Good Taste Magazine Autumn 2017

goodtaste YOUR FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE TO MERSEYSIDE

FOOD DRINK PEOPLE PLACES

Autumn 2017 FREE

Restaurants • Recipes • Reviews • Interviews • Food and Drink Festival Dining in Oxton and Castle Street • Macca on going meat-free

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See our new menus online

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Raspberry SoufflĂŠ 2 goodtaste

By Chad Hughes

Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa, Neston Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral CH63 1JF

Contributors

Chef and crowdfunder extraordinaire Gary Usher tells how he beat the banks on page 6

Mowgli owner and curry evangelist Nisha Katona shares her family recipes on page 8

Michelin-starred chef Marc Wilkinson tells us how to get a table at Fraiche on page 23

Graffiti Spirits founder Matt Farrell takes us on a culinary tour of Copenhagen on page 44

Welcome

We are in what Keats called the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. It’s when the smoky aromas of barbecues give way to the woody smell of fireplaces. Gone is the summer haze, in its place the crisp, bright sunlight of autumn. The sound of rustling leaves will soon be replaced by the twinkling of Christmas.

But we shouldn’t forget this time of year is as much a time of beginnings as it is of ends. For food and drink lovers, particularly so. The apple trees are laden, the blackberries are bulging on the brambles, and the end of summer vegetables are still going strong. It’s the time of the harvest, the reaping of the rewards, tasting the fruits of our labours.

Such is the inspiration for this first edition of Good Taste Magazine. The beautiful produce that adorns our cover all comes from Wirral’s Claremont Farm, and we are starting as we mean to go on in celebrating the incredible foods that our fantastic growers so lovingly nurture and our chefs so magically serve up on our plates in the cafes and restaurants that make Merseyside’s food and drink scene one of the greatest anywhere.

Like them, we at Good Taste eat, sleep and breathe food and drink. No meal, no wine, tastes better than when it’s shared, so we’re here to share the best the region has to offer with you.

We’re a seasonal publication, and our next magazine in October will be packed with all the wonder that Christmas, that most special time for food and drink, will bring. In the meantime, we have daily updates on our website www.goodtastemagazines.co.uk and on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Please do get in touch with us, as we’d love to hear your views.

Enjoy.

Jade Wright, Editor, Good Taste Magazine

Sir Paul McCartney talks Meat Free Mondays for our Last Word on page 50

jade@goodtastemagazines.co.uk www.twitter.com/JadeWright www.instagram.com/goodtastemagazine www.facebook.com/GoodTasteMagazineUK

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contents

goodtaste about us

Who we are A team of journalists who eat, sleep and breathe food and drink, who’ve worked for years at the heart of what has become one of the most exciting scenes in the UK.

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What we do Bring you all the latest news, reviews and insight you need to be sure you experience the best Merseyside has to offer, from restaurants and bars to cafes and independent food and drink producers.

How we do it With updates throughout the day, every day on the Good Taste website www. goodtastemagazines.co.uk, as well as our weekly newsletter, delivered free to your inbox with all the latest news and offers, and with our seasonal Good Taste magazine, available for free in selected venues across Merseyside.

How you can be a part of it If you’re interested in stocking Good Taste, or are a food and drink business who’d like to share a story, we’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to reach customers with Good Taste, get in touch with us at info@goodtastemagazines.co.uk

Contacts Editor: Jade Wright email editor@ goodtastemagazines.co.uk Commercial Editor: Paula Brown email sales@ goodtastemagazines.co.uk Magazine design: 23Design Web design: Bold Creative Thanks to the following people, without whom this magazine would not have been possible: Marc Waddington, Erica Wright, Dawn Collinson and Janet Tansley at CopyMedia, Karen Burns Barnes, Matthew Barnes, Jo Mountford at the Women’s Organisation, Francis McEntegart, and, of course, baby Beatrice, who has inspired the whole thing.

Find us on social media at: www.instagram.com/goodtastemagazine www.facebook.com/GoodTasteMagazineUK/ www.twitter.com/good_tastemag Good Taste is a registered trademark of Good Taste Magazines.

Good Taste Magazines, 54 St James Street, Liverpool L1 0AB Email info@goodtastemagazines.co.uk Copyright Good Taste Magazines Liverpool 2017. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in advertisements, articles, photograph or illustrations. All prices correct at the time got going to press.

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Best of the festival Our Top 10 must-sees at Liverpool Food and Drink Festival

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The producers Meet the people who put the food on your table

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The Grillseekers The BBQ chefs who are playing with fire

Restaurant review The secret restaurant hiding above a shop

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Drinks list The coolest seasonal tipples this autumn

Eat your way around Oxton Our insider’s guide to the best places to eat and drink

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One Foot in The Grapes Columnist Jane Clare demystifies wine labels

Marc Wilkinson The owner Merseyside’s only Michelin-starred restaurant tells all

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Out to launch On the guest list of the latest restaurant and bar launches

Fab Four… brunches Our pick of the best new brunch menus in town

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Wonderful Copenhagen Matt Farrell goes on a food tour of the Danish capital

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The chef who beat the banks Interview with Gary Usher of Wreckfish

Fridge raiders A peek inside the fridge of Chad Hughes from Thornton Hall’s kitchen

Banking on Castle Street Business is booming in this fab food quarter Chef to the stars Meet the Liverpool-based chef who cooks for the A list

The last word Sir Paul McCartney talks Meat Free Mondays

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for all the latest news and offers at www.goodtastemagazines.co.uk

Liverpool gin and orange To celebrate our launch, the lovely folk at Liverpool Gin have created this gorgeous twist on a traditional G&T. It uses Liverpool Gin Valencian Orange, which combines the brand’s highly distinctive blend of organic botanicals with the zesty, citrus notes of orange. It works well with the floral notes in the Lamb & Watt Hibiscus Tonic, and is made with organic blue agave and spring water sourced in the Lake District.

Ingredients: 35ml Liverpool Gin Valencian Orange 1 tsp pomegranate seeds 25ml Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice 125ml Lamb & Watt Hibiscus Tonic Grapefruit zest to garnish

Dirty Dancing with a twist

Method: Build over ice and garnish with grapefruit zest.

The Liverpool Gin team is having a busy few weeks. After serving up G&Ts at The Prince’s Trust Polo Day at Chester Racecourse, pictured above, and offering samples at the Liverpool Food and Drink Festival, the team will also be on hand for Dirty Dancing Live at The Baltic Triangle.

That’s right, nobody is putting Baby in the corner and we’re carrying watermelons to the screenings on October 6 and 7. The unique pop-up cinema experience is a chance to experience one of the most loved feelgood movies ever made, including live action surprises, a complimentary drink upon arrival, themed cocktail bar and specially prepared street food.

They’ll be serving the organic gin, distilled at Halewood Wines & Spirits in Huyton, with Lamb & Watt tonic water - which is made with Willow spring water from the Lake District and organic blue agave – the perfect way to relax amid all the entertainment.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.dirtydancinglive.co.uk.

Aperol on tap Aperol Spritz has been the drink of the summer in many bars, with huge glasses full of the bright orange stuff gracing Instagram pictures across the city. Now Liverpool’s Ma Boyle’s has become the first place in Merseyside to offer it on tap.

The venue, which already serves prosecco on tap, is now offering the sweet but bitter orange aperitif for £6 a glass or £15 for a two pint pitcher. Get those Insta filters ready…

Knead to know Ever fancied learning to bake bread? Room Forty has announced new dates for its sellout bread baking classes to satisfy demand.

Bread baking for beginners will take place at Lymm Village Hall with classes booked for Tuesday 3 October and Tuesday 24 October.

The Room Forty bakers and tutors themselves are competing in the Tiptree World Bread Awards being held in London’s Westminster Cathedral Hall, where they will be entering their white loaf in the competition. Jen Perry from Room Forty says: “Competing in the Tiptree World Bread Awards is a first for us, daunting, but very, very exciting and we’ll be teaching our students to bake the exact same loaf.”

Classes cost only £45 for the beginners class and £55 for the advanced which includes the cost of all ingredients, samples of bread and nibbles to eat and copious quantities of tea and coffee. To book a class contact Jen at Room Forty 01925 357940 hello@roomforty.co.uk

This month sees the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, Macmillan’s biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer.

People all over the UK host their own coffee mornings and donations on the day are made to Macmillan. Last year they raised £29.5 million and this year they are aiming to raise even more.

On September 29 there will be coffee mornings across Merseyside, in many workplaces as well as cafes and coffee shops.

Pioneer in Crosby has an event, starting at 9.30am, and they are hoping to attract mums from nearby schools.

Michele Parry from Pioneer says: “We would love our local community

to pop in and support us. We’d encourage mums to call in after they drop the children at school, relax with coffee and cake, and chat with other mums and customers. All monies will be donated to our local Macmillan support.”

The coffee morning starts at 9.30am and tickets are £5.

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The chef who beat the banks Jade Wright speaks to chef Gary Usher about his self-funded rise to success

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ary Usher is someone pretty special in the restaurant world. He’s the self-made restaurateur who launched the UK’s largest ever Kickstarter campaign for a restaurant, and made that dream a reality.

That’s on top of his previous publicly backed restaurants Burnt Truffle and Hispi joining his original Sticky Walnut in making Squaremeal’s Top 100 restaurants, and last month’s Good Food Guide.

But when we meet him for a cuppa in Parr Street’s The Brink, just around the corner from where Wreckfish will open this Autumn, he’s typically modest.

“It’s not me, it’s the team,” explains the tattooed chef. “I’m lucky to work with some great people. I’ve always said

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that the secret is to work with people who are better than you. That way you learn.”

He certainly has a great team, but without his involvement - and his ambition - there would be no Wreckfish.

“A friend of mine was looking at the site, a big old abandoned former nightclub on Slater Street (pictured below),” he says.

“They turned it down, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“I went in to see our finance director and she said I was mad, that it would need at least £500,000 to open the doors, so even with matched funding, we’d need to raise £200,000, which seemed impossible.”

A huge £35,000 was raised just 24 hours into the campaign, but at £100,000 it seemed they had climbed a mountain, with still as much again to raise.

Undeterred, Gary and the team gave it another push, and 45 hours before the deadline, they exceeded their goal. Was that a surprise?

“A complete surprise,” he laughs.

“We really didn’t think it was possible, but we had to give it a try. One of the things that made a massive difference was when chefs like Daniel Clifford and Tom Kerridge started ringing up offering to help. That was really surreal, because I’m nowhere in their league. These were

Michelin star chefs - I have no idea how they got my number - ringing me and suggesting events we could add to the Kickstarter pledges to get us to our total.

“Without them, I don’t think we’d have got there.”

The rewards for those pledging upfront were pretty special - including Daniel Clifford’s BBQ at Burnt Truffle, where if people put up £130 they’d get two tickets to the event in Heswall, with chefs in the

line-up including Mark Poynton, Tim Allen, Matt Gillan, Russell Bateman, Mark Abbott and Daniel himself.

Then there are the events with Farokh Talati, head chef at St John Bread & Wine, and Duck & Waffle’s exec chef Dan Doherty, as well as Matt Gillan, Simon Rimmer and Tom Kerridge.

“I’m just so grateful,” says Gary.

“Everyone has come on board and helped us, and I can’t thank them enough.

The total now tops £208,000, with more still coming in. It’s a salutary lesson, surely, for the banks who make things so difficult for restaurants?

“The banks refused to support me in 2015 when I wanted to open Burnt Truffle and despite three successful restaurants, they struggled to back me again with the amount we need to open a restaurant such as Wreckfish,” says Gary.

“This business can be extremely tough, but opening a restaurant knowing that the local community and people from all over the UK are already behind it is a fantastic feeling.

“From a pop-up in the derelict building in February to raising a record breaking £200k in May, I honestly can’t believe we’ve done this and I can’t thank those who have spread the word, backed and offered their time and services to the campaign enough.”

Wreckfish is proving popular across the industry - they’ve already had more

“The banks refused to support me in 2015 when I wanted to open Burnt Truffle and despite three successful restaurants, they struggled to back me again with the amount we need to open a restaurant such as Wreckfish” than 100 CVs from staff looking for jobs.

“I’ve been doing the interviews here at The Brink,” says Gary. “The standard has been great. We always say to people coming in that if they are career-minded then there’s plenty of scope.

“All of our head chefs and managers in each site have been promoted from within. It’s about finding great people and then allowing them to develop. The rest takes care of itself.”

Wreckfish opens this autumn. For more information, visit http://www.wreckfish.co.

ENJOY the Big Apple in the fall without leaving Liverpool city centre as Aloft launches its New York Afternoon Tea with three tiers of New York-inspired treats. Tier one consists of savoury treats - with a smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese and tarragon, a BBQ pulled pork sesame slider, buffalo mozzarella, sundried tomato, basil oil on ciabatta and a real stateside favourite: pastrami, pickled cucumber and Dijon mustard on rye bread.

Then it’s on to the middle tier for sweet treats - a chocolate hot dog, with dark chocolate rolled ganache, brioche bun, banana cream and fruit coulis, the big apple - apple pie donut rolled in cinammon sugar, chocolate chip cookies, an NYL cheesecake of the day and macarons.

It wouldn’t be afternoon tea without scones, and on the top tier there’s the all important blueberry scones with clotted cream and jam.

Afternoon tea with Suki Tea or Starbucks coffee is £17.50 per person, upgrade with a glass of prosecco for £22.50 or a Liverpool Collection cocktail for £25 per person.

Available every day from 12 – 5pm. Booking is essential. Vegetarian options available upon request. Any allergens must be informed upon bookings. A £5 non-refundable deposit is required upon booking.

To book visit www.nyliverpool.com/findus or call 0151 294 4069.

SEASONAL ingredients are allowed to shine in Da Piero’s new autumn menus.

The Irby restaurant, run by Piero, Dawn and their son Alan Di Bella, offers the most authentic Sicilian dishes this side of Palermo.

The family are perfectionists - so much so that when they were unable to find the bread they wanted, they not only made their own, but also started importing the grain - antique Sicilian varieties called Tumminia and Bidi - milling it by hand to create the perfect flour.

There are some fabulous, beautifully imaginative dishes on the vegetarian and vegan menu - options which would put most restaurants to shame.

For a main course, don’t miss the new fritedda di fave, piselli e carciofi (£13.40 or £6.70 for a starter), a fantastic mixture of broad beans, peas and artichokes.

For meat eaters, there are some fantastic dishes too - such as the beef fillet carpaccio (£13.40) or the Sicilianstyle beef at £17.90.

They’re also now offering an early doors menu, which is great value at £19 per person for three courses and coffee from Tuesday to Friday for bookings between 6 and 7pm. www.dapiero.co.uk

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Spice and easy does it IF you only buy one cookbook this Autumn… make it Nisha Katona’s wonderful The Spice Tree.

The craft of spicing is still seen as a dark art that eludes many people. Now the Mowgli founder has lifted the veil on the secret culinary spice formulas of the many millions of Indian home cooks who create the kind of dishes you get in Mowgli every day of the week.

