The Italian Fish Club

Despite its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, there isn’t a particular wealth of seafood restaurants in Liverpool City Centre. The Italian Fish Club at the top of Bold Street is one of the few that chooses to pay homage to the delights of the deep dark blue. I remember visiting this restaurant several years ago and having a reasonably enjoyable meal, therefore I felt it was about time to revisit.

We arrived into the warm, glowing dining room on a Saturday. The restaurant was practically full with a sociable atmosphere. Despite the tall ceilings, the simple white wooden interior with brass furnishings and dim lighting lends itself to a relatively intimate setting.

Inside

As with all decent seafood restaurants they have daily specials dependant upon the market that day. After being seated we were told that that monkfish had run out and there were only two sea bream and one lemon sole left. This was rather disappointing because I love monkfish and it was only half eight in the evening, but I guess it’s hardly their fault and it’s just unfortunate.

The menu is pretty standard with fish pies, various fish & chips, mussel pots, pastas and risottos. There is also a selection of vegetarian and meat dishes for those with an enmity towards seafood.

A starter of bruschetta with lightly pickled mackerel was clean and simple with soft charred notes from the grill, however the mini hill of rocket dumped in the centre was a bit excessive.

Bruschetta marinara

Rice in the risotto granchio e zucchini was well cooked. The flavour from the crab was just peering through the creamy sauce whilst the zucchini added contrast to the texture, although the crab claw meat was overdone. 

Risotto granchio e zucchini

Fish pies can often be heavy on the sauce and light on the meat but fortunately this was not the case here. The well-portioned layer of potato with a subtle aftertaste of parsley yielded a heap of various fish underneath. Despite this, whilst some pieces of fish were perfectly done, others were again overcooked.

Fish pie

Lobster Thermidor was a letdown, whilst the cheesy and creamy sauce was not too overpowering, the sweet lobster meat was overdone. This may be overlooked in the previous two dishes as they were still enjoyable, but I am slightly less forgivable when it comes to this one. Firstly because, it is a premium bit of produce and secondly, the lobster was supposed to be the star of the dish, as opposed to a mere component. 

Lobster thermidor

The star of the night was the Spaghetti Alla Pescatora or mixed seafood pasta. Perfectly al dente spaghetti contained a wonderfully sweet and rich tomato sauce whilst bursting with crustaceans.

Spaghetti alla pescatora

Desserts were pleasant whilst being particularly unadventurous. Lemon cheesecake was creamy with a subtle but not overpowering lemon flavour. An enjoyable end to the meal that hit the spot, despite the unnecessary addition of a strawberry ice cream. 

Lemon cheesecake

Panna cotta had a strong vanilla flavour but was a similar consistency to the cheesecake, which is a bit too thick for a panna cotta. It needs that lovely wobble to be the real deal.

Panna cotta alla vaniglia
con salsa al cioccolato

Overall, the Italian Fish Club is a straightforward, solid but uninspiring venture. Service isn’t exactly slick but neither is it problematic. With its huge portions and bold flavours, you’ll probably leave satisfied without feeling the pinch in your pockets and sometimes that’s all you really want from your dinner.

Price: Starters £5-8. Main courses £10-17

Where to go before/after: The restaurant is located round the corner from the excellent independent FACT cinema so this is a good option before/after your film.

Website: Click here

Location: 128 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4JA

Nearest Tube: Knightsbridge

Opening Times: 10.00 - 22.00 (Mon - Sat) 12.00 - 21.00 (Sun)

Dinner

The genius that is Heston Blumenthal really needs no introduction. When he announced that he was to open his first London restaurant, the anticipation and expectation was understandably stratospheric. So no pressure then for Blumenthal’s head chef and protégée Ashley Palmer-Watts. Simply named ‘Dinner’ it eventually opened at the beginning of February 2011 and instantly became the hottest ticket in town, without equal. All reservations must be made at the beginning of each month, for a month in advance. Accolades soon flowed freely with superlative critic’s reviews, awards, such as Tatler’s restaurant of the Year, and it’s first Michelin Star in the latest guide.

