Valley Junction 397 is an Indian restaurant in Jesmond, Newcastle, that is often hailed as one of the most original, unique dining experiences in the UK. Aside from the characteristic, authentic Indian cooking, the restaurant itself is housed in an old signal box and railway carriage - the carriage itself was number 397 when it was first built for Great Northern Railway in 1912, hence the name, and it was originally built as a saloon for wealthy families.
The restaurant pays homage to the roots of the original train carriage, maintaining some of the period features of the carriage whilst also transforming and extending the dining room. The restaurant is easily found via the rich oxblood awning, which leads you up into the carriage itself. The dining room itself is elegant and opulent - a sea of warm red and orange sunset tones, contrasting with starched white tablecloths and gold-accented mirrors.
Meanwhile, the menu is split into a variety of sections - starters, and then a series of mains, broken down into chef’s specials, favourites, vegetarian dishes, classic curries and tandoori dishes. Kick things off with king prawn bhajis, stuffed chapati rolls and tandoori lamb chops, before selecting from a variety of classic curries, fries, and chef’s favourite dishes such as the chicken in mild spices and honey, barbecued king prawns with green chillies, and salmon with chilli, herbs and orange peel. There are also biryanis galore to choose from, and all the sides and sundries you’d expect as well.
If you’re struggling to choose, Valley Junction 397 also has a five and seven course set menu to choose from, where the chefs will pick a menu for you, leaving you to sit back and enjoy dinner. On top of that, the restaurant offers a special ‘Passage to India’ experience, where you can travel in the train carriage on the Tyne Valley railway line to Corbridge, and experience a luxury Indian meal as you go.