Whether you’re cooking meat, fish, vegetables or pulses, you always begin in

the roots where you create your ‘base’ or headnote flavour for the dish. Move up to the trunk and you’ll find the essential core of all curry: turmeric, chilli powder, salt and sugar. As you reach the branches you learn the tried and tested ‘finishing flavours’.

One of the star dishes is a very simple one, aloo ghobi. She says of the dish: “It would be a lie to say that Indians do not judge people by how they cook, and this dish is the ultimate and most

ruthless barometer. My aunty says, ‘You can taste the chef’s hand best in an aloo ghobi’.

“In this dish there is nowhere to hide, with such simple spicings and the most humble of vegetables – but hold your nerve! Don’t over-meddle or overheat.

This is the dish for which my mother is best known and when we call round for a brew, it’s straight to her hob to frantically lift every pan lid, on the hunt for her aloo ghobi.”

Aloo ghobi Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower (around 500g, cut into florets), one large potato (around 200g, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks), 1 large green chilli (pierced), vegetable oil (4 tbsp), cumin seeds (1 tsp), turmeric, (1⁄4 tsp) chilli powder (1⁄8 tsp) salt (1 tsp), sugar (1 tsp), handful of fresh coriander leaves. Obligatory backup jug of water, to loosen the dish to your taste.

Method: Put the vegetable oil in a large heavybased saucepan and set over a medium-

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high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and green chilli and fry until the cumin seeds turn a deep golden brown and become fragrant.

Turn the heat down to low and add the cubed potato, cooking gently for 8 minutes until it starts to soften at the edges. Add the cauliflower florets, ground turmeric, chilli powder, salt and sugar and give everything a good mix together until the cauliflower is fully coated with the spices.

Cover with a lid and cook gently for 15–20 minutes, adding a splash of water only if absolutely necessary and stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and cooked through. Stir through the chopped coriander leaves, then serve.

Autumn recipes Autumn is the season for… fabulous foraging. Sloes, damsons, crab apples, elderberries, blackberries, rosehips, quinces, hazelnuts and even the last of the meadowsweet should still be out, if you know where to look.

Here we have two foraged recipes - one very simple, one a little more challenging…

Meadowsweet ice cream with vanilla poached pear and candied walnut Chad Hughes from The Lawns at Thornton Hall shares one of his favourite autumn foraging recipes. He says: “Meadowsweet is a curious flavour that is often overlooked or not used at all. It is a foraged ingredient that we use but you can get dried meadowsweet pretty easy now via the internet or at Holland & Barrett. I urge you to try it as it is very unique and refreshing.”

Ingredients For the meadowsweet infusion: Take 500g of fresh or dried meadowsweet and cover with 1 litre of cold water Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes for the flavours to infuse then steep for an hour.

Strain through a sieve and muslin cloth if you have one and reserve the liquor For the Meadowsweet Ice Cream:

Cheat’s recipe Quick and easy apple and blackberry pie There are few things that shout “autumn’ quite so well, or so loudly, as windfall apples and blackberries plucked by purple-stained fingers straight from the hedgerow.

Of course, you can make a proper pie, with home made pastry, but this is our favourite quick version.

Ingredients 2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting, 750g/1lb 10oz sweet dessert pastry, 1kg Bramley apples, peeled, cored, halved and sliced, 400g blackberries (carefully checked for insects), 140g caster sugar (plus extra for sprinkling), pinch ground cinnamon, 1 egg, beaten with 2 tbsp milk.

Method Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.

350g of meadowsweet infusion, 150g whole milk, 500g full fat natural yoghurt, 335g caster sugar, 2g malic acid or lemon juice Whisk everything together and churn in an ice cream machine until set or freeze in a tub and churn the mixture by hand every two hours.

For the poached pears: 2 conference pears peeled and core removed then halved, stock syrup (made by heating 100g sugar and 100g water until dissolved), 1 vanilla pod – seeds scraped Method Place the stock syrup, vanilla pod and seeds and the pears into a pan and apply a medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a temperature of 80c then reduce the heat and allow the pears to poach gently until there is no

On a floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use it to line a 23cm loose bottom fluted tart tin, leaving a slight overhang and keeping any pastry scraps.

Chill in the fridge for 10 mins (it’ll be warm from your hands).

Prick the base lightly with a fork, then fill with baking paper and baking beans.

Place in the oven on a baking sheet for 20 mins, remove the beans and paper, then bake for 10 mins more until golden brown. Remove from the oven.

resistance when pierced with a pointed knife. Carefully lift the pear halves out and cool – reserve the stock syrup for the next step.

Pear Puree: Take one of the cooked pears and blitz to a smooth puree using a hand blender and reserve.

For the candied walnuts: 100g walnut halves, The reserved stock syrup Roast the walnuts at 170c for 7 minutes then transfer to a pan and cover with the stock syrup.

Boil until the syrup reduces and slowly caramelises and coats the nuts.

Carefully transfer the nuts from the pan to a deep fat fryer set to 180c – cook for 1 minute then spread over a tray lined with baking parchment and season with salt.

Allow to completely cool before using.

Plating up: Using a rolling pin, smash half of the walnuts to a coarse crumb and place a spoonful in the middle of a plate, scoop the ice cream onto the crumb, slice the reserved pears into three pieces, lengthways and decorate around the ice cream, place dots of pear puree around the plate.

Break up the remaining candied walnuts by hand and decorate around the plate to give contrast and texture to the soft ice cream and pears.

Tip the apples into a large bowl and microwave on high for 3 mins. Resist the temptation to put any water in with them.

Toss in the berries, sugar, cinnamon and 2 tbsp flour with a pinch of salt and pile it into the case, saving a handful or two of berries for later.

Roll the remaining pastry and trimmings together into a square roughly 30 x 30cm.

Cut out 8 strips of pastry about 3 x 30cm – if you cut round an average ruler the size will be perfect.

Weave the strips of pastry evenly over the fruit to create a lattice pattern and push them into the edge of the tart.

Trim the overhang of pastry, brush the lattice heavily with the egg, then scatter generously with more sugar.

Arrange the remaining berries into the gaps, then bake until brown and bubbling - 45 minutes should do it.

Leave the pie to cool for 30 mins, or risk a seriously burnt tongue.

Scatter with more sugar, slice and serve with a big jug of custard. What could be warmer or cosier!

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working lunch Like every workplace, “where are we going for lunch?” echoes through Good Taste HQ around 1pm every day. OK, let’s be honest, it’s more like 11am, but we always make a point of waiting until noon to start eating. Well, usually anyway…

In Liverpool, we have some of the best lunch restaurants in the country – yet it’s all too easy to sleep-walk into the same old butty shops day in and day out.

To address this (admittedly, fairly First World) problem, we set out to find some new Autumn lunches, one for each day of the working week. Thank us when you’re full.

Monday: The Quirky Lunch OK, I know what I said about butty shops, but sometimes a sandwich is just what you need and they don’t come much more exciting than the new range of Sanguchons at Chicha on Bold Street.

Sandwiches might not be the first thing you’d think of when imagining Peruvian cuisine, but they are the most popular street food in the country, and when on a research trip to Peru the Chicha team fell in love with them and brought the recipe back to Liverpool. Each one is packed with flavour from fresh ingredients and seasonal produce, combined with flavoursome herbs and sauces, and at £5 each, they are a great value lunch option.

You can wash it all down with ever popular Pisco Sour – a traditional cocktail the team also discovered while doing their research in Lima.

Recommendation: Don’t miss the Pan con Asado: sticky slow braised beef; served warm with Aji Amarillo sauce, roast tomatoes and red onions, or if you prefer it meat-free, the El huevo, with fried egg, avocado purée, heritage tomatoes and hot sauce. Both £5.

Tuesday: The Business Lunch Lunch settings don’t get much grander than Stanley’s Bar & Grill at the Titanic Hotel. With starters including roast cauliflower soup with Welsh rarebit croutes and beetroot salad with goats’ curd, celery and hazelnuts.

On the main course list there are autumn favourites such as rotisserie Goosnargh chicken breast with sage and garlic, potato, bacon and charred corn and Titanic beer battered fish with triple cooked chips, mushy peas and homemade tartare sauce. It’s the perfect spot for a working lunch, if you’re looking to sign a deal or impress a new client.

Recommendation: Go with the pork chop with a basil crust, homemade linguine and roasted vine tomato - but not before you’ve treated yourself to seared scallops with home cured chorizo and red pepper to start.

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Wednesday: The Sociable Lunch When I first heard about ‘hump day’, I thought it was something much more exciting than it actually is - that day in the middle of the week when you really need something good to cheer you up. Look no further than Salt House Bacaro’s new autumn menu. They do a lunch menu, which changes daily, offering three dishes from the list for £12.50. It’s great value and the chance to try something new.

Recommendation: The roasted peach salad with yoghurt, cream cheese and cucumber salsa (£6.50) is an early favourite, alongside tuna tartare with pickled peppers, avocado and jalapeño cream with beetroot ketchup (£7.50), but it’s hard to beat the super creamy goats’ cheese pearls with honey and walnuts on crostini (£2.50), a tiny taste of heaven.

Thursday: The Almost The Weekend Lunch Castle Street’s new Japanese fusion eatery Izakaya offers delicious, inventive small plates, and a sushi and ramen bar packed with flavour. On their new lunch menu they’re offering a small plate and a main for £9.90. Given that the mains start at around the £10 mark and the small plates at £5, it’s basically a bargain, so if you feel like that gives you some wriggle room, add a sake cocktail.

Recommendation: The pork ramen and the cauliflower karrage are both well worth a try, as is the Sake Spice (£7), with its blend of ginger syrup, maraschino, dry orange curaçao and cardamom, topped with an edible flower.

Friday: The Boozy Lunch Whatever happened to long boozy lunches, where the drinks kept flowing long into the afternoon? Over at Around the World in the Bierkeller complex they’re still going strong.The current menu offers a hotdog and a drink for £5, a pizza and a drink for £5.50, a burger and a drink for £6.50 or an enormous fully-loaded-needs-two-peopleto-carry-it burger and a drink for £8.50. Best of all, there’s a good range of accompanying drinks too - pints of house beers, bottles of Bud, Sam Adams, Blue Moon or Carlsberg, glasses of house wine and any soft drink.

Recommendation: The stonebaked pizzas are great value, and make a hearty lunch with a glass of red wine, or a bottle of Sam Adams with a burger is an all-American treat.

As the nights draw in, what could be lovelier than a dish of softly bubbling cheese, scented with real ale, garlic and black pepper and scooped up with crunchy fresh veg or sizzling steak strips?

This month sees the launch of Ma Boyle’s new fondue menu, with both the sweet and savoury varieties on offer.

Owner Iain Hoskins explains: “I’ve been thinking for a while that we wanted a great new sharing dish on the menu, something you could order between a few of you with a few glasses of wine.

“You don’t see it much in the UK these days - people think it’s a bit of a retro thing - but in France and Switzerland it’s everywhere. As the nights draw in we wanted to try it out. Our outdoor area has been a massive success through the summer, and in the autumn and winter we’re looking to make it a really cosy space, with twinkly lights and a really festive feel.”

Iain took over Ma Boyles two years ago and has built it back up to being a thriving pub, with regular events and a speciality rum bar, with more than 50 varieties.

As well as the cheese fondue, there’s also a Belgian chocolate version, served with cream, fruit and marshmallows.

Fondue launches at Ma Boyle’s this month, at £20 each for either the four-cheese variety, infused with Ma's Liverpool Ale and served with crunchy veg, steak strips or veggie balls, or Belgian chocolate and fresh cream lava, with seasonal fruits and marshmallows.

Ma Boyle’s Alehouse & Eatery, The Tower Building, The Strand, Liverpool L3 1LG, 0151 236 0070, www.maboylesliverpool.com Bar of the season… El Bandito.

As the nights draw in and the air gets a little colder, it’s hard to beat a cosy little downstairs bar with fiery hot drinks. El Bandito ticks all the boxes.

Opened on New Year’s Eve 2013, it has one of the largest collections of tequila and mezcal outside of London.

Hidden below Slater Street, off the street it looks like any old staircase, but ask the bouncers at Santo Chupitos and they’ll be able to nudge you in the right direction.

No bigger than your bedroom, the walls are lined with old movie posters that are hardly visible in the light.

Tall mates should look out for the low hanging beams, but you’re here to drink and they can sure show you how to. Late night party every day of the week.

This place is famed for its tequila so get stuck in. If you’re going in for the shots this is the kinda place to ditch the lime and salt, their tequilas are so good you won’t need them.

El Bandito, 41b Slater St, Liverpool L1 4BX

COOL STUFF

Forget bland Tupperware and leaky flasks, the new generation of adult bento boxes are a smart way to prepack your lunch.

This Periodic Table Adult Bento Box (£8.95) from dotcomgiftshop.com is beautifully retro and is great for packing up last night’s leftovers for a fab midweek lunch.

When it comes to your morning coffee fix, get yours to go in this gorgeous bamboo fibre and corn starch Ecoffee Cup, from the new William Morris collection (£11.95 from www.ecoff.ee). As Morris said: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

This ticks both boxes.

Or if you’d rather splash out on a new office mug then treat yourself with these new Bright Animal mugs from Emma Bridgewater. There’s a mug for everyone, whether they’re a mama bear, a dark horse or even a total fox. Made by hand, the half pint mugs are £19.95 from www. emmabridgewater.co.uk

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NEWS Paul Askew is a busy man. Not only has he been on Great British Menu, appeared in the Square Meal Top 100 UK Restaurants and Good Food Guide, but the chef patron of the Art School is now opening up a Champagne and wine cellar.

The Art School Cellars opens this month, specialising in Champagnes, fine wines, British cheeses and charcuterie. Inspired by his travels, it’s the perfect spot for some gastronomic grazing.

He says: “I wanted to expand on the Art School brand and had the realisation that our lovely little restaurant bar is simply too small to accommodate all of our guests. It also highlighted the fact that a bar like this was needed in the city – a feeling that we needed a Champagne bar version of the Art

School to continue the gastronomic journey and the food culture in the city.

“My other passion, apart from food and drink, is travelling to find out about more food and drink and discovering food culture around the world. For example, at Peck in Milan, there is every possible cheese, piece of charcuterie, mushroom, desserts. It is just astonishing, their wine cellar and every level you go up reminds you of the depth of culture and food knowledge and desire that there is in countries like Italy.

“Then you go to the Basque Country, San Sebastian or Biarritz and there are little Pinchos on the bar that you could win a Michelin star for and a little simple glass of wine but when you put the two together, the sun comes out, the clouds part and everything is wonderful.

“So, for me, it was trying to capture some of that and put it into an environment that offered that but in a Liverpool way and also in a ‘come and try what this is’.”

Following on from the success of Wreckfish, which saw Gary Usher’s team raise a record-breaking £200,000, another chef is looking to follow in his footsteps. Masterchef: The Professionals winner and Michelin-starred chef Anton Piotrowski is looking to open a restaurant in Liverpool, and he’s looking for £60,000 with which to do it.

