Dinner at Malmaison Brasserie...

The restaurant scene in Liverpool is growing constantly at the moment and for a long time I have wanted to dine at Malmaison Brasserie*, which is an established favourite on the dining scene in the city. On Friday evening I finally went along for dinner there, looking forward to a relaxed evening. The minimalist building immediately creates an impression, which continues inside with the stylish Malbar featuring warm colours and comfortable seating. There was a vibrant atmosphere as groups gathered for Friday evening cocktails and after a warm welcome we sipped chilled champagne and browsed the menu which offers an array of grill dishes, seafood and classics. After enjoying our pre-dinner drinks, we were led through to our table in the Brasserie which gave us a great view of the outdoor terrace. 

We commenced proceedings with a selection of juicy olives as well as some of the artisan stone baked bread with oils and butter. The bread is baked in house and it was irresistibly fresh, with a springy texture. 

For my starter, I was in a seafood mood so I selected the tempura of calamari and prawns which had bubbly, golden batter. The succulent prawns and calamari were complemented perfectly by accompaniments of wasabi mayo, sweet chilli sauce and a topping of finely sliced fiery pickled chilli.

An exotic and aromatic soup of spiced sweet potato was the choice of my dining companion, which was rich and complex with a layer of lemongrass. The light and bright flavours made this the ideal soup for spring and summer. 

A bottle of the wine of the week was a great companion to our meal, the Menetou-Salon Morogues, Domaine Pellé which was dry and sharp with a hint of gooseberries. 

My dining companion enjoyed pan roasted Black Angus New York strip steak for his main course, cooked to medium rare perfection this steak had great marbling and an appealing crispness from the pan roasting. Au poivre sauce and truffle Parmesan pommes frites were the perfect companions to the tender steak. 

For the main course, my seafood extravaganza continued with an excellent lobster risotto, with carnaroli rice, lobster meat and bisque. This was so satisfying and a swirl of mascarpone and a grating of parmesan went well with the delicate lobster flavour, adding to the indulgence of this well-rounded dish. 

For dessert, a huge crème brûlée was impossible to resist, this had the perfect crisp topping and a light vanilla custard within which sat well with the dessert wine we were recommended, 2011 Chilean Éclat with honey, apricots and figs.

Our second dessert choice was a wedge of Valrhona dark chocolate tart with passion fruit sorbet, a bitter delight devoid of the overpowering sweetness which often spoils chocolate tarts. The depth of the chocolate was lifted by the tropical surge of passionfruit creating a good balance of flavours. 

We ended the meal with some after dinner drinks, I sipped a heady Patron espresso martini with Absolut and my dining companion had a double espresso as we soaked up the ambience. The hallmarks of the evening were friendly, attentive service and food which delivered bold and comforting flavours in abundance.
There was an obvious attention to detail shown in the quality of the dishes, as well as the presentation and I would also note that the portion sizes were generous, which is always a winner in my eyes when the food is so good!

Malmaison Brasserie 

7 William Jessop Way, 

Liverpool 

L3 1QZ

0151 363 3640

www.malmaison.com/locations/liverpool/brasserie/

What do you all think, do you like the idea of contemporary and classic dishes within the stylish surroundings of Malmaison Brasserie? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post.

Until next time,

Camille 

xo 

*I was a guest of Malmaison, this meal was complimentary. Opinions stated herin are my own and honest.