MENU THE DAILY POST FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE NOVEMBER 08
Hit the heights
Meet Panoramic’s chef
Atomic Kitchen
Liz McLarnon falls in love with flavours
Solo suppers Great dishes for one... or two
DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
2 Advertising Feature
The James Monro
Authentic flavours from the Big Apple B ROUGHT to you by the owners of The Monro, The James Monro, serving authentic New York cuisine. If you’ve enjoyed the fine dining experience at The Monro, you’ll be delighted with the quality dishes at The James Monro, which is set to open its doors on Friday, November 21. The mouth-watering meals combine the freshest ingredients and seasonal produce to create innovative dishes from the ‘Big Apple’. From short ribs, Hudson Valley rabbit and Hangar steak to what any New York style restaurant needs, a succulent pasture-raised burger with Vermont cheddar – the melting pot of New York city is at your fingertips. The accompaniments don’t disappoint either, with huckleberry jus and Yukon skordalia, or fingerling potatoes. There is a fine selection for vegetarians too, with American chestnut ravioli, pistachio dumplings and mixed beets with a carrot and currant slaw. Additionally, The James Monro can also cater for coeliacs and other dietary needs. A vibrant fusion of flavours and textures awaits you, embracing the unique mix that is New York style. And it wouldn’t be New York dining without a mouth-watering choice of
Experience dessert New Yorkstyle at the James Monro, with this delicious Staten Island Stack desserts to tempt those tastebuds, including Southern-style pancakes with caramel bananas, cinnamon butter and vanilla ice cream, Mile High baked cheesecake, Molasses Buttermilk Pound Cake and Mama George’s pumpkin pie to complete your memorable dining experience. The James Monro, situated on Tithebarn Street, Liverpool city centre, follows in the tradition of serving delicious, authentic New York cuisine cooked from scratch. Whether it’s a light lunch, something more special, just a beer or expertly blended
cocktails with friends, look no further than The James Monro. Opening in time to celebrate Christmas ‘New York style’, The James Monro also has a carefully chosen festive menu that is sure to prove a delight whether you’re with friends, family or colleagues. Having become a successful, well regarded restaurant within Liverpool, The Monro in Duke Street was named after the first scheduled passenger service to New York in 1817, which was named after the then US President James Monro. It was therefore fitting to call The Monro’s second restaurant The James Monro. The restaurant offers a complete dining and drinking experience with legendary Stateside service in the heart of Liverpool. Think you know American food? Think again, experience New York style dining at The James Monro, 69 Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2EN, or call 0151 707 9933 to reserve a table or make a Christmas booking. The new website can also be found at www.themonro.com. ■ AS a special opening offer, The James Monro is offering a free bottle of wine per person for customers purchasing a two-course evening meal. Offer runs until December 1.
The James Monro boasts a mouth-watering Christmas menu, including Postrio’s rack of lamb with madeira, rosemary and black olives
The James Monro new
au t h e n t i c n e w-yo r k Re s tau r a n t
From the owners of The Monro in Duke
James Monro 1779
Street, we present The James Monro. Authentic New York cuisine with legendary Stateside service.
Read about this exciting, all NEW quality restaurant celebrating Liverpool’s historic ties with New York and book your table online.
OPENS MID-NOVEMBER Christmas Bookings now being taken Menu now online
FREE American puddings to the first 100 diners such as our Staten Island Stack shown on the left.
