Lunch at The Art School Liverpool

You all know by now how much I adore good food, and yet until now I have not had the pleasure of reviewing a Fine Dining restaurant here on Coco Cami. I was therefore, delighted and honoured to be invited to have lunch last week at the prestigious restaurant The Art School* in Liverpool, the first solo restaurant by renowned chef Paul Askew who is a member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and has cooked for none other than the Queen herself in the past. The Art School restaurant opened its doors last September, to rave reviews across the city and far beyond. It has consistently been voted Number 1 on Trip Advisor and it is the general consensus that a Michelin Star may not be far away. I was so excited as I hopped out of the taxi at 1 Sugnall Street Liverpool,  ready  to be whisked away into a world of culinary delights for a few blissful hours. 

Housed in the former lantern room of the Victorian 1888 Home for Destitute Children, the restaurant boasts both a historical setting and a great location close to the Liverpool Philharmonic and in the heart of an area with a wealth of culture to offer. Chef-Patron Paul Askew prides himself on the use of locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, and he has forged close relationships with local suppliers over many years.

The elegant facade.

 The restaurant has 48 covers, which means that it boasts an intimate atmosphere without being too quiet, I expected to feel at least slightly intimidated since I was lunching alone, but I could not have felt more at ease as I was warmly welcomed within. Indeed the restaurant is so refined, that I was awestruck by the elegance of the entire experience. As you arrive, the door is magically opened by a concierge sporting a bowler hat, creating a superb first impression which speaks of the understated glamour of an era gone by. I was enchanted with the lovely bar and reception area, which has a wood burning stove and classical furniture. What a place to spend an hour sipping a Vesper Martini, I thought, as I was offered to either have a drink at the bar first or to go straight to my table. Although tempted by that Martini,  I opted to go straight to my table with one sole aim in mind, wrapping my taste buds around the exquisite food!

I was immediately brought a glass of excellent Charles Heidsieck champagne, which had an amazing amber colour and was perfectly crisp and dry. Next I was presented with the menu, and I opted to start with the twice baked soufflé of wild mushrooms, with Barkham blue cheese, Ormskirk leek and Dijon cream sauce. Before that, I was brought a wonderful surprise of a delectable amuse-bouche. Tiny delicate vegetables and bacon were beautifully presented in a white bowl, then topped with a wonderful cream and parsley sauce which was ceremoniously poured from a teapot. I felt like I had fallen down the rabbit hole into a world of culinary fantasy, and I was enjoying every moment of it! The flavours were sublime and perfectly balanced with the smoky bacon playing against the rich and creamy sauce. This was only a taste of things to come, and the whole meal continued to delight.

The amuse-bouche.

I sat soaking up the ambiance of the dining room as I awaited my starter. Lunchtime service was in full swing and tables of contented diners were chatting happily and savouring the wonderful food. In moments, my starter appeared, which was served alongside an exquisitely carved leaf-shaped potato rosti. The pastry was excellent, buttery and light whilst the mushrooms were rich, meaty and tender. The leeks and Dijon cream sauce complemented the dish perfectly, balancing the rich with the delicate, in the way only such an accomplished chef can.

 I must point out that not only the food is extra special at The Art School, but also the wine. Marc, the extremely knowledgeable and friendly French sommelier had thoughtfully prepared a wine flight to perfectly match each course. The starter was paired with a delicious Spanish white wine, which was an ideal companion to it, with the sweet and citrus notes of the wine playing well against the smokiness of the mushrooms. As I sat back and savoured the last bites, before long I was brought an intermediate course of Terrine of Lancashire pheasant, partridge and pigeon in natural jus with chantrelles and winter leaves. Once again the dish was beautifully presented, a sheer work of art on a plate. It tasted superb, in fact just as good as it looked! 

I must add that I was in rhapsodies of joy over the slates of bread and butter which were brought to me. I do not want to make a gross generalisation here, but as a Northerner, I regard bread and butter as one of the pinnacles of good food and I think many other Northerners would agree. Good quality, home baked bread and fresh butter can provide the cornerstone upon which great meals are built and I was certainly in for a treat, as I was informed that the traditional Italian Roll and the Focaccia were freshly baked daily in The Art School kitchen. They were presented along with two slabs of butter, sprinkled with Sea Salt and Black Pepper respectively. My heart was filled with joy as unable to restrain myself any longer, I tucked in. The Focaccia was as light and fluffy as a sponge cake with exquisite flavour and the Italian Roll was hearty, dense and delicious. There was a hint of vanilla somewhere in the butter, or perhaps that was my imagination. Either way, it tasted like heaven!

