MENU THE DAILY POST FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE AUGUST 08
Something for everyone
Malmaison’s head chef
Indian summer
New addition to Wirral dining scene
Oriental delights Bringing Beijing to Berry Street
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DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
fresh
try it . . .
Have a coffee break ■ WHETHER we’re catching up on the latest gossip, sitting in a business meeting, chatting with our friends, or taking a quick break while out on some retail therapy, moderate coffee drinking may be more beneficial for our health than we think. According to new research, moderate coffee consumption (4-5 cups per day) can actually be good for you, protecting against cognitive decline and certain other neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In the North West, 11% of us drink five cups each day in the North West, 71% drink coffee to relax and 68% coffee may be addictive.
IMAGINE the surprise of one Walkers fan when she found a crisp shaped like Gary Lineker’s head. The ready salted snack had two circular sections on either side that the Leicester telephonist thought resembled the ex-Everton player’s ears. A spokesman for the real Gary Lineker described the discovery as a “fantastic coincidence”, considering how many years the Match of the Day presenter has featured as the face of Walkers Crisps.
HANDPICKED Potted Cornish crab, £3.95, from Waitrose’s new Seafood and Eat it range
food facts
■ CELEBRATE the summer with a glass of Champers at Room, where there is a sale on Champagne and wine. Until September 21, visitors to the restaurant will receive 50% off house Champagne (Pommery Brut and Rosé) by the glass and by a bottle. There is also a 30% discount on all other Champagnes and wine by the bottle or glass, including Lauquita Sauvignon Blanc for just £13.30 (normally £19), Sancerre Domain La Croix for just £22.40 (normally £32) and Meursault Maison 2005 for just £45.40 (normally £65).
THE electric blender was invented in 1922, just for making milkshakes
heading here
food facts BEAUJOLAIS Nouveau is always released on the third Thursday in November THE Wirral Food and Drink Festival is back for another year on Sunday, August 24, and Monday, August 25. More than 100 producers will descend on Claremont Farm, in Bebington, where there will be a specialist wine and cheese area, chefs’ demonstrations, a children’s area offering activities for all ages from planting seeds to learning pottery skills, and live entertainment. Local exhibitors include The Pie Mill, Mawson's Traditional Drinks, Mary’s Cakes and The Cheese Shop. Entry to the festival is free, but there is a £5 parking charge per car. More details are available at http://www.wirralfoodfestival. co.uk/
■ WHAT’S Cooking is returning to the Albert Dock, 24 years after it first opened there. Creating 50 jobs, the family-friendly restaurant will take up residence at Queen Elizabeth Hall – where This Morning used to be filmed – complete with courtyard area for outside eating and its own audio-visual experience, What’s Cooking TV, promoting events across the city. Owners Guy Lawrenson and Duncan Ryalls will be using the new Albert Dock restaurant as a template for future branches of What’s Cooking. They currently run restaurants in Heswall and Chester.
Dinner date Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Alan Rickman (for his wit), Bill Bailey, right, (for his sense of humour) and probably Richard Armitage (who played Guy of Gisburn in
Maggie Mullan
Maggie Mullan is a Liverpool-based partner in Austin-Smith: Lord architects Robin Hood) for unashamedly aesthetic reasons! Who would be your nightmare guest? Any of the Spice Girls. What would you serve? Probably something Italian. Oysters to start, then pasta
puttanesca. No dessert as I’m not a big fan and it keeps the dishes down. What would you all drink? If I had those guests, they could have anything they like! I’m a wine fan – either Viogner or a Barolo.
What would be the topic of conversation? I love a good debate and, if everyone enters into the spirit of it, anything goes (as long as it’s not Big Brother). Who would do the washing up? I would worry about that much, much later!
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DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Chef’s Table
A passion for cooking The new head chef at Liverpool’s Malmaison tells Nadina Osmani about his culinary ethos
P
Malmaison Scouse
INGREDIENTS Diced lamb, carrots, onion, and potatoes. Chicken stock. METHOD Cook the lamb until golden brown, then take it out of the pan. Add diced onions, then diced carrots and half of the diced potatoes you intend to use. After these are added, put the lamb back into the mixture and add the chicken stock over. Bring this to the boil, and then simmer for two hours. The next step is to add the other half of your diced potatoes, then simmer the whole thing for another 35 to 45 minutes. Finally, season with salt and pepper, and you’re done.
