EASTER ON THE WIRRAL
We’re visiting G&S on the Wirral, and on Easter Sunday we’ve
booked to go to the Burnt Truffle in
Heswall, along with L. B had spotted a review
of the restaurant some time ago but this was the first time we’d had chance to
go and try it out ourselves. Chef Gary Usher is also responsible for Sticky
Walnut and Hispi near Chester. Burnt Truffle was launched with the help of
crowdfunding – the list of backers is on the wall downstairs, including some
well-known names.
We are seated upstairs in a corner area which is almost like
a private room - apart from the fact that the waiting staff have to pass by to
go to the back-room for wine etc. The place is nice and bright with an odd mix
of things on the wall – from a poster of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road to a
collection of menus from famous restaurants like the French Laundry. And a long chalked up wine list.
Service is attentive and friendly, though oddly we are told
to order wine from the printed list rather than the board, which is a shame
because I’d already selected one. Anyway we go with the Viognier from the Northern
Rhone at £29.50, and some sparkling elderflower for L. The beer list looks good too, with bottles
from local breweries.
The set lunch menu has five options per course at £22 a head. Sourdough bread with an excellent truffle and
walnut butter arrives first – we’d commented on the attractive loaves on the
way in. After we’ve ordered I comment
that despite the restaurant name, there were no truffles in any of the dishes –
so we order an extra portion of truffle chips with parmesan flakes.
For starters, three of us, including me, order wood pigeon breast
with beetroot fregola (little round balls of pasta from Sardinia made red by the
beetroot). This is fantastic, just melt
in the mouth; the beetroot flavour is very subtle and the pasta light. B has
the pork cheek and tongue terrine with Armagnac prune which is firm and full of flavour, while
L has cauliflower soup, a rich, creamy bowlful topped with rocket pesto.
For main courses we split three to two. I have the crispy
duck leg with cassoulet. The duck falls
away from the bone, and though crispy is not dry. The cassoulet contains smoked sausage and pieces
of ham, and is warming and filling, a fine example. Truffle chips are good
too! B has the grilled seabream with a
pale taramasalata and watercress. Sensible size portions too, leaving room for
dessert.
As always if it’s on the menu I then have crème brûlée. This comes in a shallow dish, so has a good
ratio of brûlée to crème, but is not as vanilla flavoured as some (it’s hard to
beat Chez Bruce). B’s dessert is rather
unusual: Tonka bean custard with fromage blanc, dark chocolate and hazelnuts.
We had to look up what Tonka beans are –
South American beans with a flavour similar to vanilla – nothing to do with
Tonka toys. It’s an insubstantial, foamy sort of dish, perhaps not their best. Other dessert choices were chocolate mousse
with honeycomb, and sticky toffee pudding with honeycomb ice-cream.
We’ve had three bottles of the Viognier, so the bill comes
to an extremely reasonable £220 for five before tip. As well as the good food, the atmosphere and
timing of service have been excellent, so we come away feeling well
pleased. I’d certainly put Burnt Truffle
as a contender for a Michelin star next year.
Other Wirral
restaurants
On our first night with G&S we go into Parkgate to Britannia Spice the local Indian. This has a long list of individualistic
dishes, as well as the usual permutations. B and I just have a mixed kebab and chicken
chat to start but G&S insist we try their Britannia
Special too – deep-fried chicken tikka with cheese and
omelette, interesting but a little strange.
B has some excellent tandoori king prawns for main, while I try the lamb
gobi jaipura, with some channa masala, dhal, mushroom rice and naan. We also have a couple of bottles of Malbec
between us. Very good at £90 for four,
including generous tip.
Less successful is Gusto in Heswall.
We’ve booked for 8pm and arrive on time,
but are told our table is not ready, and to have a drink in the bar. After a while, B decides to chase them up and
pesters the greeter, who contacts her manager. This does result in a table
being made available, fortunately near the entrance. I say fortunately because
the place is heaving and loud, and the low ceilings and dark lighting would
have it oppressive further in. Even then the table next to us are very loud and
seem to be best friends with everyone who passes by. We have some edamame beans while we choose
what to order. I start with meatballs
(fine but unimpressive) and B with a smoked haddock risotto, a sensible small
portion. My main course pork belly is
rather dry, and the crackling rather firm; B’s garlic prawns are OK. £75 for two with wine.
The last night is back to Parkgate for Chinese at Chow’s Eating House. Again we have to wait in the bar for the table
to be ready, but this is done much more sensitively. And when we are seated, it
is at a nice big round table with plenty of space. The waitress intelligently
asks at the start whether we’d like to book a taxi for later, as on a Saturday
night it will be busy – and in due course the taxi arrives bang on time. G&S have hot and sour soup to start, while
we share pork and prawn dumplings and a duck spring roll. For main we have Beijing prawns and Szechuan
fillet steak; G&S have scallops in a bird’s nest and Beijing chicken. We’d
been told Beijing sauce was hot, but it wasn’t too much – the Szechuan was
hotter. All very good and flavoursome,
with friendly waitresses - £174 for the four of us with three bottles of
Laughing Giraffe Shiraz from South Africa at £19 each.
