A Dishoom Feast

There were three reasons for going back to Dishoom, a Bombay café / restaurant in central London:

1. They serve delicious Indian cuisine
2. It was my birthday
3. We had a Dishoom note worth £10

The last time I dined here was last year. In fact, it was only a few weeks ago and we each got a £10 Dishoom note to use. So when it came to my birthday, my fiancé and I tried to decide whether we should go out for dinner or if he would cook a meal for me at home. After much back and forth, we took the easier and more-likely-to-be-successful option of going out. We fancied Indian and so I pulled out my £10 Dishoom note. Such a novelty, but hey, it brought them more business. I'm all for marketing ploys if they save me money and give me good food.

I've been here only a handful of times, but I already have my favourite dishes. So while we waited at the bar for our table, I was quick to put my finger to the menu already. "I want this one, and this one, and this..." We hadn't fully decided by the time we were called to our seats, but we had a game-plan which was dependant on what the house special was.

Well, that plan was quickly put to one side as we saw the tasting menu propped up at our booth. I was happy to sat in a booth. The couple who were seated before us got one of the tables in the middle. Muhahahaha!

Our previous experience of a tasting menu was at Indian Accent in Delhi. We quickly looked at the dishes on the menu, and I pointed again. "I'll have this one, and this one and...". But we could have them all! It included drinks, and the equivalent of what could be seen as starters, a mix of mains and desserts. PLUS chai tea's at the end, and neither of us have had a chai since being in India. Excited? Yes.

The menu

These were the options we chose from the menu, but you could have a vegetable biryani instead of chicken, a different bread, and different flavoured desserts. There is also a vegetarian tasting menu to choose from, but we went for non-veg.

• Mango and Fennel Lassi
• Dishoom Calamari
• Bhel
• Nihari
• Chicken Berry Biryani
• House Black Dahl
• Raita
• Roomali Roti
• Passionfruit Gola Ice and Mango Kulfi
• House Chai

Now, I have to say, this isn't really like a normal tasting menu that I've had before. I would usually expect little dishes of each so that we could 'taste' a variety of foods. I'd say that this is more of a set meal, rather than a tasting menu and it was probably enough for three people to share.

The lowdown

Mango and fennel lassi

I already had a glass of red wine from when we were waiting at the bar. The mango and fennel lassi came out and I was quite unsure if the two would mix well. They didn't. But I only slowly drank half the lassi so no one had to be witness to anything vile. I wasn't too enthusiastic about the lassi either, although it's never been a favourite of mine anyway. It's milkier and not as sweet as the few I've tried before. The rioja was very nice though!

Our small plates came out next. I'd already tried the calamari before, and I wanted to have it again anyway. This is the third time I've had it now and it is different again. I mean, it's clearly the same dish, but they just don't seem to be consistent in making it. This time the calamari pieces were cut differently and the flavour wasn't as vibrant. Nice and crispy though.

The bhel was very new to me. I don't think I have tried it before. The menu states that it is a classic bombay snack and I quite enjoyed it. Bit of crunch from the rice, bit of fresh from the pomegranate mixed with all sorts of other ingredients including tomato, coriander, and onion. Interesting and nice.

Dishoom calamari

Bhel - a classic Bombay snack

Next were our mains which I was really pleased that it consisted of rice, breads, curry and more! I always enjoy a curry with a whole mix of things. I'm not a one-dish-to-myself kind of person when it comes to Indian. I like to have a couple of curries, a bit of rice to mix in with it, and a bit of bread to mop it up. Shared of course. I'm not that greedy. Not always anyway.

I really enjoyed the chicken biryani. I'm told that it takes hours to make one of these usually. I don't think I've come across a takeaway biryani which is quite like the real thing. Or at least what I know to be the real thing. Someone I know once made a biryani at home and brought it into work for us all to try. Boy, was that some decent biryani! I recall he talked about cooking it all separately, then layering up the rice, the sauce, the chicken and the vegetables, then cooking it for longer and mixing it all up. What he brought in was rather yummy. Dishoom's biryani comes very close to it. It is different. The flavours of the berries work quite well in it and I really enjoyed it, but it doesn't quite live up to this one I've had before but I'd certainly have it again. It's served with some raita which adds a fresh and cool dimension to the mix.

