Eat, drink and laugh
2024 Restaurants
Here we are at the start of another banquet season with the Order of Gentlemen. We will take you along with us as we journey across the eating establishments of good old Teesside. What follows is an impartial account of each visit from our perspective, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
If you enjoy going out for a meal with your loved one, or even with somebody else's loved one and think, where shall we eat tonight? The Order of Gentlemen have probably already been there and we can help you out with your decision making.
The Winner for 2024 is.....
The Copperstone!!!!
The annual voting night took place at the Billingham Catholic Club in November. Only Knowla was missing but his votes were cast via a secure link and accepted by all club members.
After the voting slips were collected and several pints of ‘Coowars’ sampled, the result of the 2024 Dining Season was revealed.
In joint 2nd place were; Bisons Bar and Grill and the Elif Turkish Restaurant – both in Norton. Both venues provided an excellent dining experience and could have taken the title in a close run vote.
But, the winner of the 2024 ‘Order of Gentlemen’ annual trophy was ‘The Copperstone Thai Restaurant’ in the heart of Linthorpe Village.
The Copperstone had a warm and friendly atmosphere, the draught Peroni and Copperstone Pilsner were very well received. The food was cooked to perfection, with the hanging chicken skewer very popular. Other choices were the Thai Green Curry and the Katsu chicken.
Added to the the fantastic quality of food was good service and unbelievable value for money.
Congratulations on winning this prestigious award.
You have won the trophy for a year. We will be along in January 2025 to celebrate the victory and present the trophy!
October 2024
Venue: The Merlin - Billingham
Chosen by: Simon Pooley
This month the venue was chosen by Simon and it was nice to have him out again!
It seemed sensible to have our predrinks in the Merlin and we had a full compliment of members, plus one guest, welcome Gary Kell, look out Sully, Gary’s about !!
As Thursday night is quiz night in the Merlin, Simon booked the meal for seven o’clock and most of the group managed to be there by 6.15. Our tables were ready on time and we were made to feel very welcome, all of the non-drivers were very happy with the Coors and Cruz Campo. The ambiance was light and promised much, we had already decided to stay for the quiz so it should be quite an evening.
The starters arrived without a fuss; potato skins with a chilli sauce, belly pork and black pudding, southern fried chicken and garlic mushrooms. Regulars at the Merlin who were having a full parmo sensibly gave the starter a miss.
After another round of drinks and much hilarity, Gary retold his story about the time he tried to put Sully’s head in a microwave. Eh! Those were the days!
The main meals were served and if it was a full parmo you ordered it was a full parmo you got! The selection of parmo’s were; fajita parmo, garlic mushroom parmo, bolognese parmo and a hotshot parmo. All well-presented and definitely FULL.
Other main meals were; steak and ale pie (the chunks of steak were huge), hunters chicken, mince and dumplings and the mega burger (that’s two beef patties AND a parmo) – unbelievable.
The evening continued at a lively pace and as we had decided to stay for the quiz it seemed only polite that we should have another round of drinks.
Synopsis of the evening : Made to feel very welcome and were very well looked after, the food was excellent, well presented and very tasty. The price was reasonable and as a dining experience it was up there with the best.
Has it done enough ? Only time will tell. This year’s eagerly awaited voting night takes place on 21 November. It is going to be a close race with many excellent venues battling it out for the coveted trophy.
Oh! And we won the quiz as well – make sure that does not influence your vote !!
British ££
September 2024
Venue: Massala Indian Restaurant - Middlesbrough
Chosen by: Ian Sullivan
This was Sully’s choice and it had been quite a while since we had eaten at an Indian Restaurant.
After another day of heavy rainfall we met at Massala and only Knowla and Simon were missing. When we arrived the Restaurant had a few customers already enjoying their meals. The ambiance was light and welcoming, the background music enhanced the relaxed atmosphere and promised much.
The drinks choice was limited, five went for the draught Cobra and the unlucky drivers settled with a glass of coke!! A discussion took place regarding the beverage selection. Even though everyone would automatically choose the Cobra, should the fact that there was no other choice mark the Restaurant down?? The general consensus was to agree to disagree.
While the Cobra was being enjoyed the starters and main meals were ordered. A selection of dips and a popadom were served to help fill the void.
As a starter, four of us chose the tandoori mixed kebab (well presented and the chicken was cooked perfectly), two opted for the meat samosas which were also very tasty. Tim declined a starter but at least he was still with us!!
Another round of drinks was accepted as the dishes were removed and the main meals began to be served. Hot chicken tikka masala and normal tikka masala was the selection of three, the chicken was succulent and melted in your mouth, other choices were chicken tikka biriani (the sauce was excellent), jaipur chicken balti, chicken jalfrezi, and a lamb curry (which was decribed as average) with pilau rice. A special mention must be made regarding the naan breads, the keema naan and the peshwari naan were luscious.
