Sleepers Bar, Newland Avenue By Fiona Carr

Recently under new ownership this has gone from a shaky start as one of the first cafe bars on Newland, rather than the already chi chi Princes Ave, to an established favourite for the discerning. On a whim, my somewhat dizzy companion and I just turned up for a mulled wine. It was buzzing with a loud but not aggressively so level of conversation. Waiting for an answer to something, my eye was drawn to the menu and the specialties of the day. Having a few days earlier tasted a superb steak (just right, good cut, little need for effort with a knife), I was impressed the specials had actually changed by over two thirds.

Ordering the salmon proved a considerable exercise in sound judgment. Not the usual over-coloured farm salmon this arrived, with commendable speed, fresh and clearly so. The plate was a full one, and I sensed it had actually been pre-warmed (once commonplace and self evident now increasingly rare even in Town no doubt as the result of some bean counter deciding he could save a few pence or the planet's energy consumption).

The fish was easy to cut and in best North American colonial style could be eaten with the fork alone.

The sauce would not have disgraced a top level restaurant and was of the right texture and taste, augmenting the fish not disguising or dominating it. Despite the alas all too prevalent fashion of "order at the bar" and the definitely crowded room the service at he bar was swift without discourtesy, and the large meat tenderizer in a bottle made a change from wooden spoons as a table sign. Within the space of another couple of leisurely mulled wines (alas discontinued now, either the machine kept blowing up or the owner had a fit of the Jackie Chans on it depending which staff member you believe) the meal arrived.

The waitress was efficient and commendably managed both plates with no accidents to the style of presentation (good but not chi chi) or damage to other drinkers and eaters. Spotting the maestro wandering round I caught his eye and after some joshing about the price of Tiger beer (I had raised an eyebrow at an earlier visit at the London prices, albeit at least the range of bottled beers shows some imagination and enthusiasm) my companion and I engaged him in conversation.

Apparently, at this time of year, he has some 6 chefs to keep on top of things and readily admitted the raw ingredients were sourced from Newland Avenue traders. This vindicated my own belief that despite the cosmopolitan image of neighboring Princes Ave it is possible for the discerning customer to obtain good quality food from Newland Avenue armed only with a good eye and a budget a fraction of that needed for the Avenues area.

I spotted quite a few of the Ella Street glitterati there and by happenstance my own next door neighbour ended up at a table next to us. Apart from the restrained "Englishman in a railway carriage" nod so beloved of the French view of us, it was possible for both of us to maintain conversations with our partners and not eavesdrop. The furniture may indeed be basic (some of the chairs are even ex church) but it is comfortable and the lighting ambience is right.

Oh and there are good music nights on a Monday, often with free nibbles, and when there is an idea to change the house wines free "audience sampling" is not unknown. All in all a good venue, unpretentious, good food, diverse alcohol options, and well worth a visit. Hull continues to gain as a food experience

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