“We plan to open an intimate restaurant called Röski in the heart of the city of Liverpool on Rodney Street,” he says.

“It will be a super relaxed dining experience, but with with a Michelin star chef. I will be behind the stove every day.

It’s affordable fine dining - and How to make…

Sloe Gin the Good Taste way Sloe gin is just the thing for warming up chilly winter days, but you have to think ahead and make it now so the fruits have time to perfectly flavour the gin. Here’s how we do it…

Find and pick your sloes. If you’re foraging on farm or private property, be sure to get permission before you start picking. It’s also best to avoid patches that are next to busy roads or have likely been sprayed with pesticides.

Be sure that your fruit is properly identified before you consume it, and don’t be greedy and take carrier bags

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Riviera at the Hillbark Hotel has launched a new autumn menu, combining the best fresh and seasonal ingredients. It’s billed as ‘a simple and delicious interpretation of French Mediterranean, Ligurian and Niçoise cuisine’.

With culinary influences of the Côte d’Azur, the Wirral eatery specialises in simple, flavour packed food, served in a relaxed but stylish environment.

See the full menu at www.hillbarkhotel. co.uk.

I hate the word ‘fine’ - but expect big flavours, big smiles, great service and a restaurant that people will love coming back to.

“We are asking for £60,000 to kit out and furnish the restaurant and kitchen and renovate a downstairs storeroom into a private dining room for up to eight people. We plan to operate and trade five days a week so that we can maintain levels of consistency for all our diners and keep wage costs to a minimum.

“We aim to be one of the best restaurants in the country in the hopes that people will come from all areas of the UK to dine with us.

“Our goal is to run a weekly changing taster menu - a four course taster menu at £40 and accompanying wine flight at £30, a seven course taster menu at £70 with an accompanying wine flight at £50, a pre-theatre menu with three courses and a glass of bubbles for £30.”

Find out more at www.kickstarter.com/projects/79541526/ roski-restaurant

full. Leave some for other people, and the birds. Merseyside has loads of sloe hedgerows, but for some, it is a point of the utmost secrecy – they will never reveal where to find their secret stash of berries.

However, there’s a source plentiful enough to share - eBay. Search sloes in “Buy it Now” and a farmer in the wilds will head out the next morning, fill a box with sloes and pop it into the afternoon post. Expect to pay about £8 a pound, with free postage.

Prick your sloes with a pin or freeze them and bash with a rolling pin. Some recipes say sloes should be pricked with a thorn from the same bush, but that’s a bit fiddly. Tip them into

sterilised bottles or Kilner jars, the fruit coming about a third of the way up.

Top up with gin.

Some people say to use cheap gin, others warn against it. We’ll use whatever we have.

Contrary to popular belief, there is very little point in adding sugar at the beginning, particularly before you know how sweet the mixture will be.

Place the sealed bottles somewhere cool and dark. Leave for 8-10 weeks, turning the bottle occasionally, giving it a shake every week. Sweeten to taste.

Not a gin type? Then use vodka, grappa, brandy, or even whiskey and make your own sloe liqueurs.

Enjoy!

&DRINK FOOD Festival highlights

L

iverpool Food and Drink Festival is Merseyside’s culinary highlight of the year, attracting tens of thousands of food lovers to Sefton Park.

This year the festival celebrates its tenth birthday, offering the best in celebrity chef demos, local producers and national brands.

The Hairy Bikers, Gizzi Erskine, Simon Rimmer, pictured below left, Nisha Katona, Paul Askew, Gary Usher, Aiden Byrne, Anton Piotrowski and Anjula Devi are among the chefs marking 10 years of the pop-up festival.

During the weekend event on September 16 and 17 there will be a whole raft of celebrity chef demos, masterclasses and tastings, as well as street food stalls, a producers’ market, a gin garden, a prosecco bar and live entertainment throughout the festival.

Of course, we’re also at the festival, giving out copies of Good Taste and offering readers the chance to win some fab foodie prizes.

Local experts will be giving tips and advice throughout the day with demonstrations from Izakaya, Red’s True Barbecue, Pho, Tandoori and The Alchemist. Festival favourite John O’Connell will be playing live.

There’s also plenty to keep budding young foodies entertained at a dedicated kids’ zone, which includes children’s cookery workshops, biscuit decorating, pizza making and a food-themed science lab, which will be overflowing with fascinating foodie experiments.

Here are some of our highlights…

Aiden Byrne and Simon Rimmer Kirkby boy Aiden Byrne is heading home again to wave his magic culinary wand at this year’s festival.

Aiden, who now runs the multi awardwinning Manchester House, left home to pursue his obsession with food and carve out a glittering career at the very top of his game, becoming the youngest chef to attain a Michelin star.

He has also recently partnered with the guys at Liverpool Gin to create a series of new gin-inspired dishes using his favourite spirit from his favourite city.

He will be taking to the stage on Saturday afternoon with fellow Scouser and long-term pal Simon Rimmer.

Aiden will be treating guests to a fine dining masterclass creating three amazing courses step-by-step live on the main Chef Demo Stage inspired by some of his signature dishes from Manchester House.

Wallasey-born Simon makes regular TV appearances and is best known for presenting Sunday Brunch every week.

He is the chef behind The Viking Pub

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and Bakehouse in West Kirby, The Elephant and Liberty Tavern in Woolton.

He says: “Liverpool boasts some fantastic culinary talent and the high calibre of young chefs coming through is testament to the city’s thriving food and drink scene. Liverpool Food and Drink Festival is a great opportunity to celebrate the city’s success and its growing reputation for food and drink excellence.”

Chicha Bold Street Peruvian restaurant Chicha is on hand to showcase some brilliant South American cuisine. They have a selection of sticky ribs, with crushed pecans, pickled cucumber and purple shisho, as well as Peruvian potato and mackerel fishcakes, with balsamic beets and tarragon aioli.

But if you want to try something new, don’t miss the traditional Criolla sandwich - Pan con Asado - with sticky slow braised beef, served warm with Aji Amarillo sauce, roast tomatoes and red onions. To complement the flavours you can wash it all down with ever popular - and devilishly strong - Pisco Sour – a traditional cocktail that the Chicha team has been savouring back in Lima.

Neighbourhood Coffee The Coffee Fest area promises to be a real highlight, with a great selection of coffee from all over the world.

Neighbourhood Coffee, Liverpool’s first specialty coffee roasters, will be giving a 30-minute masterclass with La Marzocco, purveyors of the some of the world’s finest espresso machines, sharing their tricks and tips of the trade.

Liverpool and coffee have a long history – green coffee shipments still arrive at the city’s docks, just as they have done over the decades.

Neighbourhood Coffee are the city’s first specialty coffee roasters, dedicated to sourcing, roasting and brewing the finest coffee. They visit the farmers and growers, and develop community projects along the way.

If you’re an avid coffee fan, a complete beginner who loves coffee, or just always wondered what goes on behind the counter at your local cafe, then this session is for you.

Gary Usher Usher opened Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Chester, back in 2011 on a budget

14 goodtaste

that meant he had to famously choose between an all singing Rational combioven or new tables and chairs. He went for the oven. It was the right decision.

After a few very successful years, he decided to open a second bistro, and launched a crowdfunding campaign through Kickstarter. Securing more than £100,000, Burnt Truffle opened on the Wirral in July 2015.

Usher then went on to launch another Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to open a third restaurant, Hispi in Didsbury, South Manchester. Most recently he successfully created Wreckfish which raised over £200,000 and will open in September.

On Saturday in the demo area he shares one of his favourite recipes: venison with chocolate, prune puree, red cabbage and juniper.

Button Street Smokehouse Don’t miss the opportunity to try delicious food packed full of Deep South flavours. The Button Street Smokehouse in the Cavern Quarter, opened its doors in Spring 2014 and enjoyed immediate acclaim, being voted Liverpool’s Best Newcomer in the Liverpool Food and Drink Awards 2014 and having their Smokehouse Dirty Burger finish in the UK’s Top 16 at the National Burger Awards 2015.

Anton Piotrowski Anton began his career at just 14 and in 2012 he entered Masterchef: The Professionals and became joint champion. A year later he won his very own Michelin star. Now he’s looking to open his own restaurant ‘Röski’ in Liverpool with his partner, Rose.

On Saturday he’ll be showing off his signature recipes - pigeon Wellington and carrot cake - in the demo area.

Brothers Cider Brothers Cider are on site with two new products - Brothers Mixed Berry one litre cartons and Brothers Hop Cider.

The name comes from the Showering brothers - Francis, Jonathan, Matthew and Daniel - who make cider at their mill in Shepton Mallet. They are fourteenth generation cider makers whose family have been making cider in Somerset since 1658.

Rookwood Bar and Cue If you are bonkers about BBQ the guys from Rookwood are serving up a real treat at this year’s festival Voted one of the Top Ten BBQ restaurants in the UK by the Telegraph, expect great quality, locally sourced meat, fab veggie options and some serious smoke. They’ll also be offering a selection of their signature cocktails, and a range of craft beers.

Nisha Katona Barrister turned restaurateur Nisha Katona is a regular chef on ITV’s Lorraine. She is also the curry evangelist behind the Indian street food restaurant Mowgli, with two eateries in Liverpool and a third in Manchester.

She’ll be sharing some of her favourite recipes. If her previous festival appearances are anything to go by, it’s bound to be something special.

The Hairy Bikers Slimmed down dynamic duo Si King and Dave Myers roar into town to dispense more Geordie gastro cheer.

Dave says: “We’ve heard great things about Liverpool Food and Drink Festival. It’s a fantastic idea to bring the city’s best bars, restaurants and producers together for a giant feast and we can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Si adds: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been invited along to celebrate 10 years of Liverpool Food and Drink Festival. The city has a cracking food and drink scene and we’re really looking forward to being a part of it.”

The dynamic duo will be answering questions from the public and signing copies of their latest book, The Hairy Dieters Go Veggie.

If the autumn festival has got you in the mood for more, the organisers have announced the Liverpool Food, Drink and Lifestyle Spring Festival will return next year.

Running from April 28-29, it will offer visitors a raft of exciting outdoor activities including Bear Grylls-style bushcraft and shelter building. There will also be a range of demos and workshops, where visitors can pick

up innovative tips on how to improve the home as well as learn new skills in activities such as urban gardening and woodlands survival.

Expect the festival’s usual popular mix of tasty treats in the producers’ market and street food zones as well as an arts and crafts zone, a prosecco tent, a gin market and live entertainment.

There will also be a dedicated kids’

area with a pop-up farm and vintage fairground.

Isabella Kantor, festival manager at Liverpool Food and Drink Festival, says: “We are thrilled to be bringing Liverpool Food, Drink and Lifestyle Spring Festival back to Sefton Park.

The next spring event is set to be bigger and better than ever.”

Visit www.liverpoolfoodanddrink festival.co.uk for more information.

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Meet the producers Every product has a story behind it. In the case of the food and drink industry, those stories are often fascinating tales of passionate producers who just love what they do.

Here in Merseyside there are countless brilliant producers hard at work making and growing the food and drink we love.

In every edition we aim to champion those local businesses. By buying directly from them, not only will you have a delicious product to eat or drink, you will also be supporting the local economy and the environment too.

Ceri and her team make the kind of cakes most of us can only dream of. On the counter they have cloud-soft Victoria sponges, so light they melt in the mouth, alongside dreamy lemon drizzles, indulgent chocolate brownies and quite possibly the best scones in the world.

“Our cakes change daily, I am

C

eri Newton owns Gorge’Us Tea Rooms in Spital, as well as making and baking awardwinning cakes for cafes and coffee shops across the region.

Like many producers, her career has come out of a life-long passion, and began after a dramatic life incident.

“I had always wanted a tea room,” she explains. “Then in 2005 I was involved in an armed robbery in a bank. I was grabbed and held by the robbers. The experience left me with PTSD and deafness and tinnitus in my left ear.

“After this I decided that if you have a dream you must do all you can to achieve it, as you never know what’s going to happen. I saw an empty shop and went for it. My first shop opened on December 17, 2007.”

16 goodtaste

Ceri and some of her cakes fortunate enough to be able to bake whatever I want, so I can try new recipes, or something I have a personal hankering for,” explains Ceri.

“Our general menu stays the same really and cakes change on my whims, but we always try to be seasonal.”

A few years ago, Ceri unexectedly found out she was wheat intolerant, so she has developed a great range of freefrom products.

“We specialise in gluten-free cakes,” she says. “As a wheat intolerant person, I was determined to make good quality cake using gluten-free flours. People’s feedback tells us we have succeeded.”

Ceri’s beautiful vintage shop is her pride and joy.

“After my three fantastic children, I am most proud of my shop,” she says. “I love it when we are full of happy people enjoying their friends’ company over my cakes and having a fabulous time.

“I am incredibly proud that I created the space for them to do that.”

If you can’t get to the shop, where can you try Gorge’Us cakes?

“We supply a few other coffee shops in Liverpool and Wirral: Cheese & Company, 92° Coffee, Café Tabac, Cuppacoffee Liverpool, Maggie May’s community Café, Davenport’s Tearoom Northwich, Church Farm and Claremont Farm. We are pretty busy really!”

T

he Pimbleys have been working Claremont Farm for four generations, growing produce for restaurants across the region, as well as

supplying it to the public in their own farm shop.

Andrew Pimbley explains: “People mainly know us for our asparagus and strawberries, as in season we can be found on menus and on shelves of restaurants and fine food outlets across the region, but we also grow a whole heap of other veg too like kale, cauliflower, broccoli, four different types of cabbage, sprouts, pumpkins, potatoes and rhubarb - yes - rhubarb is a vegetable!

“We are also the last Pick Your Own Fruit Farm in Merseyside, so for six weeks of the year we open up the fields and let the public in to pick all our amazing fruit - four varieties of strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, green, red and golden gooseberries.”

As well as their own harvests, the Pimbleys also champion other local producers in their farm shop and cafe.

“We source all our other fruit and veg

Andrew Pimbley and above, some of the farm’s produce in the shop as locally and as seasonally as possible,” says Andrew. “Our favourite grower though has to be Mr Jones, the famous shorts with welly boot wearer from Hooton, who grows the fabulous Wirral Watercress and rocket the only indoor watercress grower in the country.

“We also have the delicious Raby Free Range Woodland Eggs, just around the corner from us and you can definitely taste the difference. These are not only sold in the farm shop but are the only eggs we will use in the café.”

The popular café has grown this year and the new space is now open to the public.

“The new farm shop and café turned three in July this year and it was in July we finally finished the upstairs space,” says Andrew. “We want to run social groups in the mornings and then our take on afternoon tea and group bookings from 12-6pm.

“In the evenings we have a whole host of events planned from our own supper clubs to dine and demo nights, other restaurant take overs, film nights and we have a very special something up our sleeves to do with the music that we will be launching soon - basically anything to do with promoting good food, drink, music and culture, offering our local community something a little different.”