The service and general interaction with the staff was excellent. It seemed only right that we should have another round of drinks to discuss our thoughts on the evening.
The restaurant was clean and bright and as a dining experience it was without doubt the best Indian meal we had ever had.
Add to these facts the excellent value for money and it is up there with the best.
With only one more dining evening left this season the Massala Indian Restaurant is locking horns with the other favourites.
It is going to be close when voting night arrives.
Indian ££
August 2024
Venue: Copperstone - Linthorpe
Chosen by: Steve Williams
It was Steve’s choice this month and he chose the Copperstone Thai Restaurant in the heart of Linthorpe Village. Tim was unavailable again, this time he found himself eating ham sandwiches on the M6 at Penrith!
We were proud to welcome a special guest in his place, a man who knows a thing or two about Michelin Star restaurants (or was that just Michelin tyres !!) – great to see you Smigfy.
With a few roads closed and shocking parking it was a challenge to find the restaurant. Once inside the warmth and friendly atmosphere promised a lot.
We arrived separately due to various work commitments the next day and in no time at all we were sampling the draught Peroni and Copperstone Pilsner, the drivers had a decent selection of soft drinks and alcohol free bottles.
As the evening progressed and the restaurant became more busy the service became more hit and miss.
Our orders were taken and the starters arrived with a fresh round of drinks. The choice of starters was impressive and we went for: Salt and Pepper Squid, not really lightly battered more covered with breadcrumbs and very rubbery; two had the Korean BBQ chicken which was very tasty, Tempura King Prawns with a salad garnish and a Thai sweet chilli dip, Salt and Pepper wok fried King Prawns and a Salt and Pepper Chicken (which was slightly overcooked)
The ambience was very good and the background music was right up our street. The main meals came and four of us had the Hanging Chicken Skewer (three with an extra skewer) this was beautifully marinated chicken breast with onions and peppers, served with rice and a satay peanut sauce. The chicken was well cooked but soft and moist, excellent. Sully gave the soup a miss but was more than happy with the Thai Green Curry, it looked good and smelt good, ‘the best I have ever tasted’ was his comment. The last two choices were the Katsu Chicken, well presented and again the chicken was moist and well cooked, a comment on the rice being clumpy rather than fluffy was made. A couple of portions of Salt & Pepper Chips floated around the table.
The evening was as good as any we have had this season, regarding value for money, you would be hard pushed to find better anywhere and most said they would return without a moment’s hesitation.
Has it done enough to be in the running for the annual ‘Order of Gentlemen’ trophy? Probably!
Thai ££
July 2024
Venue: Lebaneat - Yarm
Chosen by: Tim Mallon
Knowla and Sully couldn’t make it so we went back to the ‘Magnificent Seven’. We met in the George and Dragon for pre drinks. All was going well until Tim threw his pint across the table and spent the next ten minutes mopping the floor, the seats, the table and Mark !! It wasn’t an auspicious start to the evening.
From the George it was only a few minutes walk to Lebaneat, our table was booked for 7.30 and we were eventually shown to it and made to feel comfortable (notice I never said welcome!!)
The ambiance was shallow and the choice of drinks shallower, the non-drivers selected the bottled Lebanese lager, Almaza (no draught products were available).
The starters and mains were ordered and we waited for what seemed an eternity before the first of the starters arrived. Two of us had the Lebaneat mixed starter which included hummus, moutabal baba ghanoush, warak inab, tabbouleh, labneh, batata harra and jebne halloumi – all served with garlic sauce. Other choices were the chicken liver, hummus shawarma and sambousek lamb (a deep fried pastry stuffed with minced lamb) – oh and Tim had some cheesy garlic bread!!!!
After another round of Almaza and a lot of hilarious banter the main meals were served (well most of them) Six of us selected the Lebaneat mixed grill which included chargrilled skewers of seasoned lamb kofta, chicken kofta, chicken and lamb cubes, chicken wings and shawarma chicken served with grilled vegetables and garlic or tahini sauce. A piece of future dining advice, if you intend to have the mixed grill don’t have a starter. The mixed grill comes with chips and the plate is overflowing.
The night was spoiled by the fact we ordered six mixed grills but only five arrived. John had to wait another fifteen minutes for his meal and when it arrived it was missing most of the chicken. Fortunately, he was able to eat some of Tims garlic bread which had been left when Tim went home early. Three of the mixed grills were also missing chicken wings but only two were by request!!
To be fair, when John rightly complained the price of the meal was removed from the bill immediately.
The service was at best average and as a dining experience it is one I personally won’t be repeating.
Is it a contender for the ‘Order of Gentlemen’ annual trophy? Only time will tell.