The starter and the bread slate.

The delightful leaf-shaped rosti just added to the amazing dish.

The heavenly bread and butter.

The intermediate course of Terrine.

 This beautiful art work contains Gold Leaf.

 For the main course I was torn between the Salt Baked Celeriac and the Fillet of Peterhead Hake. In the end I opted for the Hake which was served with clams and Pommes Mousseline, a very delicious version of mashed potatoes, which I could happily have eaten an entire dish of by itself, such was the fluffy texture and light flavour! The Hake itself was a symphony of white flaky fish, so tender that it crumbled beneath my fork into slivers of gastronomic pleasure.
Sommelier Marc had the genius idea of paring this course with a superb Rosé, explaining that although fish is usually served with white wine, he felt that this particular Rosé would perfectly complement the dish. He was right, for the wine was sharp with just the right amount of summer sweetness and fruit bursting through. For a moment, I could have been sitting on a sun drenched terrace in Saint-Tropez, looking out over the glittering Mediterranean. For me, this is what excellent food is all about, the evocative power of different flavours to conjure up a whole world of imagination. 

The main course: Fillet of Peterhead Hake with clams and pommes mousseline.

As I was finishing my main course, I was so impressed to see Chef Paul greeting every guest in the restaurant personally. It is so refreshing to see this kind of hands-on approach from a renowned chef, and it is this kind of personal touch which sets a restaurant like The Art School apart from the rest. 

As I awaited my dessert, I was delighted when he came to sit down for a chat with me over a pot of tea. He is such a genuine, kind man as well as a superb chef. What an honour it was for me to sit and talk to him and naturally,  food was the topic of conversation! I had the pleasure of asking him about his career and his culinary inspirations. He told me that the Basque of Spain region boasts some of his favourite cuisine, and that there are more Michelin Starred restaurants there than anywhere in the world. He told me all about one of the many highlights of his career, cooking for the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh (Salmon and Colcannon mash was one of the dishes, in case you were wondering). We agreed on the power of great food to induce emotions and to evoke great memories, and right on cue, the platter of exquisite desserts was brought to me, evoking my sheer joy!
There was a praline macaroon, a white chocolate and orange Delice, an apple and cinnamon strudel and a mini lemon curd and meringue tart. My oh my, what a beautiful dessert platter, I honestly did not know where to begin! Luckily, I did not need to decide just then as we carried on chatting for a while longer, and Chef Paul was even kind enough too ask me all about my blog. We discussed the resurgence in popularity of 70's foods such as Black Forest Gateau and also how much he and his family love Ibiza. It was such a lovely chat to round off a perfect meal, and after he finished the last of his tea, he left me to enjoy the wonderful dessert platter! 

I felt quite guilty because by then I was the only diner still lingering over lunch, but I was assured that there was no hurry and so I took my time savouring the desserts. They were just sublime in every way, and the apple strudel took me right back to when I lived in Heidelberg, Germany, when a slice of Apfelstrudel with cream in a Konditorei used to be my favourite treat after lectures. A prime example of the power of food to take you back to a happy moment in life. Marc once again looked after me, bringing out a deliciously sweet dessert wine to accompany the platter. It was the perfect way to end such a wonderful meal.  At the end of the meal, I took some more photographs of the stunning restaurant interior. I love the fact that the kitchen is visible through a window, and you can watch Chef Paul and his team working away during service. By the time I was leaving, they were beginning their prep for evening service and a quick peek into the kitchen left me in no doubt  that the diners would be in for an amazing feast. The dining room has a vaulted glass ceiling which lets in plenty of natural light, and there are striking light fixtures suspended from above too, which must look incredible in the evening. Each table was decorated with miniature daffodils, a thoughtful touch which lent an air of springtime to proceedings. I loved the large art work at the back of the room, which provides an eye catching feature. It depicts flowers and the fish on it are painted with Gold Leaf.

After those final few photographs, it was finally time for me to bid a fond farewell to Chef Paul, his team and The Art School. I emerged back into the chilly Liverpool afternoon with that great feeling of happiness and fulfillment, which a wonderful meal can provide. The whole experience was refined, elegant and understated and the food was nothing short of heavenly. I cannot wait to dine there again in the future and I would thoroughly recommend the restaurant for either a special occasion or just for a wonderful lunch or dinner which you will never forget.

The dessert platter.

The lovely Sommelier Marc, who dreamed up the perfect wine flight to accompany my meal.

 Some of Paul Askew's many awards and accolades!

 The elegant dining room.

 The cosy reception area, complete with wood-burning stove.

 The delightful bar area.

The beautiful art work.