Chicken berry biryani

Nihari

The nihari is a new dish for Dishoom, or so I'm told. I've not seen it on the menu before and I did fancy a bit of lamb. It's like a stew and there is quite a lot of sauce which is thinner than the usual curries I've tried before. The flavour it quite rich, and a bit salty but it was good. Definitely nice to mix in with the rice and eat with the roti. 

Ah, the roti! I've not had roti like this anywhere else. Granted, I've only had roti in two places. Once in Rishikesh, India and once at Dishoom. I much prefer Dishoom's version. It's like a stretchy cloth, but is edible and tastes really fresh. You can see it being made in the kitchen. They stretch out the dough and place it over a hot dome to cook.

Roomali roti

House black dahl

Now, I can't say much for the dahl. Having tried various dahl's over the past few years, I have decided that I don't like it. I'm not sure what it is, but it's really not to my taste. The other half enjoyed it though!

Does that sound like a lot of food? Well, it was. We couldn't finish it all. Defeated! We tried, we really did. We paused and tried to eat more, then paused again, and nibbled some more. But we were indeed defeated.

So I'm pleased that the desserts were nothing too heavy. Of course, we waited a little bit before actually delving into our desserts. The mango kulfi is essentially a milk-based ice lolly and the gola ice is pretty much crushed and flavoured ice. Nothing spectacular but I enjoyed it. It was actually a really good dessert for such a heavy meal.

Mango kulfi

Passionfruit gola ice

Oh, we are not finished yet! Then it was the chai. It had been about a month and a half since we had chai's in India and I really did miss it. I remember coming back to the UK and craving a normal cup of English Breakfast tea and then being bitterly disappointed at how bland it was. I wanted a chai tea again. And here it was.

House chai

Good end to the meal. A lovely warming cup of spiced, slightly sweet and milky chai tea. It was the good type too, as we did have a few chai's which were far too sweet in India. They sure do like sweet!

We then got given two more Dishoom notes worth a tenner each. I need to remind myself that eating out this often doesn't actually save any money! Keeps me happy though :) Also, I do want to pop in for a Bombay breakfast or lunch some time!

Links

Website: http://www.dishoom.com/

Twitter: Follow @dishoomlondon

Festive Dining: Langs Bistro

From a series of three blog posts on Festive December Dining.

I’ve been really keen to try new places around the Southport area as I feel that it’s been lacking on the food front in recent years. There used to be some really great restaurants many years back, but due to various reasons, usually a change of management, these once great places have gone downhill. It’s such a disappointment to go back to a restaurant with a certain level of expectation and then come out never wanting to back again.

Langs Bistro seems to have a good reputation. It’s had good reviews and is currently ranked 5th on Trip Advisor for the area. I’d attempted to try this place before, but unfortunately it was closed for some reason or another that at time. So, on this occasion, when we had failed to book somewhere else because they were closed (how ironic) we called up Langs Bistro to see if they had availability. And they did.

The highlight

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Langs. What I did not expect was such beautifully presented quality food. Each plate was enticing but also looks elegantly plated. Each mouthful and combination of flavour was a good one.

Turkey & Sausage Meat Spring Roll

Breast of Chicken

Fillet of Salmon

Overall impressions

Looking at the website, I wasn’t expecting a fancy place, or the quality of food that we experienced. To be honest, I thought it was going to be an Italian similar to Ask or Strada. Then the font used for the word ‘Langs’ along with the actual name being ‘Langs’, I don’t know if I’m being too presumptuous in thinking that it might have an Asian influence.

Totally not what expected.

