The Forge — Restaurant in Sunderland

I'm not going to lie, ever since I heard the rumours of a new restaurant opening in the building that once was occupied by the blacksmiths table, I had hoped at last that Washington might finally have a restaurant maybe as good as the one that shared the same building, well after visiting last night with my wife I can safely say that not only is it as good, but it surpasses the blacksmiths table in every way (no mean feat). Upon arrival first impressions were how large the inside looked compared to before, helped by the amount of light now flooding in and the modern minimalist wood/brick decor, we were greeted by Jamie who showed us to our table and then gave us time to peruse the menu in our own time, prior to the food we ordered cocktails from the extensive (but not overly) drinks list, both of us opting for a gin/prosecco/elderflower cocktail which was absolute perfection and so refreshing, not long after the drinks arrived we first met the owner Wayne who had brought a complimentary sharing board of mixed warm breads, cheese and olives (much appreciated). The flavours for something relatively simple were wonderful especially the cheese and left us anticipating the next servings, inbetween servings Wayne regularly came over to the table to see if there was anything we needed or that he could help us with, sometimes just for a friendly chat which we felt added to the ambience. So on to the food, which well makes or breaks any restaurant, from starters, through mains and on to desserts they were all simply outstanding, all of the produce on the menu was well chosen, extremely fresh and the textures and flavours complimented each other so well, the attention to detail obviously comes from a chef at the top of his game and every plate was up there with any coveted restaurant I have visited, particular highlights being the crispy squid/chorizo/butterbean starter, sea bream with mussel broth, rib eye steak with triple cooked chips (steak was cooked to absolute perfection) and the wife wanted to give a special mention to the pana cotta which she described as the perfect way to end any meal. For a restaurant that hasn't even been open a week to be producing this standard of food is testament to the team in the kitchen, and I really look forward to seeing and tasting what you produce in the coming weeks and months. As for the bill every plate was very reasonably priced and very competitive for a similar standard of restaurant in the region, to put into context for this level of food and service to have three courses, drinks and coffee for two people for the price we paid was good and in my opinion will help guarantee customers returning. So to sum up, an amazing experience from Washington's newest restaurant serving up modern food in a great location at competitive prices, I wish Wayne his wife and Lee and their staff all the best for the future, I can only see the forge going from strength to strength and we look forward to our next...

I was in town for a few weeks and visited this restaurant. I was so impressed I had to visit again before leaving.

Not only that, but I visited several other restaurants in Newcastle and Gateshead Quayside, which were in similar or higher price brackets, but none of them were quite as well-rounded as The Forge.

The decor is rustic and low-key, but well finished. There is no pretentiousness, which makes for a warm, enjoyable atmosphere. The front of house staff are all friendly and attentive, even when being rushed off their feet serving a full house inside and out.

The food is excellent. From the perfectly cooked scotch egg starter to the fish, lamb, or steak mains, down to the absolutely delicious desserts. The standout was the Cornish hake dish. We even took a 3 and 5-year-old on the first visit, and they produced some simple off-menu children's dishes which the kids both loved. Despite visiting only a few weeks apart, there were quite a few changes to the menu, which keeps it seasonal and exciting.

I have paid more in other places in the North East for worse service, atmosphere, and cookery. The Forge is an absolute gem and despite being well above the average price for a restaurant in Washington, you absolutely get what you pay for, and it is worth...

As soon as you walk in and see the remodelled room and decor you know you're going to get some great food and we were not dissapointed. We opted for the fine tart of king scallops & king oyster, 8oz fillet steak with fat chips and the slow cooked pork shoulder and it was all really really delicious and we savoured every moutfull. The potato mash was to die for. Jamie answered our ton of never ending questions about the rework and had some great banter. He's a great credit to the company. I popped to the toilet and you can see the chef's doing their absolute magic. I watched one chef peeling a single potato over the sink. If you want a place where you feel like the chef's personally made the food for you then this is the place. Give it a try and I'm sure that you'll thank me. Just been back for breakfast 5 years later and it...