Sprout Dining has sprouted a new offshoot, Sprout Canteen, just a hop, step and jump away in the Newcastle Museum, with simple, good-value salads, pasta, scones and coffee. Meanwhile, the mothership is down to business as usual, which means bright and breezy weekend lunches in the smart, light-filled dining room, and candlelit dinners featuring mainly Mediterranean dishes. House-made pasta is popular, including hearty squid penne with chilli and chorizo, while an entree of truffled salami and vine tomatoes comes with a gooey-centred crumbed mozzarella - a win-win. A fillet of firm snapper was outshone by accompaniments of spiced corn, beetroot and hazelnuts, but a cute little duck pie is great fun, teamed with slices of tender pinkish breast, honeyed heirloom carrots and pesto. Comfort-zone desserts run from rhubarb fritters and apple and frangipane tart to a creamy rice pudding with sauternes-soaked prunes and almond and cinnamon ice-cream.