www.themonro.com
FOR NEW SPECIAL OFFERS
Visit website for special opening offers, history and NEW ideas for Christmas. 69 Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2EN
0151 707 9933
www.themonro.com
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DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Chef’s Table
Hitting the heights of fine dining Emma Pinch talks to Panoramic’s chef about creating a menu with a difference
Working 400ft up presents unique challenges
BY LUCY CORRY IT CAN be hard to feel inspired about whipping up a gourmet meal for one when it's just as easy to wait for a ready meal to go “ping” in the microwave, or open a tin of beans. Even if you manage to avoid the temptation of resorting to toast, or worse, eating cereal from the packet, one of the frustrating things about cooking for one is the hassle of figuring out how much to make. This is where new book Clever Cooking For One Or Two comes in – not only are the recipes designed for smaller households, but they use fresh ingredients you can buy in the quantity you need, plus a few store cupboard standbys. ■ Clever Cooking For One Or Two is published by the Dairy Cookbook, priced £9.50 (plus £2 postage and packaging from www.dairydiary.co.uk)
H
E ALREADY cooks at one of the highest altitude restaurants in Britain – now Panoramic chef Chris Marshall is seeing his food hitting the heady heights too. Panoramic, which sits on the 34th floor of Liverpool’s West Tower, has been voted 26th best restaurant in the UK in Restaurant Magazine. Judged by industry peers, critics and the public, they beat off the likes of Gordon Ramsey’s Claridges (33), celebrity haunt Hakkason (69) and Jamie Oliver’s 15 (71). And just last week it was packed with popstars and music execs in town for the MTV awards including Kanye West and Estelle. When the restaurant opened in February, Chris, chef director, wanted to create a menu on a par with the best of London’s modern British restaurants, and play with gastronomic trends. Getting the clientele to match their spirit of adventurousness wasn’t plain sailing for the river-view restaurant. Early dishes included lamb rump with sweetbreads, Dublin Bay prawns with slow cooked pork belly, ears and trotters, beef sirloin with bone marrow, scallops with black pudding and skate wings with chicken wings. “It’s been a struggle but we thought, once people do try something a little different maybe they will be converted,” says Chris, 35, who lives in Warrington. “In our first menus we experimented with cuts of meat and we’ve learned a few lessons. Maybe it wasn’t the right time to use pigs ears, but we still try to be a little bit different. It seems to be working slowly. We know we’re in a totally different market to London and we are very well aware we have to cook for the customer not ourselves.” Some or part of the dishes found fans, which was encouraging for Chris and his 11-strong kitchen team. “Skate wings go with chicken, whether it’s chicken mousse or anything,” he contends, “and that was our little take on it. Some people couldn’t get enough of it, others found it wasn’t for them. A lot of people weren’t keen on sweetbreads but they found the
Tasty meals for one or two
RED PEPPER AND TOMATO SOUP (see cover picture) Ingredients 2 large beefsteak tomatoes 2tbsp olive oil 1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1tbsp sun-dried tomato paste Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange 600ml/1pt vegetable stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve: 1tbsp single or double cream, optional Small parsley sprigs to garnish, optional
Chef Chris Marshall at Panoramic with his beef fillet on bone dish
Picture:HOWARD DAVIES/hd031108pan-4.
lamb itself fantastic.” Now the trendy nuances are subtler, like his indulgent version of meat and potatoes. They’ll offer “spumas” between courses – sauce injected with gas to create foams – to edge clients towards new tastes. The lunchtime menu is still experimental and changes every Monday. The beef fillet on the bone is served with truffle potatoes, fois gras, girelle and trompette mushrooms, in a red wine and beef stock sauce. The beef is cooked vacuum-sealed at 52C inside a bag injected with high density foam. Cooking in a pan briefly brings the temperature up to 54C to come out medium rare. “I don’t know anywhere else that serves beef on the bone. With the fois gras it’s a very rich combination and that’s been very, very popular.” Mutton, long out of culinary favour, also sells well. “We also do a bavette of flank steak, which is very popular in
the US. It’s cooked for 24 hours at 54C so it’s pink right the way through.” State-of-the-art kitchen equipment also brings scope for quirky touches. They can’t use gas up in the tower. Instead they have magnetised induction hobs, which boil a pan of water in 28 seconds. “We use some different bits of equipment, like dehydrators to make powders out of scallops for example to put into the pasta, so the pasta tastes of scallops.” Chris never imagined working in Liverpool. “The city is progressing very quickly. We like to keep constantly evolving. We have a lot of talented young lads who work in the kitchen and if we don’t carry on teaching them they’ll go elsewhere.” Originally from Speke, Chris returned to Liverpool after working in Jersey and London. He dreamed of playing for Everton as a boy, but on discovering his talent for