UTTING the best of English produce on a plate is how Paul Smith describes his job at Liverpool’s Malmaison
Hotel. The new head chef at the restaurant’s award-winning brasserie, Paul explains his ethos is to “treat food with respect and never over-complicate a dish.” However, uncomplicated never means uninteresting, and simple dishes such as his pork and apple croquettes are all painstakingly prepared and presented to perfection. Paul admits it takes several hours simply to braise the meat. Greenwich-born Paul’s own passion for cookery began in his youth. When he was 18, he could be found in the kitchen cooking Sunday lunch at home with his grandmother. “Roast beef and crispy potatoes,” he recalls, his voice laced with happy memories. Now 32, Paul’s style of cooking and, indeed, his dishes are an inspired mix of elements from his past, combined with fresh local produce. He spent three months in Lyon and a further three months in the south of France working at various different restaurants. His CV also boasts a lengthy spell with the Roux brothers in their two Michelin-starred restaurant in London. At Malmaison, in Liverpool, Paul presides over two different menus, the a la carte brasserie menu and the popular Homegrown and Local Menu, where all the produce is sourced from businesses as near to the restaurant as possible. A glance through the homegrown menu finds such locally-inspired dishes as “Grilled Ormskirk wild mushroom”, “Ballotine of Goosenargh chicken leg” and “Port of Lancaster smoked haddock shepherds pie’” alongside desserts like “Mille feuille of rhubarb” creating a hybrid of fancy French technique and rustic English foods. For the past six months, he’s been making sure his kitchen team have the basic classic French techniques and dishes in place, and gradually adding more sophisticated flourishes. “Malmaison means ‘house of ill repute’ in French, so there is already that French base,” he says. “I try to promote English food as much as I can, cooking with techniques like marinading meats in red wine if they need to be or salting them. Confit of duck leg, for example, will be salted for one day and then cooked for a long time in goose fat.” Working for an up-market hotel brand creates its own challenges. “Half the dishes are Malmaison staples, which you will find at all their hotels, like the Malmaison burger, fish and chips and the steaks.
Chef Paul Smith uses the best of English and French cooking in the Malmaison kitchen “You have to be careful because the clientele aren’t there for the restaurant experience – they might be in Liverpool primarily for the football or Capital of Culture festivals. “I try to inject a bit of ‘wow’ into the standard dishes via presentation. For example, fish and chips is served in a basket, steak comes on wooden boards, and there are black slates for the chicken liver parfait, while pasta comes in copper pans.” The other half of the menu is up to Paul to develop dishes and tailor them to whatever proves a hit with local audiences. One of those he’s introduced has been Scouse, served with pickled beetroot and crusty bread. It’s a recipe belonging to the grandmother of one of his sous chefs, cooked simply just as she cooked it, and is a huge hit. Other tried and tested favourites have been pizza, burger, fish and chips, and recently spring rolls. “Spring rolls seem to fly out, whatever filling I do. I’ve done black pudding and pineapple, confit of duck and ho sin sauce, cous cous for vegetarians, and rhubarb and ginger. “Anything in garlic butter sells well, too.” Apart from one dish, that is . . . “I had a supplier of snails I used when I was in London and I used to sell lots of them down there, and frogs legs as well. “Even though they were with garlic butter, they just didn’t sell.” Paul sees his job as coaxing his team to produce more challenging dishes, while not losing sight of the basics. Already he’s seeing more customers than three months ago visit Malmaison for three courses, rather than just two. “I want to bring everything back to basics again and improve it bit by bit, and not push forward too quickly,” he says. “Every day, I keep trying to push them to create something better than the day before.”
DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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Our rich tradition of Ch As the athletes limber up in Beijing, Emma Pinch looks at how Chinatown has given Liverpudlians’ tastebuds a work-out over the years
G
OING out for a Chinese is as unremarkable these days as a trip through the Mersey tunnel. Ever since exciting taste juxtapositions like hot and sour and sweet chilli appeared on tables used to drab brown stews, we’ve been hooked. When Chinese food first arrived in Liverpool, it was with a less universally appealing menu. But it was fascinating and strange, and, if you know where to go, you can still try it today. The earliest known Chinese eating house was Pitt Street, which opened somewhere between 1910 and 1920. It was part of the first Chinatown which grew up following the arrival of Chinese sailors in 1866 on steamships carrying silk and cotton direct from Shanghai. Chinese sailors would stay at a boarding house owned by shipping line Alfred Holt & Co, and bring preserved Chinese staples with them. The quiet, shy Chinese, often pigtailed and clothed in baggy smocks, kept themselves to themselves and dined on the supplies of food they had brought from home. Soon, enterprising residents opened shops selling whatever was brought over on the ships, like Mr Kwong’s Kwongsang Lung Grocery Store, on Pitt Street, one of seven by 1906.
