Menu, Liverpool Daily Post food and drink guide, January 2009

MENU THE DAILY POST FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE JANUARY 09

Catering for all tastes

Museums chef’s tough task

Perfect Host

The finest Asian cuisine

Brewing up a storm The brave new world of tea drinking

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

fresh

Ditch the diet HALT the detox for just few days to give yourself time to check out Merseyside’s newest chocolate shop.

Chocolate Cellar, at Hanover Galleries, on Hanover Street, Liverpool, sells a range of confectionery, including chocolates shaped like stilettos and superlambananas.

It also provides a range of services including tasting parties, workshops, custom-made corporate gifts and wedding chocolates and cakes.

As well as the Liverpool branch, there is a shop at 3 Brandon Street, Birkenhead.

Find out more at www. thechocolatecellar.co.uk

try it...

UNOPENED, new Moo One per cent keeps for up to six months and contains just 1% fat, but all the taste of semi-skimmed milk. It’s 75p from Sainsbury’s and Tesco

■ PLAN ahead and get your Valentine’s booking in early.

The Living Room, on Victoria Street, Liverpool, has come up with a menu that’s perfect for a special romantic dinner-fortwo.

On arrival, guests can choose from a complimentary cocktail or glass of Prosecco and then

cosy up together at their table to await their three-course meal. Priced £37.50 per person.

The bar-restaurant is also taking bookings for its Grand National race day breakfast, available on all three days of the Aintree Racecourse festival.

For bookings and menus, visit www.the livingroom.co.uk

food facts MEL BLANC, the man who played the voice of Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots

food facts SWEDEN is the largest consumer of ketchup

Tasty treat EVEN those unlucky VIPs who didn’t win a Golden Globe earlier this month were given an award – in the form of a chocolate statuette for dessert.

Stars, including Beyoncé, right, were treated to an organic feast, created by chefs from the Beverly Hilton hotel.

To start, the guests were served California Field Green Salad with white asparagus, crisp apricot dill and poached pear with maple syrup, followed by beef tenderloin with green tea pearl sauce, or Asian-style sauteed sea bass, sherry wine yuzu pepper sauce and grilled king oyster mushrooms.

■ GUSTO is relaunching its Healthy Living Menu, which means that, even if you are sticking to a strict diet, you can still enjoy a meal out.

Developed in association with a nutritional biochemist and Adidas Wellness clinics, it features fresh organic ingredients and does not include excessive fat, sugar or salt.

The menu states the nutritional information of each dish, as well as which are good for an active healthy heart, will boost the immune system, are calcium rich, detoxifying, energy boosting or low in carbs.

There is also a Complete Health Menu which provides three-courses totalling fewer than 700 calories.

Gusto has restaurants in Heswall, Wilmslow, Knutsford and the Albert Dock, Liverpool. Further details from www.gustorestaurants.uk.com

■ JANUARY sales aren’t just restricted to shops – Liverpool’s restaurants are getting in on the action.

Chefs at 60 Hope Street have created a set menu for just £18.50 per person, available until February 28 (not including Valentine’s Day) from 12-7.30pm. Choose three courses and get a complimentary bottle of Domaine du bosc Chardonnay, or Shiraz South of France, to share between two people. Book on 0151 707 6060 or www. 60hopestreet.com

Dinner date Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Jack Bauer, from 24, John McLean, from Die Hard, and Batman.

Russell Silverman, of Haines and Watts

Russell Silverman, 51, partner at Haines and Watts chartered accountants Who would be your nightmare guest? Sir Alex Ferguson, or Fiona Phillips, from GMTV. What would you serve?

Nibbles, in case they have to rush off in an emergency.

What would you all drink?

I would drink lager. The others would need a clear head for fighting bad guys.

What would be the topic of conversation? Fighting terrorists

and crime, and whether their TV and film releases show enough of their sensitive side.

Who would do the washing up?

Batman‘s butler, Alfred.

Kiefer Sutherland, as Jack Bauer

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Chef’s Table

Something for everyone Laura Davis meets the head chef at National Museums Liverpool, and discovers how he manages to create dishes for all tastes

I

F THERE’S one thing guaranteed to make Gordon Ramsay’s head spin round and smoke come out of his ears, it’s chefs who don’t know who they’re cooking for.

Country pubs trying to tempt the traditional Ploughmans brigade with bite-size starters of caviar blinis, or expensive city centre restaurants that fluff their presentation.

