Ameriesko Liverpool...

As Hannibal in the A Team used to say, I love it when a plan comes together and lately my plan has been to find some new places to hang out and drink good coffee. As a writer I spend a ridiculous amount of time at coffee shops and I get bored of constantly going to the same few places. I always have my laptop with me for work during the day and I love nothing better than to get a good cup of coffee (and occasionally some cake) and to sit and do some work whilst watching the world go by. I was therefore delighted to hear about the new Ameriesko coffee shops opening in Liverpool, with two locations in the city and an aesthetic featuring exposed brickwork, framed television and movie memorabilia and plenty of delicious food served alongside the coffee. 

As soon as I walked in to Ameriesko Bold Street I felt at home. It manages a blend of quirkiness and cool which equates to a warm and welcoming ambience. It definitely feels like an authentic American coffee shop which has plenty of easy breezy charm. I can easily imagine that I will be whiling away many hours here working on my laptop with a cup of smooth and rich coffee at hand. Perfect! 

Liverpool coffee company Joe Blacks has assisted with the creation of two unique coffee blends especially for Ameriesko. The Brooklyn Blend is a mild coffee whilst the Yankee Blend is slightly stronger. Better yet, the well known cheesecake brand Dafna's Cheesecake Factory is also available at Ameriesko. 

I was in a little bit of a rush on the day I visited Ameriesko so I was happy to sit down with a friend for a catch up and we managed to resist having any cake, but rest assured that I will be back soon to try the food on offer too. The cakes all looked mouthwatering and there is also an array of other tempting treats on offer such as American classics including  rollover hot dogs, fries and nachos along with freshly made sandwiches and pancakes which are a favourite of mine! 

Some of the goodies I managed to resist on the day of my visit included salted caramel cheesecake, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and classic Victoria sponge. 

Wow, talk about spoiled for choice on the cake front, but we managed to be good and we sensibly opted for lattes which were deliciously strong. Let's face it, nobody has got time for weak coffee after all! The coffee at Ameriesko is top notch and I see myself as something of a connoisseur considering the amount of time (and money!) I spend in coffee shops.

Ameriesko are nurturing local musical talent by offering Liverpool’s musicians and bands the chance to win a residency throughout the month of March. During February every act that performs has the chance to win a five-night paid residency in March! Two residencies are up for grabs and the winners will secure a five night booking at either of the two Ameriesko venues!
With so much to offer I feel that Ameriesko is a really welcome addition to the Liverpool coffee and food scene and I will definitely be hanging out there in the future. What do you all think, do you like the idea of a coffee shop which combines laid back charm with American cool? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post!

Ameriesko

108 Bold St

Liverpool

L14HY

0151 352 2618 

http://www.ameriesko.com/

Until next time,

Camille 

xo

White chocolate pots...

It is that time of year again when Valentine’s Day is looming. Everyone who knows me knows I am hilariously cynical when it comes to romance, and I am not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day as I think that it is commercial and overrated. With that said I thought that I would stop being such a misery for a moment to bring you all a cute and simple recipe which is easy to make for Valentine’s Day or even just as a delicious dessert for any occasion. All that is required is double cream, milk, white chocolate and egg yolks as well as your chosen topping. These are straightforward to make and they look so good as well as tasting delicious without being too sweet. I used heart shaped ramekins for that romantic touch (even though it goes against my cynical nature, ha!) these require just two hours to set in the fridge and you can top them with various things such as grated chocolate, fresh fruit or a drizzle of dulce de leche. They make the ideal dessert to prepare on the last minute as they don’t take long to set but the best part is that they look really impressive and as though you have slaved away for ages to make them, so if you want to impress that certain somebody these are a good sweet treat to make! This recipe makes about 4-6 servings. 

I think that white chocolate makes a nice change from milk or dark chocolate and it goes so well with fresh fruit or toffee plus these desserts look really cute and they are easy to decorate. I always feel that anything served in a pot is a nice touch for after dinner as you can simply whip them out of the fridge and place them straight on the table without any hassle. The sweetness of this dessert pairs really well with the sharpness of fresh berries, exotic fruit like mango and passion fruit, ginger snaps or shortbread biscuits.