Being Blumenthal’s brainchild, Dinner is no ordinary fine dining establishment. The whole USP is dishes based upon history, ranging from the late 14^th century all the way up to the early 20^th. It occupies the same space as a restaurant called Foliage. I had a very good lunch back in 2009 at Foliage and I am unsure of the reason for it shutting down, but I don’t see the rest of London mourning.

The reputation, not to mention the fact I’d been revising for the past week, both contributed to constructing considerable excitement for this meal.  A lofty and smart yet prosaic dining room was livened by an energetic buzz that filled the room. In the centre is the impressive and sparkling kitchen filled with a throng of chefs and the infamous pineapple rotisserie proudly on show.

Dining room

We opted for the set lunch because at three courses for £28 it represented excellent value for money (this has now gone up to £32 since I visited, in fact, prices have increased across the board since its opening). One look at the menu tells you that this won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but for myself, this kind of deviation from the norm is what I live for. Little touches, such as the inside of the menu holders containing random food-related facts from history, or the addition on the menu next to each dish telling you the year it was around (the earliest was 1390), all contributed to the atmosphere.

Menu holder

My starter of pig’s ear “ragoo” with anchovy onion and parsley served on toast was a big mound of brown that blended in with the surroundings, livened up by the green from some token rocket. It may not have looked the most appetising by the flavours were bold and packed a punch. Pig and sweetness from caramelised onion on crispy and airy toast was a delight, at first. About half way through, the gelatinous and gooey texture became a bit too much. It’s not too often that a single dish can evoke such contrasting opinions from beginning to end of consummation. 

Ragoo of pig's ears
anchovy, onions & parsley

A couple years ago, there was an incredible show on Channel 4 called Heston’s feasts where he set out to recreate medieval dishes and it was undoubtedly the inspiration for this restaurant. One of the infamous dishes he created was something called Meat Fruit, a perfect fruit replica filled with meat pâté. Incredibly, this dish is on the à la carte menu at Dinner (they sell over 800 a week) and I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if I didn’t give it a try. It arrives on a simple wooden board next to a naked piece of toast, same as the one that came with my pig’s ears. It looked beautiful and unnervingly, exactly like a perfect mandarin. A delicate mandarin flavoured jelly encases the most luscious chicken liver parfait I have had the fortune of sampling. If someone had told me that was foie gras I probably wouldn’t have questioned it. 

Meat fruit
mandarin, chicken liver parfait &
grilled bread

My friend’s starter of lemon salad with goat’s curd, buckler sorrel & raisins was in sharp contrast to the pig’s ears. Here the flavours were dominated by very tangy lemon tempered by a smooth goat’s cheese. This was a great combination and a pleasant-enough dish, but far from memorable.

Lemon salad
goat's curd, buckler sorrel & raisins

Main course of Bath Chaps (pig’s cheeks) with savoy cabbage, lardo, ham hock & a ‘Robert’s broth’ (yes I had a porcine overload on this particular day) was an umami blitzkrieg on the taste buds. Again it wasn’t the prettiest dish around but the pork was tender and topped by little puffs of pork crackling. Each one was like a large Rice Krispie popping little wafts of air inside my mouth, I’ve never had crackling like it. Once again, the richness was too overpowering towards the end but it was overall enjoyable nonetheless. 

Bath chaps
savoy cabbage, lardo, ham hock &
Robert broth

I had a quick sample of the cured salmon with beetroot and this was perfectly cooked with a delicate and very smoky flavour.

Cured salmon
beetroot, sea aster & olive oil

For dessert came a prune and tamarind tart, which was actually a wonderful custard topped with a crispy crème brûlée skin and resting on a layer of prune and tamarind jam. This excellent dish was not too sweet and had a perfectly delicate and soft yet crispy pastry. 

Prune & tamarind tart

My friend’s orange buttered loaf was warming, fluffy and buttery with a distinct orange favour and surrounded by a sticky caramel case. The intense mandarin and thyme sorbet was the perfect complement. 

