Neighbourhood, Liverpool

“Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood.” - Louise Lester Beal 

Following our glamorous day of fashion shows and celebrity talks at the British Style Collective, my friend and I were looking for somewhere equally as glitzy to have dinner. 

We landed on Neighbourhood Liverpool, having visited the sister restaurant in Manchester last year. With a focus on live music and cocktails, it was the perfect place to continue our stylish weekend. 

Set in an imposing Grade II-listed building on Castle Street, built in 1868 for the Alliance Bank, it has recently been renovated into an elegant restaurant with a pop twist. Pink parlour seating and marble tables under 80s neon signs give the space a laid back Miami vibe. 

The menu is described as all-day brasserie style with European and new American cuisine influences. Offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, as well as a vibrant bar area, Neighbourhood has something for everyone to “Dine. Drink. Dance.”

I had a beetroot salad and my friend had an aubergine bake. We both ordered a side of the most delicious roasted sweet potato wedges (so tasty they were hoovered up before I remembered to photograph them. Bad blogger, but a good excuse for a return visit!) 

For pudding my friend had lemon meringue pie while I couldn’t resist the chocolate bomb. 

Service was excellent and the atmosphere was buzzing. Our seats were perfectly elevated so that we could people watch across the bar.

We enjoyed ourselves so much we returned the following morning for Sunday brunch. 

Breakfasts have really taken off in this area of Liverpool and Neighbourhood has jumped on this opportunity to offer a bottomless brunch menu. Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, diners can enjoy unlimited Prosecco, Cocktails or Bloody Marys alongside a range of delicious breakfast dishes for just £35.00. 

The venue also offers two private dining rooms catering for upwards of 30 guests and a mezzanine level which is also available for private functions. 

As well as the Manchester and Liverpool sites, Neighbourhood is opening a third venue in Leeds next month.

Regardless of when you visit, be it in the evening for cocktails or a hangover brunch the following day, make sure you dress to impress!

www.neighbourhoodrestaurant.co.uk

The Wolseley, London

“How do you like your eggs in the morning?”… I like mine at The Wolseley. 

A self-proclaimed ‘café-restaurant in the grand European tradition,’ The Wolseley is located next to the Ritz in a Grade II listed building. Constructed in 1921 it was originally designed as a prestigious car showroom for Wolseley Motors.

However, the cars didn’t sell well and by 1926 the company was bankrupt.

Barclays Bank acquired the building and a banking counter was installed, as well as a post box and stamp machine, which are still on display today.

Decades later Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, the original restaurateurs behind the Ivy and J Sheekey, took ownership and set about a major renovation project.

Black and cream geometric marble floors and baroque ironwork were introduced to take the building back to it’s 1920s authenticity. Inspiration was taken from the grand cafes of Vienna, Milan and Paris. The interior is beautiful, with soaring columns and arched windows under a 30ft-high ceiling.

The Wolseley opened its doors in 2003 and has since experienced great success, gaining iconic status and achieving the highest grossing turnover of any individual restaurant in the UK. It has rumoured sales of over £10 million a year. 

It has also become a favourite with London's celebrity set due to it oozing glamour but being equally discrete. Kate Moss is a regular while Madonna, Sienna Miller and Jake Gyllenhaal have all dined there in recent years. Lucian Freud loved the place so much he ate at the same table every single night.

Keen to see what all the fuss was about, I visited for breakfast with a friend one Sunday morning. Having previously reviewed sister restaurant, The Colbert in Chelsea, we knew roughy what to expect.

Great service, simple but delicious food and well-heeled people reading a variety of international Sunday papers.

We began with a pot of tea each and a glass of freshly squeezed vitamin c. I ordered my usual eggs florentine and my friend had an omelette.

We couldn’t resist ordering a buttery pain au chocolat each, having fallen in love with the pastries at The Colbert.

The food was delicious, exactly what we needed after one too many cocktails the night before. Comfort food at its best. 

Unlike The Colbert, The Wolseley was a hive of activity with a noise level to match. Smartly dressed waiters dashed around the place tending to everyones needs. The restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine, akin to the luxury cars that were sold in the same building nearly a century ago. 

