foodies, we can’t wait for another reason to go back. Book one of the best meals of your life, here.