As Robert Browning expressed it:
‘That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!’
Not so long ago, a matter of months, working at His & Hers involved attending exciting, memorable events including restaurant reviews that we loved to shout out about. It has been a while, but it is all changing back, re-openings with slightly extended vistas.
WORDS: Jean Hill
It will be so good to re-visit our favourite haunts. Restaurants have adapted to keep us all as safe as they possibly can; which means less traffic and more spaces for outdoor eating.
This is happening in Bold Street, Castle Street and Lark Lane. It will also be happening elsewhere where restaurants can spill out onto the street or fill an outdoor space in a leafy square. Indoor spaces can be adapted to seat you in your own family and friends in a bubble: in booths and enclaves.
Lark Lane in Aigburth, famous for its Bohemian vibe and independent eateries, located beside Sefton Park in South Liverpool, will become a one-way road from Monday 20th July. This initiative aptly named ‘Liverpool Without Walls’ was devised by Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to support those independent restaurants that can take advantage of the scheme.
The pilot scheme on Lark Lane will chime perfectly with the government’s “eat out to help out” voucher scheme, which offers discounts to people who eat out Monday to Wednesday in August, in restaurants that have signed up to benefit from the scheme.
The first phase of “Liverpool Without Walls” in Castle Street and Bold Street, has seen a busy thoroughfare changed into leafy outdoor eating spaces. The scope to do this elsewhere must offer new possibilities.
Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, said: “Lark Lane is a unique street, it has a fantastic mix of cafes and restaurants and by making it one-way we hope people are encouraged to come back and enjoy the area again. As we slowly come out of lockdown providing a strong local dining offer to customers is going to be a big key to keeping the infection rate down. And the beauty of outdoor schemes like this is that it’s a win-win situation – in terms of curtailing the spread of Covid and supporting businesses and jobs”.
Peter Kinsella of Lunya, which has eateries in Liverpool ONE and Albert Dock, said: “The funding for the Liverpool Without Walls scheme makes a huge difference to both of our restaurants. At a time when we are desperately short of cash, this funding enables us to expand the covers in our terraces, providing our guests with a much better outside experience and most importantly enable us to generate much needed revenue from outside space. We calculate that each £1 of the council grant, generates an additional £30 a year of revenue for us. It’s a lifesaver for the business and we are delighted with the support.”
The Baltic Triangle and Cain’s Brewery
Lu Ban is gifting a whole year’s worth of bottomless brunches to individual NHS workers. Every Saturday and Sunday for 12 months, there will be a table for reserved for an NHS worker and three guests. Lu Ban declare that they don’t save lives, the NHS does that. The intention is to celebrate the dedication, skill and hard work of NHS employees, and treat the lucky winner (and table guests) to a special treat.
www.lubanrestaurant.co.uk/bottomless-brunch-for-the-nhs
Bold Street
Honest Burger: the burgers taste substantial and deliver on satisfying layers of tender, fresh, meaty juiciness with relish. There is a story behind this ethical chain. They have their own butcher as part of their distinctive brand. This ensures they maintain quality. They make their chips, uniquely flavoured with rosemary, from scratch, for each serving, and wow, you can taste the difference. As it spills out into Bold Street, it will be a fun experience.
Slim’s: particular favourites on the menu would include BBQ corn ribs which are smoky, and rich with a real crunch. People love them. Corn-flake chicken is creamy and tender, and Lo Pan fries come with curry sauce and red chili. Well worth a visit.
Maray (Bold Street) is open for café service: coffees, beers and cocktails. Food and drink can be ordered on a ‘grab and go’ basis. Maray on Royal Albert Dock is open for dining: check for times and booking advice. They do Middle Eastern vegetarian and vegan food: their Disco cauliflower dish, with pomegranate and almonds is, justifiably, now famous hereabouts.
Mowgli: Indian Street Food: Nisha Katona, the founder, is finalising plans to re-open. This is a beautiful restaurant: it is delightful to explore fresh, vibrant food that owes nothing to Anglicised curries: and offers authentic street food . Fresh herbs and spices work their magic, and there is an impressive vegan offering.
Lark Lane
Nanno’s Pizza and Platescomes highly recommended. It is Italian cuisine cooked with flair. Spigola works for me: sea-bass fillets, crushed potatoes, broccoli and salsa verde. There is also a ‘Mediterranean’ outdoor space, very decorative and tranquil.
Milo Lounge has re-opened. They have reduced capacity and have adopted a whole new safety procedure to keep customers and staff as safe as they possibly can. The food is good and the atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming.
Castle Street
San Carlo has an enviable reputation for fine Italian dining. I remember eating sea bass here, that zinged with freshness, succulent with a heady herby flavour. Dining here is always an occasion. Check for booking details.
www.sancarlo.co.uk/restaurants/san-carlo-liverpool
Santa Maluco is part of Graffiti Spirit Group. It is a Rodizio pizzeria. In practice that means Brazilian pizzas that still reference Italian tradition. You pay a fixed price and it is an ‘all you can eat’ proposition. The pizza tastes so good, you will want to go on eating: and you will want to keep coming back.
www.liverpool.gov.uk/withoutwallsfund
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