Walking in, we are greeted by a well-dressed gentleman, offering to hang up our coats. The ambience is lovely and intimate. There is some festive decoration, but nothing at all that is over the top; a few bows on the picture frames, and crackers on the tables. The restaurant isn’t very large, so I was surprised I managed to get a booking for three on the day as the other tables were obviously booked and were all full up by the time we finished dining.

First impressions: good. On with the food…

The food

I originally had a nosey at the menu on my mobile, and it’s not easy to read this menu on such a small screen when the font is so curly. Anyway, once being able to actually make out the Christmas Table D’hote Menu (PDF), you can see that they have a good selection adding a bit of turkey in there for the festivities.

I was sat in a nice restaurant, and wanted to try something a bit different. Instead, I was really craving something fresh and fruity. I must have been eating a load of rubbish recently. So I ordered the melon starter and didn’t expect much of it; only that it would satisfy my fruit craving.

Duo of Melon
Exotic fruit and fruit coulis

To my surprise, a pretty little arrangement was served to me with an array of colours. It was certainly fresh fruit, and I was pleased with the wonderful star fruit making an appearance – something that reminds me of Hong Kong, as it’s always a fruit I eat when I go there. The freshness and the sugary coulis were a wonderful combination. I was literally just expecting fruit. Nothing more. So this was a really pleasant and delightful surprise.

Beef Bouruignon
Baby herb dumplings, sautéed potatoes &
braised red cabbage

My main was really wonderful as well – a warming stew with interesting crisp-like potatoes on top. Putting crisps next to a sandwich or a panini is normal, but if someone was to tell me that they were serving crisps with a main, especially a stew, I’d be inclined to raise an eyebrow. Yet, it seemed to work. The stew had a lovely sauce and the meat and dumplings were lovely and soft that the “crisps” were a good contrast.

Assiette of the Day
Pear drop ice-cream, chocolate brownie,
raspberry & white chocolate cheesecake, lemon posset

The dessert choice looked lovely, and as my boyfriend and I often share dessert and we had room, we figured we would share the Assiette of the Day. Plus, we’re greedy!

Four delightful looking desserts came to us. Who wouldn’t be excited by this?

The most interesting thing was the pear drop ice-cream. My goodness – it actually tasted of pear drop sweets in ice cream form. It was so yummy and reminded me of my childhood.

The chocolate brownie was ok. A decent chocolate brownie. But having ate the most awesome chocolate brownie ever at The Gastro, it was hard to think this was more than average… and I do feel bad for saying that.

The cheesecake was pleasant. As I’ve said before, I’m not a massive fan of cheesecake. This was nice and I ate it, so it must have been a decent cheesecake!

I really enjoyed the lemon posset. A bit of zing and zang in the cool and smooth mixture with a bit of shortbread on top. There was no way I wouldn’t be happy with something like that.

We all enjoyed our meals, and I hope to make a return visit soon enough. My mission to find a great restaurant in Southport accomplished. Thank you Langs Bistro!

More info

Langs Bistro, 21 Stanley Street, Southport, PR9 0BS
Website: http://www.botanicbistro.com/langsbistro.html

Festive Dining: Duke of Wellington

From a series of three blog posts on Festive December Dining.

I’m a fan of local places and I love a good pub that serves delicious grub. Set in the small village of Ryarsh, Kent, the bar and restaurant has a lovely warm and cosy interior, and is seconds away from the beautiful countryside’s of Kent. Sourcing locally produced ingredients, the Duke of Wellington serves a good variety of quality foods.

The highlight

The overall experience at this pub restaurant is what makes it a great place to go. I’ve been several times, and am never let down by food or service. The local charm of the pub is something I hope it never loses. The full Christmas Party menu takes care of you well – a 3 course meal with mince pies and coffee at £24 is certainly a winner in my books. The three of us were sat in our own booth, with Christmas crackers and a little heater.

Our table set out in our own little booth

The food

I really enjoyed my meal and the combination of dishes that I had.

The stuff aubergines for start were a lovely combination of flavours. It was nice and light too, which for me, made it a great start to the meal.

