THEDAILYPOSTFOOD&DRINKGUIDE

The food of loveDiningoutwithyourValentine

February 2010

menumenu

THENOBLEHOUSEWINELISTHILTONHOTELREADEROFFER

2 Tuesday, February 9, 2010

3Tuesday, February 9, 2010

DaPiero–simplythebestJadeWrightmeetstheWirralfamilybehindDaPiero,theGoodFoodGuide’sbestnewrestaurant

Chef Piero Di Bella and Dawn Di Bella at Da Piero in Irby; and, inset, making theSalsiccia Siciliana Pictures: JAMES MALONEY/ jm040210food-6, above, and jm040210food-4

WHEN Piero Di Bellaopened the letter tosay his restauranthad won the BestNew Entry in the

Good Food Guide 2010 he wasunderstandably delighted. He wasoverjoyed that the judges hadvoted his 14-seat restaurant inIrby the best new entry in Wirral,or maybe even Merseyside. Itwasn’t until he called theworld-renowned guide that herealised that it wasn’t a localaward, or a North West one. DaPiero had been judged best newentry in the whole of the UK.

Now the unostentatious eaterie,run by husband and wife team Pieroand Dawn, is busier than ever.

And hot on the heels of the Whichaccolade, Da Piero has just beenincluded in the Michelin Guide 2010,with two knives and forks in thegrade and praise heaped upon its“Classical Italian cooking with lotsof rustic Sicilian dishes”.

It is fitting rewardfor one of thebrightest stars of theMerseysiderestaurant world.

“It has been awonderful surprisefor us,” smilesSicilian-born Piero.

“We have very loyalcustomers here, therestaurant feels like anextension to ourfamily, and that isblessing enough. But tohave this kind ofrecognition, well, thatis something we neverexpected.”

Since the guides werereleased, the restauranthas been inundatedwith bookings.

“Last weekend, wehad to turn 40 peopleaway,” says Dawn. “Weused to say booking wasadvisable, but now it isessential.” She leafsthrough her reservationsbook.

“Weekends are busy,but if people are flexibleabout times and days wecan usually worksomething out.”

But between newcustomers from the guideand their loyal regulars,the restaurant is busierthan ever, during what isoften a quiet time for thecatering industry. So whatis Da Piero’s secret?

“For me, it’s all aboutsimplicity,” explains Piero.

“But simplicity doesn’t mean easy.It means having respect for flavourand not throwing everything intogether. Good cooking doesn’t needdozens of things thrown into a pan, it

needs three or four really goodquality ingredients.

“Quality is everything. If you putthe freshest and the best into a dish,it will taste good, if you cut cornersit will not.

“Take a good olive oil.That flavour is so good,you don’t want to mix itwith anything. A friendof mine sent me a bottleof my favourite olive oilfrom Sicily last week.On my day off I had thatwith some bread, sometomatoes and a glass ofred wine. That’s a meal.When ingredients arethat good, you don’tneed anything else.”

Piero credits his loveof food to growing upin Sicily.

“There is a marketat home with 500stalls, there is everytype of fish that youwould find in theMediterranean. Andthey are so fresh wecall them the dancingfish. They are stilljumping.

“My mother was anexcellent cook, and she had memaking ravioli when I was eight. Shehas been my inspiration.”

Piero’s prized possession is hismother’s cook book, inscribed withnotes on every recipe.

“It was a present from her mother

in 1945, the year my mother married.Some of those recipes are 300 yearsold. Those are the recipes I use here,and the ones we eat at home.”

As I talk to Piero, he is busymaking Salsiccia Siciliana – Sicilianstyle sausage (£14.50).

Rather than buying in mince, hebuys a whole shoulder cut of topquality pork and minces it himself,then mixes it with his own blend ofherbs and spices and puts eachsausage into a natural skin.

“I’ll give you a tip,” smiles Piero.“The skins have to be soaked inPinot Grigio to give them the bestflavour. Never use cheap wine. Onlycook with wine you would want todrink.”