cooking capitalised on it, training at Halton College. He learned most, he says, under Ian Morgan and Gary Rhodes in Manchester. “Attention to detail and consistency” he nods. “If you are going to dice veg to one quarter of an inch, dice it to a quarter of an inch, not all different kinds of sizes.” Working 400ft up presents unique challenges – particularly to someone with vertigo. “We have to compete against the dazzling views,” he says. “It’s a challenge; dishes have to be eye-catching and constantly evolving. It’s hard work but we are trying, and it’s vindication when we get an award like this. “I’m still not keen on the height, but I’ve got more used to it. l don’t get too close to the glass and I don’t look down. “I’ve never worked at this height before; not in metres anyway.” emmapinch@dailypost.co.uk
Method 1. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out a cone shape from the stalk end of the tomatoes to remove the white, woody centre. 2. Put the tomatoes into a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to stand for two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from water and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Cut each tomato in half horizontally and remove the seeds then roughly chop the flesh. 3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the red pepper and onion and cook gently for five minutes, or until slightly softened. 4.Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, orange zest and juice, and stock. 5. Bring soup to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook gently for about 45 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are softened. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool. Then, puree the soup, in batches, in a food processor or blender. 6. Place a sieve over a clean saucepan and use the back of a wooden spoon to pass the soup through the sieve. 7. Reheat the soup, season to taste and serve garnished with a little cream and parsley sprigs.
DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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I thought winning wa 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”
Fine Dining & Internaional Modern British Cuisine
20 BIRKENHEAD ROAD, HOYLAKE, WIRRAL CH47 3BW Open Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm 0151 632 6241
One of Wirral’s Finest
Christmas Table d’hôte Menu
(Tuesday to Thursday) 2 Courses £16.95 - 3 Courses £21.4 0 (Friday & Saturday) 2 Courses £19.95 - 3 Courses £24.4 0
Taking bookings for December, Christmas Eve, and New Years Eve • 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
TASTE LIVERPOOL HIGHEST QUALITY ASSURED ACCREDITATION AWARDED 92% FOR FOOD AND 86% FOR HOSPITALITY
MADE IN NORTH WEST ACCREDITATION (Demonstrating that we use and promote locally sourced produce
Home Made Soup of the Day • Trio of Melon with Figs • Pheasant and Quail Terrine • Baked Stuffed Spiced Roast Mushrooms • Potted Prawn and Smoked Salmon Roast Cheshire Turkey - (It’s not Christmas without Belly Pork • Venison Borderlaise • Selection of Poache turkey!) d Seafood • Rib Eye Steak • Chestnut and Oyster Mushroom Tartlet Choose a Dessert or Cheese (£1.00 extra) from the Home Made Dessert Menu
Available through December 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
Former Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon tells Emma Pinch how her Masterchef triumph revealed an unexpected talent
T
HERE are some jobs we expect girl banders to turn to once the bubble of pop superstardom has burst. Roles on soaps, underwear lines, children’s books – but given past pressures to stay rail thin, food ventures might not seem an obvious choice. But for former members of Atomic Kitten it’s proving a sweet idea. There’s Natasha Hamilton with her bistro H and bar/club/restaurant Hamilton’s, and now Liz McLarnon who has revealed an unexpected talent in the kitchen. Liz’s win on Celebrity Masterchef in July was a surprise to many. At 27 she was the youngest competitor and her natural shyness was the opposite of chef machismo. But as Liz, who now presents the National Lottery show, explains, it’s all in the genes. Her mother, Janet, a counsellor and hypnotherapist, initially trained as a chef at catering college, and it was her passion for creative cooking that persuaded Liz to take part. Now after a stint teaching easy recipes on GMTV’s LK Today, she’s got a regular spot on UKTV’s Market Kitchen. “ I did Masterchef because my mum wanted me to,” she laughs. “She said, ‘Elizabeth you better agree because you know I love that show’. She gave me a proper guilt trip and said, ‘if you love me you will do it’. “At first I thought winning was a fluke, but it’s got to run in the family because my little brother is an amazing cook. “He’d come in at 3am slaughtered drunk and want to do a stir fry while I’d be watching Sex in the City and he’d ask if I wanted to share. It was always delicious, even at that time of night. “My mum went to catering college and she’s a really, really good cook and when I was growing up my mum did everything, curries, pasta, all sorts of different foods. “I remember when my brother came home from school aged about nine, my mum said to him “what did