There was a whole variety of people dining, the famous sitting alongside tourists, children eat with their parents, all different nationalities. The Wolseley suits everyone and every occasion. With a varied menu serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, the restaurant transforms itself from cafe to tea-room to late night dining every day.

The Wolseley is definitely worth a visit, particularly for breakfast, which it does so well. So much so writer A.A. Gill dedicated a book to ‘Breakfast at The Wolseley.’

They say you should “eat breakfast like a King.” It appears this might mean Jeremy King. Having enjoyed The Wolseley as much as I enjoyed The Colbert, I’m certainly going to visit some of King and Corbin’s other ventures in the city.

The duo have landed upon a winning formula. 

www.thewolseley.com

Prêt-à-Portea, The Berkeley

“The most exciting of English rituals that I adore is that of high afternoon tea. Even though I am not English, I love it and always try to find some time to have a proper tea-time once in a while. You must respect it and indulge in the full ceremony of it.” - Manolo Blahnik

The Berkeley's Prêt-à-Portea is an afternoon tea designed with fashionistas in mind. The menu features sweet treats to reflect items shown at London Fashion Week. The Berkeley's chefs even attend the catwalk shows for inspiration.

Prêt-à-Portea has recently marked it’s 10th birthday. To celebrate, Pastry chef Mourad Khiat has chosen 10 of his favourite creations from the past decade.

If you love fashion and sweet delights, this is the ultimate dining experience. The menu includes edible replicas of fashion classics, from the Burberry trench to Jimmy Choo shoes.

On a very wet and windy Saturday afternoon, my friend and I scuttled along Knightsbridge towards The Berkeley. The doorman spared me my blushes and averted his gaze as a gust of wind blew my dress up, à la Marilyn, right in front of the large glass facade of the hotel. 

We skedaddled in through the revolving door to find a roaring fire and two cosy armchairs crying out for us to sink ourselves into. Not wanting to be late for our reservation, we resisted and were shown to our table in the Collins Room. 

This room is beautiful with a contemporary decor of silver and greys. Petal chandeliers add an air of glamour while cherry blossom motifs with quirky birds have been playfully dotted around the room.

Having selected our teas from the menu, a silver three-tiered cake stand arrived and our afternoon tea began.

Starting with a selection of finger sandwiches on a variety of freshly made breads, including onion which was delightful. We sipped on Laurent Perrier Champagne while devouring the savoury section. Then onto the cakes…

Moschino Sugar & Chic Sponge Cake Bag - blood orange Victoria sponge ‘Yellow M’ handbag encased in quilted red chocolate

Jimmy Choo Praline Pumps - velvet praline cream cake with gold hazelnut croquant and sweetheart chocolate bow.

Jason Wu - The Catwalk Coconut Cherry Compote with a playful pink skirt and a cancan leg for good measure. 

Dolce & Gabbana - Blackcurrant Bavarois Star Anise Pannacotta, topped with a Chocolate Owl.

Burberry Tea Trench Biscuit - classic trench coat chocolate biscuit with creamy royal icing. Guests staying at The Berkeley will also find a Burberry trench in their room.

Charlotte Olympia Bootie Biscuit - a dramatic cinnamon biscuit boot with black and red icing.

Monolo Blahnik Biscuit - designed with the most iconic of Monolo’s shoes in mind, the Hangisi. It comes in an array of colours and has glitter decorations. 

Lanvin - Draped Honeycomb Delice - almond sponge with honeycomb mousse and a light meringue ruffle. 

Simone Rocha Salted Caramel Eclair - tulle dress vanilla éclair filled with salted caramel crème pâtissière with sugar flower decorations.

Nicholas Kirkwood Pearl Pump Sachertorte - layered with raspberry, chocolate ganache and Valrhona crémeux topped with delicate silver pearl decorations. 

This was possibly the most colourful and picturesque afternoon tea we’ve ever had. It was interesting to compare the cakes to the photos of the fashion items from the catwalk (presented on a stand on the table). We had a lot of fun taking photos. Not only did the food look fantastic, it tasted incredible too. 