Ingredients 

280 ml double cream

150ml milk

450g of white chocolate broken in to chunks  

6 egg yolks 

Method

Simply break the chocolate in to squares in a heat proof bowl. Meanwhile, bring the double cream and milk to a simmer in a pan on a medium heat, stirring often. Remove the cream mixture from the heat before it boils, then pour the hot cream and milk over the chocolate squares. Wait for a minute then whisk the mixture carefully and briskly to combine the chocolate with the cream until smooth. Add the egg yolks to the mixture and whisk again until all ingredients are combined in to a thick cream. Transfer in to a jug so that it is easy to pour the mixture in to the ramekins. Fill each ramekin up with the mixture, not right to the top to make it easy to transfer them to the fridge. Once they have cooled, pop the ramekins in to the fridge for two hours to set.

When the mixture is ready, you can pour it in to some vintage china teacups as I did for a more quirky way to serve this dessert. The same rules apply, it takes about two hours to set and I think that this idea would be a perfect way to serve the white chocolate pots for an afternoon tea.

There you go, sit back and relax for a couple of hours and the little delights will be ready for you to feast on! After all that hard work making a dessert surely it would be more than justifiable to order a take away for your actual meal..! Joking aside these are delicately sweet with just the right amount of chocolate goodness and plenty of rich texture. They will definitely be a firm favourite of mine from now on as they are so quick to make. 

I think these make a simple dessert and there are so many different ways to top them, I even got some chocolate icing to draw designs on them with, but in the end I just opted to place these chocolate hearts on top of them instead. I hope that this idea was useful, what do you all think have you ever made chocolate pots and would you like to give this easy recipe a go? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post!

Until next time,

Camille 

xo 

Dinner at The Vincent Liverpool...

There are some evenings when you feel like keeping it old school and seeking out a sophistication and charm which feels like it belongs to another era. One restaurant which for me embodies classic refinement is the Vincent Café and Cocktail Bar which is nestled in Liverpool’s Exchange Flags behind the Town Hall. This sweeping square has the classic architecture and clean lines which immediately conjure up a sense of history and the restaurant itself continues this theme with a well-stocked bar area, low lights and marble tables with booth seating. The Vincent bills itself as 'the place for the first bite, the last cocktail and everything in between' and its position right in the heart of the business district of Liverpool makes it a good port of call for food or a quick drink.

I arrived early for the reservation and took a seat in the bar where I sipped a crisp Chilean Sauvignon Blanc as a candle flickered casting shadows on the wall and conjuring up a sense of romance.
After a while my dining companion arrived and even though we were half an hour early we were kindly accommodated and shown straight to a cosy table for two with a view across the restaurant space which is flanked by a sushi and sashimi counter on one side manned by chefs ready to prepare the orders.

We began the meal with soft grilled focaccia served in generously proportioned chunks with tasty dipping oils. The slight charring from the grill gave the bread even more flavour and it was still pleasantly warm.

For the main I could not resist the beer battered fish and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce. Fish and chips is such a simple dish, but there is a reason it is considered a classic and when it is done well it takes some beating.
The beer batter was golden and crispy, the chips were chunky and the fish was white and flaky which is always a good start. In the past I have found that a really good plate of fish and chips can be let down by watery mushy peas or an acidic tartare, these may only be the supporting cast but they are equally important to the overall performance after all, but I am happy to say that the mushy peas at The Vincent were thick and chunky with a smooth flavour and the tartare sauce was one of the best I have ever tasted, clearly house made with heaps of texture and a good hit of fresh capers within the creamy sauce.

My dining companion chose the sticky barbecue half spatchcock chicken which was tender and juicy with a rich and sweet barbecue sauce. This was served with a light and fresh apple and carrot chop salad which complemented the chicken to perfection whilst the other accompaniment of rosemary and polenta chips with parmesan was truly indulgent with a crispy coating from the polenta and a good grating of parmesan sprinkled over them.

On to dessert and we were tempted by classic sticky toffee pudding and also chocolate ganache with caramelised fig before we settled on the April’s flaming s’mores board. Rarely has a dessert been so popular as this s’mores board, which is a top seller at The Vincent and it is easy to see why. This brings the campfire fun of s’mores right to your table with a platter heaped with marshmallows, biscuits, white chocolate curls and strawberries accompanied by pans of toffee and chocolate sauce as well as ice cream and a little flame for your to toast the marshmallows on skewers.
It is not often that a dessert gets me this excited, but frankly there is something about creating your own s’mores at the table which just makes me feel like a child again! Full marks for this fun and interactive dish which tastes amazing too, however be warned it is not for the fainthearted and unless you have a truly sweet tooth you may want to reconsider ordering this decadent delight !

We lingered over coffee and relaxed for a while before we said goodbye to The Vincent for the evening. Both food and service were equally good and the atmosphere left us feeling relaxed and restored. The menu has a great range of options including fresh sushi and sashimi as well as small plates and bigger plates, so there is something for everyone. I am looking forward to trying the Sunday roast and the breakfast menu in the future.