But what if your customers come from every age group, from all backgrounds and all countries? What if some want a pie and a cup of tea, while others demand three-course fine dining?

This is the challenge that Nigel Paul Smith, National Museums Liverpool’s executive chef, has to overcome on a daily basis. He oversees the cafes and restaurants within the organisation’s Merseyside venues, as well as its corporate entertaining arm.

“If someone’s coming here from Mexico, they don’t want a chilli con carne. I think it’s only us English who go to Spain for fish and chips,” says the father-of-one, whose partner, Natalie, runs a chain of restaurants in Manchester.

Visitors to NML’s museums and galleries, which include the Mersey Maritime Museum, The Walker and World Museum Liverpool, come from all over the world to marvel at the fine collections of paintings and artefacts.

For this reason, Nigel, 40, feels his menus should be part of the attraction.

Many of the dishes have a local feel, including Lancashire Hot Pot and a range of “posh pies” with fillings such as steak and ale, or bangers and mash.

Ingredients are sourced locally – beetroot from the Ribble Valley, vegetables from a farm near Southport, beef and lamb from Hesketh Bank.

The abundance of good quality local produce is one of the things that tempted Nigel to relocate to the area from London, where he was working for Tate Catering, helping to plan the restaurant that will sit inside Tate Modern’s new extension.

Nigel Paul Smith believes the menus at the NML venues should be part of the attraction

Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY/ at090109achef

Before that, he was the executive chef of London caterer Chester Boyd, which ran a public cafe at Buckingham Palace last summer, and ran his own restaurant in Essex with his partner, Natalie.

His first job in Liverpool was as head chef for Upstairs at the Bluecoat, which opened last year, and he moved to NML last October.

Since then, he has been revamping the attraction’s menus, to bring each one under a single vision, and working on expanding the conference banqueting side. All profits are fed back directly back into NML. The banqueting suite at the Maritime Museum can seat up to 200 people, while the other venues cater for up to around 50 guests.

“I think there’s a massive market in Liverpool for really strong banqueting and for restaurants in general,” says Nigel.

“The next five years are going to be really interesting for food, as people’s palates change and new places open.”

30th Jan

STEPHEN FLETCHER

6th Feb

THE GREY TWINS & DJ

lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk

Lancashire Hot Pot INGREDIENTS (serves 4) 3 necks of lamb 1 ltr chicken stock few sprigs thyme 40g diced turnip 40g diced celeriac 60g diced carrot few sprigs of thyme 100 ml chicken stock 500g white onions, sliced 1 star anise 50g butter 500g potatoes, cut into discs 200g clarified butter METHOD 1. Trim the necks, removing

most of the fat, and saute them to get a rich colour while seasoning well.

Place in a casserole dish with the chicken stock and thyme, and braise for 2-3 hours at 150°C. Leave to cool.

2. Saute the turnip, celeriac and carrot to get a nice colour then add the chicken stock to cook them through.

3. Saute the onions in the butter with the star anise and cook until very soft. Remove from the heat.

4. Poach the potatoes in the warm butter until soft.

5. To build the dish, line a ceramic or cast iron pot. Place one quarter of the diced vegetables in the bottom, then one eight of the onion, then a layer of potato, then the lamb that has been sliced.

Add a layer of onion, then potato, lamb and finish with a final layer of potato.

As you build the layers, top up with cooking liquor from the lamb and season each one.

6. Cook in an oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until the potato is golden brown.

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

4

Cups of cheer from th Laura Davis tastes the difference in the brave new world of tea-drinking

P

Fine Dining & International Modern British Cuisine

Phil Kirby, above, says there is much to learn on the subject of tea; right, the four basic varieties of leaf

One of Wirral’s Finest

BURNS NIGHT (25th January) Celebrating on

Monday 26th January

6 Course Scottish Menu Featuring “Robbie” Scottish Piper

£26.95 per head

Winter Offer

2 Course Table D’Hote Menu

Tues-Thurs B4 7pm £12.50. After 7pm £14.50 Friday £14.50 All Night.

Saturday £17.50 All Night.

Tues-Fri - Table D’Hote Menu.