Fine Dining & Internaional Modern British Cuisine
Old street scenes from Liverpool’s famous Chinatown district, above and below, right
One of Wirral’s Finest • Award winning Chef / Patron • Reputation for Mouth-Watering, Innovative Cuisine • Carefully Sourced, Fresh, Local Produce • Friendly, Professional, Attentive Service • Extensive A` La Carte Menu • Table d’hote Menu - 2 Courses Early Bird Tuesday to Thursday Before 7pm-£12.50 After 7pm-£14.50 Friday £14.50 all night Saturday £17.50 all night Add a homemade desert Tuesday - Friday £3.95 - cheese £4.95 • Vegetarians / Allergies Catered • Open Tuesday to Saturday Evenings from 6pm • Please call for a copy menu or reservations
0151 632 6241
20 BIRKENHEAD ROAD HOYLAKE WIRRAL CH47 3BW
New Capital staff, from left: Frances Lee, Jackie Li and Alvin Yap, with a tasty selection of dishes
Picture: COLIN LANE/ cl010808chinese-5
Businessman Brian Wong owns a Chinese grocery called Hondos, in Chinatown, which still sells foods which would have been eaten at the time. “It took three months to get it here, as they had to sail round Cape Horn, so everything was preserved or salted,” he says. “They would cut a couple of slices from salted fish and eat it with rice and a lot of soy or plum sauce. For vegetables, they would have pickled mustard greens, dried cole – pak choi boiled then dried in long strings – preserved turnip, which was steamed and served with beef, and they’d always bring dried Chinese mushrooms.” Protein also came via sticks of dried beancurd and thousand-year eggs – duck eggs “cured” for 100 days in a clay-like mixture of strong tea, ashes, lime and salt, and eaten in slices with sweet pickled vegetables. “They are dishes that are still enjoyed today,” says Brian, who also organises Liverpool’s Chinese New Year celebrations. “Salted fish or fried dace (mud carp) in a container with a bit of ginger and eaten with a bit of rice. Delicious.” There were 3,200 Chinese men on shore in 1918, mainly from Hong Kong and Guangdong province, and a handful of cheap eating houses provided for them. They gained a reputation for cheap, flavoursome food. Foo Nam Low’s, in Pitt Street, served ham bows and, for a few pence more, you could have chicken wings or legs, while a jug of chop suey was a bob. The Chinese, meanwhile, went for rice juk – boiled rice with stock, dung choi (Chinese cabbage) and meat, often completed with an egg and spring onions. The 40s saw Chinatown’s migration away from the docks up to Nelson Street, and the 1950s saw a shift from launderettes to restaurants as the economic mainstay. Brian Wong remembers washing dishes at his uncle’s restaurant, The Central Restaurant, in Nelson Street, in the early 60s, to earn
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DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
hinese cooking
Cupboard love AFTERNOON tea is back in vogue and, with more tea varieties on offer than ever before, it's time to enjoy this quintessentially English ritual with the most glamorous china. Even the simplest sponge cake or cucumber sandwich will look mouthwatering on one of Soizick's brightly-coloured cake stands or plates (stockists 020 7384 9722 or www.soizick.fr). WE’VE all suffered from smelly fingers after crushing garlic with a regular press, and we’ve all struggled to wash the utensil out afterwards. The Eva Solo Garlic Press and Jar pushed the clove through a series of slits, rather than holes, making it easy to clean. Unused garlic cloves can be stored in the glass jar. Priced £44.95 from www. silvernutmeg.com
THESE Pony & Rider shaped cookie cutters are great fun for creating tasty morsels with the kids during the summer holidays. It also comes with a free horseshoe shaped ice cube tray. Priced £7.99, from www.westway.com
Brian Wong with a display of mouthwatering Chinese foods
PIcture: COLIN LANE/ cl010808chinese-2
money for driving lessons: “We were busy at lunchtimes then, because workers would come with their luncheon vouchers. For lunch, we did a cream soup like chicken or tomato, then a main like chop suey (another American dish, ‘everything’ this time with rice), and every chef had to learn to make jam tarts and apple pie. Office girls could buy three courses for half a crown.” By the 80s, Peking restaurants had emerged, alongside the old-style Cantonese. Most now boast a mix of styles from different regions, each of which is fond of a specific flavour. “In Sechuan province, the mid-west and the interior, where the weather is hot and humid, they like hot, spicy food,” says Brian. “Whereas, in Peking