Italian-Style stuffed aubergine with rocket leaves and balsamic glaze

The venison was cooked wonderfully. Really tender and the jus was a great accompaniment. I really enjoyed the celeriac chips. I enjoy normal chips, but this was a great alternative option I’d definitely have again. This was served with a side of veggies too.

Peppered pave of venison with celeriac chips and juniper jus

I’d forgotten what I had ordered for dessert as it was all pre-booked and ordered a while ago. Turns out that I didn’t go for a good helping of chocolate, but decided to go for something fruity and different to usual. It was a great choice in the end. Nothing too heavy and I enjoyed having something fresh at the end of the meal. Maybe I enjoyed the ice cream more…

Warm Amaretto soaked cherries
and clotted cream ice-cream

Mince pies and coffee made a good end to a festive meal with my lovely friends.

Mince pies!

More info

Duke of Wellington, Birling Rd, Ryarsh, West Malling, ME19 5LS
Website: www.dukeofwellingtonryarsh.com

Festive Dining: The Gastro Bar and Grill

This is one of three blog posts on Festive December Dining.

The Gastro was a Twitter find and I’d been following them for a couple of months. I remember seeing the tweets about the Christmas and New Year menu (PDF), and although the menu didn’t really excite me greatly, it was top of mind for when I came to visit in Southport earlier in December. I’m always on the lookout for nice new restaurants in Southport and this would be my first Christmas meal out.

The impression I get from reading about The Gastro is that it oozes a bit of elegance that I’ve found lacking in Southport restaurants these days. It encourages a bit of sophistication, but also has a sense of fun. It’s certainly not trying to be completely snobby, but rather offers a place for casual dining.

The Gastro Bar and Grill

The highlight

Now, listen when I tell you that the warm chocolate brownie is nothing short of AWESOME! It is meant to come with chocolate ice cream but I asked it to be changed to vanilla as I thought it might be too much chocolate for me. It was the perfect combination. The brownie is nice and moist, melty and divine and the best brownie I’ve had in a long long time. I’d come back, just for this brownie. It’s served with honeycomb sweets which was a nice touch.

Warm Triple Chocolate Brownie
chocolate ice cream and honeycomb

Overall impressions

The place has a nice casual dining feel to it on arrival. Nice ambience, well stocked bar on the right and plenty of room for diners. It was a Tuesday evening, so I wasn’t expecting a whole load of people but it was obvious that they were expecting a couple of large parties as there were some tables set out already.

The staff are friendly and quick to serve. A bit too quick, if I’m honest, as I do like to let my food settle just a little bit between courses.

Restaurant interior

The food

We had lovely fresh and filling breads and oils to begin with so I knew I wouldn’t have enough room for a 3 course meal! It wasn’t long before our mains were served. A tender leg of duck for me and a festive turkey breast for my friend. Both meals were quite pleasant and we enjoyed them, but neither of us felt that it was anything spectacular. My friend wasn't too keen on the sprouts as he felt they were undercooked but I don't know anyone who isn't picky about this certain type of veg!

Roasted Turkey Breast duck fat spuds, pigs in blankets, chestnuts and crispy sage

Confit Leg of Duck braised red cabbage, English plum chutney

Desserts were served very soon after, and although I rave about the chocolate brownie, I literally could not fit it in. I wanted to, honest! My friend was not too enthusiastic about the Christmas pudding, but agreed that my brownie was the business.

Gastro Bar Christmas Pudding
with vanilla bean custard

All in all, a pleasant meal and a nice location. Not altogether sure that it lives up to the place that it is trying to be, but not bad at all.

More info

The Gastro Bar and Grill, 45 Liverpool Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 4AG
Website: www.thegastrobarandgrill.com
Twitter: Follow @gastrobirkdale

An Indian Accented Food Journey

Featured in the India Daily on 24th Dec 2011.