Add a homemade dessert for just £3.95

Extensive A La Carte Menu A SELECTION OF DISHES FROM THE WINTER A LA CARTE MENU

Choice of 3 Home Made Soups prepared daily £4.95 Sauteed Chicken Livers en Croute £6.95 • Warm Winter Fruit Compote £6.95 Orkney Scallops Three Ways with Coconut Soup £8.25 (also available as main course £17.95) Chateaubriand (serves 2) £39.95 • Mixed Grill £17.95/Mini Grill £14.00 Corn Fed Chicken and Asparagus £15.50 Eaton Estate Venison Steak £17.50 • Wirral Pheasant Breasts £15.75 Tenderloin of Pork & Blackpudding Roulade £16.95 John Dory Tout Paris £17.50 • Spaghetti Peprinchino £15.00 Wild Mushroom Lasagne £15.25 Home Made Chocolate Fondant Seduction £4.95 Julian’s Bread and Butter Pudding £4.95 Home Made Cappuccino Meringue and Mocha Ice Cream Sandwich £4.95 British Cheese Board £5.95

0151 632 6241

20 BIRKENHEAD ROAD HOYLAKE WIRRAL CH47 3BW Awarded Taste Liverpool Highest Quality Assured Accreditation and Made in North West Accreditation

People are usually surprised to find out that all types of tea come from the same leaf

HIL KIRBY stirs his pot anti-clockwise – or “widdershins”, as they used to say in the Middle Ages when describing the habits of witches.

Does this make him some sort of tea sorcerer?, I wonder, as he hands me a cup of a green concoction that could easily be liquidised eye of newt and toe of frog.

But, no, it’s actually a tea latte – one of the celebrities of the brave new world of tea-drinking, along with tea smoothies, that the British are gradually opening their eyes, and trusting their tastebuds, to.

Tea, it would appear, is the new coffee, and there is much to learn on the subject, as I discover on Phil’s two-hour tasting session – a sort of Tea 101 if you like.

“People are usually surprised to find out that all types of tea come from the same leaf,” he begins, indicating a plate on which the four basic varieties are displayed.

First, there is black tea, the sort used to make the more traditional blends. After picking, the leaves are left outside for one hour to oxidise and then placed in an oven to dry out. This not only gives it the strongest flavour of the four varieties, but also the greatest concentration of caffeine.

Oolong tea is also left to oxidise, but this time just for 30 minutes.

Beforehand, the leaves are rolled up and resemble twisted knots of thick thread.

“White is the most expensive kind of tea you can get,” explains Phil, owner of Brew cafe, on St Paul’s Square, in Liverpool’s business district.

“Only the leaves from the top of the plant are used, because they’re the freshest and have the cleanest taste.

They are picked before sunrise and air dried.”

Pickers of green tea, on the other hand, can afford to be less fussy about timing. The leaves are dried in an oven, as are those used for black and oolong tea, once the oxidisation is complete.

Although your average tea drinkers may be unaware of all this, they can taste the effects of the different processes as soon as they take a sip.

“Green and white teas are so delicate that they are usually drunk by themselves, but black and oolong teas are mixed with other flavours,” says Phil, 27, who opened Brew last autumn after deciding to give up a career as an accountant.

“As for which should have milk added – the answer is black tea and that’s it.”

In February, Brew will be expanding its already well-stocked selection of varieties to include a further 12.

Among them are a chocolate/chilli blend (in my opinion, surprisingly refreshing; the chilli flavour coming through more strongly with each sip); Valentine’s Tea (a mixture of rose petals, rosehip, hibiscus and passionflower that smells of Turkish delight but tastes subtly perfumed); Fruit Punch (a vermilion infusion of orange peel, lemongrass, hibiscus, strawberry and rosehip that is potently fruity).

Eventually, I can put it off no longer.

It’s time to taste the witches’ brew.

Surprisingly, the tea latte doesn’t taste of seaweed or spinach – probably because it doesn’t contain either, but is actually made of tea leaves ground up into a vivid green powder – and, if you don’t think of it as tea, but as an alternative to hot chocolate, it’s surprisingly easy to find yourself under its spell.

■ FOR more information on events at Brew visit http://www.brewteabar.co.uk/ Another Liverpool tea shop, Leaf, in the Contemporary Urban Centre, Parliament Street, is holding a tea tasting master class this evening.

Tickets cost £7, book on 0151 707 7747 or www.thisisleaf.co.uk lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk@dailypost.co.uk

One of Wirral’s Finest Fine Dining

International/Modern British Cuisine

Julian’s Restaurant in Hoylake were delighted with October’s edition of Menu.