and Shanghai, they like sour, pickled tastes in dishes. The Cantonese in the South, like Hong Kong, prefer salty and sweet.” Now, with the pan-Asian offerings and the hotter tastes of south-east Asia becoming popular, many Chinese restaurants make a good slice of their money from the after-hours student market, to whom quantity is a big draw. If it has homogenised some restaurants, it is at least keeping up a tradition stretching back nearly 100 years – quickly cooked, richly flavoured food that costs little and fills the belly. ■ THE New Capital Chinese Restaurant is at 5 – 9 Nelson St, Liverpool. Tel 0151 709 1427 for bookings. emma.pinch@dailypost.co.uk
The Chinese kitchen THE Lee family has run the New Capital Restaurant, in Nelson Street, since 1974. Fat Ying Lee, a former chef in Hong Kong, and his wife, Hung Mui Lee, came from Tap Mun island, in Hong Kong. They are Hakka – historically from midChina but over the centuries migrated all over – and New Capital’s specialities, as well as the all-purpose staples like shredded chilli chicken and salt and pepper ribs, are Hakkanese specialities
like slices of glistening pork belly with taro – a sweet, powdery potatolike root vegetable that grows in marshland – steamed with preserved vegetables, and salt fish with chopped pork and spring onions, “English people like Chinese food because it is very tasteful, but not too spicy or hot,” says Mrs Lee. “Also, it’s a sign of the acceptability of Chinese culture.” Cantonese food is traditionally fresh and light, and bite-sized
T A S P A A P S A T
dim sum is a favourite among Chinese diners. Standard dim sum includes steamed dumplings filled with minced prawn, tripe, pork or beef, vegetables and steamed buns, spring rolls, squid and turnip cakes. “In Hong Kong, we go to the tea house and eat dim sum between 5am and 9am, and all read papers with Chinese tea,” explains Brian Wong. “Dim sum means ‘point to your heart’, meaning it’s your favourite.”
Chinese diners are typically more adventurous than their English counterparts, partly because many meats are regarded as medicine in China. “I love duck web and duck tongue,” says Brian. “And I love birds nest soup abalone – seasnail – layered with lettuce and Chinese mushrooms.” The main ingredient is the cup-like nest fashioned from the salva of cave swifts in SE Asia. The nests are dissolved in water to make a thick soup..
NOW OPEN
Au as p the a T ntic freshly prepared
Lunchtime Offer 2 Tapas £5.95
Monday - Friday 12.00pm 3.00pm Open Saturday 12.00pm - 10.30pm Closed Sunday
14 BACK COLQUITT STREET ARTHOUSE SQUARE (NR FACT, OFF BOLD ST) LIVERPOOL L1 4DE
0151 709 0999
DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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Eating out
Daringly different Glyn Mon Hughes discovers an excellent addition to the Wirral dining scene
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Quiet refinement is the order of the day at Vindaloo
Picture: PAUL HEAPS/ ph050808jvindaloo-3
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BOUT a year ago, a banner appeared above an empty local shop unit announcing that a new Indian restaurant was on its way. And then nothing happened – until a friend said that the new place was to be an up-market offering. Then, suddenly, Vindaloo was open for business and everything Kate had heard was true. Up-market it certainly is, both in terms of ambience and food offering. It’s not one of those places which makes money out of the lagerfuelled louts whose sole knowledge of Indian cuisine is to swallow throatsearing concoctions in the early hours. And the decor is quietly refined, modern minimalism and a far cry from wildly patterned carpets, flock wallpaper and murals of grinning tigers leering at diners as though sizing them up as tasty morsels for an evening snack. Even better, this place is a minute or so walk from our home, which means that we’ve already been three times – once to sample the a la carte, once to try out the buffet, and once to order a takeaway. So far, we’ve not been disappointed. On our first visit, we did make the mistake of failing to realise the place is not licensed, and that Sainsbury’s directly opposite had already closed. However, one member of staff offered to go to a nearby off-licence and bought us some wine and, thinking that was above