Orange buttered loaf
mandarin & thyme sorbet

Being the glutton that I am, I could not resist the restaurant’s famous pineapple Tipsy Cake served with a piece of spit roast pineapple on the side (that’s what the pineapple rotisserie is for). The cake itself has a great light texture and it is completely drenched in a sickly sweet pineapple sauce. I really enjoyed it, but this one is certainly not for those of you without a sweet tooth. 

Tipsy cake
spit roast pineapple

A little gift from the chef to end was a chocolate ganache with an earl grey tea infusion and caraway seed biscuit on the side. The chocolate ganache was naughty and rich with the floral earl grey notes singing their way through and the caraway from the biscuit was a worthy compliment.

Chocolate ganache with
earl grey infusion, caraway
seed biscuit

Apart from leaving suitably bursting at the seams, I have to say I had a great lunch. My meal didn’t blow me out of the water like one might expect following the gargantuan hype that surrounds this establishment. But if you remove yourself from the chatter and approach this as any normal meal then I’m sure you’ll be suitably impressed. As with many set lunch menus, the best work from the kitchen is usually saved for the à la carte and I have a strong suspicion that this is the case with Dinner. Certainly visit, it isn’t cheap but you’re bound to savour it.

Price: Three course set lunch £28 (now £32). A la carte mains between £23-30

Where to go before/after: Finish your evening with a drink at the sumptuous Blue Bar in the Berkley Hotel over the road. If you're visiting for lunch, Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park is a five minute walk away.

Website: Click here

Location: 66 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LA

Nearest Tube: Knightsbridge

Opening Times: Lunch 12.00 - 14.30 Dinner 18.30 - 22.30 7 days a week 

Seven Park Place

William Drabble may not be a name familiar to most, especially in my generation, but some may know him as the man that took over from Gordon Ramsay at Aubergine. By all accounts, undoubtedly a talented and accomplished chef. I have to sheepishly admit I had never heard of neither him nor his relatively new restaurant Seven Park Place at the cosy St James’s Hotel & Club until it won its Michelin Star a couple years ago.

The German Hotel group that owns the St James’s Hotel & Club originally opened around the time the Credit Crunch hit in 2008. From what I know, the restaurant that originally stood in place of Seven Park Place was a crassly grandiose venture that was poorly conceived and inappropriate for the London of the time. The following year William Drabble was nabbed from Aubergine and things have looked up since then with 3 AA rosettes, a Michelin Star in 2011 and critical acclaim.

Arriving at the diminutive hotel tucked around the corner from the Ritz, you could be forgiven for underestimating the extravagance that lies within. Walking inside shall quickly dismiss this myth with a pimp-style, talcum-powdered backhand, as the ostentation sneers at you behind its diamond-encrusted goblet. It’s enough to make many feel mildly intimidated.

The restaurant itself is split into several miniature areas but its modest size (26 covers) is counterbalanced by the luxurious décor. In a perverse Stockholm syndrome kind of way, the gaudy black and gold-patterned walls were rather attractive. On the other hand, the intimate layout provided a hushed and rather restrained environment more suitable for a married couple in which the spark ran out a decade ago, rather than this catch up with an old friend. No worries though. The waiters were of that slick, professional and uncharismatic ilk befitting of a restaurant of this nature. Thankfully they didn’t carry that extra baggage of customer judgement that one might expect.

Attractive place plate

Dining room

Tiger prawns in a tomato sauce with basil and coconut masqueraded as a lovely amuse bouche. Sweet and succulent prawns receiving a little boot up the backside by a hint of chilli.

Tiger prawns in tomato
sauce with basil & coconut

I started with a lobster risotto with seared scallops and basil oil. Flavours were strong and on the money but I felt the rice was slightly overcooked, which was a bit unexpected at this level.

Lobster risotto with seared
scallops & basil oil

For some reason I then failed to take any notes for several of the dishes that followed. These included my friend’s starter of foie gras mousse with wild mushrooms and my main course of baked fillet of black bream with wilted greens and warm lemon vinaigrette. As a result, I genuinely don’t have many insightful or constructive comments to say about them except that I remember them being pleasant and inoffensive at the very least.

