The Arch - NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME

I had not visited this restaurant in years and was excited to return with my family for a delicious meal. However, the experience was disappointing. Despite a warm welcome, the tables and chairs were worn and old. The mixed starter for two was not enough and the food was over-fried, leaving a greasy taste. The main course, crispy beef in a nest, was dry and lacking crispiness. With many other Chinese restaurants in Newcastle, this place must improve its quality in order to retain customers.

I have always been a fan of The Arch, but I haven't been there in a while. Last week, I got a takeaway, but this week I decided to visit the restaurant. Max and his team always give a warm welcome. There is a lady who has worked there for a long time, and she is a great asset to The Arch - nothing is too much trouble for her. The set menu has always been good value for money. We arrived at 5 o'clock tonight, and by half past, the tables had started to fill up. We left feeling full after enjoying high-quality food and impeccable service. I can't find any faults with it.

We frequent The Arch often and recently celebrated my husband's 70th birthday there. The staff at The Arch are outstanding, and despite the restaurant being very busy, we were well taken care of throughout the evening with minimal wait time for our food. We had a group of 11, including children who were all accommodated. A nice touch was a birthday cake and ice cream at the end of the night. If you have a special event, The Arch is a great choice. The food is flavorful, the atmosphere is comfortable, and we will definitely be back.

We visited recently for a family Birthday and had a predictably good meal the Sweet and Sour Chicken is always a winner. The soup, which is normally excellent, felt a touch under seasoned and the ribs, again which normally are a standout were perhaps a bit over crispy and lacking meat. Our mains were lovely though, a tender beef chow mein and the aforementioned sweet and sour. I've deducted a star as there was confusion with our order, missing sides and forgotten requests etc, the staff seemed somewhat new so while I'm inclined to let them off, it is a bit annoying to have to ask three times for something to be brought while the other food has already arrived. Having said that, it's a very good Chinese restaurant and whilst Saturday wasn't quite up to their usual lofty 5 star standards, we will be back and I'm sure the service will once again match what it used to, when a bit more experience is gained by the new wait staff.

First visit back post-lockdowns to this old local favourite with a large family group to celebrate my wife’s birthday and the fact that finally we can all get together with some form of normality, and what a delight! Great food, lovely atmosphere, attentive service and what felt like a Covid friendly environment led to a lovely evening that the whole party enjoyed. We will, as ever, be returning!