Our stay in Delhi was short and packed full with a rigid itinerary. Our only free day was the same day we arrived back in Delhi from Rishikesh, and I'd already had my eye on the hotel restaurant. It was partly why I wanted to stay at The Manor New Delhi Hotel. The Chef's Tasting Menu really caught my eye. Both the boy and I love trying new foods and we decided that we would eat once at this restaurant as a treat during our trip. So we would just go straight in for the Chef's tasting menu in order to try a selection of dishes here.

Tasting menu’s

I'd only tried a tasting menu once before, and it was at Fusion 5th Floor in Hong Kong which I visited earlier in the year. I was in heaven sampling the variety of dishes served in front of me. So naturally, I was just too excited for the next tasting menu experience.

There is a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option available at Indian Accent. The other half was straight in for the non-vegetarian having had a meat-free few days in Rishikesh and being the carnivore that he is, but I was tempted for the vegetarian option just so that we could try even more dishes. I didn't mind not having meat, but it was the number of dishes containing cheeses which put me off. I'm not a fan of cheese at all and I find a lot of people think that's kind of weird.

Time to taste

So first up – prior to being served anything from the tasting menu – some appetisers of blue cheese naan and this spoonful of wonders. The naan’s look delicious, but the smell of the stinky blue cheese was making me queezy. I still don't like cheese, but it doesn't mean I won't give it a go. Sorry, not for me but my cheese-lover boyfriend loved them. What delight is in store for us next? Oh, this lovely spoonful of amazing flavours. Oh my goodness. Crispy on the outside, with an explosion of wonderful flavours on the inside.

Mini blue cheese naan’s

Spoonful of yum

Starters

Excited by what we had just experienced, we couldn’t wait for the next mouthful from this tasting menu. The potato thread spheres were our first starter. These were so delicately light and crispy, the fresh flavours against the sweet worked so well. This was getting just a little exciting!

Potato thread spheres, white pea ragda, summer kaldi

I recall having pomelo with a soft shell crab dish in Pho 24, a Vietnamese restaurant I went to in Hong Kong. It's similar to grapefruit but less sour, more sweet. It's very light and fragrant. Why do I not eat this fruit more? Reminder to pop down to the Chinese supermarket and grab me some pomelo! Anyway, this tandoori chicken and pomelo dish was decent. Not my favourite, buy still tasty.

Tandoori chicken chaat, thai pomelo segments, crispy garlic

The waiters are so attentive. Quickly clearing our plates and keeping drinks topped up and explaining what was in each plate for us. At no point was the service intrusive.

Next up is a beautifully cooked piece of salmon with a really fresh and tasty dip. This was one of our favourites. The textures and flavours were just such a good combination. It was such a small dish and it would have been lovely to have had more. But we had to remember that this is a tasting menu and there are more dishes to come!

The foie gras was quite unusual. I haven’t had foie gras many times, but I recall trying this at Fusion 5^th Floor. It was seared and just melted in my mouth with delicate flavours. At Indian Accent, it didn’t have the same effect. Still quite nice, and the chutney was a nice compliment. But I have to compare it with the better version.

Scottish salmon tikka, dill leaves, garlic and mint aioli

Foie gras stuffed galawat, strawberry green shilli chutney

Time for a palette cleanser before being served our mains…

Sorbet

The path of the main’s

This is where the plates get a bit bigger. There were two choices for the main, so of course, I ordered one and my boyfriend had the other.

Served in front of me is a plate of lightly battered fish, some mash and steamed asparagus. I’m told that the fish is John Dory from the Australian Seas. The meat is so succulent and tender. Falling apart with a touch of my knife and coated in a wonderful tomato pepper curry.

In front of the other half, is a dish named Chicken 65. I’ve never heard of this dish before, but it seems it is a popular dish in South India, and the origins of the name seem to be varied and uncertain. The crispy circular accompaniment was a nice addition. It added a bit of crunch to the dish and a dipping or scooping device for the chicken pieces or upma. Upma – what a strange name. To me anyway. Upma is a popular breakfast dish, but the upma served here seems like a more liquid version of the breakfast meal. Some new and unusual, but tasty flavours here. I’m definitely still preferring some of the earlier dishes that tantalised my tastebuds.