Foie gras mousse with
wild mushrooms

Baked fillet of black bream
with wilted greens and
lemon vinaigrette 

My friend’s blade of beef was, according to her, a bit dry, however the mash was excellent.

Blade of beef with
mashed potato

Assiette of banana was a mixed bag. The tarte tatin was luxurious and the pastry had a delectable flake factor. Ice cream was tasty but required patience and excessive forearm action to get through it at first before it could warm up slightly. Banofee pie came in a shot glass. This is fine; I have no problem with such arrangements. My problem is with the fact that the spoon was too big to reach the bottom of the glass, thus making for a particularly frustrating end to the meal. What I could manage to attack was tasty. The cream part had an unusual consistency, similar to a rice pudding and was proportionally too prominent. More banofee wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Banofee pie, banana ice cream &
banana tarte tatin

I was quite surprised to see that on a set menu where there are only two options per course, both dessert options contained a tarte tatin. A pear version, with pear sorbet, was as well executed as its banana sister.

Pear tarte tatin with pear sorbet

Petit fours of homemade rose marshmallows were superlatively fluffy and delicate with a light kiss of liquorice. A small eclair and dark chocolate truffle were dainty and suitably intense respectively.  These were probably the highlights for me and a very welcome way to end the meal.

Rose & liquorice
marshmallows 

Chocolate truffle
& eclair

Seven Park Place has positioned itself quite clearly in a particular mould of fine dining with seemingly grand aspirations and a specific clientele. Based on my experience I’m not sure it really achieves those aims. Its setting, atmosphere and service are glamorous, yet too restrictive, in a rather old school style of restaurant. The food itself showed glimpses of precision and excellence yet little things seemed to let each dish down. This set lunch menu at £29.50 for 3 courses represents decent but not exceptional value. I entered Seven Park Place with fairly high expectations and I left satisfied but mildly underwhelmed. Maybe not one for the top of your To Do List.

Price: Three course set lunch £29.50 

Where to go before/after: There are plenty of small art galleries around King Street & Duke Street. Not to mention Jermyn Street a very short walk away to do some suit/shirt shopping. For drinks head to the beautiful bar at Nobu Berkley Street.

Website:  Click here

Location: 7-8 Park Place, London, SW1A 1LS

Nearest Tube: Green Park

Opening Times: Lunch 12.00 - 14.00 (Tues - Sat) 19.00 - 22.00 (Sun)

Ducksoup

Ducksoup is very much in vogue right now. By that I mean one of Soho’s latest restaurants, not a watery avian grave and certainly neither of the two pre-World War films.  Opening to lots of critical acclaim, I just happened to be on my way to Soho to find some dinner with a friend when I read the positive review in the Evening Standard the same week it opened, so that solved that problem. We headed straight over there.

The space is intimate, rather bare and softly lit and is mostly taken up by the large bar, where seating is available, or you can eat at one of the several small tables on the other side. This certainly isn’t a place for families or groups. The weather was still quite pleasant so there were also a couple of tables outside. Like so many fashionable restaurants at the moment, Ducksoup operate a no bookings policy. This makes it easier for them but for you and me, getting there early is recommended, especially because there are so few covers.

Inside

The menu is European in its pedigree and changed daily. It is handwritten on a few pieces of paper that make their way around the tables.  Dishes are designed to share and are split in three small plates, all priced at £7, and three large plates at £14. There is one dessert. Right now you are probably thinking that this is a pretty basic place and in many ways you aren’t far wrong. However, this all just serves as a foil for the food, which whilst sounding simple, has been elevated several levels. The three people that opened this venture have all previously worked with Mark Hix (as manager, chef and PR manager) and he clearly taught them a thing or two.

We started with some fritto misto comprising artichokes, langoustine, rock oyster, scallop, lemon and escorted by some saffron mayonnaise. This was wonderfully and delicately crispy yet light. The mayonnaise was subtlety flavoured and served the battered delights well. Each component was perfectly cooked, especially the squid, which is often reduced to a tough, rubbery failure. The artichoke was the only disappointment for me, leaving a slightly acrid taste. 