“Just wanted to say a BIG THANKYOU for looking after us. Our full page advert in today’s Daily Post is absolutely fabulous.We will be changing where we advertise next year and will be advertising much more frequently in the Daily Post.We hope you continue the Menu theme for 2009.

Thanks again.

Jackie and Julian” 20 BIRKENHEAD ROAD, HOYLAKE, WIRRAL CH47 3BW Open Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm 0151 632 6241

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

he tea sorcerer

Cupboard love GET the New Year detox off to a good start with this stick blender, by Ainsley Harriott.

It takes up little storage space and is easy to clean so is perfect for whipping up a smoothie in the morning or some vegetable soup for dinner.

Priced £39.99 from Matalan.

MATRIOSHKAS, or Russian dolls, seem to be everywhere at the moment.

This pretty tea towel design will add a splash of colour to your kitchen.

Priced £9.99, from www. beckyandlolo.co.uk

YOU either love it or you hate it – but even those people in the second camp have to admit this box would come in handy.

And, of course, you can put sandwiches of any variety in it so there’s no need to hold your nose if Marmite just isn’t for you.

Priced £5.99, from www. gifttogo.co.uk

Tea drinkers can taste the effects of the different processes as soon as they take a sip

Smooth tastes THE days of ordering a simple “tea for two” could soon be in the past as more “Starbucks-style” tea shops are created.

Instead, you could ask for a tea smoothie – made from cold milk, fruit and powered tea (and I am assured it is surprisingly nice) – or one from a board of many different varieties and flavours, a bit like you do in coffee shop chains.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a celebrity, then Puerh tea is the choice for you.

Victoria Beckham swears by it, according to rumour, because it helps her stay thin and younger looking.

Puerh is to tea what Port is to wine – it’s aged for years to give a more intense flavour (but I have to report that to me it smells of musty, old furniture).

Some cafes in the London district of Soho charge nearly £200 for a pot of 25-year aged Puerh, but you can buy the 12-year aged variety in some places, including Brew, for just a few pounds.

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

6

Eating Out

A Host of tasty delights Emma Johnson spices up a cold and wet January night with some Asian flavours

I

Dessert was very much on the cards

T SHOULD have been a simple stroll from the shopping heart of Liverpool into the city’s cultural quarter.

But throw in sideways rain and the sort of wind that dispatched Dorothy to Oz, and our walk to Hope Street for dinner had suddenly become an endurance test.

So cold and wet were my husband and I that it took all my powers of persuasion to convince him that our struggle would be worth it, once we reached our destination.

That destination was Host, the newest addition to the family of fine eating establishments on Hope Street, but when we finally staggered inside, soaked and windswept, it looked for a moment like our efforts had been in vain.

“Have you booked a table?” enquired the maitre d’. Hmm, we hadn’t.

Then again, it was 5.45pm and January.

Apparently it would be OK, so long as we were out by eight. I will return to that later.

As we shook off our wet coats, the waitress showed us to a long communal table at the back of the brightly lit restaurant, issued us with menus and explained the Host dining concept.

The menu is a mix of Asian dishes sampling Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Malaysian cuisine.

You can either order a bunch of small plates to share – or go down the traditional route and order a starter and a main. Oh, and you all sit together.

Think of it as a posh Wagamama and you have probably got the gist.

While we got our heads around the food, a waiter took our drinks order.

A Tiger beer (£4.50 – and it was a huge bottle), a bottle of Pinot Grigio (£17.95) and some still water (£3.25), although when our tablemates ordered a bottle we discovered you can also specify tap water.

After a bit of discussion, we decided to order three small plates as starters and a main course each.

That walk had given us both quite an appetite.

From the small plates, we chose the duck gyozo dumplings (£3.50), the beef teriyaki with salad (5.75) and a small portion of the bang bang chicken salad (£4.25).

For my main course, I picked the red curry with duck and rice

Host has joined other fine eateries on Hope Street

Host ■ VENUE: Host, 31, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9HX ■ Tel: 0151-708 5831 ■ Interior: 21st-century modern and minimal, communal seating.

■ Service: Very helpful and friendly.

■ Value: Main courses aren’t cheap, but the cost is up to you really.

■ Opening times: Lunch 123pm Mon to Sun. Dinner: Mon to Sat 5 -10.30pm; Sun 5pm-10pm.