Andrew and his brother Guy are the fourth generation of the same family on the farm.

“The farm has been going since 1906, we are tenant farmers and have a 100 year or four generation lease,” he says.

“Me and my brother are the last for it to automatically get passed down to, who knows what will happen after that?”

If we can’t get to the farm to buy Claremont produce, where can we get it?

“In town, the likes of Delifonseca, Matta’s, Liverpool Cheese Shop and Adam’s Apple stock our produce, further afield Eden’s in Chester, The Hollies Farm Shop and the Cheshire Smokehouse do too plus I deliver to about 20 restaurants in Liverpool and it’s distributed through Oliver Kay produce all over the region, so you can usually find it somewhere. Oh and don’t miss the whole baked cauliflower at Maray in Bold Street, it’s to die for!”

B

ala Croman, main picture, owns The Chocolate Cellar and makes artisan chocolates for sale online, at farmers’ markets and through selected retailers.

It all began after she read the book Chocolat.

“I read the book and then saw the film and absolutely fell in love with the idea of chocolate making,” she says.

“Truly inspired and obsessed, I found a company on the internet called Ecole Chocolat where I learnt about the history, the science and the magic of chocolate.

“Following on from friends’ requests I went along to Wirral Farmers’ Market and started selling my wares there.”

Rather than just selling chocolate, she has plenty more to offer for serious

chocoholics. “We provide a chocolate service,” she explains. “Our favourite pastime is to experiment with flavours.

These are best brought out with our unique truffles and bars – Our Rose and Chilli Chocolate bar has been very popular and is one of our award-winning range.

“We have been asked to have a stall at Ness Gardens for the garden party for the 70th anniversary of Gardeners’ Question Time. As a result we are currently working on a floral collection

“I read the book Chocolat and saw the film and absolutely fell in love with the idea of chocolate making” using edible flowers from Mrs B’s Edible Flowers, St Helens. My current favourite chocolate is our Black Sesame Truffle made with black sesame seed and milk chocolate.”

Bala has come a long way since reading that book.“I am proud that I have managed to make my little dream come true,” she says. “I have been told that I have inspired others to also think differently and take different career paths – that makes me feel very humbled, worried, proud, delighted and I wish them lots and lots of success.”

Available from www.thechocolate cellar.co.uk/store, through the ETSY shop, or via a number of shops on the Wirral including Claremont Farm, Greens of Oxton, Stollies, Ness Gardens.

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my shoulders. But the staff were massively friendly, put the pram in their stock room and showed us up the spiral stairway to the restaurant.

Upstairs is just as stylish as the shop, done in a style somewhere between colonial India and Ibiza chill-out, with Balearic tunes playing and a pristine looking sofa on an outdoor terrace. The menu’s a similar fusion of French and British. Rather like the world in one restaurant, it’s aiming to be all things to all people, but that’s not to say it isn’t a jolly lovely place to sit and have Sunday dinner.

Mellow and nutty

chic eats Review: Cafe at Nancie, West Kirby

By Jade Wright One of the things I was very clear about when we started thinking about making this magazine was that we really didn’t want to do reviews where the venue knew we were coming.

It’s nothing against publications that do, but for me it isn’t really a true review if the restaurant knows it’s happening, and puts the staff on their best behaviour. I’d always rather read about experiences warts and all than an idealised view that comes from the restaurant understandably presenting themselves in the best possible light.

So it was a little alarming when it appeared briefly that the restaurant we’d reviewed for this edition was looking at advertising with us.

What made it look even worse, as you’ll see if you read on, is that it’s a pretty positive review. My fear was that it would look like a done deal or that I’d said nice things to thank them for their advert. As it is, they didn’t, and we haven’t, so I can run the review without any concerns.

Phew! Panic over.

We’d gone for Sunday lunch at Cafe at Nancie, a pretty little restaurant hidden away above a fancy clothes shop in West Kirby.

We weren’t the most attractive proposition, it has to be said. We’d had a long walk, and we had our nine-month-old daughter with us in a sun lotion-smeared pram.

It’s the kind of place I wouldn’t normally set foot in, full of designer clothes and beautiful teenagers. I worried I’d instantly feel shabby and out of place, given that I’m still wearing my maternity clothes and ‘smart casual’ means only having sick on one of

18 goodtaste

On Sundays there’s a set menu with two courses for £22 or three for £25. Starters included Rhug Estate organic chicken, Loch Fyne smoked salmon, my other half Marc’s choice, and a veggie option of blowtorched burrata, which I ordered.

For the main course it was a choice of roasts - the dry-aged sirloin or belly of pork, with vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding, wild seabass or baby courgette orzo.

Marc chose the beef and I ordered the pasta.

On the day we visited, there was a special offer on, with a free bottle of prosecco per table when ordering Sunday lunch. It was a decent one too - a Ca’ Morlin, extra dry, which smelt like flowers and green apples and we drank far too quickly.

No sooner had our orders been taken than an amuse bouche arrived, tiny cups of super-

piece of cheese. It’s the milder sister of mozzarella, with the flavour of fresh cream captured in a soft cheese, gentler and more subtle than the sharp tang of buffalo milk in mozzarella. Served with heritage tomatoes and a kind of olive soil, it was a good choice.

Over-indulgence Across the table, the sirloin dish was another big hit. Like all of the meat on the menu, the beef came from the Rhug Estate in North East Wales, one of the region’s leading organic farms, and one whose very mention on a menu gives any dish a competitive advantage over the others.

The sirloin was as tender as the salmon before it, and equally as pink.

Served with delicate greens and a berry jus, it came with a sizeable, crisp golden Yorkshire pudding - which no serving of beef on a Sunday should be without - and the roast potatoes were a masterclass in how to make one of the most simple but often-maligned elements of a good roast into one of its star players.

This was a perfectly balanced portion, enough to feel satisfied so as to be left to concentrate on its flavours and textures, not to spend the afternoon being haunted by the discomfort of over-indulgence.

Similarly, my orzo with courgette was a well-balanced dish, bright and lemony in flavour, with the gentle tang of Rosary goats’ cheese, a handmade variety from the border of Hampshire and Wiltshire. The baby was a big fan too, scooping handfuls into her mouth without missing a morsel.

Designer label

intense mushroom soup, with some really good bread and French butter. It was a nice touch, and gave Bea something to munch on while she waited for our mains to arrive.

The salmon came all the way from Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland, a part of the world we spend as much time in as possible. Smoked in casks that had previously been used to age whisky, it had a mellow and nutty flavour and delicate texture, breaking apart at just the mere threat of the fork.

Fresh radish gave it a peppery note, and the cucumber added another layer of delicate crunch. Granted it was a small portion, but one that deserved every mouthful to be savoured.

The burrata seemed to have bypassed the blowtorch entirely, but was still a great

We finished the last of the prosecco and ordered a couple of puddings - a chocolate mousse and a tonic bean panacotta. There was a name next to the chocolate mousse that I had to look up on my phone - Valrhona, a French chocolate maker. It made me smile from the starters to the mains to the puddings, every dish had its provenance written across it like a designer label.

Whoever designed the menu clearly knows food trends like the buyer downstairs knows fashion labels. From trendy burrata and olive soil to Scottish single loch salmon, Welsh single estate meat, goats’ cheese from a specific farm and chocolate imported from France, some might argue it’s a bit selfconscious, but given the quality of the food that would be a touch churlish.

Mention must go too to the staff, who were kind and helpful even to a bedraggled couple with a baby.

I was almost tempted to stop and have a look at the clothes as we collected our pram downstairs. I say almost, but for now I’ll just get a bit more wear out of these comfortable maternity clothes…

Cafe at Nancie 50 Grange Rd, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 4EF, 0151 625 6060, www.cafeatnancie.co.uk

Eat Your Way Around Oxton

Who needs Hoxton when there’s

Oxton?

It may not be as well known as the London hipster hotspot but this village on the Wirral offers plenty for the dedicated foodie to enjoy It’s home to Merseyside’s only restaurant with a Michelin star, with a village full of great independent restaurants and bars. If you’re looking for a foodie day or evening out, Oxton is hard to beat.

With prettily painted shops and hanging baskets full of tumbling flowers, it feels a world away from the city.

It was Oxton’s convenient location, close to the Woodside ferry, which first attracted the wealthy Liverpool

merchants and shipowners looking for homes across the water. Many of the houses date from the late Victorian age, when it became a popular residential location for Merseyside’s well heeled types, and it was later designated a conservation area.

There’s a strong sense of community, as shown by the annual open garden events and it’s clear that people take a real pride in the village.

While it’s keen to retain its sense of history, there’s still a real buzz about the place, and a good mixture of shops and an excellent choice of bars and restaurants.

It’s small enough to explore on foot, and can be enjoyed in a pleasant afternoon, but if you’re in the mood to delve further there’s plenty to enjoy on a longer visit.

Here are some of our favourites.

The Riverhill Tucked away just a three-minute walk from the hustle and bustle of Oxton village sits The Riverhill.

A beautiful Tudor-style hotel and restaurant, it has recently announced the arrival of awardwinning chef Alan Wycherley.

Alan has created some impressive new menus, drawing on the best of traditional British food, with a modern European twist.

He’s been hard at work looking for the best produce, working with farmers, butchers, brewers, cheesemakers, distillers, hunters and fishermen to find the best of British ingredients - even down to delicious Yorkshire fettle cheese he chooses to use in place of feta.

Lunchtime is a small plates tapas-style format, which is great for sharing with friends, and offering diners a taste of a wide variety of dishes.

If the weather is good, make the most of September sunshine with al fresco dining available in the gardens.

In the evening it’s a little more formal, with a full la carte menu of seasonal modern European dishes.

Everything is made freshly from scratch in the kitchens, from the breads and chutneys - even down to the cheese biscuits.

It’s this passionate attention to detail which translates across the hotel. Meals are served beautifully

with linen napkins and tablecloths, by friendly and knowledgeable staff who clearly love what they do.

While the food is modern European in style, the service is wonderfully traditional, making everything feel that extra bit special.

The Riverhill, Talbot Rd, Oxton CH43 2HJ. 0151 653 3773, www.theriverhill.co.uk, email reception@theriverhill.co.uk

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Eat Your Way Around Oxton

Chutney Street Food Chutney Street food has been an overnight success story 10 years in the making.

Perched in the prettiest corner of Oxton Village, the Anglo Indian bistro has only been open since last October, but already it has built a loyal customer base and when people visit once they keep coming back.

It’s easy to see why.

The menu is a love song to authentic Indian cuisine, created by Oxton resident Joanne Tune.

It’s far from a traditional curry house, with a modern, elegant style and a real attention to detail.

After countless holidays to India, Joanne dreamed of opening up her own restaurant, and combining her background in interior design with her passion for authentic Indian food.

It’s this passion which has seen her travel around India, drawing inspiration from the nation’s colourful cuisines and diverse cultures.

The menu is based around gorgeous Indian street food, reflecting the many different styles of cookery around the country. Some dishes are hot and spicy, others are softer and more delicate, but all are packed with beautifully balanced flavours.

Chutney Street Food supports other Wirral businesses such as Brimstage Brewery and sources its herbs from Willaston, as well as other local producers.

Don’t miss the evening Tiffin Club from 5-7pm which offers a full tiffin stack, complete with sides and naan for two people for £20, and their excellent selection of cocktails and speciality gins.

Chutney Street Food, 1A Claughton Firs, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5TU, 0151 652 0777, www.chutneystreetfood.com

Oxton Bar and Kitchen

The Oxton Bar and Kitchen team are true independents who love what they do - and don’t take themselves too seriously. Mike and his team ooze passion – they have even been running an Instagram story all summer following team members on their holidays and encouraging guests to use fun hashtags wherever they’ve travelled on holiday.

It’s a genuinely friendly team, full of great characters, and very much part of the fabric of the village. Food is freshly prepared, locally sourced, simple and delicious.

It’s served lovingly all day long by the passionate kitchen team of Ray, James, Jose and Saffron. Lunch menu runs until 5pm, with dinner served after that. Both menus offer clever,

20 goodtaste

tasty dishes with an emphasis on the passing seasons, food miles and inventiveness through great ingredients rather than fuss with a pipette and a blowtorch.

They’re as passionate about their drinks as they are about the food - with classic cocktails, local micro brewery cask ales, boutique craft beers and wines, all sourced from small, independent suppliers.

After work, the calm afternoon turns into a buzzing bar, and it’s packed to the rafters at the weekend, with live music every Friday and Saturday.

Don’t miss the fabulous terrace – the centre of village life.

It gets the sun all day, and thanks to the cover and heating, it’s a cosy in the winter months too, so a great space whatever the weather.

The Oxton Bar and Kitchen, 2 Claughton Firs, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5TQ, 0151 651 2535, oxtonbar.co.uk

Eat Your Way Around Oxton

Homebrew and Homebrew Tap With more than 300 specialist beers and an impressive collection of speciality wines, spirits and cigars, Homebrew is a must visit for any self-respecting drinks lover.

Right in the heart of the village, the independent shop offers a wide range of local, international and hard-to-find labels.

From fantastic local beers - including Liverpool Organic, Peerless, Brimstage, Love Lane and Penny Lane - to vintage Belle Epoque Perrier Jouet Champagne, they have something for every palate and budget.

It’s a spirits lovers’ paradise, with some great artisan Scottish, Irish and Japanese whiskeys. Closer to home, there is a good range of gins, with local varieties including Wirral Gin, Tappers, Turncoat, and of course Liverpool Gin

- in the original and Valencian Orange flavours.

The staff are passionate about the drinks they sell, and will gladly explain the story behind the bottles, as well as making some excellent recommendations.

There’s also a humidor full of cigars, and staff can advise on the perfect cigar and drinks combinations.

Next door, the Homebrew Tap offers a similarly brilliant range of beers, spirits and wines.

They do tasters of beers, and as well as the usual measures they have the new two thirds glasses, or schooners, perfect for high ABVs, intense tastes and heavier styles, allowing drinkers to savour and sample a beer much like they would with a fine wine – or even try smaller amounts of different beers. It’s just right for when a full pint is too much and a half is not quite enough.

If your idea of a good time is not just drinking beer, but simultaneously

Home Home is definitely where the heart is in Oxton village.

Housed in a former bakery, it first opened its doors back in 2006 and was the first in the growing independent Home group.

With a reputation for creating great quality, fresh food using only the finest local ingredients from local Wirral suppliers – Home Coffee is the perfect place for a simple catch-up over coffee or a fireside brunch. Giant tasty sandwiches, toasties and their famous homemade soups are the order of the day and their inventive breakfast and brunch draw diners from across the peninsular and beyond.

The cafe features a fabulous glass atrium, cosy sandstone

choosing more beer to take home to drink later, then you will love this cool and quirky bar, with its taps bursting straight out of crisp white subway tiles, and staff who know and love every product they serve.

But it’s much more than a tap room for the beer shop next door - there is a lot to like about this venue where you can drink a great range of beers, wines and spirits, particularly gins, all with accompanying garnishes, while you watch the world go by.