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DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
as a fluke
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Liz McClarnon with her trophy after winning Celebrity MasterChef 2008 you have for dinner today?’ And he said ‘it was really nice today mum: they did chips, fish fingers and beans’. For him that was exotic.” Liz says she instinctively knows what food marriages will work. “I’m only reasonably good because I’m such a food snob,” she insists. “I can have a smell and a taste and tell you what’s in it. I can pick it apart. That’s my talent.” Being a chef was a tough gig. “All the hours standing around on your feet all the time. Nine hours on your feet with no break.” As hard as being in a band? “Any band, Girls Aloud who have a similar schedule to ours, would say yes, definitely. “I really, really want to smack anyone who says get a proper job. “If you worked on the factory line at Ford the same hours you’d be earning loads too. “It’s a really, really tough job to do, especially with all the time you’ve got to spend promoting.” Ironically, she hardly needs to cook now she’s such hot property. “Since the show I’ve been in London working and eating in TV studios, or eating out for dinner or being taken out by agents,” she says. “If I’m in Liverpool my mum’ll say I haven’t seen you for ages let me cook for you, and she’ll make chicken and mushroom risotto.” Liz, who is single reveals her favourite food is fois gras terrine. The animal rights storm about its production it doesn’t unduly concern her. “I’m not a cheap date,” she smiles. “Any meat you eat has to be killed. Ignorance is bliss. “To be very very honest I don’t eat veal but I do eat fois gras. I love it, and I’m a carnivore.” She’s carved a niche for herself presenting pocket-friendly cooking, and she attributes her cost conscious
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN OPEN 365 DAYS
OPEN CHRISTMAS DAY BOXING DAY & NEW YEAR’S DAY
£14.95
ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH BUFFET £5.95
Liz with fellow Masterchef contestants Michael Buerk and Julia Bradbury when it comes to food to her mum. “Everyone is on a budget these days. At home the favourite game is ‘guess how much this was?’ “My mum thinks nothing of having an expensive meal but refuses to pay costly prices for fish for example. She runs into Asda and competes with people for the knocked down stuff. “Buying ready meals is ten times more expensive than cooking something. We’re in the middle of a credit crunch and sometimes it’s cheaper to go out than get a ready meal. “We get a piece of beef and some cream and wine and mushrooms and loads of rice and freeze most of it. We buy meat in bulk. You’re laughing then.” She’s planning to do more with cookery, maybe even a book. “I’d like to do more with food. But I’d never open a restaurant. That would be too much like hard work.” emmapinch@dailypost.co.uk
Mon - Wed 11.30am-6.00pm Thurs - Sat
£6.50
GRAND BUFFET £8.95
6.00pm - Midnight Mon - Thurs Fri - Sat
£9.95
ALL DAY SUNDAY £6.75
11.30am - Midnight
DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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World Cuisine
Havana wonderful time With its mix of African, Caribbean and Spanish cooking, La Cubanita was seventh heaven for Emma Johnson
S
PANOPHILE. Sounds odd doesn’t it? Just doesn’t have the same sort of ring to it as Anglophile or Francophile. However that is what I am. An unashamed Spanophile. At least I am when it comes to food. While I am partial to pasta and not averse to Chinese, it is Spanish dishes that really get my tastebuds fired up. The less kind among my friends would say that is probably down to my obsession with three foods – meat, cheese and bread. Something the Spanish also seem to share. The upshot of this fixation is that should any restaurant with the slightest hint of Spanish influence open in Liverpool, then I am there. So it is surprising it took me so long to find my way to La Cubanita. This Cuban restaurant tucked away in Liverpool’s Campbell Square, opened at the beginning of this year and describes itself as a unique, restaurant and bar where you can enjoy great Latin food and listen to some of the best live bands direct from Cuba. Unfortunately we went on a Tuesday evening early doors so missed out on the band and the salsa dancing but we definitely got the Latin flavours. Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Spanish, African and Caribbean cooking, something which is quickly evident when you see the menus at La Cubanita. There is no getting away from the fact that the dishes on the menu can seem a bit samey – most of the starters and the mains come served with rice and beans. But if you have a problem with that you are going to have to take it up with the Cubans not the management (although it would be like lamenting that everything in an Italian restaurant comes with pasta). I, however, love rice and I love