My lunch at The Art School was one of the best afternoons I have had in a long time, and it was a pleasure to meet Paul Askew himself!

I couldn't resit making an Instagram collage of my favourite photographs from the meal! 

http://www.theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk/

0151 230 8600

The Art School 

1 Sugnall Street

Liverpool L7 7EB

A huge thank you to Chef Paul Askew, Sommelier Marc and the rest of the team for hosting me. A special thank you to Charlotte at The Art School too, who kindly arranged the lunch. It was such a wonderful meal and I was made to feel so very welcome throughout my time at The Art School. I would thoroughly recommend the restaurant to anybody who wants to experience exquisite fine-dining  and hospitality in an elegant setting.

What do you all think, have you ever tried a fine-dining restaurant? Remember, I love to read your comments and I follow back my followers. Thank you for reading this review.

Until next time, 

Camille 

xo

*Disclosure:

I was kindly invited to dine at The Art School as a guest of the restaurant. My meal was therefore complimentary for review purposes. All views expressed are my own and honest.

A lunch date...

You know those friends who always make you smile, the kind you can talk about anything with and who make you laugh until your face aches? Well, today I was lucky enough to have a lunch date with my beautiful friend Claire who ticks every one of those boxes. We have been so busy lately that we have not had lunch in a while, and we arranged to meet at one of our favourite lunch date venues, The Wro Lounge in West Kirby, Wirral. We had a lovely table reserved on the elegant Chesterfield sofa, which is adorned with comfy cushions to make you feel even more at home. The lunch deal at The Wro Lounge is excellent value, at £9.95 for two courses or £12.95 for three. I chose the Chicken Satay Skewers as my starter, which come dressed with a delicious salad and Balsamic glaze, and are served with a delicately spiced Satay sauce. The skewers themselves are generously proportioned, and cooked to perfection with the tender chicken playing well against the fresh salad and rich peanut sauce.  Claire chose the Mackerel Pâté which is homemade and served with crunchy Melba Toast triangles. We ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio each to accompany the meal, well, a girly lunch date is not complete without a sneaky glass of vino after all! The Pinot Grigio with its light citrus notes, perfectly complemented the main course, for which we both chose the Cajun Chicken. I have eaten this many times before, and both Claire and I rave about how good it is every time. Tender breast of Chicken, served with white rice, chilli, spring onion, Cajun spicy sauce and cream. The marriage of flavours is exquisite and the level of spice is just right, with the spices in the dish adding a pleasant kick which is tempered by the cream swirled on top. 

There are so many lovely choices on the menu, that it always takes us a while to decide. Or perhaps it just takes us ages to decide because we are too busy talking! 

The delicious Chicken Satay Skewers. 

Delicious Starters!

 

Beautiful daffodils on the table. It is this kind of attention to detail which really sets a restaurant apart.

A close-up of the Cajun Chicken, because you know how much I love taking pictures of food!

The Cajun Chicken has to be my favourite dish at The Wro. Beautiful presentation and wonderful flavours. Succulent and tender chicken breast with rice, sliced chilli, spring onion, Cajun spicy sauce and cream. 

After enjoying our starters and mains, we were so full of amazing food that we waved away the dessert menu (with a note of regret of course!) and instead we opted to round off the perfect meal with two Cappuccinos. The coffee was rich and deep, just as coffee should be. 

It was, as always, a perfect meal and we had such a good time, and a wonderful long talk about everything which has been going on in our lives lately. Those kinds of lunches are always the best I find, when they are accompanied by a side order of good wine and even better conversation. I felt a real lightness of heart as we went our separate ways with a big hug and a promise not to leave it too long before our next lunch date. Thank you Claire for your lovely company and to The Wro Lounge for a wonderful meal. 

The Wro

Grange Road

West Kirby 

Wirral 

CH48 4DY

0151 625 2010

So that is all for now everyone, I hope that you are all well and that you are having a good week so far. Remember, I love to read your sweet comments and I follow back my followers. Look out for my next post, which will be a review of The Art School restaurant in Liverpool, which I was lucky enough to be invited to review last week. The fine dining created there by renowned chef-patron Paul Askew was a revelation and I had the pleasure of having a long chat with him! I can't wait to share the review with you all. 

Thank you for reading this post!

Until next time, 

Camille 

xo. 