Homebrew Bottle Shop, 56 Christchurch Rd, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5SF, 0151 352 5045, homebrewbottleshop.com, and Homebrew Tap, 58 Christchurch Rd, Oxton, Wirral, 0151 652 1334

cellar and sunny courtyard to the rear. The second Home opened in the Woodside ferry terminal in 2009. This magnificent Grade II-listed building with stunning views across the Liverpool waterfront now offers weddings, parties and events as well as the delicious daily brunch, lunch and afternoon tea service.

Home has now also arrived over the water. Housed in the new RIBA Architecture Centre located on the historic waterfront it’s the perfect spot to relax with Home’s own-blend coffee from local roasters Adams & Russell, homemade cakes and a menu favourites. It’s open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

Home Coffee, 62 Christchurch Rd, Oxton, CH43 5SF, 0151 653 7552, www.homecoffee.co.uk

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21

of West Kirby Presents...

at our stunning West Kirby showroom

James James Kitchens is an award winning kitchen design business.

For over 40 years the design team have designed and installed beautifully engineered contemporary German kitchens as well as British made bespoke designs across the Wirral, Liverpool, Cheshire and beyond.

Call into our stunning West Kirby showroom or email dom@jamesjameskitchens.com to make an appointment to begin your kitchen journey.

We look forward to meeting you.

James James Kitchens. 19-21 Grange Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 4DY T 0151 625 9329 | dom@jamesjameskitchens.com | www.jamesjameskitchens.com

FESTIVE MENU CHRISTMAS DAY BOXING DAY NEW YEAR'S EVE NEW YEAR'S DAY DINE AND DANCE 0151 677 7034 22 goodtaste

Greasby Village, Wirral

www.themanorwirral.com

Michelin Man Jade Wright meets Marc Wilkinson, owner and chef at Fraiche, Merseyside’s only restaurant with a Michelin star

At 10am on the first day of the month Fraiche’s reservations open. By 10.01am every table has gone.

Like the golden tickets to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, food lovers are desperate for the chance to try Marc Wilkinson’s Michelin-starred cooking for themselves.

Some get fed up with waiting, and take to Fraiche’s Facebook page to complain.

“People who don’t know us often think there’s secret bookings going on but the truth is all bookings that are available for the month are released on the first of each month at 10am,” says Marc.

“It fills up in just under 60 seconds. People do often take frustrations out on us but if you have 1500 people seeking 240 seats what can you possibly do to appease people? There is no fairer system I have seen anywhere.

“We have our own booking system on the website which runs in real time, offering the next three full months ahead. It allows bookings at any time of day - if there is availability, of course.”

He clearly tries to help as much as he can.

There’s plenty of notice - reservations open two months in advance, and if there’s a really special date, he will try to accommodate it through a cancellation list.

“We do offer a cancellation list for matched dates to try to accommodate people,” he says.

But with just six precious tables each night, demand is such that bookings are hard to come by, and as the accolades stack up, the pressure on tables grows.

Awards The last couple of months have already seen Fraiche placed at number 13 in Squaremeal’s annual UK’s Top 100 Restaurants, and at number 14 in The Good Food Guide’s Top 50, but Marc takes it all in his stride.

“Awards should always be a byproduct of your intentions, not the raison d’être to be working in a kitchen,” he says. “A passion for food and making guests smile and content has to still trump awards.

“Of course - as with most chefs - you do

dream of being recognised for the hard work involved, and any future awards would be greatly appreciated and accepted with pride.”

The Michelin star Next month the Michelin Guide 2018 is out, hopefully bringing with it another star for Fraiche.

Does the Michelin star make a big difference to a restaurant?

“Simply, yes,” Marc replies. “Though it is a two-edged sword, for if we were to lose the star then we are in danger of losing a lot of custom. And the damage can reverberate for a substantial period.”

Marc and his small team do everything they can to keep standards sky high in the restaurant. It’s Marc’s level of attention to detail, and keeping a careful eye on every step of the process, which gives Fraiche its edge.

Marc cooks every meal himself.

He says simply: “If I’m not in the engine room, Fraiche is closed.”

Simple beginnings “My beginnings in the industry were purely financially driven,” he laughs. “As a 15-year -old who had designs on a new Hutch bicycle I simply sought a part-time job to aid my funding.

“It just so happened to be a kitchen role in a local hotel. This wasn’t to light the career fire as such - that came later after watching a TV series called Take Six Chefs, which literally changed my direction in life, and the start of my career path.”

Where does Marc eat out, and what does he eat at home?

“To eat really well I have to travel further afield to the likes of Barcelona, which I just visited actually, to dine at Enigma - a new amazing concept restaurant.

“At home, toast is very popular. I do love toast. Eccles cakes are, of course, my sweet persuasion and should the time arise to actually cook then roast chicken using the black leg breed - is always a treat.”

Fraiche, 11 Rose Mount, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5SG, 0151 652 2914, www.restaurantfraiche.com

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23

XXMAS

CHRISTMAS DINNERS, PRIVATE PARTIES, PRIVATE DINING, MISSED STOPS & BAD HEADS Seasonal bookings now being taken, visit frederikshopestreet.com or call 0151 708 9574.

Frederiks, 32 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BX.

FEEL THE FOODIE LOVE...

24 goodtaste

Brunch has to be the loveliest, laziest meal of the day. Liverpool does some of the best in the country. Here are some of our favourite places Neighbourhood

brunch time

Neighbourhood’s weekend bottomless brunches must be some of Liverpool’s most lavish with free flowing prosecco, seasonal cocktails and restorative Bloody Marys all on the menu.

There’s a potent welcome drink before the feast commences: eggs benedict, eggs royale, avocado on toast, steak and eggs, a choice of sushi, little burgers or smoked salmon, avocado and eggs.

With vibrant, opulent surroundings and attentive service, it’s easy to see why it’s become such a popular choice.

Bottomless Brunch is £35 per head and served every Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 1pm. The maximum table size is six. Bottomless beverages available for 90 minutes from booking time. www.neighbourhoodrestaurant.co.uk Jam Handily placed on Sir Thomas Street, next to the Metquarter, Jam is the ideal spot for a pre-shopping brunch in luxurious surroundings.

The menu combines brunch classics such as eggs Benedict and of course the Jam Full English alongside more quirky items such as the hearty breakfast hash and homemade oat and buttermilk pancakes, topped with your choice of fruit, Nutella spread or smoked bacon and maple syrup. It’s a great venue for celebrations - add a glass of fizz or two and party in style. Large groups are welcome – so if you are celebrating a hen weekend, baby shower, Christening or birthday this is the perfect place for a very bubbly brunch. www.jamrestaurants.co.uk The Old Stables This quintessential brunch venue is situated just out of town, in leafy south Liverpool. Brunch is served every day from 8am-12pm, featuring everything from healthier options like the avocado on toast and granola to a hearty full English breakfast, all made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

The Old Stables is part of Allerton Manor golf club, a relaxing setting, with long winding driveway, and 70-seat terrace for brunch al fresco.

It’s a great spot for everything from a breakfast meeting to a celebration like a baby shower - they offer baby shower brunches - or just a spot to get away from it all and enjoy the day in beautiful surroundings. www.allertonmanorgolfclub.com/restaurant or call 0151 428 7490 The Malmaison If brunch is a bit too early for you, head down to the Malmaison for their bottomless Sunday lunch, which runs from 12.30-4pm and offers four courses and unlimited prosecco for £35 or £19.95 without fizz.

With unrestricted visits to the Chef’s Table for hoards of hors d’oeurves, followed by a choice of mains, delicious desserts, freshly-baked breads, super salads and divine charcuterie, they’ve got more Sunday lunch options than you can shake a breadstick at. www.malmaison.com/locations/liverpool/ brasserie/sunday-lunch or 0151 363 3640

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25

Win dinner for two

Magic on the Roundabout...

20% off

the A La Carte menu from Monday to Sunday between 4pm-7pm*

DOCKSIDE DINING WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS

Looking for a restaurant to celebrate a family birthday or just need a good excuse to meet up with friends?

Stanley’s Bar and Grill at Titanic Hotel Liverpool is the ideal place for all the family.

Open every day from breakfast until late. All welcome.

Feel at home and relax with great waterfront views and a welcoming family environment.

Call us today or visit our website to book your table.

Stanley Dock, Regent Road, Liverpool, L30AN www.titanichotelliverpool.com

26 goodtaste

0151 559 1444 *Up to 6 people maximum, last order must be taken at 6.45pm.

Valid until 31st October 2017. Must be pre-booked.

WHAT’S IN MY FRIDGE Kitchen porter turned executive chef Chad Hughes on the delights of courgette flowers and Branston pickle Chad Hughes is surrounded by the finest ingredients all day and night long. As executive chef at The Lawns Restaurant at Thornton Hall he keeps standards high, using only ingredients from the best suppliers.

So it’s little surprise that at home he’s also fastidious about provenance, choosing only the best produce.

It was Chad’s passion for great food that brought him to the industry, after initially working in banking. He started as a kitchen porter, quickly working his way up the ranks.

He had worked and trained in Michelin-starred kitchens around the country – learning his trade at Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor, Fraiche and Le Champignon Sauvage.

He was at The Lawns when it achieved its 3 AA Rosettes – a culinary accolade on a par with Michel Roux Jnr’s restaurant Le Gavroche and Dinner

by Heston Blumenthal.

He’s competed in the BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals and after a stint as head chef at the Kinmel Arms in Abergele he’s now back at The Lawns, hard at work on the new autumn menu.

Here he talks us through his favourite fridge ingredients…

They supply only a handful of clients with some amazingly fresh crab.

We are very proud that we are one of those lucky few who get fresh deliveries from Stephen’s boat aptly named after his wife. Stephen mainly fishes for lobsters which he sells direct to France but a by-product of this is their crab, which find their way into his lobster pots, which is great for us!

Courgette flowers

Steak

The flowers come from Peter Jones at Wirral Watercress in Childer Thornton, just seven miles away. We have a close working relationship and we use every ingredient he grows in one or many of the dishes we offer. I use it in a cod dish, stuffed with our own version of tartare sauce. When cut open it floods the plate with flavour.

Crab Natalie and Stephen Harrison live and work in Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula of Gwynedd, North Wales, where they run Aberdaron Seafoods Ltd.

good it is looks without its packaging.

Branston pickle After a 12 hour shift in the kitchen, this is an absolute lifesaver. When I come in, my favourite after work supper is a cheese and pickle sandwich, made with lovely crusty brown bread, proper butter, a good Cheddar and Branston pickle. Sometimes the simple things are the best.

Oakham Ales

To be a producer for Celtic Pride Beef there are three qualifying criteria: ‘All cattle must be born, reared and finished on Welsh farms’. Only around 70 or so farmers supply Celtic Pride Beef and Castell Howell are based in Mid and South Wales. The farmers are regularly inspected by Celtic to ensure their rigorous standards of welfare, feeding and finishing regimes are met. This ensures a quality Welsh product with full traceability and amazing flavour. Their lamb is also ridiculously good! This would normally be wrapped up in my fridge, for food hygiene reasons, but I’ve opened it up here to show you just how

I love these beers, from a little brewery in Peterborough.

They do really good cask ales, with a single hop variety called Citra, which they have to import from America. They also double hop the beer, so it’s full of flavour. It means it takes months to make, rather than weeks with some beers. It’s more expensive as a result, but it’s well worth it. It’s light gold and really refreshing. I get it from Marks and Spencer, but I think you can also get it from Bargain Booze. It’s worth hunting for.

www.goodtastemagazines.co.uk

27

restaurants banking on

Castle Street

28 goodtaste

Eat Your Way Around Castle Street

T

en years ago, Castle Street wasn’t somewhere you’d expect to find a decent lunch, let alone one of the most exciting food quarters in the city. Now it is brimming with life, with new bars and restaurants opening up in every available space.

From Italian small plates to sushi, and South American steaks to speciality cheese and wine, it offers a world of food on one beautiful street.

The street itself is named after the 13th century castle which once stood where Derby Square is now, and in the 1880s some of the most influential banks and insurance companies in the world built their headquarters here.

But the once-thriving banking and insurance hub fell into decline as many of the businesses moved out into more modern office spaces, leaving the perfect units to be filled by Liverpool’s new independent food and drink operators.

Cheese & Co does exactly what is says on the tin, offering great cheese and a fun and friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy it.

Its secret is simple - only using high quality ingredients, superb wines and the best coffee in town, with no gimmicks.

It’s located on the corner of Castle Street and Derby Square, with a cosy interior and sunny outside area perfect for people watching, whatever the weather.

Every day it has upward of a dozen varieties of beautifully kept cheese from all over the world – from a good old tasty Cheddar to a smooth creamy brie.

There’s an excellent range of accompaniments to go with every cheese choice – the Slow-Baked Fig Dottato is divine - while meat lovers can add the speciality charcuterie board complete with Parma ham, a range of salamis, Patchwork pate and a selection of delicious pickles.

You can also take your favourite bites home as the on-site deli sells most of the delicious cheeses, pate, wine, fresh bread and artisan tea and coffee to take home.

For a special gift, their hampers are made fresh to order with the perfect mix of pickles, cheeses, crackers and more.

It serves from breakfast throughout the day - don’t miss the brunch menu

New kid on the block: Gino D’Acampo and mouth-watering range of toasted sandwiches and home-made pastries and cakes.

It’s a relative newcomer to the street, only opening in 2016, but already it’s a big hit.

As many restaurants and bars in the area find, the nearby businesses offer plenty of customers looking for great places to eat and drink from morning until night.

By 7.30am the street is humming

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29

Eat Your Way Around Castle Street

with activity. Many of the restaurants offer breakfasts and brunches, making the most of the early business trade. By noon they are doing a brisk lunchtime trade.

The afternoon tea and coffee and cake crowd gives way to after work drinks, and by the time dinner comes around many of the sites have already had a full working day.

At Salt House Bacaro, the Venetian small plates bar and restaurant, it’s all too easy to stop off for one after work drink and look up to realise it’s closing time.

The best nights are the ones you weren’t expecting, so start off with an elderflower bellini by the bar, then order a crostini or two, maybe some courgette fries to nibble on, and before you know it you’ve had half the menu and you’re choosing chocolate black pudding with your coffee - or go all out and order the homemade limoncello, easily the best in town.

It’s easy to see why restaurants and bars are choosing Castle Street, with its friendly atmosphere, great range of venues and wide continental style pavements, just perfect for al fresco dining.

Another newcomer onto the street, Gino D’Acampo’s My Restaurant Liverpool has been drawing in the crowds with its bright, light 200 cover restaurant and gorgeous sun trap outdoor dining area.

The newest kid on the Castle Street block, this slice of Southern Italy opened this summer in the former HSBC building, the gateway to Castle Street.

Cocktails, cicchetti, quality ingredients

30 goodtaste

Mural at Santa Maluco are the order of the day, and it has several unique features including the stunning Prosecco Bar and Bullion Room, which is a private dining facility and games room housed in the former vaults of the bank. It also has an adjoining games room complete with pool and foosball tables.