We couldn’t quite finish all the food so were given a doggie bag to take home. Don’t be fooled by “dainty cakes", this afternoon tea is plentiful so go hungry! Our lovely waitress even slipped in a couple of extra cakes for the journey home. 

We also purchased a book which has been released to showcase a collection of over 20 secret recipes and baking techniques from Mourad Khiat, to recreate at home. 

After our afternoon tea, we visited the hotel’s Blue Bar, the perfect place to enjoy a sophisticated, colourful cocktail or two. The cocktails are inspired by the bold colour of the room and are categorised into green, yellow, red and blue. Each one denotes a different potency of mix.

Feeling suitably full from the food and merry from the cocktails, we headed back to our hotel. But not before having a little rest in those comfy chairs by the fire. 

The afternoon tea menu at The Berkeley changes every six months to reflect the changing fashion seasons. So there is always an excuse to return to see the new offerings from the Prêt-à-Portea team. 

“There is nothing more English than a hat, except perhaps high fashion tea served at The Berkeley” - Philip Tracey

Wahaca, Liverpool

With the exception of a few flimsy fajitas made at home, or a tray of nachos at the cinema, I’ve not tried much Mexican cuisine. Drinks are a different story (I’m looking at you Tequila!) So when my brother suggested trying a new Mexican restaurant for lunch, I wasn’t too enthused. However, he was paying….

Wahaca is a Mexican street food restaurant on College Lane in Liverpool One. The Wahaca restaurant group was created in 2007 by Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers. A move inspired by her travels to Mexico and falling in love with the country and cuisine. 

Miers teamed up with fellow Mexico enthusiast Mark Selby to open a restaurant back home. They aimed to recreate the vibrant colours, flavours and character that they had both experienced in Mexico’s markets. The group has since grown and now has 24 eateries throughout the UK. 

Determined to do things a little differently to the usual Mexican food offerings, the menu focuses on freshly prepared dishes designed for sharing. The restaurant sources tequila and mescal direct from Mexico.

Wahaca have an honest approach to their menu. An authentic meal experience that shows off the vibrancy and freshness of real Mexican food. Think freshly made guacamole with lime juice, ripe Hass avocados, seasonal vegetables and zingy salsas. 

The decor is equally as zingy. Bold blues, yellows and greens are used throughout. There's an outside terrace area for customers as well as a football table. This place will certainly brighten up a dull day. 

Our waiter, Joey, suggested we order 2-3 smaller dishes each to share between us.  My brother is also vegetarian which meant we could sample plenty of dishes during our visit.

Joey circled each of our choices on our paper menus. Shortly thereafter our dishes began arriving, as and when they were ready…

Plantain tacos with sweet and spicy chipotle adobe and feta.

Roasted sweet potato, feta and caramelised red onion wrapped in a crispy blue tortilla and dotted with salsa. 

Slow cooked black bean and cheese quesadillas. 

And, crispy fried chunks of sweet potato. 

So, am I a Mexican food convert? Put it this way, if Donald Trump knew authentic Mexican cuisine was this good, he definitely wouldn’t be building that wall!

Wahaca Liverpool

24 College Lane, Liverpool, L1 3DS

0151 541 9174

Belmond Northern Belle with Raymond Blanc

For me, rail travel is the most enjoyable and relaxing mode of transport. When I heard that top Chef Raymond Blanc was hosting a fine dining experience on board the Belmond Northern Belle, I had to book tickets. 

Formerly known as the Orient-Express, Belmond is an expert at providing memorable luxury train journeys. Old-school glamour, vintage carriages and some of the country's finest dining. Together with Raymond Blanc, they have formed the perfect partnership. Blanc being one of the UK’s best chefs, his restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons has held two Michelin stars for over 30 years. 

My mum is a huge fan of his, having dined at Le Manoir over 20 years ago, so it was easy to decide who to take with me. After a frantic dash through traffic, still with no idea exactly what we would be eating or where we would be travelling to, we arrived at Chester station just before departure at 5.45pm.