■ Disabled access: Yes. ■ Bill: £70.60 for three courses with wine, beer and still water

The restaurant offers a communal dining experience, with an eclectic mix of Asian food

Pictures: ANDREW TEEBAY/ at090109bhost

(£9.50), which the waitress assured me was only medium hot, while my husband chose one of the specials – hot and sour braised beef with cassava and rice noodles (£9.25).

We had been warned by our waitress that the food would be brought to our table as soon as it was ready, to maximise the freshness, and sure enough it was just minutes before the first dish arrived.

The duck dumplings were fabulous.

Four little pasty-shaped bites filled with slightly spicy and rich duck and a portion of soy sauce.

We were only halfway through when the other two starters came.

The bang bang chicken was served cold with a fantastic Chinese salad and thick satay-style sauce, and there was a lot of it.

The teriyaki, meanwhile, was utterly delicious just lightly seared

and truly melt in the mouth wonderful.

As I saw the waitress heading over with the main courses, the table was starting to look a little crowded – not the best when you are sat just a foot or so from the next diner – but we ploughed on.

My curry came in a clay pot and I could smell it before I could see it. Wow! Alongside it was a small bowl of sticky rice.

Across from me, my husband’s beef and noodles were sloshing around in a giant bowl bursting with pak choi, chilli and beansprouts.

The beef looked and tasted great – although chopping the beef a little smaller could have helped on the chopstick front, we left the table in quite a state.

As for that cassava, the waitress had described it as a sort of Chinese potato which was a fair description.

What she didn’t mention is that it sucks every drop of moisture out of your mouth when you eat it.

However, it did taste great.

I was also making quite a mess, dripping my curry into the rice.

The curry tasted incredible, slightly spicy with an almost aniseed aftertaste, and there seemed to be an endless supply of meat.

Now, we should have stopped at this point, ordered coffee and gone home.

But when two fabulous-looking chilli chocolate brownies arrived in front of the couple seated next to us, suddenly dessert was very much on the cards.

After asking the diners whether it actually tasted of chilli (it does slightly – but in a good way) my husband ordered the brownie (£4.50).

It came with a candied chilli on top, which you have to taste to

believe – and a dollop of ice cream – and he declared it his best ever. I decided to throw myself under the healthy eating wagon and order the banana and marshmallow spring rolls (£4.25).

And I savoured every calorieladen spoonful.

As the clock ticked towards 7.15pm, my thoughts returned to the maitre d’ earlier in the evening.

Her concerns were clearly unwarranted.

There is no lingering over your food here.

If you do want a slower dining experience, however, I would recommend ordering as you go, rather than all at once, as you would do in western restaurants.

Suddenly it was time to head back out into the storm but, with a bit of Asian fire in our bellies, taking on the elements would be a much easier affair. emmajohnson@dailypost.co.uk

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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Sommelier – Mathew Sloane

A

NEW year and all of my resolutions are still intact.

That said, the only one that you, my fellow wine aficionados, need to be concerned about is that, this year, I shall be embarking on a journey to seek out new wines, to discover new civilised libations, to bawdily go where no one has been for at least a week or two. Welcome aboard my trek to find stars of the world of wine that have been forgotten, disregarded or hidden in dark cellars by evil grape crushing madmen for aeons.

I have, in columns past, joined with many booze spectators and speculators in the long-standing debate over wine with Chinese food and, admittedly, like an unimaginative buffoon, I deftly jumped onto the Gerwurztraminer/Riesling wagon and tethered my withering reputation to its tattered old frame with much enthusiasm. I am not suggesting that a decent swig of Alsace or German Riesling doesn’t sit well with some wellprepared Oriental fodder but it’s a tired, old partnership in need of a rethink – think Fern and Phil, Keith and Orville, Sir Alex and the Football Association.

It was a cold, December evening when I decided on a visit to one of the city’s finest restaurants with the city’s finest guitar bending folk artist, John Smith, and a burning desire for a night of great food, brilliant wine and sweary banter.

The Yuet Ben always delivers the necessary ingredients for a storming dinner and, on this occasion, Terry Lim and his cohorts played an absolute blinder. Terry has always offered a stunning wine list to complement his menu, but this time he introduced me to a forgotten world, a whole new realm of giggling juice for me to explore.