Pan seared John Dory, tomato pepper curry, new potato ‘chokha’ mash

Chicken 65, spiced upma, marinated feta

Along with the mains, we have some black dairy dal, with some bacon kulcha. After trying dal a few times this year, I’ve decided that I’m not a massive fan. It’s such a popular dish, but there is something about it that is just not to my liking. I also found the bacon kulcha a bit odd – it was a bit like spiced pizza with dry cured meat. It’s a nice idea to be able to dip the kulcha in the dal, and as an accompaniment to the mains, but it really wasn’t my thing.

Black dairy dal

Apple wood smoked bacon kulcha

Any more?

DESSERTS. Oh my goodness, the desserts! Three little taste sensations on a piece of slate. I can’t say that they are my favourite dishes ever, but they were certainly interesting to try!

Chooran, anar and Cointreau kulfi
Fresh cherries
Baked coconut cheesecake

Let’s start with the spiced pomegranate ice lolly. Had it been simply a pomegranate and Cointreau ice lolly, I probably would have really enjoyed it, but it wouldn’t have made me think, “Ooh, what was that?!” or “Wow, what a combination!”. Kulfi is meant to be a dairy-based Indian ice cream. This really was like an ice lolly. No dairy. Anar is the Persian word for pomegranate. Whether it’s in fashion or something for food names to be presented with Persian words, or if pomegranates are generally known as ‘anar’ in India, I really do not know. But I love pomegranate, so tick that box. Cointreau I like, so another tick. Ok, so far, a pomegranate and Cointreau ice lolly. Sounds yummy. Only, I couldn’t taste the Cointreau and instead some quite strong spices which is the combination which really made me find this dish really interesting. The ‘chooran’ part of the dish eluded me. I wasn’t expecting it, nor did I know what it was at the time. I can see the bits of spce or powder in the kulfi, and I wasn’t sure if I was repulsed or intrigued. I was intrigued so took another bite. You have the freshness of the pomegranate, then a whole sensation of bitter, salty, and a whole manner of other things I don’t think I can quite describe. It was so fresh and then bizarre that I wanted more but really one of these kulfi’s was enough. I really didn’t need two. That became too much for me.

Ok, so then the so called cherries. They are the most grape-tasting cherries I’ve ever tasted. I’m pretty sure they weren’t cherries. They looked like grapes, and tasted like grapes. With some more of the chooran, or other spices of course. Again, interesting, but I’m not wanting anymore of this new and strange spice sensation.

Cheesecake. As I said, I’m not a lover of cheese but I’ll try. I usually despise cheesecakes so of course I’m dubious about this little piece with the whizz of sugar spirals placed on top of it. Wow. I love this cheesecake! Rich in taste and texture, creamy but not too cheesy. Maybe I like cheesecake after all?

Would I go back?

So, we most certainly enjoyed our meal here. Really interesting and wonderful flavours and textures. It wasn’t all to my taste, but I really enjoyed trying it all and we adored the food so much that we dined here on the remaining two nights stay. Yes, it was meant to be a one-night treat. We were on holiday – a few more treats is okay. Maybe.

Recommended dishes

These were my personal favourite dishes, some of which are on the tasting menu and others tried on the other nights we dined at Indian Accent.

Starters
Potato thread spheres, white pea ragda, summer kaldi
Scottish Salmon tikka, dill leaves, garlic mint aioli

Mains
Masala wild mushrooms, water chestnut, paper roast dosai
Peanut butter chicken, kasuri methi crisp, chai glass lachha salad

Dessert
Baked cheesecake

Restaurant and Hotel details

I’d really recommend staying at The Manor Hotel. I was told that 4* star hotels would be more like 3* in the UK, but after searching around and reading reviews on this hotel I really liked it. I’d recommend it to anyone staying in Delhi. The staff are so attentive, the hotel is wonderful, and of course, the restaurant is great. The only thing to watch out for is the location. It’s in South Delhi, so it depends where you want to be based, but it’s away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi. It’s easy to get around on transport, and the hotel staff help to arrange taxi’s for the day if required.