The aptly named My Prosecco Bar offers more than 40 different types of wine, including proseccos and other Italian sparkling wines. So whether your preference is for the ‘frizzante’ semisparkling kind, or the full-on fizz of the ‘spumante’, your taste buds are catered for. Bottles start from £25.

The wine list is complemented by a range of classic Italian cocktails, including seasonal Bellinis, which boast an array of flavours such as lychee, pink guava, pomegranate and rose.

They also have a specially selected selection of artisan Italian beers and great

Neapolitan coffee.

The restaurant offers a wide range of menus to choose from, including a special set lunch menu and dedicated early evening choices. The emphasis is on serving great Italian flavours using the finest well-sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Over the road, there’s a row of great places to eat and drink, with pizza haven Santa Maluco, stylish sushi newcomer Izakaya, coffee and cocktails favourite McGuffie’s, pasta specialists Pasta Cosa and Portuguese pinchos purveyors Pinch.

Over the road there’s steak specialists CAU, all day dining at Castle Street Townhouse and family friendly Italian food and drink at Olive.

Another family favourite on Castle Street it Viva Brazil, where kids under 10 eat for free with a paying adult.

The Brazilian-style meat emporium aims to recreate a truly authentic Brazilian experience from the food to the service, with 15 different cuts of meats delivered straight to the table by the restaurant’s friendly Passadors - or meat carvers.

All the meat is cooked to perfection on an authentic charcoal pit BBQ and expertly carved at the table. Diners can choose from select cuts of beef, lamb, pork, chicken and special Brazilian sausages, and the meat is unlimited – they only stop when you tell them.

They also offer unlimited visits to the salad island, with more than 20 different salad combinations, sauces and dressings.

One of the first of the new generation of restaurants to open on Castle Street, back in 2009, was San Carlo.

Its lavish interior and extensive menu made it a popular with the celebrity crowd, who helped to establish it as a firm favourite on the Liverpool dining scene. It has 22 seafood dishes alone, alongside fresh anti pasti, grill specialities such as the tomahawk steak and a range of meat, pizza and pasta.

In true Italian style the team are keen to use fresh, seasonal ingredients, many

Eat Your Way Around Castle Street

of which are flown in from produce markets across Italy to ensure absolute authenticity.

Their wine list is extensive too. With exclusively imported house options, half bottles and a wide selection of wines by the glass, the team have more than 150 wines to suit all tastes and pockets and their sommeliers are always on hand to help diners choose.

The dining room is wide open and airy, an all-white space with red and black furnishings, while the bar and lounge area is also open plan with a scattering of stools - perfect for an aperitif, and to watch the world go by.

Castle Street is well served for pizza. If one is never enough, you’re in luck, and possibly expandable trousers, at Santa Maluco.

The latest creation of one of Liverpool’s finest independent groups – Graffiti Spirits, who also have Salt Dogs, El Bandito, Santa Chupitos and are also opening a market on Duke Street - this Brazilian Rodizio-style pizza restaurant pays more than a nod to their signature

The stunning bars at San Carlo and, below right, Viva Brazil.

Below left, Neighbourhood

style. Unlike the traditional Italian pizza parlour diners simply pay a fixed price for the server to bring out an unlimited stream of delicious pizza slices, all made from scratch and cooked in their woodfired oven.

The décor and surroundings are every bit as tasty as the food with an impressive mural depicting Rio’s famous statue of Christ the Redeemer, cool bar area and the guys’ famous flair for the coolest of cocktails imported straight from its independent little sister Santa Chupitos in Parr Street.

The seasonal toppings change weekly and the dough comes in both savoury

and sweet – pizza lovers heaven in every aspect.

Just off Castle Street there’s plenty to tempt diners too, with a newish restaurant from Indian street food specialists Mowgli on Water Street, while Brunswick Street offers magical cocktails at The Alchemist, authentic Japanese treats at Etsu and perennial allrounders Restaurant Bar and Grill, The old Property Exchange building on Cook Street is home to White Wolf, with its lovely vegan cafe and yoga centre, as well as Piccolino, a little slice of Italy, which aims to serve the best and freshest seasonal produce, Italian cheeses, meat

and seafood that reflect pure Italian flavours.

The restaurant menus offer a combination of both modern and classic Italian dishes prepared in an open kitchen in full view of diners. Fresh pasta is made daily in the bespoke pasta kitchen using traditional techniques.

To complement these dishes, Piccolino also provides a full list of discovery and popular wine styles, researched and tasted by in-house wine experts.

It’s little wonder that units in Castle Street get snapped up so quickly - the business district is booming, and rightly so.

www.goodtastemagazines.co.uk

31

West Kirby kitchen design company James James is launching a new range of Laura Ashley kitchens at their Wirral showroom.

The multi-award winning design team is working with Laura Ashley, one of the world’s best loved fashion and home furnishing brands, on the new range, which will be available this autumn.

James James owner, kitchen designer Dominique McLaughlin, says: “The new Laura Ashley Kitchen Collection has been designed for the way you live today. It provides kitchen styles that are either traditional or contemporary in design, and they suit all types of home from an urban apartment to country cottages and coastal retreats.

“These stunning ranges are available in beautiful hand-painted finishes, which add a touch of glamour or rustic charm. This is one of the finest quality collections around, and we are truly honoured to have been chosen to work with this amazing brand.

“Laura Ashley has become synonymous with classic British design and traditional values. The brand has always been able to inspire and delight by capturing the mood and trend of the moment. Now it brings its rich design heritage to create an inspirational and distinctive new range of kitchens.”

Kitchen company gets the Laura Ashley touch

Pure indulgence in the heart of the city!

32 goodtaste

Paula’s Picks Foodie finds from our passionate home cook Paula Brown Please send your picks to paula@goodtastemagazines.co.uk

Back to Black The Big Dub Squid Ink Burger Brought to you by Wirral’s own street food sweethearts Matt and Lou Hardy, this handmade prime beef burger is served with spicy Dutch cheese, iceberg lettuce, Sriracha mayo, crispy onions and homemade ketchup wedged into a squid ink brioche bun from The French Corner Bakery.

The loved-up duo are busy clocking up some serious road miles in their converted VW Camper van, aptly named The Big Dub of Love, at festivals and private events across the region. www.hardyscatering.co.uk @hardyscatering

Crust’s charcoal pizza Bold Street’s coolest pizza joint Crust is turning heads with its distinctive black dough. Made by hand, the distinctively coloured pizza, made using a vegetable charcoal, is said to promote various health benefits.

Crust’s co-owner Paolo Cillo says: “Crust prides itself on offering guests an utterly authentic Italian pizzeria experience – we have the Rolls-Royce of wood-fired pizza ovens and our ingredients are imported from Italy.”

Ice-Creamy Charcoal Treats @ The Mal Satisfy your dark side (and your sweet tooth) with this delicious limited edition ice cream creation from the talented team at Liverpool’s Malmaison Hotel.

The unusual colour comes from vegetable ash which creates activated charcoal, and is then mixed with yummy coconut cream, topped with chocolate popping candy and served in a coconut shell. It tastes as good as is looks, with a super-rich and unique flavour.

Some like it hot Being a bit of a chilli fiend I was just a little bit excited when I discovered my very own ‘Chilli Lady’ or to give her her official title The Chilli Gourmet, Jane Fern, at a special producers’ weekend hosted by Green’s of Oxton.

A true foodie, Jane realised her love for growing was even greater than her love of cooking when her mum rented her a small allotment 25 years ago in her home town of Brighton.

After a career in banqueting and latterly food technology Jane headed North and settled on the Wirral in 2010. Says Jane: “I didn’t know all that much about chillies so started experimenting with

simple chutneys and sauces to help bring out the subtle flavours of the different varieties.

“A lot of people just associate chilli with heat but there are so many different, complex flavours in the different varieties, I really wanted to show that chilli can work for everyone’s palate.”

Having outgrown the confines of her garden, Jane inherited some disused poly-tunnels from a friend and now grows over 1000 different varieties from a ‘secret’ location in Lower Heswall.

Jane launched Chilli Gourmets and now offers a wide variety of different types of chutneys and sauces with combinations to suit even the most delicate of tastebuds. www.chilligourmets.uk

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33

Independent thinker He has cooked for supermodels and Beatles, now star chef Sean Paul Redding has opened his kitchen at LIV in Liverpool

A

s chef to the stars, Sean Paul Redding has shared his cooking with Kate Moss, Liv Tyler and Tamara Eccelestone. Not to mention catering Sir Paul McCartney’s birthday party. Now he’s opened his kitchen to the rest of us.

Sean Paul is the new head chef at LIV Organic and Natural Food Market on Bold Street, and he’s busy creating showstopping salads, seriously good savouries and his signature Scotch eggs - in vegan and vegetarian form.

The multi-award winning chef is one of the best known veggie and vegan specialists in the country, and is relishing the chance to make the most of LIV’s well stocked larder.

“As a chef, it’s such a pleasure to be able to make whatever I want each day,” Sean Paul explains, his soft Texan accent mellowed by decades living in London.

“I have absolute flexibility to make whatever I like each day.

“I can walk through the store and pick up the most amazing organic ingredients. I look at the weather, go through my cookbooks each morning and see what I think people would like to eat that day.”

Sean Paul has an enviable collection of recipes to choose

34 goodtaste

from, having spent some of his formative years in the kitchen at the famous Books For Cooks in Notting Hill, alongside Clarissa Dickson Wright.

“All the chefs would come in to get their books, so I’d be cooking for Marco Pierre White and Nigella Lawson,” he says.

“Nigella was lovely, she has more cookery books than anyone I know, every new one that came out she’d buy.”

A stint working as a film and TV caterer honed his ability to come up with fresh ideas each day as he cooked on set, before he moved to veggie celeb favourite Manna in Primrose Hill.

It was there that together with his team of chefs he won best vegetarian restaurant from the Vegetarian Society and Time Out. “I love cooking vegetarian and vegan food,” he says. “It’s become my speciality over the years, and it encompasses so many styles.

“One day I’ll be cooking Asian-inspired dishes, the next I’ll be using one of my grandmother’s Cajun recipes. It’s perfect for me because you have to use your imagination.

“As a chef I’d hate to cook the same things day in day out. For me it’s all about variety.”

It was while he was Manna that he started working with Peta, and some of its supporters.

“I did a lot of private work for Kate Moss, Meg Matthews, Liv Tyler and

‘There is such a brilliant independent scene here.

Sadly, in London the creatives are moving out and chains take their place... I loved London but Liverpool is definitely home now and I couldn’t be happier’ Tamara Ecclestone,” says Sean Paul. “I loved working with them all, they love great food.

“I did Paul McCartney’s 60th, and again, he was a very kind man.

“I think because people knew me as a vegetarian and vegan specialist they kept asking me back, so I was doing a day a week at least for Meg and Kate, catering whatever they needed.”

Sean Paul had the kind of career most chefs could only dream of, but love brought him to Liverpool, and he has gone on to fall in love with the city too.

“Liverpool is such a great place to work,” he says.

“I’m so lucky that I walk to work and I’m right in the middle of things on Bold Street. There is such a brilliant independent scene here.

“Sadly in London the creatives are moving out and chains take their place.

Rents are so high and a mortgage is impossible for lots of people in those industries.

“So you see more and more people coming to places like Liverpool, because it’s possible to set up your own thing here, to do well and to have a life outside work.

“I loved London, but Liverpool is definitely home now, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Sean’s recipe

Onion bhaji veggie Scotch eggs Ingredients Sausage meat 275g mushrooms finely diced 195g carrots grated 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 medium onion finely diced 2 garlic cloves finely diced 1 small red chilli diced 10g ginger grated 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 200gm breadcrumbs 1 handful of freshly chopped coriander Salt & pepper 4 eggs or 4 pieces of firm tofu Bhaji mix 60g gram flour 60g plain flour 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Salt and pepper 2 medium onions finely sliced All these ingredients are available from LIV Method 1 Bring a pan of water to boil, add eggs and cook for six minutes. Remove and place eggs into ice cold water. Peel and set them aside. Vegan option: use firm tofu, cut into squares and shape as an egg.

2 Finely chop the mushrooms, onions and garlic (or use a food processor and pulse until small). Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan and soften ingredients for 10-15 minutes. The mixture needs to remain moist.

3 Add red chilli, grated ginger and dried spices and cook for a further minute and then remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle add breadcrumbs, carrots, coriander, salt and pepper.

At this stage the mixture should be moist and stick together, if it is not slowly add water until moist 4 For bhaji mix put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir in just enough water to produce a thick smooth batter, then add the two onions, finely sliced.

5 Take a handful of the Scotch egg mixture and spread it across the palm of your hand, place the egg or tofu in the middle and shape the mixture around it.

Chef’s Tip: Wet your hands before you do this to stop the mixture sticking 6 Heat the cooking oil in a fryer to 180 degrees (to test the heat of the oil, drop in a cube of bread it will gently turn brown if it is the right heat).

Coat the eggs in the gram flour and dust off the excess, then drop in bhaji mix and then carefully lower into fryer. The onions will spread out, that is fine. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Lift out and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Season with salt to taste before serving 7 Garnish with sumac and zaatar.

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36 goodtaste

The Grillseekers

I

Why we’ve gone crazy for that taste of the Deep South

t’s hard to move for American diners these days. Time was, not all that long ago, when burgers were simple, plain and homogenised - the kind of thing you’d serve at a seven year old’s birthday party with little complaint, but not really seen as grown up food.

Now, in our post-Man v Food world, hip, young UK restaurateurs are obsessed with authentic American menus - the kind you only really find off the beaten track in roadside diners and remote gas station cafes.

Every other new restaurant opening seems to offer burgers, chilli fries, ribs and corn dogs, but as with every genre, there are some that do it far better than others.

Southern food is all about the low and the high. On the one hand, it’s a smoked brisket sandwich, devoured beneath the glare of an overhead fluorescent light at a stand-up counter in Austin, Texas.

On the other, it’s a perfectly cooked steak, savoured with a tumbler of

bourbon, at a damask-draped table in Charleston, South Carolina…

For the guys behind Hickory’s Smokehouse (their first restaurant opened in Chester in 2010 - a first for the city and for the North) their deep love of the Deep South began eight years ago

Hickory’s meat on the grill when their founder embarked on a road trip across the Southern states, eating at just about every barbecue joint he could afford and meeting characters from every

corner of this diverse melting pot of cultures.

He fell in love with their attitude to food and unbridled hospitality and knew he had to share what he had discovered.

A few years and six restaurants later, (a seventh is due to open in Southport later this year) the team has clocked up some serious road miles and their passion for all things Southern is evident in everything that they do - from the moment you step into the restaurant to your first bite of burnt-end.

Authenticity is absolutely key here so think melt-in-mouth brisket cooked ‘Low and Slow’ as they say for 16 hours or so; the crispiest fried chicken wings doused in lip-smackingly tasty homemade sauce (you can go all out with Suicide or play it safe with Barbecue) and ribs rubbed to ‘fall off the bone’ perfection and you get the idea.