Campania, in southern Italy, is regarded as one of the oldest wine-

producing regions in the world. The Greeks, taking a break from wearing smart helmets and acting hard, planted vines in the area around 3,000 years ago, around about the same time as Ken Barlow ordered his first cheeky half in the Rover’s. You will hear of some strange-sounding grapes in the region – Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, Piedirosso and dozens of others. It was the daddy of them all, Aglianico, that we were lucky to have a gargle of, paired up with the almost pornographic deep fried breast of lamb. Aglianico is believed to be the ancient ancestor of the Rhone Syrah and also the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine we tried was far more complex and fragrant than any of the wines made from its distant grandchildren that I have tasted. Earthy, dark, brooding, almost malevolent – if Darth Vader was a bottle of wine, he’d be Aglianico – like a woman from the wrong side of the tracks, you know you want to but feel naughty as soon as you pick it up.

With a mouthful of the best cooked lamb I’ve eaten in decades and a hearty swig of this southern Italian masterpiece, I could almost forget the meandering nonsense being spouted by my dinner guest – as if Iron Maiden are better than Zeppelin, some people should stick to cherryade.

I’m hoping Terry will add some of these ancient wines to his already superb list. Until that lucky day, ask him if he has any cheeky bottles under the counter for you to enjoy with dinner.

Oat Crusted Potato Cakes with Bacon

Quick recipes for tasty breakfasts I

The Yuet Ben always delivers

Best bar none

Chameleon WITH its bold interior and unusual cocktails, Chameleon is Liverpool’s hottest new nightspot.

The venue opened last month, and its central location, behind FACT, on Back Colquitt Street, makes it an ideal destination on a night out.

Managing director Matt Lawler is actually a dentist by trade, but thankfully Chameleon does not have a dentist’s chair in sight.

However, the bar does have a slight medical theme – the inspiration for its design was taken from Damien Hirst’s short-lived Notting Hill restaurant, Pharmacy.

The artistic background of Chameleon’s birth shows

throughout the interior, with its monochrome spiral-patterned walls, brightly coloured velvet furniture and all-white minimalist bathrooms.

And the drinks menu is just as creative, with a selection of cocktails based on some of the nation’s favourite desserts.

This week’s favourite is a

Lemon Gingerbread and Ice Cream Martini, for £5.50.

But, if Bakewell Tartinis and English Trifle Milkshakes aren’t your thing, then fear not, as more traditional beers, wines and spirits are also available.

The venue has its own stage and promises live music every night of the year. A weekly acoustic night takes place on Tuesdays, with an acoustic showcase on the first Wednesday of every month.

So, if you’re after a laid-back atmosphere, with good music and contemporary surroundings, then Chameleon is the place to be.

■ CHAMELEON, 7-9, Back Colquitt Street, Liverpool; Tel: 0151 707 0283

CAN’T understand people who don’t eat breakfast.

I’ve never been able to figure out how they can get themselves to work or school – or even just functioning at a basic level – without filling up for the day ahead.

While the famous “Full English” might have fallen out of fashion, with most health experts agreeing that loading up on saturated fat might not be the best way to start the morning, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day.

“A healthy breakfast can give you a head start by benefiting mood, physical and mental performance, weight and health,” explains sports dietitian Jane Griffin.

“As well as recharging the body and brain’s energy reserves, a healthy breakfast provides essential nutrients which, if missed, are less likely to be compensated for during the other meals of the day. So, the old proverb ‘breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper’ still holds true.”

But, if you’re not sure what a “healthy” breakfast looks like (no, it’s not a takeaway coffee and a chocolate muffin), you can take some inspiration from Farmhouse Breakfast Week, which starts on Sunday.

Whether you’re a savoury or a sweet sort – or even if you prefer your breakfast in liquid form – we’ve got some great recipes to tempt you out of bed and into the kitchen in the mornings. If you’re really lucky, someone might even bring it to you in bed!

WHEATY RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE Ingredients (serves 2) 150g raspberries 2 wholewheat biscuits 450ml semi-skimmed milk 50g low fat yoghurt 1tbsp clear honey Method 1. Place all the ingredients in a smoothie maker or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and serve chilled.

2. Any soft fruit combination such as strawberries, blueberries or

BY LUCY CORRY blackberries can be used to replace the raspberries, or use flavoured yoghurt.