the call of duty, the restaurant then didn’t even charge corkage. I really wish more places did BYO, since wine lists are frequently restricted and expensive. But with that Sainsbury’s, and an Aldi just seconds away, diners at Vindaloo have a highly comprehensive and indisputably good value wine list available. Our first visit sized the place up, and we were impressed with the fast and attentive service as well, for a place which looks set to do well on the quality of the offerings and value for money. Initial strategy was risky, however, as we asked for pappadoms and the chutney and pickles tray (£1.60), which included onion salad, a delightfully subtle mint yoghurt, garlic mayonnaise – somewhat unusual for an Indian restaurant, perhaps – as well as an excellent sweet chilli chutney and lime pickle which actually tasted of something rather just than leaving your mouth in need of a fire extinguisher. Risky because pappadoms, often fatty and salty, can leave you bloated and ready to turn away
subsequent courses. But these were light and chutneys subtly different and tantalising. Hedging our bets, we chose to share starters, tucking into shami kebab (£2.75) which was dense with finely minced lamb, not overpowered with chillies but with some fragrant herbs which brought the meat alive. Mark asked for vegetable samosas (£2.20) which were, again, light and full of vegetables. Most of the usual offerings one will encounter at an Indian restaurant were there, though the chaf bee-ran sounded delightful: lamb chops smothered in ginger, garlic and mixed spices grilled until the spices have been absorbed and then wrapped in thin white bread. On this occasion, for main course, I opted for king prawn dhansak (£7.95), a massively generous portion of prawns and a sauce which was fruity, hot and sour but not overly spicy, which would kill the delicate flavour of the prawns. Mark went for murghi masala (£7.95) in which tandoori chicken is served on the bone with minced meat and egg in a medium spiced sauce. “Again, delicate,” he said, “and far from the blow your brains out variety of curry. This would not offend anyone. It’s great for lovers of Indian food and someone keen to venture into new tastes would find this good.” We did ask for boiled rice (£1.50) and pilau rice (£1.75) along with chanaa bhajee as a side order (£2.25) – a combination of chickpeas with onions and tomatoes in a lightly-spiced sauce. On another occasion, we shared the chef’s signature dish – nawabi raan (£8.95) – in which two large lamb shanks, both generous in proportion and cooked to perfection as they fell off the bone, were served in a delicate spicebased sauce, with finely chopped onions, peppers, coriander, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. The result is a finely balanced combination of special and subtle tastes expertly combined and a must-have if visiting this place. Most produce is locally sourced, and the chef seems to make adventurous use of fruit in his cooking. “I also use herbs which I grow in my own garden and bring in every day,” said one manager, “and we grind and combine all our own spices.” Another time, we went for the buffet (£9.95 per person) although this is a little unpredictable. Each dish is delivered in only small quantities, so everything is freshly prepared, but there’s no indication what you’re eating. “Some indication would be good,” said Mark, “and there should be a chilli strength indicator of the hotness of the dish.” That came after he’d bitten into a green bean, only to splutter over a particularly lethal green chilli. Dishes on offer – and this varies – include chicken madras, tikka masala, korma, dansak, pathia, though there seems to be a preponderance of poultry with neither beef nor prawns. There are also mixed vegetables, chickpeas, Bombay potatoes, lentils, rices and a range of popular starters. There’s no doubt this is an excellent addition to the Wirral dining scene and daring to be that bit different should serve it in good stead in the future.
Vindaloo VINDALOO, 387 Woodchurch Road, Prenton, Wirral, CH42 8PF. Tel: 0151 609 0666.
uncluttered. Value for money: Buffet (£9.95 per person) excellent, a la carte good.
Service: Fast, courteous. Ambience: Refined and
Menu: Much the same as anywhere else, but with some
interesting “signature” dishes hidden in there – and well worth sampling. The bill: On this occasion, £27.95, not including the wine, which came from elsewhere.