La Cubanita is a delightful taste of old Havana LA CUBANITA, Campbell Street, Liverpool Tel: 0151 709 5335 INTERIOR: Richly coloured with red banquettes and the obligatory pictures of Che Guevara. SERVICE: Excellent, very helpful and friendly. BILL: £52.45. VALUE FOR MONEY: Not the cheapest place but you get lots of food! beans and was won over by most of the mouth-watering descriptions on the menu which made ordering a bit of an ordeal. Just listen to this: Fritura de frijoles (£4.25) or blackeyed bean fritter served with a plantain crema on a bed of dressed leaves – yummy; or the Cuban speciality of croqueta de cerdo y boniato (£4.95) that’s croquette of minced pork and
Cuban sweet potato – double yummy. In the end I opted for the sabor de caribe (£5.35) – lobster cake with a charred mango and chilli glaze (although when I ordered they informed me this dish was now done with salmon not lobster), while my other half ordered the Vaca Frita (£4.95), crispy strips of beef in a Cuban mojo marinade of
roast garlic and lime juice, accompanied by... rice and beans. To drink I ordered a large glass of pinot grigio (£3.75) while my husband went authentic with a bottle of Corona (£3). My husband’s entree was quite the masterpiece, a tower of rice and beans topped off with beef and surrounded by a moat of the Cuban mojo marinade. It tasted as good as it looked and could easily have been a main course given the portion size. There was no skimping on the fishcakes either. They were huge, crispy on the outside and fabulously fluffy on the inside. My only niggle with this dish would be that it required more salad and it
was a bit of a mistake to put the fishcakes on top of a paper napkin – cue a bit of picking off. Onto the main courses and things continued to please. I had ordered the manisero con pollo (£15.75). Apparently it translates as the Peanut Seller’s Song, and as the name suggests is a dish of chicken in a creamy peanut sauce with a hint of garlic, lime, chilli and coconut. It came – you guessed it – with Cuban rice and was fantastic. Very sweet with more than a passing resemblance to satay. Sadly I struggled to finish it. Again the show-stopper dish was my husband’s. He had ordered two skewers of chicken and chorizo (£15.95 for two or £22.95 for four) from the grill, which arrived in grand style hanging from a wrought iron stand – talk about making an entrance. Both meats were succulent and richly flavoured and there was more than enough salad to go around, and in between mouthfuls I am sure I heard the words: “we should come here again”. In spite of temptations such as the Fantasia de Chocolate and Flan Cubano, neither of us could find room for dessert and so it was our little trip down Havana way ended. But I venture it will be an hasta luego not an adios amigos to La Cubanita.
Mel C’s winter warmer MEL C, left, has revealed the secret ingredients in her mum’s Scouse to MyDish.co.uk, a website dedicated to preserving Britain’s most treasured recipes. As well as recording the ingredients, the website also collects the stories that go with them. Carol Savage, who created MyDish.co.uk, explains: “Many of the best recipes can’t be found in the bookshops, but are often tucked away in dusty old recipe books or on scraps of paper. “Many of them have been
fine-tuned over generations and have fantastic stories and memories behind them – it is these recipes that we want to preserve. The former Spice Girl’s foodrelated memory goes back to her childhood. “Being a scouser you have to love three things, The Beatles, football & scouse (it's kind of genetic!). Scouse is the most delicious stew – comforting, warming and cheap. “I remember coming home from school in the winter freezing – coats were for
wimps, it was all about trackie tops. “Walking through the front door and smelling the wonderful aroma of a big pan of scouse would warm you up instantly. It has to be eaten with loads of red cabbage and beetroot. Seconds is a must.” MEL’S RECIPE Ingredients 900g/2lb neck of lamb, cubed (remove fat first) 450g/1lb stewing or braising steak cubed (remove fat first) 600ml/1 pint beef stock (plus extra
hot water to topping up) 3 onions. peeled and sliced 2lb carrots, peeled and chopped 9g/2lb potatoes (King Edwards or similar floury ones) peeled and quartered Method 1. Cover meat with stock, bring to the boil, remove scum from the top, cover and simmer for one and a half to two hours until meet is tender. Top up with hot water if required. 2. Add carrots, onion and potatoes, and cook for about half an hour until the vegetables are soft. Season.