Monday Morsel: Grilled Cheese

Sometimes in life we all get days when we feel a little bit under the weather for no apparent reason, and today is one such day for me. I have been so busy lately reviewing restaurants and travelling here and there, and all of the running around has left me feeling a bit burned out. I am definitely somebody who takes comfort in good food, and there is one thing which never fails to cheer me up when I am feeling a little bit jaded. We are talking the perfect combination of crispy bread and oozing melted cheese, yes everybody, the humble Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
 Even though this is clearly such a simple thing to make (I am not vying for a Michelin Star just yet!) it has so many comforting attributes that it cannot be ignored when you feel a little frayed around the edges. In fact, if there was a chart dedicated to the best quick dishes which provide an instant mood -lift, this would definitely be in the top five! Best of all, it takes barely five minutes to make. Simple, satisfying and speedy, what could be better?

What you need:

Two slices of bread per sandwich.
Butter-spread (e.g. Clover).

Cheese slices, such as Dutch Gouda (one large slice per sandwich).

A non stick frying pan/skillet.
A sharp knife to cut the sandwich.

Tongs or spatula to ‘flip’ the sandwich.

Method:

Butter the bread and place a cheese slice on it, and then sandwich it together. Preheat a non-stick frying pan/skillet over a medium heat. Butter one side of the sandwich on the outside and place it, butter side down in the pre-heated pan. If you have got the temperature just right, the sandwich will sizzle a little as you place it in the pan. Carefully spread a layer of butter on the top of the sandwich too, so that it will sizzle and brown when flipped. Remember, we are going for that classic golden brown, crunchy grilled cheese sandwich here! Cook the sandwich on one side for about two-three minutes, Turn it over to cook the non-cooked side. When you flip it, it should look golden and crispy, meaning all of that delicious cheese within is melting into a molten volcano of ecstasy!

Meanwhile, if you desire, heat some of your favorite canned soup in another non-stick pan. I used the classic Heinz cream of tomato soup. The combination of cheese and tomato is hard to beat when it comes to comfort food, after all!

 Make a cheese sandwich.

 Fire up the hob to a medium heat.

 Butter the outside of the sandwich on one side. Place in pan butter side down. Listen to the sizzle! Carefully butter the top side of the sandwich too as it lies in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.

 Flip the sandwich to cook the non-cooked side. This is the golden colour and crispy texture we are looking for when we flip the sandwich.

 Meanwhile, heat soup if desired.

 Slice the sandwich in two and serve alongside a bowl of soup. Season the soup with a little black pepper and single cream if desired.

'Steam: There's no need to be afraid'. 

Bonus points if you remember the song lyric I am referring to... ;)

Melted, moreish perfection!

It would be rude not to dip at least a corner of the sandwich in the soup! After all, these two are a match made in heaven :)

Bowl: Alessi

Spoon: Alessi

Square Plate: Tesco Finest

Here are a few extra tips to bear in mind when making the perfect Grilled Cheese. Either white or wholemeal bread is fine. The cheeses which I find to work particularly well are Gouda, Mature Cheddar and Jarlsberg. These all seem to melt to stringy perfection. If you want to make a more gourmet version, try using Sourdough bread which works so well, and smear a little green pesto or tomato puree over the butter in the sandwich before placing the cheese on it. This creates either a Grilled Cheese/Pesto Melt or a Grilled Cheese/Tomato Melt. Of course, if you wish, sliced ham or even Chorizo could also go on it to create a heartier version. Enjoy!

Do you guys have a favourite comfort food? Remember, I love to read your sweet comments and I follow back my followers.
Thank you for reading this post! 

Until next time, 

Camille 

xo

Cocoa Cami x The Make Pack

Whether we love it or hate it, we all know that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It is always difficult to choose the ideal present for that special somebody, and what better way to show how much you care than to make the extra effort of making something by hand. Today, I have the perfect gift idea to share with you for Valentine’s Day or a birthday, or even just give to somebody to show how much you care.

I was delighted to be contacted recently by a company called The Make Pack* to see if I would review one of their kits. The Make Pack is such an ingenious idea, the little kits they sell come with everything you need to make a certain food. In this case I selected the kit to make a chocolate truffle selection. (£9.95) I was so excited when I received the pack and I could not wait to see what was inside. The beautifully packaged little box contains dark and white chocolate buttons, peanut butter, peanuts, cocoa powder and light brown sugar. This provides all that you need to make delicious dark chocolate truffles as well as white chocolate and peanut butter ones. The Make Pack also stock chocolate boxes which come with cute string to tie around it and a gift tag, so that you can give the handmade truffles as a present. The instructions provided in the box were concise and clear, and all of the ingredients were individually packaged to and pre-weighed so that you would have enough of everything.

