Motel One, Pleased to Meet You & Osaka | Date night in Newcastle

My mam kindly has the kids for us once every month so we can enjoy a much needed night out (thanks mam!) We missed April's night out as we were staying at Tattershall Lakes so decided to go all out in May.

After enjoying our stay at Motel One Newcastle in March I couldn't wait to return. £59 for a room for 2 in such an amazing location really is a huge bargain.

Motel One is just off Newcastle's Grey Street

We arrived just in time to catch the end of the afternoon's sunshine and were delighted to see that the lounge doors had been opened and the bar flowed out into a lovely outdoor terrace. What a lovely spot to enjoy some al fresco drinks.

The service as always was exemplary and the staff are all such a credit to the hotel. Always willing to go the extra mile! I know for sure I will be searching our other Motel One hotels during our travels. 

We headed to our room (which had lovely views of the Tyne bridge) and popped our glad rags on before heading a couple of doors down to Pleased To Meet You. Unfortunately we timed our visit badly and turned up just after the bar's 'Gin Club' Happy Hour (two cocktails for £10 Sunday-Thursday 4-7pm). The cocktails menu is extensive and we certainly had trouble choosing our tipple. In the end I went for an Orange Espresso Martini and Steve opted for the Red Snapper which is a twist on a Bloody Mary. It was around £16 for the two drinks but they were very well made and service was friendly and prompt. Nothing more annoying than queuing for hours for a cocktail!

Red Snapper

Orange Espresso Martini

We met with our friends Chloe and Simon and all too soon it was 8pm and time for our dinner reservation at nearby Osaka.

Osaka is somewhere I have wanted to visit FOREVER, especially after enjoying food from their sister restaurant in Cramlington on many an occasion. Osaka describes itself as a relaxed Japanese restaurant in the heart of Newcastle serving fresh, beautiful and delicious food. It was busy and reservations are definitely recommended. 

I don't know about you but when I visit somewhere new I want to eat ALL OF THE FOOD. I think looking back we definitely over-ordered but that's a lesson learned and next time we will skip starters and just order the bento box I think. 

To start, Steve and I split a 'Bamboo Sashimi Moriawase set' (£6.50) which featured 2 pieces of seared salmon, 2 pieces of seared tuna and 2 pieces of seared squid sashimi. I didn't take a pic but oh my word - easily the best sushi/sashimi I've ever tasted and on a completely different level to the sushi I normally buy for lunch from M&S.

For main, I went for the Teriyaki Salmon Bento Box (£15.50) which is kind of like a mini banquet. First of all we were served up warming bowls of Miso Soup before being presented with a beautiful box of food. I didn't know where to start.

Our Bento Box was filled with salad and Japanese pickles, 3 pieces of Salmon sashimi, 2 maki and 2 sushi plus salmon coated in the most beautiful teriyaki sauce and perfectly cooked sticky rice. I am gutted I couldn't finish it all! Everyone agreed around the table that the food was pretty superb. Chloe ordered a noodle dish and her portion was so huge she could only manage about half. If you are eating at Osaka make sure you eat light for the rest of the day. 

The lunch deal at Osaka has really caught my eye - 2 courses for £10.90 is one huge bargain! We'll be popping back soon to try. 

We waddled back to the Motel One bar where Chloe and Simon joined us for an after dinner drink. Black coffee for me, a local ale for the boys and a glass of wine for Chloe. The ambience had changed with dimmed lights, candle lit tables and soft music. It really is a lovely spot to enjoy a tipple and I urge you to pop in if you get the chance.

After saying our goodbyes we headed up to bed where we slept soundly all night and made the most of our 12noon check out. Watching This Morning in bed in my PJs with a mug of coffee really felt like a indulgent treat as it's something I NEVER get to do at home. 

We checked out of our room and headed back to school runs, housework and reality. Booooo! Our 24 hours in Newcastle had been just what we needed and we are already planning next month's adventure.

Do you have any recommendations of where we should visit next date night?