Juicy burgers, stacks of fluffy pancakes dripping in maple syrup, giant cobb salads crammed with crispy bacon, and homemade waffles topped with whipped cream: Southern food is simply glorious and these guys take their art seriously at

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37

from page 37 every single stage of the experience.

Sure we all know if our ribs are great and a side of Mac ‘n’ Cheese topped with pulled pork is always a winner; but what makes a true Southern experience is the genuine welcome you receive.

The well-stocked bars and friendly team - yes, they really do remember your name and your tipple – relaxed outside seating areas, sports zones and additions such as cinema rooms means there genuinely is something for everyone and families are particularly well catered for.

With smokers imported from Memphis and genuine Hickory wood fuelling the flames, every detail of the Hickory’s experience has been carefully thought out.

From the impressive range of bourbons, cleverly designed cocktails, homemade sodas and malty American craft beers to the super-knowledgeable team who have regular research trips to the Southern states, the taste, smells, flavours and overall experience is far more North Carolina than North West.

Over in Liverpool city centre, there are some great favours of true Deep South hospitality just beckoning you in.

Button Street Smokehouse

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Hickory’s boasts some of the finest Southern flavours in the North West Just off Mathew Street, Button Street Smokehouse offers a fun and friendly setting in which to enjoy your meal.

Wall-mounted televisions showing American sports, neon lighting and bright and colourful graffiti-covered walls add to the lively atmosphere.

The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and the menu is packed with delightfully homespun tasting food, cooked over flames and full of Deep South flavours. Ribs, pulled pork, fries, classic hot dogs and chicken wings are all up there, but there are some great twists too - don’t miss the pulled pork with cheese on Texas toast and the red hot buffalo wings are absolutely to die for.

For barbecue connoisseurs who love that charred layer of rub and baste that builds up on slowly smoked meats, the BBQ Burnt Ends are a real treat, offering cuts from brisket’s pointed, “burned” end.

Forget blue collar, this is filthy, no collar food, and diners just can’t get enough of it.

Make sure you leave room for dessert too: it does the best peanut butter and

jelly sundae this side of the Atlantic.

There are great food and drink offers on every day of the week – try The Daily Fix Meal Deal - £4.95, 12-7pm Monday to Friday or Happy Hour – buy one get one half price on all wines, cocktails and beers.

Don’t forget: kids eat free every Sunday, so take the whole family down for a taste of American hospitality.

Award-winning BBQ restaurant Rookwood Bar and Cue certainly knows a thing or two about meat.

The Ropewalks eatery was named one of the UK’s top 10 BBQ restaurants

by The Telegraph which heaped praise on their steaks and burgers from Albert Matthews, a Bury family butcher established in 1935, who dry-age all of their beef for 28 days in England’s only Himalayan salt chamber.

The cattle are fed exclusively on a natural grass diet, and the salt-curing process gently draws juices out of the meat, giving it a unique sweet flavour.

If you feel like sharing, The Picky Board serves two and gives a good taster of the menu, with glazed bacon chunks,

Seriously tasty.. the Salt Dog team and, left, one of their dogs

BBQ wings, chipotle wings, fried halloumi chunks, pulled pork nachos, onion rings, BBQ sauce and chipotle mayo, or there’s the Sticky Board, which serves two to four and has baby back ribs, glazed pork belly, braised short rib, chipotle and garlic wings, pulled pork, sticky sausages and house ‘slaw.

Monday nights are steak nights, with a full rack of Baby Back ribs in a coconut, rum and chilli glaze, served with beef dripping chips, BBQ chicken wings and house slaw for £10.99.

Tuesdays are Burger Nights, with two for one on all burgers - take a friend or order two to yourself.

At the top end of Seel Street, Slims Porkchop Express is your perfect, allAmerican cool diner.

From the exposed brick walls to the old school reclaimed chairs and tables, everything about it feels cinematic.

You want to sit there all day, drinking bottomless cups of coffee – or, when the time comes, a Maple Rye Sour, complete with rye whiskey, maple syrup and whiskey barrel bitters.

The sister venue to Salt Dog Slims (as well as the other Graffiti Spirits cool siblings) it offers a fun and unique British take on backyard American BBQ. It may look like a hipster hangout, but it’s impossible to remain cool in the face of its seriously tasty food.

Don’t miss the chicken and waffles, a Harlem classic from the 1900s, and the ultimate New York comfort food. Choose from sweet, savoury or hot.

The BBQ trays are well worth trying too, offering different combinations of pulled pork, brisket, Baby Backs, Beef

Rib, Kornflake chicken, house sausage, Coach Bombay Fries, BBQ corn, mash, pickle slaw and sweet potato bread to share. Sharing aside, it has a wideranging menu of home-cooked food, from buns and patties to Lo Pan Fries, a combination of deep fried salt and pepper siu mai, curry sauce, spring onions,

chilli, topped with homemade char sui and sriracha.

If hot dogs are more your thing, don’t miss Salt Dog Slims next door. As well as a great range of cocktails, they offer some truly dirty dogs which are well worth a try.

Y’awl come back now!

‘Green Angel’ from Rookwood

CONTACTS Hickory’s West Kirby, Village Rd, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 3JN, 0151 559 3123, www.hickorys.co.uk, www.twitter.com/hickorys_, www.facebook.com/ hickorysmokehouse/ (chester/rhosonsea/westkirby) and www.instagram.com/ hickoryssmokehouse Button Street Smokehouse, Button St, Liverpool, L2 6PT, 0151 294 3208, www. buttonstreetsmokehouse.com, www.facebook.com/ButtonStreetSmokehouse, www.twitter.com/SmokehouseLpool, www.instagram.com/buttonstreetsmokehouse Rookwood Bar and ‘Cue, 14 Back Colquitt St, Liverpool L1 4DE, 0151 709 0999, www.rookwoodliverpool.co.uk, www.twitter.com/RookwoodBar, www.facebook.com/ RookwoodBBQ, www.instagram.com/rookwood_bbq Slim’s Porkchop Express, 85 Seel St, Liverpool, L1 4BB, 0151 709 5439, www. slimsporkchop.com, www.twitter.com/SlimsPorkChopEx, www.facebook.com/ slimsporkchop, www.instagram.com/slimsporkchop

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39

Drink Cornish brewing company, Skinner’s Brewery, has launched a Beer Tasting Kit – designed as an aid - if one were needed - to an evening of beer tasting: helping lots of beer lovers discover much more about what goes into those great ales before they arrive in your glass.

Skinner’s has been running beer tasting events at its CAMRA Kernow Pub of the Year 2017 The Old Ale House for the past eight years with great success.

Steve Skinner says: “Our beer tastings sessions in The Old Ale House have been really popular and we’ve seen many a happy punter walk – and sometimes stumble – out of these doors with more knowledge and understanding of what makes a great beer. We thought we could make this experience available to a wider audience and help beer lovers everywhere hold fun events where they can discover more about the beer they drink.”

The kit can also be used by the beer trade too.

The original kit was planned as a training pack for bars and pubs that serve Skinner’s beers.

The Beer Tasting Kit is £19.99 from www. skinnersbrewery.com.

Britons, famously, love prosecco: we drank 38 million bottles of it last year. But, with such popularity comes a price - winemakers were allegedly sending over the cheap fizz to Britain, in the belief that price was more important than quality here - and all that fizz quickly became a bit flat.

In a bid to end all that, a new DOCG prosecco, Ombra Di Pantera, has launched in the UK. DOCG is the highest classification for Italian

wines, denoting controlled production methods and guaranteed wine quality. Within the prosecco-producing region of northeast Italy, only vineyards between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are afforded DOCG status, where winemaking methods have been refined over a thousand years and the vertiginous hills require harvesting by hand.

Ombra Di Pantera, Prosecco Superiore Brut Millesimato DOCG is available at £24.99 per bottle online at: www.ombradipantera.com.

Autumn favourite: white

Autumn favourite: red

There was a time, not all that long ago, when English wine was the butt of jokes, and given the inferior quality, possibly deservedly so. Today, however, thanks to a combination of climate change, increased wine knowledge and more investment, British wines are flourishing.

In the last decade the number of acres planted with grapevines in England and Wales has grown by 135%, according to the English Wine Producers trade body, and over the next 12 months UK wine producers will plant a record 1 million vines, increasing production by 2 million more bottles of wine annually.

Devon-based Lyme Bay Winery is celebrating this month after achieving a BRC Global Standard with a Grade A rating - the only English wine producer to currently hold this accreditation. This follows on from being awarded a number of high profile drinks awards over the past few months, adding to its already impressive reputation as a leading English wine producer.

Its Chardonnay is a well-rounded dry wine, with subtle buttery flavours and aromas of peach turnover and honey.

There is also a small portion of Bacchus Wine, which adds layers of flowers and pineapple. Drink it with any kind of fish or shellfish, or on its own.

Lyme Bay Winery Chardonnay 2015 is £16.45 to take away at Delifonseca Dockside deli.

Ruby red in colour, with a beautifully floral and fruity nose, II Bruno dei Vespa is flying out at San Carlo on Castle Street.

On the tongue there’s a hint of spice, vanilla and white pepper to this stunning IGP red, leading to a long and fresh finish.

Structured and velvety, this wine is a perfect autumnal allrounder and can be paired with any dish, including meat, fish and cheeses. It’s currently on the restaurant menu at £27.80.

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Drink

Jane Clare

Summer may seem a long way away, but September and October often provide us with some gorgeous sunny evenings, the perfect opportunity to enjoy an aperitif or a digestif al fresco.

Aperol Spritz is Italy’s favourite aperitivo and is made by mixing Aperol with prosecco and a splash of soda in a wine glass full of ice and a slice of orange.

Bright orange in colour, Aperol has a unique taste deriving from a secret recipe that has remained unchanged since its launch in 1919.

If you haven’t seen it yet in one of Merseyside’s many licensed premises - Ma Boyle’s is doing it on tap - it’s definitely one to try.

With its refreshing, but bitter-sweet taste, it’s perfect to enjoy after work with friends, or sitting out in the garden before dinner. For an even more authentic Italian experience, enjoy alongside cicchetti small plates.

Aperol Spritz: Fill the glasses generously with cubed ice First pour 3 parts of prosecco (75ml) over the ice Then, pour 2 parts Aperol (50ml) into each glass in a circular movement Finish with a dash of soda (25ml) Garnish with a slice of orange.

If your tastes are more tropical, Koko Kanu is the UK’s leading coconut white rum, imported from Jamaica. With coconut continuing to be one of the nation’s favourite ingredients, Koko Kanu (Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose, £19) adds a contemporary twist to well-loved cocktail recipes, from the Koko Kolada, a surprisingly simple skinny alternative to the Pina Colada, to the Koko Mojito and Koko Daiquiri. It’s a great choice if you want to be transported back to sunnier climes

Koko Kolada: 50ml Koko Kanu 50ml pineapple juice Sprinke of nutmeg to garnish Simply shake all ingredients over ice and pour into a glass.

Have a drinks recommendation?

Send it to Jade Wright at jade@goodtastemagazines.co.uk

Dont judge the wine by the label Many moons ago, before I was a wine geek even though I don’t think I am a wine geek, I would buy wines based on their label designs. Oooh, an arty label I’d say, let’s buy that wine!

It was a hit and miss affair. The prettiest label in the world can’t disguise a pretty horrid wine. I’ve learnt to move beyond the marketing to read the snippety bits of info which give clues as to what the wine is about. Here’s some thoughts.

Oak - If you see the words “new oak” it will mean that the winemaker has invested a bit of money into the wine which can only be a good thing. New oak isn’t cheap. Think of it as a teabag.

New teabags impart lots of flavours, just like new oak. Oak will add notes of vanilla, spice and toast.

Hand-harvested - If you read that grapes have been hand-harvested, the wine producer has put money into manpower. It could be that grapes are grown on slopes which are inaccessible by machine harvesters, or even better, that human decisions are involved in selecting the best grapes for the new wine to come. I like it when I see this on a label.

Picked in the cool of the night - Many, many grape varieties are picked in the coolest part of the night so they are more stable and the start of the winemaking process is easier; also vineyard workers aren’t struggling in the sun. It isn’t unusual, no matter how poetic it reads on a label.

It’s like a shop putting up a notice “we stacked these eggs carefully so we wouldn’t break them”. I ask myself, was there something more interesting to put on the label about this wine? Possibly not.

Sur lie - This means “upon the lees”. The lees is the residue at the bottom of the fermentation vessel when the yeast has finished its busy-body challenge of turning the grape sugars into alcohol.

Some winemakers leave the new wine sitting on top of the lees occasionally stirring it. This will add a creamy mouthfeel and more depth.

Have fun browsing x Jane Clare runs wine tastings in Merseyside. To book, or follow updates, find Jane online as One Foot in the Grapes, phone 0779 512 1003, or email jane@onefootinthegrapes.co.uk Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers

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OUT to LAUNCH The launch party of the world’s first Liverpool Collection cocktail list took place at NYL at Aloft on North John Street. Guests partied to live music while sipping a selection of new cocktails and food treats.

Wine expert Jane Clare launched her One Foot in The Grapes wine tastings with a masterclass style event at The Chancery on Paradise Street. Jane talked a group of oenophiles through a variety of sparkling wines, looking at the differences between Champagne, cava and prosecco. She’s offering tastings, for details call 07795 121 003.

Izakaya in Castle Street opened its doors for a series of evening events, showcasing its Japaneseinspired menu and impressive cocktail list.

The Alchemist in Brunswick Street celebrated its first birthday, rounding off a successful year. Guests enjoyed some classic signature cocktails and canapes whilst a DJ injected some birthday cheer to the proceedings.

Over in Chester, modern Greek eatery, Olive Tree Brasserie on Watergate Street Row celebrated its first birthday too. Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas joined the party, which included a four course meze menu and music from Daniel Sings.

42 goodtaste

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Copenhagen Ahead of Graffiti Spirits opening their new food market on Duke Street, co-founder Matt Farrell draws inspiration from a food and drink fuelled trip to the Danish capital

C

openhagen is quickly emerging as the go-to spot for a relaxing gastronomic city break. Last year the city set its own record of 26 Michelin stars, as well as its first three Michelin starred restaurant.

NOMA, named the ‘world’s best restaurant’ four years in a row, is widely renowned for the reinvention of Nordic cuisine.

But it’s not all about stars and white linen. The Danes have a word for the cosiness of the soul – ‘Hygge’ – and there are plenty of places to fulfil this in the Danish capital.

Where to eat?

44 goodtaste

For a relaxed evening, try the Meatpacking District in Vesterbro. Still in parts used for its original function, it is now a cool mecca of independent restaurants and bars - arguably the city’s most interesting and lively culinary area.

There are options for every palate.

Warpigs Brewpub (Flæsketorvet 25) a popular all day micro-brewery for the craft beer and the smoked meats lover, everything here is brewed or smoked on site.

For pizza devotees check out the authentic wood-fired pizzeria Mother (Høkerboderne 9).