Fritto misto

Next came a small plate of ceps, lardo di colonnata and parmesan. The salty and naughtily unctuous lardo was carried but not overpowered by the strong parmesan and then brought back down to earth by the woody flavour from the ceps. An excellent dish that I was sad to see finish. 

Lardo di colonnata,
parmesan, ceps

My friend commented that she felt sorry for the next dish because it just wouldn’t be able to compare. Turns out she was (thankfully) wrong. A whole roast quail with burnt lemon and harissa was exceptionally tender and perfectly seasoned. The slightly sharp by tempered lemon flavour added an extra dimension. Harissa on top of crème fraiche was lovely but not even necessary because the quail was so juicy. I found myself hunting down every little available morsel I could find hiding amongst the bones. Presentation for all of these was again plain but that’s perfectly fine. 

Roast quail, burnt lemon & harissa

To finish it off was a rather wrinkly crème caramel. These are never the most impressive of desserts but this was as good a version as any.

Crème caramel

I was certainly impressed with Ducksoup. Yes this operation sounds pretty basic and cobbled together but actually it has been well conceived and just adds to the charm. On top of this, they have a record player in the corner and operate a bring-your-own-vinyl policy. Overall the atmosphere is intimate and relaxed. Service was also helpful, friendly and to top it off, rather well oiled for an opening week. But the most important thing is the superb (but not perfect) food that defied the price we paid. I’ve parted with much more for far less accomplished food. Certainly one of the many bright lights amongst the restaurant community of Soho.

Price: Starters £7 Mains £14

Where to go before/after: Show your appreciation to the man that undoubtedly influenced the creators of Ducksoup by finishing your evening at the excellent Mark's Bar in the basement of his premier restaurant Hix (Brewer St)

Website: Click here

Location: 41 Frith St, Soho, London, W1D 4PY

Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road

Opening Times: 12.00 - 00.00 (Mon - Sat) 13.00 - 20.00 (Sun)

Bi Bim Bap

Soho is bursting at the seems with quality venues to eat; be it fast food, cheap and wholesome or fine dining, Soho has it all. I’ve easily eaten more in Soho than any other place in my life (except my home). In recent years there has been a swathe of Korean restaurants opening up in Soho and generally across London they are making their presence felt more than ever before.

Bi Bim Bap is one such restaurant, opening last year. Bi Bim Bap is named after a Korean speciality and translates as ‘mixed meal’. Bi bim baps are a conglomerate of rice, vegetables, meat and gochujang (Korean chilli paste) served in a hot bowl and topped with an egg that are all stirred together thoroughly before consumption.

Here at Bi Bim Bap this house speciality is exploited more extensively than at other Korean restaurants, with ten choices on offer. There are also noodle dishes, other rice dishes and salads on offer, as well as a range of Korean drinks. The best part is a main won’t set you back more than £9, with most under £7.

Inside

The bi bim baps arrive constructed in the bowl and you are required to stir them yourselves, adding the gochujang and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) to your liking. My spicy pork Bi Bim Bap topped with a raw egg (that gets cooked as you stir it. You can get a fried egg if you so wish but I'd really recommend the raw one) was hearty and piping hot with the starchy rice and contrasting textures from the vegetables. The meat is tasty, if not the most tender and for some reason I didn't take a photo of it. My friend enjoyed her tofu bi bim bap topped with a fried egg (see picture below). However my Korean root tea was a bit too flavourless and I’d rather stick to the green tea next time.

Korean root tea

Tofu bi bim bap

Along with its bright block colour scheme and walls filled with Polaroids of customers, it’s a laid-back atmosphere with speedy service. Tasty, filling meals at cheap prices make this a great option when you’re out and about Soho. 

Price: Mains £6.45 - £9.45

Where to go before/after: The famous Ronnie Scotts is Soho's premier jazz venue and is located on the parallel Frith Street. Don't forget the hub of West End theatres all within walking distance.

