make 2020 the year you try something new

VISIT A NEW RESTAURANT

WHICH ONE? Route, Newcastle-upon- Tyne routenewcastle.co.uk £35 (three-course dinner excluding drinks)

WHERE? In the city’s lively Quayside area, a hop and a skip from the Tyne Bridge.

WHO? Chef-owner John Calton divides his time between Route and his North Shields pub The Staith House.

THE SETTING Narrow and deep with a relaxed, urban vibe, whitewashed brick walls and bistro furniture.

THE DISHES Seasonal plates showcase local fish and nose-to-tail meat. Seared gurnard with spicy fish soup or bone marrow toast with sticky ox cheek, celeriac and horseradish precede a main of grilled halibut with roast chicken butter sauce or saddle of venison with salt-baked swede. The early-bird set menu, at £20 for three courses, won’t make a massive dent in the post-Christmas finances, either.

VERDICT There’s a relaxed, informal feel to this place that will make you want to linger longer, perhaps to try a few more dishes or a second bottle. In association with The Good Food Guide. The Good Food Guide 2020 (£17.99) is out now. Available in Waitrose stores, online at thegoodfoodguide.co.uk and in good bookshops.

BE COOL (WITH YOUR TEA)

Tea expert Henrietta Lovell founded the Rare Tea Company in 2004. Here’s her advice for mastering cold-brew tea

Giving your liver a night off from booze doesn’t have to be a hardship [see p72 for more ‘dry January’ inspiration]. For more than a decade I’ve been pairing top quality iced tea with dishes at the best restaurants in the world – from Momofuku in New York, to Noma in Copenhagen and Claridges in London. Iced tea is easy, tastes great and can be prepped the day before. Here’s how to do it…