The Manor New Delhi Hotel
Indian Accent Restaurant

An Elegant Modern European Restaurant, Dining with a Tastecard

Restaurant interior

Following the reviews from TopTable, I chose this Modern European restaurant to meet a friend for lunch. Twentynine is located in the Continental Hotel and I get the impression that it's popular with business travellers as well as passers by in the area. Armed with a tastecard, providing 50% off the food bill, I can't wait to try this place out.

The restaurant is very modern and on entry looks like it is set to impress, yet isn't pretentious. Walking up to it from Hounslow Central tube station, it doesn't seem like you would find a restaurant like this here so it was a nice surprise. It's part of the Continental Hotel, but it doesn't feel restricted to those staying there.

The waiter greeted me by name which was a pleasant surprise since I'd never been here before. I think he must have been the same person I spoke to when I called earlier in the day to confirm the booking.

The food

The menu has a good variety on it, the prices are a little high for a casual lunch but since I had my tastecard, I didn't mind and it was partly why I chose this place.

For mains, I fancied something fairly light as I had pigged out all weekend. As you do. My sea bream was a really decent portion - two large fillets served on a bed of spinach and roasted potatoes. The flavours were delicate but well seasoned and the creamy sauce was a great match. I didn't get too much of a basil flavour but that didn't deter from the dish. Nothing was competing, everything was very complimentary.

Grilled Sea Bream with sauté potato, wilted spinach and basil sauce

8oz Rib Eye Steak with grilled tomato, hand cut chips

My friend had ordered a steak, holding the filled mushroom, and it looked really great. I really like the presentation of these dishes.

Desserts? Yes, please! As if we were going to say no. I'm partial to a gooey and melty chocolate fondant so it was an easy choice. The warm melty chocolate and the cool vanilla ice cream was a treat. My friends' apple charlotte was even better though! Beautifully presented, this little treat had a crisp casing containing the luxurious apple filling with a really good hit of cinnamon. That combined with the ice cream was a mouthful of wonders.

Dark Belgium chocolate fondant with vanilla seed ice cream

Apple charlotte with vanilla seed ice cream

I really enjoyed the food here and out of what we had, I would say the sea bream and the apple charlotte would be high on my list of recommendations.

The verdict

The quality, presentation and flavour of the food was really great.

The service, not too bad - friendly, welcoming and attentive. There was only one waiter, and although it wasn't particularly busy, I felt as if he was a bit rushed off his feet.

I wouldn't visit if I couldn't get an offer as I feel it's fairly expensive. But it is good, and I would make a return visit with my tastecard.

Know your offers

After ordering mains, we are told that the 50% discount is only valid for a two course meal so I was a little surprised but glad to have been told at this point. I contacted those at tastecard afterwards to see if this was a valid condition of the offer. This is their response:

I have spoken to the Food & beverage manager at the hotel who informs me he is new there and our old contact did not pass on the full details of the offer to him.  I informed him that at tastecard we cannot stipulate a minimum number of courses and he has agreed to do the discount correctly.  The manager has sent his apologies and assures me that this will not happen again as all members of staff are going to be re-briefed on the offer.

Restaurant Liaison Team, tastecard

How cheeky. Not that the desserts weren't completely adored, but I dislike it when people try and pull a fast one. Shame on you, staff at Twentynine! Great food though...

A Fresh and Delicious Addition to the Seaside Town of Southport

Arriving on a grim October’s day, I really fancied some nice warm food. I’d heard about Finos at the Waterfront, a new Spanish restaurant in my home town of Southport, and had been waiting for my next opportunity to visit home and give it a try.

I’ve chosen this location to meet with a friend of mine to talk business, but also to catch up as we hadn’t seen each other for a while.

