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“I came across The Stonehouse in Newport by accident. ...”

written by Welsh Foodie on 14/08/2007

Good Points
Steak was tasty, wine cold, cheap and fast.
Clean tables and bar (not sticky)!

Bad Points
Wasn't welcomed
Had to find my own menu
Difficult place to find

General Comments
I came across The Stonehouse in Newport by accident. I work near the M4, on an industrial estate with little opportunity for decent pub lunches locally, and I thought I'd try The Stonehouse, as it's only a mile or so away. It's a tough place to find amidst various roads, connecting roads and more connecting roads, and it is effectively in a fairly unattractive spot, near what looks like a fire station.



But, first things first. The car park is a bit small and obsessed with "disabled parking bays". In fact, the majority of them appear to be reserved. This, with its location, didn't fill me with hope.



On entry, the place had decent decor, a very long large bar area and an unobvious divide between the "bar" and "restaurant", which confused me. I had no idea where to sit. So having chosen a table near a TV (I was dining alone and don't mind a bit of footy / news on Sky over lunch), I rejected the "bar snack" menu and went in search of a proper menu.



I must say that I'd noticed that this place was part of the "Sizzling" chain, which I've tried on numerous occasions, so I knew what to expect.



I was ignored by the first waitress and eyed suspiciously by the barman / waiter, who clearly didn't expect "strangers" on a Tuesday lunchtime. Order made, I settled down with a paper and the news.



Other clients were clearly locals, and there were very many of them. We had a group of men who looked like firemen, some older couples, and mixed family groups (it's school holiday time). The place itself is huge, so despite it being quite busy, I was happy in my comparative un-bothered solitude.



My "small" steak (only 4oz) arrived promptly, and for once it was actually cooked medium. I'm nervous in these places that well-done translates as "burnt" and rare means "raw", so I thought I'd stay safe and order medium.



I was amazed also how tasty the steak was. I'd ordered oodles of English Mustard as a precaution, but for once I needed very little. It was also lean, and just enough for lunch.



The chips were a bit soggy, and the compulsory onions and tomato could have done with being added to cook sooner, but they were fine.



Generally, not somewhere I'd make a detour for, but a handy place for a cheap lunch. The small steak and a large glass of house dry white wine came in at a pleasing £6.35, which suited me fine.