Middle Eastern/Mediterranean ££-£££
June 2024
Venue: Bison's Bar & Grill - Norton
Chosen by: Mark Blackmore
We assembled at the Top House for pre-drinks (this is becoming a habit) we had learned our lesson from last month and stayed away from the smokey snug!! Due to holiday and other commitments the dining number was again six. That was only after Sully had finally decided exactly what he was doing.
The Bison was busy and immediately the ambiance was noticeable, gentle chatter and occasional laughter helped set the tone and enveloped you into the relaxed atmosphere.
The choice of drinks was very acceptable and although the Madri was perhaps a tad warmer than we were accustomed to it still went down a treat.
The service was quick and cordial, the selection of starters was impressive, and we chose the following;
Bisons Balls (pulled chicken marinated in Bisons sauce with cheese coated panko bread crumb) these were excellent. Chicken Tenders (marinated and chargrilled with dressed leaves and garlic mayo) Beef Brisket Tacos (served in a soft tortilla with crispy lettice) and Potato Skins (that’s potato with a dip !!!)
After another round of Madri and much deliberation the Mains were decided. Two shared the 20 oz Chateaubriand with a choice of four sides, when it came it was cooked to perfection (medium rare) the sides were chips, onion rings, coleslaw and Mac 'n' cheese. Three chose the Ribeye, which were also excellently cooked and presented with two sides of your choosing. The final selection was a hotshot Parmo and there was no complaint regarding its size when it arrived.
It was one of the few occasions where no one thought about a desert, all plates and sides were empty.
Value for money ? Yes, but don’t expect much change from £50 (that is assuming you have three pints of Madri like us)
A special thank you to Kirsty who looked after us.All in all an excellent meal that will certainly be in contention for the ‘order of Gentlemen’ Trophy at the end of the year.
British/European ££
May 2024
Venue: Elif - Norton
Chosen by: Don Briggs
We met in the Top House at Norton for pre drinks, work commitments had reduced the evenings ranks to six – but ‘what a six it was’!!!!
We warmed up in the new ‘snug’ but the smell of cigarette smoke oozing through the door brought back unhappy memories of pub drinking from the past. After a Coors (that’s Coowarr’s to you) we made the one minute and forty second journey across the road to the nights chosen venue, the Elif Turkish Restaurant.
We descended to the dining area and our table was prepared and ready for us. Looking around I couldn’t see an empty table, laughter and the clink of cutlery made the ambiance infectious and we were soon donning a Fez and doing ‘Tommy Cooper’ impressions, just like that !!! (We were probably the first people to think about doing this !!)
The non drivers were happy with the Efes Pilsner on draught but less happy with the £6.50 a pint price. Nice malty aroma with a flavor of grass, grain and slightly toasty but very overpriced.
The staff were very pleasant and the starters arrived very quickly. Four of us had chosen the Meat Sharing Platter (Turkish sausage, halloumi fries, falafel, muska boregi spinach and cheese filo triangles which were absolutely delicious, mince boregi and garlic and chilli dips all cooked to perfection. Other starters were grilled, spiced Turkish sausages.
After another round of drinks the main meals were served. Two of us had the mixed Shish (lamb and chicken pieces with rice and salad) Another three had the Elif special grill (Adana, lamb, chicken and lamb chops) – it definitely was chops (plural) on the menu but singular when it arrived, another comment was that the salad was over pickled and the vinegar had soaked into the rice. The last main choice was the Elif Kofte Special which was awesome. Served in a tomato sauce with peppers, mushrooms and melted cheese. Add to this rice and bread and you have a winning combination.
As a dining experience it was up there with the best, well organized and efficient, serving fantastic food that was reasonably priced.
A big thank you to the staff who made it such a memorable night. We might be seeing you again !!
Turkish/Greek ££-£££
April 2024
Venue: Capaccios - Stockton on Tees
Chosen by: The Club in memory of Stan Wells
To commemorate a difficult year without Stan we chose April as his month. It seemed appropriate that ‘his’ choice would be Capaccios as it was always one of his favorite venue’s.
We met in the Storytellers for pre-drinks and then made the short walk to Capaccios once the nights full compliment had convened.
Previously we were sat near the door (which never went down well) but this time we were seated in the main Restaurant and the ambiance of the evening was lifted immediately. The meal started with a round of Kronenberg for the non-drivers and the unlucky chauffeur’s settled for Heineken 0%. The selection of drinks was limited and a few Club members highlighted this fact but the service was quick and very friendly, the menu choice was varied and certainly ticked every box regarding value for money.
A popular starter was funghetti crustone (mushrooms on toast to you), other popular starters were the fish cakes, roast hog and black pudding and sticky chicken wings. Sully stuck with the soup, tomato this time.
After another round of drinks, the main meals arrived. Chicken parmesan proved very popular, both zagaroff and fricassee accounted for half of the selections. If being ultra critical the fricassee was a bit hard in places which spoilt the meal. Other main course meals were the roman chicken, sea bass fillets and the fajitas.