We were at the restaurant at 2.30pm on a cold and rainy Monday afternoon, so it’s no surprise that it wasn’t particularly busy. On entry, we are greeted by a smiley waitress and I’m quiet uplifted by the bold and bright decor. Our order of tea’s were quickly served providing the warmth ordered for this rather autumnal day.

The Food

The menu’s seemed to have a good choice. From a selection of tapas to paella dishes and grills. My friend and I quickly opted for the lunchtime deal - 3 tapas for £6.95. I felt the selection slightly limiting, but was quiet pleased with what came out.

Not too long after we ordered, a delight of colours and aromas were served in front of us. I’ll give an overview with mini descriptions if one is, like my uncultured friend, unfamiliar with Spanish lingo:

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Yes, I did take the photo after we had eaten half already!

Albondigas - meatballs in tomato sauce (x2)
The meatballs were of a nice size, but in a very small dish. So we were glad we ordered two. They were meaty, juicy and delicious!

Crisp Calamari - fried squid served with alioli (garlic mayo)
I adore calamari, and have been disappointed so many times. This was not one of those times. Cooked perfectly and seasoned beautifully. The accompanying alioli was a wonderful subtle dip. Not too garlicky as with many I’ve tried before.

Chorizo - Spanish spiced pork sausage
I’m a big fan of good chorizo. Well, if only I managed to try some! My friend enjoyed it very much, however. It’s drizzled with orange blossom honey and thyme which sounds lovely to me.

Patatas Bravas - cubed roasted potatoes in tomato sauce
These were nice. Not the best I’ve had, but nicely cooked and the sauce was tasty. I like mine with a bit more kick.

Anchovies on Tomato Bread
The pile of anchovies were staring at me being placed on a slice of tomato bread on a bed of rocket drizzled with a wonderful mustard dressing. Oh my. This was my favourite dish and highly recommended. So full of flavour and textures - just divine!

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I’d really recommend the anchovies and the calamari in particular. Delicious!

Service and Atmosphere

The waitresses were friendly and quickly served us drinks and food. They were quick to take away empty plates without being intrusive at all. Aside from the restaurant phone ringing without anyone to pick it up whilst an interview was taking place at the other end of the restaurant, the atmosphere was not bad at all. The decor is nice an bright - inviting and welcoming.

Location, location, location

Having walked past the restaurant a couple of days before dining there, it seemed like an odd location. I passed this area on the promenade a couple of days before when I was heading down to get to the cinema. The restaurant is positioned just before the pier at The Waterfront. What was this Waterfront? Obviously, I’m behind the Southport times. I’ve found that it’s a new development, directly linked with the Ramada Hotel next door. There is not a great deal of activity here, but is offering Southport a lot of new opportunities for businesses and once it’s a little more established, I think Fino’s will really thrive in this location.

The location is it’s only downfall at the moment as it’s a little away from the high street, but it’s not far to walk to - only 5 mins. It’s just not really on the way anywhere unless it’s a bright and sunny day in which case you might walk past it on the way to the pier.

Is it worth it?

I hear that business is not too bad considering the restaurant has only been open for a couple of months. Being fully booked on the weekends, it’s just the weekdays which are not consistent. I think this could be a really popular location for a business lunch, or a casual eat out on a lunch break. The service is so quick that you needn’t worry about being late for your afternoon shift! I can see this would be a great place for an evening too. I’d like to take my family there next time I’m in the area.

As long as people know about it, whether it’s through marketing and promotions or word of mouth, I think diners will be pleasantly surprised with the wonderful food and atmosphere. I feel that many restaurants in Southport have taken a turn for the worse, and this place offers a fresh and new injection of culinary delights to this seaside location. I shall certainly make a return and I hope to try something from the main menu next time!

More information

Finos website: http://www.finossouthport.co.uk
Finos blog: http://finosatthewaterfront.wordpress.com
Twitter: Follow @FinosSouthport