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DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sommelier – Mathew Sloane
I
’M STARTING to feel that this summer couldn’t get any worse. Gladiators is back on our screens, Big Brother seems to get longer every year, the “credit crunch” has left most of my clients with a face that could sink a thousand tall ships, and if I see the “c” word – the one that rhymes with vulture – pinned onto another irrelevant and cynical venture, I’m liable to explode in a tirade of long-lost expletives that could curdle cement and seriously upset my butler. Evidently, there are enough things to irritate my sensitive, inner child without this damnable weather. Just as I move into a stunning penthouse flat with a cheeky bit of roof access, July decides to play its monsoon card – Mr Rapid must be clocking up a fine trade with omenconscious Ark builders. With all this to endure, it would be forgivable to migrate from these battered shores for a fine old time in one of those magical, sunny places that hasn’t yet discovered the filthy euro, but I implore you to stand fast, glass in hand, wellies in waiting, wallets brandished and address books at the ready. It is our duty, as hedonistic madmen, to drag as many of our comrades kicking and screaming into the plethora of smashing establishments who will cartwheel through a ring of burning sharks to get your hard-earned fivers during these torrid times. Thursdays are the new Fridays, according to shouty types on commercial television, so get your rain-sodden dancing shoes down to Vinea, on the Albert Dock. They’re doing a marvellous, French Cabernet Sauvignon from the Languedoc for two quid a glass. This lovely red gear has plenty of fruit and body to accompany the rather splendid live music on offer at this cheeky little wine bar. Rumour has it they’re also knocking out a decent drop of Pinot Grigio for the same daft price. These
offers are for Thursday evenings only, I may well see you there – look out for the over-dressed bon viveur banging out Elvis tunes while dodging empty bottles. For a well cheeky dinner offer, running right up until September, the lads and lasses at 60 Hope Street are doing a silly priced offer that simply has to be taken or I’ll have the lot of you severely dealt with – “Taste of Summer” let’s us have two courses for £14.95, or three for £17.95, and they’ll throw in a bottle of Pasos De La Capula Tempranillo Rosé for two to share. With 60 being on my doorstep, I’ve been paddling in this deliciously fresh, fruity plonk for a few weeks already. The offer runs until September 13, so I’m looking forward to responsibly enjoying a few more cases over the next month or so. You’ll have to call one of the charming phone-jockeys at the restaurant on 0151 707 6060 to find out times and such, book now, invite me if you like. Now that I’ve taken care of your next few weeks’ entertainment, I’ll furnish you with a bit of advice with regards to the original point of this life-changing column – matching food and wine. The first and only important rule is that there aren’t really any rules – what may work for my weathered palate may not suit that of the more refined and reserved among you. Next time you spark open a bottle of vino, swirl some of it around your mouth and imagine what food you would like to be eating alongside it, repeat this process often. Write down your ideas and try them out. Use your long-suffering pals as gastronomic guinea pigs, and ask for opinions. Before you know it, you’ll be dandying around town casting aspersions and waving your vinified wand about demanding column inches in your local newspaper. My secret is out.
Best bar none
Raven BETWEEN diamond necklaces and diamond waters sits a very different kind of gem. Raven, an Irish American Grill and Beer Hall, is an emerald establishment on the Britannia Pavilion of the Albert Dock. The two-floor bar and restaurant is unpretentious and welcoming, where you will never feel underdressed or too old. It goes against the conventions of Albert Dock bars, replacing cocktails and chandeliers with pulled pints of Guinness, wooden floors and light Irish folk music. And why not? In daytime, its rustic charm caters to family dining, while at night it plays well to its Irish spirit, providing a place that anyone can go and have a good time with a good drink. Rows of wooden tables and benches fill the place nicely, while
cosy atmosphere is created by candle-lit tables, next to shelves of carefully chosen items – leatherbound books, pottery, picture frames, which almost make the place feel like home. The bar boasts rows of wide-screen, plasma televisions that usually show live sport, further adding to the classical appeal of the establishment. Meals here are very traditional Irish pub food. Entrepreneur Rob Gutman, who owns the bar, described it best as being about “Guinness, Champagne, steaks, soda bread and oysters.” However, it is not clichéd and, contrary to its decor, doesn’t feel wooden. ■ RAVEN, Britannia Pavilion, Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 4AD. Tel: 0151 709 7097
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DAILY POST Tuesday, August 12, 2008
NEW TO THE GULSHAN • Stylish & air conditioned Lounge Bar.
The
GULSHAN
I N D I A N R E S TA U R A N T AND L O U N G E B A R
• Indian style Tapas now available in upstairs lounge - the first of its kind in Liverpool
• Champagne & Cocktail Bar • Private functions catered for
Established 21 Years
Enjoy fine dining in our newly refurbished downstairs restaurant.
Open 7 days, 5pm - 11pm Booking recommended, particularly on weekends.
544/548 Aigburth Road, Liverpool L19 3QG Telephone: 0151 427 2273 Visit us on the web at: www.gulshan-liverpool.com