New restaurant for Gateshead Quayside

First-timer chooses new development area to open ambitious 100-cover Indian

With neighbouring Newcastle currently undergoing something of a culinary renaissance, Gateshead is to welcome the first major restaurant investment to its developing Quayside area in June.

Taking over the landmark site of former department store – Snowball – overlooking the Tyne Bridge, Sumanta Khan's stylish £1m Indian restaurant Raval will boast three separate bar and dining areas, with more than 100 covers between them. Designed by Gateshead-based TTH Architects, the 7,000sq.ft space will house a coal grill, clay oven and open kitchen, allowing diners to watch the team of specialist Indian chefs in action as they eat.

The food, meanwhile, will attempt to "challenge the stereotypical view of Indian food in the UK", said Khan, with a menu which will, ambitiously, "explore the entire history of Indian food, serving up dishes that can be found anywhere from the country's prestigious palaces to its street stalls".

Khan has worked for British Telecom and Electronic Data Systems. Raval will be his first restaurant.

The Quayside area has the Sage Gateshead music centre and The Baltic art gallery nearby, but the developers have confirmed more restaurants, cafés, bars, a cinema, retail outlets, a hotel and more homes and flats will be built, with work starting in 2008