The Other Place

141-143 Allerton Road, Liverpool, L18.
Tel: 0151 724 1234

October 2004

A return visit to The Other Place was long overdue, so I popped in recently for lunch. There were good choices on the menu and a handsome range of specials.

I had rolled Spanish pork - tasty pork more in the style of gammon than anything else - with Lyonnaise potatoes, which had a good flavour but were so obviously reheated, and some decent red cabbage. I followed this up with a fig and chocolate tart, which I thought pretty good, both flavoursome and rich.

I had wondered about drinking something other than wine, but decided I should try a glass. No half bottles on the rather short wine list, and just four wines available by the glass; rather disappointing I think for a restaurant offering a lunchtime menu. I ordered one of the whites, opting for the southern French rather than the suspicious looking Chilean, which my imagination told me would be fat, blowsy and over-oak-chipped. Sadly my choice fared little better, with little fruit and a slightly disjointed character.

It doesn't sound great but the food was tasty, filling, and certainly good value. A worthy lunchtime stop-off, and its reputation for evening dining is, as far as I am aware, unblemished.

Prices: £15 for two courses, including a glass of wine which accounted for 20% of that cost; bargain-priced food, over-priced wine. (8/10/04)

March 2002

This is yet another of the new additions to the crop of restaurants and bars along Allerton Road, which is now clearly one of the city's trendiest addresses when it comes to evening entertainment. The decor is attractive, with walls taken back to the original brickwork and cleaned-up floorboards producing a cosy, rustic feel. Some pleasing monochrome photography adds a touch of style.

Within a few minutes of entering the restaurant it seemed very likely that we were in for a pleasant evening. The quality of service was impeccable, and would put many grander restaurants to shame. The staff, although all quite young, were efficient, friendly, very respectful and very helpful. They seemed very clued up as to what the dining experience is all about, and I found myself wondering why I couldn't enjoy this level of service in every restaurant I visit?

Quality rather than quantity of choice is the name of the game on the menu, which changes weekly. Just five or six choices for both starters and main courses is the norm, with three or four choices for dessert. From the starters, pork and prune skewers, presented as a kofta-style kebab, were light and nicely texture. A brochette of chargrilled tuna with a herb mayonnaise was also well received, the fish having been correctly cooked and thus possessing a good texture.

From the main courses, salmon en croute contained some delightfully cooked, just off-pink, tender salmon. Accompanying roast asparagus were also cooked to perfection. Meanwhile, a goat's cheese and herb soufflé, a dish which we expected might show the chef's failings, was in fact very well executed, A deliciously light, melting texture made this dish quite impressive.

The desserts, whilst obviously freshly prepared in-house, were one failing of The Other Place. A small and frequently changing selection should have great appeal, but I found the offerings to lack imagination. The ubiquitous sticky toffee pudding made an appearance, and was reasonable. A crème brûlée was nicely spiced but did not have an overly pleasing texture, more closely resembling a thick béchamel sauce than a crème.

Despite this, my usual bugbear, the wine list, caused me no concern on this visit. Indeed, this is the most pleasing wine list I have encountered when dining out in Liverpool. There's a good selection, and I was immediately taken by the 'premium' selection, which, although only offering four whites and four reds, included wines from Daniel-Etienne Defaix, Didier Dagueneau, Kumeu River, Faiveley and Fonterutoli among others, Some fantastic names which had me stuck for choice. Whilst making my choice I tried a glass of the house white, which held some promise. Fresh and crisp, with clean fruit on the nose, and good sharp acidity on the palate. Very well done! Eventually, I opted for the a Chablis from a favourite producer:

Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis Premier Cru Côte de Léchet 1996: Very cold when first served, with little bouquet. With warming up the nose develops some white fruit and mineral aromas, with a bare hint of mealy richness that one might expect. The palate has prominent acidity, with a somewhat hollow midpalate. It finishes better, with a flourish of rich, buttery honeycomb character. Pleasant in itself, although not of the quality I have come to expect from this top Chablis producer. 14/20 (March 2002)

This was a great dining experience, with generally good quality food buoyed up by polite, efficient, considerate and friendly staff. The wine list I found most telling of all - here is a restaurateur who cares not just about food, but also wine. This, in combination with the exemplary service, means The Other Place is, I hope, here to stay.

Prices: £20-25 per head for three courses, so excellent value. Some fine wines are available at £25-30 per bottle, not much over their price at retail, so again this is remarkable value. (20/3/02)