We followed a group of very smartly dressed people and found our carriage, Warwick, where we hopped aboard and settled into our seats, safe in the knowledge that we were in for a gastronomic adventure.

Each carriage is named after a British stately home or castle and decorated with art nouveau lamps, mahogany fittings and plush armchairs. Evoking the opulence of 1930s rail travel.

The tables were set with white linen and even had bespoke china and silverware. It felt like we had been transported to a bygone era.

As the train pulled out of Chester station, we were given our menus as well as a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne.

No matter how much Champagne we drank, our glasses were never empty, continually being topped up by the serving staff.

The sommelier explained that we would be travelling as far as Derby before making the journey back home. A 130-mile round trip.

A circular tour of the English countryside lasting five hours; the perfect amount of time to enjoy five dishes of Raymond’s finest cuisine.

The canapés arrived, mum had the salmon while I had the cheese, which we nibbled on while admiring the Cheshire countryside.

Shortly thereafter we were offered some homemade bread, both of us chose a miniature baguette in honour of our French host. 

Our first dish arrived, an amuse bouche of Ironbark Pumpkin Soup with Hazelnut Biscotti and Cashel Blue Cheese. 

During the dinner onboard entertainers walked through the carriages entertaining the guests. We were serenaded by The Chanteuse who sang French classics. The train’s resident magician did a good job of impressing us all with his magic balls.

In between, an accordionist played soothing classics. 

Our second course was Leek Terrine with Jerusalem Artichoke and Truffle Dressing. It was delicious and reminded me of a dish I had the first time I visited Paris. It was accompanied by a glass of white wine from Burgundy.

For our main, mum had Braised Jacob’s Ladder with Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Jus.

I had the vegetarian option, a truffle and mushroom risotto. Just as we began tucking into our dishes, our host appeared.

Throughout the dinner he walked between the carriages greeting his guests. He said a quick hello but told us that he wanted us to enjoy our mains without distraction and that he would pop back once we had finished. As he walked away he instructed me, “you will enjoy that risotto.” He was absolutely right. 

Our mains were paired with a beautiful glass of red wine, which our waiter topped up frequently. Of all the drinks served, this was my favourite. From the Rhone Valley, it was full-bodied and perfectly complemented my risotto. 

As promised, Mr Blanc returned. He chatted to us for a while, talking about his restaurant and his career. He spoke to my mum about his 14 vegetable gardens at Le Manoir where all his seasonal organic produce is grown. He was an absolute gentleman and gave us a signed copy of his latest book before posing for photographs.

It turns out mum’s old friend, James Humphreys who worked at the Chester Grosvenor, is now the Operations Director of Northern Belle. James told us that Mr Blanc spends more time with the guests than he is asked to and is an absolute gentleman.

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

£16.00

By Raymond Blanc

Buy on Amazon

Mr Blanc set the tone for the evening. Despite the menu being formal, and the costume being black tie, the whole experience was completely relaxing. The serving staff all took time to chat to us as did our fellow diners. We got chatting to a lovely family sat opposite us, a husband and wife and the lady’s parents. They had been on over ten journeys with Belmond, all around the UK. They promised us that the next course would be “the best cheese board you’ll ever have...”

Perfectly timed, the serving team appeared with a large wooden tray which straddled the aisle, resting on tables either side of the carriage.

On it was a selection of gorgeous European Artisan Cheeses, each with their own origin and story, one was so special it is only produced every six months. The cheeses were served with a glass of red dessert wine from Corsica. 

We ended the dinner with Chocolate Marquise with Tonda Hazelnut and Lemon Butterscotch Sauce.

While we were enjoying this Head Chef Richard, who assisted Mr Blanc, walked through the carriage receiving an appreciative round of applause on his way through. 

Just when we thought we couldn’t be impressed any further, the train came to an abrupt halt in the middle of a patch of darkness in the countryside. The lights went off and seconds later a firework extravaganza set off in a neighbouring field. 

It was truly magical sitting on board watching the fireworks in the distance and mum and I promised each other that we’d book on the same journey next year. Definitely the most special train journey I’ve ever taken.

Belmond Northern Belle