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The Everyman Bistro

The Everyman Theatre, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1. Tel: 0151 708 9545

This smart bistro is always worth a visit. Good food, drinkable wines and an interesting mix of academics, students, office staff and business people result in a cosmopolitan feel. The primary reason that this bistro is so popular is the combination of interesting food at reasonable prices. I noticed on this visit that the main bar has also recently had an interior refurbishment. My most recent visit to this eaterie was this week, for a working lunch. It was unusually quiet, especially for a Friday.

The menu changes daily, so pay attention to the chalkboards for what's on offer. Or follow our example, and simply view the delicious selections of flans, quiches and pastries that are available at the counter. For my lunch I had a delicious potato, cheese, mushroom and fennel bake. My colleagues had a spicy Spanish pork casserole, which was very tasty, and baked salmon which was very well presented, and also delicious. There are always a large number of vegetarian options, and the side salads on offer are always tasty. Favourites of mine include the celeriac, mustard and dill salad, as well as the curried pasta.

The desserts are very reliable. My raspberry fool carried some intense flavours. A rum and raisin truffle served with a small portion of custard was delicious. Our third choice, the fresh fruit salad, was excellent.

The bar serves a few interesting beers, not least Hoegaarden, an unusually sweet, cloudy brew with which I washed down my lunch. The wine list is ordered by varietal, and gives no information on producer, appellation or vintage. It is the one feature of this restaurant that spoils the overall experience. Nevertheless, the inquisitive eye will detect a few reasonable bottles hidden away behind the bar.

I found it mildly amusing that the rack behind the bar had varietal labels on it, so the barstaff could easily select the customers varietal choice without requiring the slightest knowledge of the beverage itself. The Tempranillo rack was stacked with Berberana Dragon Tempranillo (Rioja), and there were also some Cono Sur wines visible. As reliable (if not necessarily exciting) producers, both would be a reasonable choice. For those who prefer a stronger tipple, bottles of Ardbeg and Janneaux grace the top shelf.

Overall a superb value-for-money experience. Definitely recommended for lunch, or before attending a performance at the theatre above. I have also occasionally used it as a rendezvous for swapping over half-cases with friends when we have made joint-purchases of cases of wine, and the management have also been receptive to an offline in the past, when we all brought our own wine, purchasing something to eat from the food counter.

Prices: For a typical lunch (two courses, salad, drinks), expect to pay considerably less than £10.

The Everyman Bistro

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