Just to remind us that nature and conservation are a crucial part of the urban landscape too. This is an extract from a poem by S.K. Lindeman. ‘A note of nature a bird and a song…about to begin in urban urgency…a bird and a note playing for me.’ A siren call.
WORDS: Jean Hill
Siren is a restaurant, bar and event space in the heart of Liverpool’s up and coming creative quarter, the Baltic Triangle. It was opened back in 2013 by friends Jeni & Natalie. When His & Hers heard about a new venture, we just had to go and check it out.
Chapters of Us, a coffee shop, eatery and bar was created by the same people behind Siren. It is based within Baltic Creative Digital House and open weekdays from 8am and Saturdays from 10am. Chapters of Us is a space created for people to enjoy great coffee, fresh and wholesome cuisine and good company in a relaxed environment. There is a commitment to low-waste: they have intriguing uses for coffee grounds, which could form part of your beauty routine. The official launch took place on 30th January, showcasing the space, food and drink options to local press, businesses, friends and family. The cocktails, using fresh grapefruit and brandy (as one example) are simply delicious. There is a ‘vermouth’ based cocktail, which tasted of Italian holidays, basking in the sun, which could prove addictive. The holidays and the cocktails.
Chapters of Us is committed to being eco-friendly, which is at the heart of everything they do. Breakfast and lunch are served every day until 3pm, with the menu easily changeable to incorporate local, seasonal produce. Daily specials of ‘Hearty Bowls’ are available from 12pm, where you can expect stews, soups and fresh sourdough sandwiches. From 5pm, they present the Italian tradition of ‘Aperitivo’, a light meal to accompany drink purchases, that represents the start of the evening. Aperitivo changes every evening, with snacks and light bites inspired by the ingredients of the day’s brunch and specials menu. These snacks can be added on to any drink purchase. They had me at the mention of fresh sourdough.
Equally exciting offerings come from the drinks menu. Coffee comes from local company, Neighbourhood Coffee, who’ve created a signature house blend.. Used coffee grinds are free to all customers who wish to take them home and reuse for fertilizer or natural body scrubs. Another local collaboration comes in the shape of natural wines from Bunch Wine Bar, whose low-intervention and organic bottles shape the drinks menu. Beers and IPA’s are provided by varying Northern breweries. The cocktail menu is vibrant, with local aperitif and spirit brands used to great effect. Non-alcoholic options are plentiful with flavoured kombucha, alcohol-free cocktails and low volume IPA’s.
Chapters of Us aims to prove that great service, food and drinks can go hand in hand with a commitment to low waste, without compromising the experience. We suspect this is but the beginning for Chapters of Us, with a new basement event space currently in the works; due to open in Summer 2020.
It is a beautiful venue, and visually, with its bare brick, and utility feel, it reflects its credentials. The food will change depending on what is available, rather like Nigel Slater, picking fresh herbs and vegetables, consulting his store cupboard and fridge, before whipping up a memorable meal. It is conserving and the way we all need to think about food in the future. The food, including the fabulous sourdough, tasted fresh, alive with flavour and enhanced by creamy dips with some raw, as well as cooked, vegetables. I imagine this will be a thriving hub for people gravitating to the Baltic Triangle.
44 Simpson Street, Liverpool L1 0AX
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