Website: Click here

Location: 11 Greek Street, London, W1D 4DJ

Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road

Opening Times: Lunch 12.00 - 15.00 (Mon - Sat) Dinner 18.00 - 23.00 (Mon - Sat)

Trullo

Last year, two Italian restaurants opened up in London around a similar time to each other. Trullo was situated North in Islington and the other, Zucca, in the South, in Bermondsey. I mention both of these in this review because many parallels have been drawn between the two over the last year or so and they are often discussed together. Both are reputed to serve consummate Italian food at reasonable prices, a breath of fresh air amongst the cheap chains and the wallet-murdering fine-dining establishments such as River Café, Zafferano and such like.

Both Trullo & Zucca always seemed to be jostling for awards in the same categories and Trullo is particularly notorious for the nuisance in getting a reservation.  I paid a visit to Zucca last year and was very impressed, by both the food and the bill at the end. This had given me high hopes for my visit to Trullo. Trullo was also established by a graduate from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Academy and I think the first graduate to open his own restaurant.

Trullo is a neighbourhood restaurant located near Highbury & Islington station. Inside contains a softly lit and simple dining area and even midweek the place was almost full, providing a bustling environment. My friend was a bit delayed but in the mean time the staff were very affable and obliging with all my questions regarding the menu.

Dining room

Bar

When it came to ordering, the curt menu still had several appetizing-sounding dishes and choosing wasn’t simple. We started by sharing a starter of tagliatelle with Scottish girolles. This was creamy but not rich, with a wonderful earthy flavour from the mushroom. The ribbons of pasta themselves were lovely except for one rogue mouthful that was inexplicably undercooked amongst the rest, which were perfect. 

Tagliatelle with Scottish
girolles

My main course of whole plaice with beetroot and salmoriglio (a sauce of lemon juice, oil and herbs) was a large, rustic looking plate of food. Fish was expertly cooked with the necessary crispy skin. The sweet beetroots were a juicy accompaniment. 

Whole plaice with heritage
beetroot & salmoriglio

Red leg partridge with lentils and peara (bone marrow and black pepper bread sauce) was an even more substantial dish than mine. Partridge was flavourful and tender, whilst the lentils were soft and carried the partridge well. My friend’s only complaint was that there should have been more sauce.

Red leg partridge with
lentils & peara

Dessert was an Amalfi lemon tart, which is a particular favourite of mine. This was wonderfully creamy and sharp yet fortunately not too sweet, almost disintegrating in the mouth. Pastry was short and crumbly. No doubt an accomplished version. 

Amalfi lemon tart

The cheese board contained a blue cheese and Italian Ubriaco (drunken cheese). There was supposed to be a third (can’t remember what exactly) but it was not available so they knocked £2.50 off the price. These were quality cheeses, served with a lovely quince jelly.

Cheese board

Also as a side note, "Trullo Downstairs" opened in May last year. Here they serve a daily changing menu of some of the restaurant's favourite dishes and a variety of cocktails if you fancy some more casual dining before heading out somewhere in Islington or Dalston.

Trullo provided us with an excellent meal. Food isn’t mind-blowing but it’s hearty, extremely tasty Italian cooking supplemented by great service and reasonable prices. A certain neighbourhood classic and definitely worth a trip.

Price: Starters £5-9, Mains £16 - 20, Desserts £4.5 - 6

Where to go before/after: Trullo is located very close to the top of Upper Street. Grab an early dinner before catching a show at the nearby The Almeida Theatre on Almeida street (currently showing a production of Lorca's La Casa de Bernada Alba, a play of particular interest to myself having studied it at Spanish A level). Or catch a film at the wonderful Everyman theatre, Screen on the Green near the bottom of Upper Street. Then finish the night with some drinks in Angel at one of many bars or pubs in the area such as The Old Queen's Head or LadyBird Bar.

Website: Click here

Location: 300 - 302 St Paul's Road, London, N1 2LH

Nearest Tube: Highbury & Islington

Opening Times: Lunch 12.30 - 14.45 (Mon - Sun) Dinner 18.00 - 22.15 (Mon - Sat)