What do you all think, do you like the idea of restaurant which combines old school elegance with contemporary menus and which of these dishes would you like to try? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post!

The Vincent

Walker House 

Exchange Flags, 

Liverpool

L2 3YL

http://www.vincentcafeandcocktailbar.com/

Until next time,

Camille 

xo 

Rumi by Bukhara...

It is no secret how much I love food, and one type of food I especially love is Indian food. I really enjoy spicy food and I find that a good curry is always so satisfying and delicious. I was therefore pleased to be asked to sample the delights of Rumi by Bukhara*in Liverpool, a restaurant revered for its authentic Indian cuisine. The original Bukhara restaurant has long been a favourite in Preston and due to popular demand the team have expanded with a Liverpool restaurant too.

We were warmly welcomed to the bright and spacious restaurant which has lots of clean lines, gleaming white surfaces and purple tones. There is a counter of delights which greet you upon walking in, such as a vast selection of homemade gelato in tempting flavours such as Snickers, Nutella and Bounty! I was already anticipating dessert, but first it was time to enjoy the savoury delights on the menu as we took our seats at a spacious booth where none other than Steven Gerrard had dined in the past.

After enjoying mini Poppadoms with a selection of chutneys, we decided to begin with a couple of starters from a vast range of both meat and vegetarian options. The Samosa Chaat were amazingly moreish, chunks of deep fried vegetable samosa with chickpeas, diced red onions, tomatoes, yogurt and tamarind sauce. There was such a range of flavours to this dish and I was pleased it was recommended to us. We also enjoyed one of my favourite Indian appetisers, Onion Bhajis which had a tasty spicy batter and plenty of onion filling.

The only difficulty with the main courses was deciding exactly what to order from the many choices. I went for Chicken Tikka Biryani, for which I chose a medium level of spice from the mild, medium or hot choices. This was a delicious dish with plenty of tender chicken breast served in a rice dish with herbs, fine spices and saffron. The separate sauce brought in a further kick of spice and complemented the chicken and rice beautifully.

After hearing a detailed recommendation, my dining companion was convinced to go for the Handi Murgh Laziz, chicken cooked with fresh onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, spices, fresh cream and coconut milk. This was so creamy, rich and divine that I almost took the whole dish from him after tasting a little! It reminded me of a korma but with much more complexity of flavour.

We could not resist an order of Peshwari Naan bread which is something I always find a perfect accompaniment to Indian food as the sweetness of the bread balances out the spices of the curry well. Service throughout was so friendly, welcoming and pleasant and we were made to feel like old friends by the Rumi by Bukhara team. The restaurant was very busy, with a constant flow of diners arriving and people gathering around tables heaped with mouth-watering food.

There is a very enjoyable ambience too, which is a casual and relaxed atmosphere which many restaurants struggle to achieve. I love dining out at places like this which make you feel so at ease and where you can truly unwind. After all of the amazing dishes we had eaten, we just about managed to find room for some of that amazing handmade gelato.

I adore coconut, so I had the Bounty one as well as a scoop of caramel and Kinder Bueno. My dining companion chose the coffee flavour, which was like a sweetened latte in ice cream form, so good! You could really tell the excellent quality of this ice cream from how thick and creamy it was, and each flavour was decorated with chunks of chocolate, caramel or fruit too. There are so many amazing desserts on offer at Rumi in addition to the freshly made gelato. There are traditional Indian desserts such as Gajar Halwa (Carrots cooked in cream, whole milk and flavoured with cardamom, almonds and pistachios) as well as indulgent Belgian waffles, ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and mocktails.

There is everything you could need and more on offer at this restaurant and just in case somebody you are dining with does not like Indian food there is also a full menu of steaks, grill dishes and salads. I am already looking forward to going back again to try more of the Indian dishes on the menu, such as Tandoori Paneer Tikka, Samundari King Prawns and Daal Makhani.

We had a super time dining at Rumi by Bukhara and I loved  every bite of the Indian food which was cooked to perfection with perfect flavours. I have found a new great place for Indian food in Liverpool and I would definitely suggest anyone who enjoys curry pays this restaurant a visit. The desserts alone are also worth a trip here!

What do you all think, what is your usual Indian food order and which of these dishes would you like to sample first? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post!

Until next time,

Camille 

xo 

*Disclaimer 

I was invited to dine at Rumi by Bukhara, The meal was complimentary for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are my own and honest.