EDB editor Leanne Fawcett popped along to East Durham’s newest restaurant, Mateo Mediterraneo, to put their tapas and dessert menu to the test. Let’s see what she thought….
It’s fair to say East Durham’s food scene is going through something of a renaissance.
Where perhaps once upon a time the area was regarded as the poor relation to some of County Durham’s other food hot spots, now things are very different.
There are restaurants and pubs in abundance, offering everything from traditional pub grub and fine dining to Asian fusion and authentic Italian.
The newest kid on the block is Mateo Mediterraneo, found nestled in the Castle Eden Brewery building, opposite the golf course.
The brainchild of foodie and entrepreneur Matt Garcia-Miralles, Mateo’s promises freshly cooked Mediterranean food, with a mix of tapas, pizzas, pasta, steak, burgers and parmos, and there’s no doubt on paper there’s something for everyone.
So, when I was given the chance to pop along for lunch, with my husband and parents, I didn’t need asking twice.
Anyone who knows the space will immediately see the changes that Matt and the team have introduced – the new décor has created a lighter, brighter restaurant which feels more luxurious yet more relaxed too. It definitely screams Mediterranean.
We were there to try the tapas element of the menu, which, as someone who prefers lighter options on a lunchtime, was perfect for me.
With so much choice, it took a bit of time and debate to settle on our choices, but eventually we opted for:
Potatas Bravas
Deep fried squid
Lamb koftas
Homemade hummus with pitta bread
Garlic mushrooms on toasted bread
King prawns in garlic and white wine sauce
Halloumi with salad and chilli jam
Traditional Spanish meatball
Drinks were water for me (I’m a cheap date), a diet coke for my mam and pints of lager for Paul and my dad (Estrella and Poretti).
When the food arrived, we were not disappointed. Not only did the plates look inviting but they also smelled divine. We all tried a bit of everything and honestly, it was all was delicious – not a scrap of food was left. My personal favourites were the king prawns and halloumi.
For my parents, who had never tried tapas food (don’t ask me how!) they were very impressed. Whilst I know when they go back they would order off the main menu (which offers pretty much every dish you can think of) Paul and I would absolutely choose tapas. I must stress though, these are personal preferences – whatever you choose I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
To finish we shared three desserts between the four of us – our choices being chocolate brownie, sticky toffee pudding, and lemon cheesecake (you could also get lemon sorbet). Mmm mmm mmm – they were gorgeous. Again, clean plates all round and we all agreed the sticky toffee pudding was one of the best we’d had in a long time – although Matt did say this was bought in rather than prepared in house, who cares when it tastes that good.
After finishing our lunch, I was keen to find out what was the driving force behind the decision to open Mateo. Matt told us: “At 33 it felt like the right time. All my family apart from one are doctors and I wanted to do something for me, to start my own business. I have worked in the industry for 16 years so when the opportunity came up, it was too good to miss. We’re a few weeks in now and so far, it’s going great. Everyone has been so supportive and I am really enjoying it.”
So, what about prices?
They’re pretty reasonable really. The tapas (small plates) range from £5 for the Padron peppers to £8.50 for the king prawn and mussel dishes, while main meals come in at around £13 for pasta, £14 for pizzas, £14 – £19 for salads, £21 and £29 for sirloin and fillet steak respectively and around £20 for a fish dish.
Desserts are priced between £5 and £7.
Drinks are as you’d expect.
So, in summary, would I recommend Mateo’s and will I be going back?
Yes and Yes – Matt’s done a cracking job creating a restaurant that looks good, feels good and serves super tasty food, which is all we can ask for.
I’m already looking forward to my next visit!
You can find Mateo Mediterraneo on Facebook and Instagram, just search for Mateo Mediterraneo.
Dining and Cooking