This time, I used everything provided to make the dark chocolate truffles as  thought I would make the white chocolate and peanut butter ones another day. They were easy to make and the only ingredient I needed to add was the double cream. I followed the step-by step instructions and in no time I had a box of chocolate truffles all dusted in Cocoa powder and ready to go! The whole process of making them was great fun and I would definitely order another Make Pack in the future. The only problem was that they looked so delicious when they were ready, that I might have accidentally eaten a few of them myself! I hope you like the title of this post, I could not resist making Coco into Cocoa in the circumstances ;) I know, I know...I am a born comic. 

There is a range of kits available on The Make Pack website, to make everything from Lemon Marshmallows with Toasted Coconut, to Triple Layer Chocolate Fudge Cake! Check out the selection here: http://www.themakepack.com/packs 

If you order now, the pack will arrive in plenty of time for Valentine's Day as The Make Pack delivers within 3-5 working days. Perfect to solve those pesky gift dilemmas! 

What do you guys think, would you like to try The Make Pack? Which one would you choose? I hope you are all well and having a fun weekend, thank you so much for reading this post. Remember I love to read your sweet comments and I follow back my followers.

Until next time, 

Camille xo

Disclosure
*The Make Pack kindly sent me this item for review on a complimentary basis. All opinions expressed are my own and honest

http://www.themakepack.com/packs/sweet/truffle-selection

Winter Weekend Away Beauty...

Hi everyone, I hope that you have all had a lovely weekend! I have been away this weekend in a rather snowy location, so since it has been a while since I have done a beauty post on Coco Cami, I thought that I would share with you what I brought along with me on my weekend away. I thought what better way to show the products off, than to photograph them against the crisp white snow. Apart from ice cold hands as I set the pictures up, it was a great idea! Yes you guys, I suffer in the line of duty ;)

I find that in the winter my lips get very chapped, but luckily somebody bought me this tin of Nivea lip products for Christmas. It contains two lip butters in Raspberry Rose and Original and two lip balms in Original and Pearly Shine.  I love the Original lip balm as the handy stick formula is ideal for keeping in your pocket or your handbag.

I always travel with a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo, which gives my hair amazing volume and rescues it from being greasy on the second day after washing it. This time I brought the Floral Version with me, which has a pretty and delicate scent. 

I brought my favourite toner with me, the Simple kind to skin soothing facial toner. I sweep this across my face on cotton-wool after cleansing, to give my skin a rejuvenated feeling. For moisturiser, I brought my favourite Nivea original cream to use at night, which is super rich and hydrating for skin in winter. For use in the day, I also packed my Olay firm and lift day cream and serum. This has such a lovely texture, as it has all the nourishment of a cream combined with the lighter feel of a serum. So that I would have a choice of day creams, I also brought my Olay Beauty Fluid. Generations of women have sworn by this nourishing day fluid, which suits all skin types and provides a smooth base for make-up. I can see why it is regarded as a classic.

No weekend away would be complete without a lovely fragrance. I recently received Beyonce Heat perfume as a gift. It is a lovely scent with notes of citrus, vanilla and jojoba. I love the fact that it immediately ‘deepens’ when you spray it on and the top notes settle to reveal a lovely rich and feminine scent which has good longevity. Perfect to spray on when you are going out to dinner. 

I also packed a Joules Hand Wash and Joules Fantastically Flourishing bath soak.  I just love the shabby-chic floral packaging of these; they certainly brighten up a hotel bathroom! In winter I get very dry hands. I got this Burt’s Bees almond milk and beeswax hand cream a while ago. It is so luxurious and rich in texture and it immediately nourishes my dry skin.

Also for Christmas, my mum bought me the Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer, which has a soft shimmer and chocolate-vanilla scent. It is good enough to eat, but I would not recommend doing so! This contains Mother of Pearl and Beta Carotene. It is the ideal addition to my winter make up bag as it gives a lovely glow to my pale skin and I was excited to try it.

When I go away, I always pack some Soap and Glory products, which I just love. I think they are excellent quality for the price and they smell delicious. I packed Foam Call body wash, Heel Genius foot cream, Righteous Butter body lotion and Scrub of Your Life body scrub. This enabled me to have an extra long pampering session.

No weekend away would be complete without a lovely walk at sunset. I was snapping away during the walk and I thought this shot turned out to be particularly spectacular. After that, it was time to retire indoors, where we sipped Hot Chocolate with Amaretto. The calories did not stop there, as later on we ordered some pizza too. Delicious! 

Stuffed-crust cheese feast pizza. Need I say more?! ;)

So that is all for now everyone, please let me know what products you love to take with you when you are travelling during the winter. I always enjoy hearing your recommendations!

Thank you so much for reading this post. Remember, I love to read your sweet comments and I follow back my followers!

Until next time,

Camille

xo.