Don Pepe

19 Victoria Street, Liverpool L1. Tel: 0151 231 1909

This isn't the easiest restaurant to find. I recall my first visit, almost a decade ago, when I walked past it at least once during my search. Its street presence consists of nothing more than a doorway, with most of the seating at basement level, and therefore not immediately apparent as you saunter past the place. Much has changed since that first visit - the clichéd 1980's decor has been transformed into a clichéd expression of a Spanish hideout - whitewashed stone effect walls, terracotta tiles around the balcony, and a huge central fountain. The lighting is bright, and the overall level of cleanliness looks good. The waiters are immaculately turned out, and very helpful.

The wine list is, unsurprisingly, strong on Spain. It is mainly red, and dominated by Rioja, but other Spanish regions do maintain a presence. It would have been interesting to see more from the Ribera del Duero, though. Mark-ups seem to be £10-15 across the board. I didn't see much amongst the whites to interest me, although there were a couple from Torres that would be reliable, if nothing else. When it comes to the reds, however, there is a good selection of well known Bodegas. Vega Sicilia (although not Unico), La Rioja Alta, Berberana and Faustino to name but a few. We plumped for one of my favourite bodegas:

La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 (Spain) 1989: Superb colour. A nose of intense berry fruits and some toasty oak, which develops nuances of chocolate, coffee, spice and leather with time. Excellent structure on the palate, with a firm backbone of tannin, good balance, and rich berry fruits. Seems less complex on the palate than my last tasting. Finishes with a flourish of fruit, and has some length. This is a lovely wine, which clearly has years ahead of it yet, and is still available on a few merchants shelves. (30/11/00)

The menu comprises a few starters and some delicious main courses, but its strength lies in the variety of Tapas available. These can be purchased as a set banquet or individually, the latter being the option I would recommend.

To start we had a few Tapas from the Tapas Bar, which I would imagine does a roaring trade at lunchtime, this restaurant being situated in the business sector of the city centre. There was a good and interesting selection available, all of which were well priced. The Jamon Serrano was a good example of this classic, Spanish ham, with a good texture. The Chorizo Frito were superb, although I confess to a penchant for this spicy, Spanish sausage. It had good flavour, and was served in generous slices, having been deep fried. Pollo Picante, which comprised pieces of chicken in a chilli sauce, was very good. Empanada de Galicia was the least exciting of the dishes, although still very tasty. A combination of tuna, peppers and tomatoes in a pastry case, it paled a little in comparison with the spicy meats.

The main courses were delightful. Pollo Tarragon, as the name suggests, is chicken served in a cream based Tarragon sauce. It is well presented, garnished with asparagus. The flavours were rich and obvious, which makes a change from many weak Tarragon sauces I have encountered. The more impressive dish, however, was Cardera de la Casa, a slow cooked joint of lamb with garlic and rosemary. The meat had a superb texture, good flavour, with the rosemary more obvious than the garlic. It was acompanied by a tasty stock-based sauce with mushrooms. Lovely. As side dishes we had a few deep-fried potato wedges (otherwise known as chips) and a good, although simple, salad. Puddings we eschewed - there was nothing of interest.

To conclude, my long overdue return visit to Don Pepe was enjoyable, and I won't leave it as long before I return again. The restaurants strength lies in Tapas, and I'll concentrate on these on my next visit - maybe for lunch?.

Prices: £20-25 per head for a selection of Tapas, main course and dessert, not including drinks. Wines range from about £12 to £80 per bottle, mark-ups reasonable at £10-15 per bottle.

Don Pepe

Restaurants