The pace of the meal flowed nicely and we were well looked after. A few of the group with a sweet tooth selected a desert, the dark fruit crumble, the banoffee pie and the stand out success was the eton mess.
The dining experience was very enjoyable, a fitting tribute to a popular man who is missed and loved.
This venue will certainly be in the trophy hunt come November.
Italian ££
March 2024
Venue: Blue Bells Inn - Newton Bewley
Chosen by: Mark Macdonald
The majority of the Club met in the Merlin for predrinks, nice to get back to the old routine. That was except for Knowla as no one knew where he was?? Oh and Tim couldn’t make it either as he was driving a wagon somewhere!!
I must admit that walking into the ‘Blue Bells Inn’ felt like I was coming home, we were all looking forward to an excellent evening.
The non drivers were very happy with the choice of Coors or Staropramen, the service was quick, friendly and welcoming. We all had starters and they arrived in no time at all. The antipasto was a very popular selection, other starters were the salt and pepper chicken (very tasty) the BBQ pork belly and the strips of beef rump.
Another round of drinks preceded the main courses, the grill selection was well presented and the ribeye steaks with mac and cheese and the sirloin steaks were cooked to perfection. The size of the portions defeating one or two. Other main meals were the rack of lamb (exceptional) and the Spanish cod loin with chorizo crust and prawns.
A couple of seasoned veterans even managed a desert of cheesecake, (sharing the salted caramel and the Biscoff)
As a dining experience it was up there with the best, the ambiance was inviting and if value for money is top of your list you will have to go a long way to beat the ‘Blue Bells.’
We thank Matthew and his excellent staff for helping make it another special evening.
Who knows how the voting will go in November?
British Pub ££-£££
February 2024
Venue: The Kings Head Inn - Newton under Roseberry
Chosen by: Chris Knowlson
As we had a longer journey than usual the normal pre-drinks in the Merlin were given a rain check. The drive to the chosen venue was very pleasant and the scenery was breathtaking, did I mention that it was a longer journey than usual!!
We all arrived in good time and entered the Pub where we were escorted to our table. A new menu was being launched the next day so we had the remnants of the old menu with a restricted choice.
The drinks selection was good and most of the ‘non drivers’ were very happy with the Staropramen.
No one ordered a starter as the option was either soup or not soup. Even Sully, our resident soup expert stayed away from the starter.
Regarding the ordering, that was done at the bar and as there were nine of us the ordering was done on behalf of many and open to misinterpretation!
We had 3 garlic bread for the table and that arrived promptly and was very tasty.
The choice of main meals chosen were; pie of the week, a chicken and mushroom pie, which could not have had any more chicken in it if you tried, is it fair to complain I only saw three pieces of mushroom??
Others chose the parmo (ok), the pepperoni pizza (a bit soggy), traditional fish and chips (nice), then we move on to the bone of contention ; the butter chicken. One meal arrived without any rice and when this was pointed out a heated discussion occurred about ‘ordering’ and ‘wrong ordering’. Rice was eventually added to the meal but looked more like a ‘dollop’ than a ‘serving’.
A cloud descended on to the rest of the meal, although the sticky toffee pudding was well received.
Is the King’s Head a contender for the Order of Gentlemen Trophy? It is a little pricey and our menu choice was limited so that remains to be seen??
British pub ££
January 2024
Venue: Oak Tree - Middleton St George
Chosen by: John Flynn
Well, what a start to the new Banquet season as the Order of Gentlemen expanded their culinary catchment sphere to deepest, darkest Darlington (actually Middleton St George).
We met at the Oak Tree and the dining area was snug and inviting, it oozed with an ambiance that welcomed and captured you. We were made to feel at home and in no time at all the none drivers were sampling the Moretti (always a firm Club favorite) the drivers put their thumbs up to the Heineken Zero which was on draft and went down a treat.
The varied selection of starters were well presented and very tasty, crispy fried potato skins, skewers of belly pork and tempura king prawns. Three chose the lamb chops and were not disappointed, ‘Sully’ had the carrot and coriander soup although he wasn’t convinced, he thought it was Aubergine!!!
After another Moretti, the main meals arrived. Tandoori chicken skewers, steak and ale pie, lamb shank, gammon steak, katsu chicken, ribeye steak and pork belly accounted for most of the menu, all were cooked to perfection. From the sea, the sea bass was outstanding.
A couple of seasoned veterans sampled deserts while the rest of us had another Moretti.
As a dining experience it was exceptional. Service, value for money and cleanliness were second to none.
We would like to thank Chris and his excellent team for their friendliness and going above and beyond, especially in repairing Simon’s glasses. He still managed to break them again later but has since replaced them with a pair from Poundland.
This is only January but I suspect the Oak Tree will be in the Trophy hunt as the dark winter nights draw in.
British Pub ££-£££
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