One of the best seafood joints in the city, with décor to match, Kødbyens Fiskebar (Flæsketorvet 100) is packed

The main focus at restaurant Kompasset, far left, is smørrebrød – open sandwiches.

Left, raw food at Gråbrødre Torv in the centre of Copenhagen raw, vegetarian, vegan. 100 percent plant-based gastronomy with deckchairs in the summer months.

Bæst (Guldbergsgade 29) is a buzzing neighbourhood restaurant, located in the trendy Norrebro, from the same stable as popular organic Michelin restaurant Relæ (Jægersborggade 41).

Think minimalist organic Scandi design and sharing tables, coupled with some show-stopping meat hanging cabinets. All the baking for Bæst is prepared next door in popular corner bakery Mirabelle (Guldbergsgade 29), with its perfect spot at the window for fresh morning croissants and coffee.

Take a pit stop at Gasoline Grill (Landgreven 10). Housed in a former petrol station - yet another reminder of the natives’ ability to reinvent - it is now

with an interesting gastronomic profile: a specialist porridge cafe, a homemade ice cream maker, coffee roasters and wine bars as well as 40 art galleries make this an essential part of your journey.

Ruby’s (Nybrogade 10) is housed in a 1740 townhouse in the old part of the city. The layout has the effect of being inside someone’s apartment, which adds to its distinctively homely atmosphere. This bar has set the standards for the city’s rising cocktail culture.

Eco-friendly ... bicycle-based market stall one the best burger spots in town. Get there early as they sell out.

How about a drink?

My favourite area Norrebro has a youthful grass roots vibe and some of the most vibrant streets the city offers. Five years ago, Jægersborgade was a dubious location, now even on its short 150 metre stretch it’s a buzzing cultural hub

Hidden off a bustling main street, Lidkoeb (Vesterbrogade 72b) is housed over three floors in an old pharmacy building.

The slightly rebellious younger sibling to Ruby’s, it is dominated by a long oak bar, with a cosy fireplace and booths. If you’re a whisky enthusiast then their latest addition is a third-floor

whisky hideout, only open at weekends.

The Barking Dog (Sankt Hans Gade 19) interestingly markets itself as a cocktail pub but it’s a touch more than that. The basement bar is a crossbreed of Mexico, tiki and Hawaiian influences.

A cocktail menu with tales to tell and some abundant agave-based drinks couples with a fun relaxed environment.

Craft beers are popular in northern Europe these days.

Mikkeller and Friends (Stefansgade 35), sister to its smaller and somewhat cosier counterpart Mikkeller Bar (Viktoriagade 8), collaborates with other local bars for a varied selection of 40 local ales.

Where to stay?

Sleep on the water in Hotel CPL Living (Langebrogade 1) or for a full hygge experience then Axel Guldsmelden Hotel (Helgolandsgade 11) is only a few minutes’ stroll from the meatpacking restaurants, including a vegan restaurant and an attractive basement spa to rest your weary backside. Staff are enormously welcoming - like many in Copenhagen - and if I have missed anything out I am sure they will fill you in…

Follow Matt on Instagram: @fazmangoes

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The 12 tastes of

CHRISTMAS We’re making our list, and checking it twice… OK, so it’s only September but the best venues book up quickly. Get yours sorted early and enjoy the serene bliss of knowing it’s all organised, and all you have to plan is what to wear and who to invite…

Titanic Hotel – Luxury Dockside Fun

Thornton Hall – The Countryside Christmas

These guys literally have Christmas all-wrapped-up! From fullon party nights featuring their exclusive Fire and Ice theme, to delicious festive lunches, family dining and Christmas Day luxury, Titanic Hotel Liverpool has fabulous festivities in a spectacular maritime heritage setting.

Don’t miss: The super-special Sparkle Afternoon Tea. A traditional afternoon tea with a festive twist. Indulge with a decadent selection of sweet treats and fresh festive sandwiches. Add your favourite seasonal tipple for that extra sparkle. £21 per head, served every day 2-5pm (excluding Christmas Day) Stanley Dock, Regent Rd, Liverpool L3 0AN, 0151 559 1444, www.titanichotelliverpool.com

Nestled in the heart of the historic village of Thornton Hough on the Wirral, this stunning hotel, bar and restaurant oozes Christmas spirit. It’s one of those restaurants which fills even festive curmudgeons with all the joys of the season.

The Lawns restaurant, presided over by chef Chad Hughes, offers festive fine dining while party people are well catered for by the Christmas Party Nights held in the Torrington suite, complete with its new orangery.

Don’t miss: The Christmas Carveries. Enjoy a festive roast with all the trimmings for the whole family. Meet the Christmas characters and you never know you may even catch a glimpse of the ‘Big Guy’ himself. Adults £26, children under 12 £10, children under five, £5.

Thornton Hough, Wirral, Liverpool CH63 1JF, 0151 336 3938

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Jam - Perfect for a City Centre Celebration The perfect venue for a sophisticated soiree – the guys here love a party. Great value and with a super choice of festive lunch, dinner, party and canape menus it offers an ideal base for your office party or family get-together.

And for a special Christmas shopping treat, don’t forget the Festive Afternoon Tea! Fabulous value with fizz on tap – it may be better to go post-shopping!

Don’t miss: The live music nights throughout December .

Keep your eyes on social media for more information. Jam, 7-11 Sir Thomas St, Liverpool L1 6BW, 0151 306 2567, www. jamrestaurants.co.uk/ Miracle On Seel Street – Celebrate the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Step inside Santa’s grotto, complete with elves, for bespoke festive cocktails and canapes from Slim’s Pork Chop Express.

Hidden above Salt Dog Slim’s and 81LTD, it’s a completely private space for up to 50 people with a pool table and personalised entry code. There’s no hire fee, and the minimum spend is negotiable on request. Santa’s little elves can personalise your event to your exact requirements.

Don’t miss: The January party nights, which are great for the hospitality industry, who have their Christmas parties after everyone else. Miracle On Seel Street runs from mid-November to the end of January. Call 07803361052 or email info@graffitispiritsgroup.com to book.

Formby Hall - Rocking Around the Christmas Tree Christmas at Formby Hall is all about floor-filler nights, bringing together the perfect festive package of stylish venue, superb food and late night DJ. There are two party night options to choose from throughout December at the resort, which has just undergone a multimillion pound revamp.

The Rocking Christmas Party Night has a three-course set menu, including traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings or a veggie alternative followed by a festive white chocolate and cranberry torte, and then partygoers can dance the night away with DJ until 1am. Prices range from £25-£35 per person depending on dates.

A Festive Christmas Party Night, which is £40 per person, covers those prime dates of December 1, 8, 9, 15 and 16. It features a welcome drink on arrival, three course menu with roast Cheshire turkey, beef or a veggie option, rounded off with traditional Christmas pudding or a choice of festive desserts.

And the party doesn’t have to end there because once dessert is over there’s a DJ to keep the dancefloor full until 1am.

Don’t miss: Stay over from £90 per room bed and breakfast.

Chutney – A Taste of Christmas Spice Trade in traditional turkey for a festive Indian feast at Chutney!

Add some real spice to your festive fayre with their selection of the very finest authentic Indian delights, inspired by the tastes and flavours of the sub-continent.

From their festive tiffin selection and indulgent desserts to their mesmerising range of cocktails and impressive gin bar, team Chutney are ready to add a bit of spice to your Christmas list.

Don’t miss: The Bottomless New Year’s Day Brunch. Inspired by the flavours of the Raj, expect a bit of clever fusion alongside some classic hangover cures. Check social media for more information.

1a Claughton Firs, Oxton Village, Wirral, CH43 5TG, England, 0151 652 0777, www.chutneystreetfood.com.

Bistro Pierre, Jacques and Franc – French Style Festivities A little slice of France in the heart of Liverpool, this little trio of bistros is part of the fabric of the city. Always bustling and oozing with more than a little je ne sais quoi, Christmas at Bistro Pierre, Jacques and Franc is sure to add a little touch of Gallic style to your festive get-together.

A warm welcome and inviting, friendly service is always on the menu and there is a superb range of entrées and plats de résistance on the menu along with some classic French favourites and a good variety of Mediterranean options. From the office get-together to the perfect shopping stop-off, the Prixe Fixe menus offer great value – whatever the season.

Don’t miss: Their Christmas offer: Their 3 course lunch is £15.95 and a 3 course dinner is £20.95. The menu runs from November 24 to December 24. For details see http://www. bistroqui.com/ Hickory’s - Happy Holidays Smokehouse Style Go all out for a full-on Southern-style celebration at Hickory’s Smokehouse in West Kirby. From Thanksgiving onwards the place is literally decked to the nines with garlands, trees, lights and candy canes just about everywhere you look.

Their festive menu is full of BBQ favourites - the ribs are a must here - along with a traditional take on a Southern-style turkey dinner: a mighty festive turkey burger and a range of super-seasonal desserts – we think the egg nog tart sounds pretty special.

Don’t miss: The packed programme of festive events here.

There is something for the whole family from 2-for-1 cocktail and live music nights every Friday to fab themed Breakfasts with Santa and the Frozen Sisters for the little ones. Check social media for updates Frederiks - Share Christmas with those you love Hope Street’s neighbourhood bar and kitchen offers a choice of lunch and dinner menus for Christmas this year. Both are available in an option of two and three courses, starting from £17 per person, and run from 12noon - 4pm and 4pm to 9pm.

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From page 47 Starters include crayfish and prawn cocktail with Marie Rose sauce, mains are led by the traditional turkey, and they also offer 12-hour braised beef brisket with all the trimmings, or a vegan nut roast with mushrooms and spinach. Puds include winter berry Eton mess, a chocolate and hazelnut brownie with marshmallow mascarpone and Fred’s legendary sticky toffee pudding with Disaronno toffee sauce and vanilla pod ice cream.

The venue’s Pillbox space is also available to hire throughout the festive period for private dinners and parties.

Don’t Miss: The sharing menus. If you’re feeling sociable, Frederiks offers guests a sharing menu at £20pp, with a choice of four dishes, including spicy harissa honey-glazed ribs, beef winter goulash, and hot and spicy chicken wings - accompanied by a celebratory glass of prosecco.

Frederiks 0151 708 9574, events@frederikshopestreet.com or www.frederikshopestreet.com

Expect menus to suit every aspect of festive dining from supervalue set menu options to their opulent Christmas Day offering and glittering New Year Celebration Dinner.

Parties are equally well catered for in the beautifully appointed barn – which comes complete with its own minstrels gallery and vaulted ceiling – and their stylish Dine & Disco Evenings combine superb food with the Manor’s legendary hospitality.

Don’t miss: Booking early. To many people the Manor simply is Christmas so make sure you book early if you have a specific date in mind.

The Manor, 91 Greasby Rd, Greasby, Wirral CH49 3NF, 0151 677 7034, www.themanorwirral.com.

The Old Stables, Allerton Manor Golf Club - Perfect Parties and Delicious Dining

Cheese & Co - Glorious Gifts and Christmas Cheese Top cheese chaps and purveyors of all kinds of lovely things, Cheese & Co also offers a range of bespoke festive hampers, packed full of everything you could need for festive entertaining or simply a really thoughtful gift.

The team can create a bespoke hamper or gift box to your personal specifications. Simply choose your favourite cheeses, add some artisan biscuits, a tangy seasonal chutney - and maybe even a bottle of wine or two - and you have a perfect present that is good enough to eat!

Don’t miss: All those amazing cheeses, and the accompanying chutneys and wines. www.cheeseandco.com The Manor - The Traditional Christmas With a reputation for superb quality food and service, The Manor is a Wirral institution.

It’s been in the same hands for 30 years but the owners and chef director behind this dining destination have continually developed the offering with exciting new dishes packed full of seasonal flavours, created with the finest ingredients.

Christmas here is beautifully traditional – housed in a 300year-old former farmhouse, the building is bursting with festive charm. The contemporary interior still oozes luxury and no expense has been spared on the fixtures and fittings.

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Allerton Manor is only a 10-minute drive from the city centre but it feels like a world away. With a sweeping driveway and stunning grounds, The Old Stables restaurant offers a magical Christmas to remember.

The venue’s new Hayloft function suite will play host to a series of superglamorous party nights, with fabulous festive food, dreamy decorations and dancing until late – it is the perfect Christmas package.

The stunning Stables restaurant also provides the perfect backdrop for any festive feast At £15.95 for a two-course lunch, £19.95 three-course lunches and £25.95 three-course dinner it will leave a bit left over for the Christmas presents.

Don’t miss: The Early Booking Deal. If you book for a party of eight or more with deposits before the end of October the party booker gets a £50 voucher to redeem in the New Year.

0151 428 7490 Allerton Manor Golf Club Allerton Road Liverpool L18 3JT www.allertonmanorgolfclub.com/restaurant

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

NEW LUNCH MENU NOW BEING SERVED

Passion for pasta

Combo deals for weekday lunches

AROUND THE WORLD IN COCKTAILS If you haven’t managed to jet off this summer or your Autumn diary looks as dreary as a wet Wednesday, you can still take your taste buds on a ‘world tour’ with the all-new cocktail collection at Around The World.

Made your way

Part of the Bierkeller complex in Liverpool One, this buzzing bar has already gained a reputation for its international beer offering, and now its new cocktail menu boasts some equally exotic mixes, which will transport your tastebuds to more exotic locations…

General Manager Sean McGuire says: "Our guests really do love their cocktails and are quite knowledgeable when it comes to the different varieties.

"We wanted to offer a real holiday feel to our new menu as well as paying a nod to some of the old-time classics and we hope we have got the balance just right."

http://atwbar.com/liverpool

Whether you fancy a trip west to Long Island for a refreshingly authentic iced tea or heading east for a fruity Singapore sling, these cocktails will transport you around the globe.

See the full range at http://atwbar.com/cocktails.

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The last word Sir Paul McCartney, musician and food campaigner, talks about Meat Free Mondays

Many of us feel helpless in the face of environmental challenges, and it can be hard to know how to sort through the advice about what we can do to make a meaningful contribution to a cleaner, more sustainable, healthier world.

Having one designated meat-free day a week is a meaningful change that everyone can make, that goes to the heart of several important political, environmental and ethical issues all at once.

We tend to think that what we have always done is what we always will do in the future.

I say, ‘How boring is that?’ Can’t you look at your life and go, ‘You know what? I think I might fancy a change.’ I try to turn people onto that excitement.

Say, for example, you’ve never done exercise and then suddenly you think, ‘I am going to get a bike. I am going to go riding!’ The minute you do this, you love it and feel good about yourself.

Well, it’s the same thing with your food choices: You make that choice and realise, ‘Wow, this is making a difference for me, the world, for people.’ I persuade people that it is a really exciting point in your life to say, ‘I’ve done X for all of my life up until now, and now I am going to do Y. I am going to make a change, and let’s see how it goes’.”

For a selection of delicious and creative recipes from top chefs and celebrities, visit www.meatfreemondays.com

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