FRUITY GRANOLA WITH RHUBARB a 8Ingredients (serves 6) 450g jumbo porridge oats 50g flaked almonds 75g mixed seeds 1tbsp honey 200g dried fruit 400g rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces 2tbsp caster sugar Method Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

1. Mix together the oats, almonds, seeds and honey and place on a large baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before mixing in the dried fruit.

2. Meanwhile, place the rhubarb and sugar in a saucepan with 3tbsp water and cook for six minutes, until softened. Serve with the granola and milk or yoghurt if required.

3. Try using different dried fruits for variation, such as mango, pineapple, apricots or prunes.

OAT CRUSTED POTATO CAKES WITH BACON Ingredients (serves 4) 1kg floury potatoes, diced e.g. King Edwards 75g porridge oats 50g wholemeal flour Rapeseed oil for shallow frying Local smoked back bacon, allow 2 rashers per person, grilled Method 1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain, return to the pan and mash, allow to cool slightly.

2. Stir in 50g oats and flour and season well. Press into eight round potato cakes and coat in the remaining oats. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the potato cakes four at a time, for two minutes on each side.

3. Serve topped with grilled bacon.

4. Add grated Cheddar cheese and herbs to the potato mix for extra flavour and serve with scrambled eggs. This is an ideal way to use up leftover mashed potato.

8

DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Advertising Feature

Tso’s Oriental Buffet Restaurant

Taste sensation for New Year W

Celebrate Chinese New Year in style at Tso’s Oriental Restaurant

ITH Chinese New Year fast approaching, where better to celebrate than Tso’s Oriental Buffet Restaurant?

One of Liverpool’s premier allyou-can-eat Chinese restaurants, Tso’s is conveniently located in Queen’s Square – right in the heart of Liverpool’s bustling city centre – and offers both exceptional value for money and first-class food.

On the mouth-watering menu, you will find a vast array of over 60 delicious Oriental dishes with something to tempt every taste.

Choose from sensational starters, such as crispy spring rolls, wantons and sui mai, to a fantastic feast of main courses including tender beef in pepper sauce and succulent ribs, as well as vegetarian and seafood dishes – plus, there is a fully licensed bar serving a wide choice of drinks.

The grand buffet, on throughout the week from 6pm to midnight, also features a selection of extra dishes including aromatic duck and tiger prawns in ginger and spring onion. Tso’s is also renowned for its excellent selection of superb desserts, including their famous toffee apples, fresh fruit and cake.

Tso’s takes great pride in

Relax and enjoy fabulous food and the elegant interiors at Tso’s using the finest ingredients in all of its dishes and, since it opened in 1994, has established an enviable reputation for providing fresh, high-quality food.

It’s not just the fantastic cuisine that keeps customers coming back time and time again however.

Elegantly decorated in a traditional Chinese style, Tso’s seats up to 200 people and is equally famed for its attentive service and friendly waiters – not to mention its fantastic party atmosphere over Chinese

New Year – and attracts diners from right across the region.

A real highlight in Tso’s calendar, the restaurant will be celebrating the Chinese New Year on Sunday, January 25, and the party will be in full swing, with lion dancers providing entertainment.

And with special buffet prices at just £7.99 all day, with kids eating at half price, everyone can afford to join in.

Just a stone’s throw away from the bustling shopping streets, Tso’s is also a great place to stop off for a quick lunch or tasty

evening meal. With prices for the all-you-can-eat buffet lunch starting at just £5.95 before 4pm, Monday to Saturday, you’ll find it hard to find a better deal.

Diners are advised to book their table for Chinese New Year early to avoid disappointment, as the ever-popular restaurant is sure to fill up quickly.

■ START the Chinese New Year in style at Tso’s Oriental Buffet Restaurant, on St John’s Lane, Queens Square.

Call 0151 709 2811 for further information or to reserve your table today.

ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH BUFFET CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR £7.97 ALL DAY

£5.95

Mon - Wed 11.30am-6.00pm Thurs - Sat

£6.50

GRAND BUFFET £8.95

ALL DAY SUNDAY

£9.95

11.30am - Midnight

6.00pm - Midnight Mon - Thurs Fri - Sat

£6.75

4 QUEENS SQ, LIVERPOOL, L1 1HF, OPPOSITE MARRIOT HOTEL & QUEENS SQ BUS STOP 0151 709 2811 WWW.TSORESTAURANT.CO.UK