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DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sommelier – Mathew Sloane
I
’M NOT sure if it’s an autumn thing but I’ve been feeling very philosophical of late. Us wine chappies have a penchant for flowery introspection from time to time, but these past few weeks I’ve been a lot more concerned with the workings of the cosmos than one would normally expect from such a belly button ponderer (sic) as myself. It is whilst perching on this intellectual promontory, gazing down on the meandering world of all things liquid that I shall endeavour to deliver a column which represents my new leanings towards Chinese philosophy, yin and yang, the divine balance and all that. Burgundy, in my opinion, is where grapes get to live if they’ve enjoyed excellent karma in a past life. One my favourite producers made the brilliant decision to show some wines alongside some beautifully obscene cooking at Kanye West’s new pad, The London Carriageworks. Fortunately Kanye wasn’t in a cooking mood and exiled Mackem, Paul Askew was at the helm. The wines were from outstanding Burgundy producer Joseph Drouhin and his ambassador talked us through some great vintages of his flagship bottles. I don’t mind telling you that Paul’s trio of Rhug estate lamb with Monsieur Drouhin’s Chorey-les-Beaune was a better combination than the fantastic array of body shots that floored Clubber Lang in Rocky 3. The intense, earthy confit of shoulder waltzed around with this succulent, fresh Pinot Noir and left us feeling like we’d just helped Michelle Pfeiffer out of her catsuit, knockout. I believe there’s a dinner coming up with Etienne Hugel, who’ll present some sublime stuff from Alsace, check out www.hopestreethotel.co.uk and I’ll see you there.
After tales of decadence I feel obliged to offer some helpful advice, it’s all about the cosmic balance. I don’t mind telling you that I despise Christmas shopping, it fills me with a Godzilla-sized hatred. Salvation has arrived in the shape of a wiry mancunian plying his trade at the Albert Dock. James and Karen McGrory are the proprietors of Vinea, a wine shop that lets you drink the stuff on the premises, brilliant. Liverpudlian, Karen, took pity on poor James and allowed him to marry into decent society, in order to repay the kindness shown by her fellow scousers, old James has devised the perfect gift solution to ease our festive woes – hampers with smart wine, boss chocolates and even a slab of top cheese if you fancy. The hampers are bespoke, stick what you like in there, if any of my esteemed colleagues are reading this little rant, I’ll have a couple of Rieslings this year, hold the cheese, throw in some chocolate for the maid. Have a browse on www.vinea liverpool.co.uk or give the little tinker a bell on 0151 707 8962. So I feel the universal balance has been restored and maintained, I shall happily contemplate the oneness of the cosmos over a glass or two of red stuff in the welcome knowledge that my Karma is finally intact and the masses will part like the Red Sea when I eventually decide to brave Liverpool One in search of Audrey Hepburn boxed sets and the latest effigies of pretend wrestlers. Wish me luck, I offer you all the mojo I can muster in these troublesome times.
Best bar none
Mojo, working for you OWNER Mal Evans describes Mojo, the latest bar to open its doors in Liverpool, as a rock and roll cocktail bar. Their ethos is to get as a rich mixture of people in a possible, from 21 to 65, so there’s a relaxed dress and door policy. Like its sister bars in Leeds and Manchester, Liverpool’s Mojo sticks to doing what it knows, and doing it well, so you won’t find food, alcopops, draught beer or bands with dodgy sound systems here. What you do get is carefully chosen classic rock, a connoisseur’s selection of liquors and beer served ice-cold. “The decor is almost like a New York dive bar,” says Mal. “There’s lots of San Francisco Americana on the walls. It’s very, very unpretentious.” The music builds up throughout the evening. “We might have Bob Dylan on when you walk through the door, later a bit of Indie, then The Who, Elvis and The Stones,” says Mal. “We make a point of not being all about The Beatles.” A bottled beer costs £3 and a house rum punch is £4.50. An “over spec” fridge was imported from Milwaukee to keep the beer “the coldest in town”. It’s open from 5pm until 2am
There’s something for everyone at Mojo during the week, and entry is free. The hours and relaxed door policy are part of Mal’s ethos to attract as rich a mix of people as possible. “We have students in jeans and sneakers, people in suits having a drink from work, or for a late night drink after the theatre. The mix of people is what makes a bar an interesting joint.” ■ MOJO, The Stables, Back Berry Street, Liverpool. 0151 707 0828.
180-181 ELLIOT STREET, ST. JOHNS SHOPPING CENTRE, LIVERPOOL, L1 1NH www.maysumrestaurant.co.uk
PHONE NOW TO BOOK 0151 707 6886
CHRISTMAS MENU
Opening Times Sun-Thur 11.30am-11.00pm. Fri-Sat 11.30am-12.00 Midnight Early Booking Highly Recommended • STARTERS • Mini Spring Roll (V) Prawn Crakers Prawn Toast Crispy Chicken Toast Satay Chicken Skewers Capital Spare Ribs/Chicken Wings salt and Pepper Tofu/Chicken Wings/Pork Chops Deep Fried battered vegetables (V) Chicken Nuggets Salt & Pepper Potatoes (V) Crispy Seaweed Crispy Won Tun Chicken Vietnamesse Spring Rolls (Mince/Pork/Chicken) Deep Fried Cheese Savoury Crispy Duck • SOUPS • Won Tun Vegetarian Vermincelli Turkey and Sweetcorn Hot and Sour (Prawn/Char Sui/Turkey/Mixed Chinese Veg) • MAIN MEALS • Sweet and Sour (Chicken/Turkey/Pork) Curry Dishes (Chicken/Turkey/Beef) Szechuen Dishes (Chicken/Turkey/Beef/Charsui/Roast Duck) Kin Do Dishes (Chicken/Turkey/Pork/Beef/Charsui/Roast Duck Blackbean Sauce Dishes (Beef/Chicken Wings/Charsui) Fried Beef and Mushrooms Mussels in Black Bean Sauce Soya Flavoured Chicken Wings
Salt and Pepper Fish Fillets (Fish selection on availability) Sweet Ginger Pineapple Dishes (Roast Duck/Beef/Turkey) Oyster Sauce Dishes (Chicken Roast Duck/Beef/Charsui) Sauces - Sweet and Sour/Curry/Kindo Sauce Salt and Pepper King Prawns Roast Duck Crispy Roast Belly Pork Char Sui (Hong Kong Style) Stewed Beef with Kidney Beans GRAND BUFFET ONLY • EXTRAS • Steamed Boiled Rice (V) Egg Fried Rice (V) Vegetable Fired Rice (V) Yeung Chow Fired Rice Singapore Fried Rice Fried Soft Noodles (V) Crispy Noodles (V) Vermicelli (V) Vegetable Curry (V) Buddha’s Delight (Mixed Vegetables) (V) Mushroom and Onion Gravy (V) • DESSERTS/SIDE ORDER/SALADS • Oriental Style Mixed Salad (V), Coleslaw (V), Pasta Salad (V), Potato Salad (V), Selection of Vegetables (V), Selection of Fresh Fruit (V), Fruit Salad, Selection of Ice Cream (V), Jelly (V) • PRICES • Mon-Thur (before 5.30pm) £5.95 (after 5.30pm) £8.95 Fri-Sat (before 5.30pm) £6.45 (after 5.30pm) £9.95 Sunday-All day £6.45 Please note: Maximum Stay 1 1/2 hrs
Please note: Deposit is required TWO WEEKS prior to Booking Date. Cheques and Cash accepted
OPEN BOXING DAY
24hr car park, disabled facilities and baby change. 10% Student and OAP’s discount on food. Only with valid proof of ID. Fully licenced
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DAILY POST Tuesday, November 11, 2008