He serves them on a bed of lentils,imported directly from Colfiorito, inUmbria. Nothing, it seems, is toomuch trouble.

Similarly, their Gelatoall’Amaretto (£5.20) is homemadeusing free-range organic eggs andoriginal Amaretto Disaronno, withfresh cream.

“People are surprised that we usereal Amaretto,” laughs Dawn. “Butsurely if you want something to tasteof Amaretto, you use Amaretto, andif you use an artificial flavour ittastes of artificial flavour.”

And, in keeping with the romantic

theme of our Valentine’s special, DaPiero is built on its own love story.

“I’m originally from Wirral, but Iwent to spend six months in Italy,”laughs Dawn. “I ended up staying for20 years, and brought Piero backwith me. We met and lived in Rome,but when we had our son, Alan, wewanted to bring him up here.”

The couple moved to Wirral andPiero fell in love with its ruggedcountryside and superb localproduce, but it wasn’t until Dawnwas made redundant that theirdream of opening their ownrestaurant became a reality.

“I came home, devastated to havelost my job, but Piero wasoverjoyed,” says Dawn. “Lookingback, it was the best thing that couldhave happened.”

They opened Da Piero four yearsago, and now their son Alan, 17,works as their sous chef.

He’s training with Brian Mellorand is quickly becoming awell-respected chef in his own right.

“He has an instinctive hand forseasoning,” says Piero. “And that isthe one think you can’t teach.everything else you can learn, butthat is a real gift.”■ DA PIERO, 5, Mill Hill Road,Irby, Wirral, CH61 4UB, 0151 6487373, www.dapiero.co.uk.

menuchef’s table

4 Tuesday, February 9, 2010

CelebratedchefBrianMellortellsJadeW

ServedwithagreatbighelpingofloveL

OVE is in the air overat Claremont Farmthis weekend, as chefto the stars BrianMellor shares his

secrets with culinary-challenged couples.

On the most romanticweekend of the year, Brian, aMaster Chef of Great Britain,will be opening up his kitchenand showing budding gourmetshow to make delicious chocolatesfor their loved ones.

Brian spent years cooking atexclusive venues and competingin culinary events, picking upgold medals and awards alongthe way. He was executive chef atGranada TV in Manchester.There’s a five-bedroomPenthouse on top of the buildingand there he cooked for PrimeMinisters, Royal visitors, and, onone occasion, OJ Simpson.

But now the down-to-earthWidnes lad is based at ClaremontFarm kitchens, in Bebington,teaching his craft in a series ofinformal public workshops.

“We weren’t going to doanything for Valentine’s Day,”says Brian. “But then we had somany people asking for adviceon what to make.

“Valentine’s is one of those

occasions where you want to dosomething personal andhandmade. Anyone could go tothe shop and buy a box ofchocolates, but to make themshows you’ve really thoughtabout it. It’s going the extramile.”

Brian will be runningworkshops this weekend,teaching budding chocolatiershow to make dark chocolatetruffles, orange liqueur truffles,cappuccino truffles and milkchocolate ribbons.

“We ran a chocolate workshopbefore Christmas and it wasreally popular,” says Brian.“Everyone enjoys a really goodtruffle, and they taste so muchbetter if you make themyourself.”

The workshop is open topeople who want to make thechocolates as a surprise for theirloved one, and for couples, too.

“It should be a lot of fun,”smiles Brian. “Whether peoplecome on their own, or bring theirpartners. It’s always funny whenyou get couples on a workshoptogether. It can be a bit liketeaching your husband or wifehow to drive at first, but wealways have a good laugh. Isuspect there will be a bit ofquality control going on, withone partner checking that thechocolates that are being madefor them come up to scratch.”

And, if the chocolates weren’tenough, there’s an extraromantic element to theweekend. Brian’s girlfriend IrinaGeorgescu will be joining him tohelp out, and so the couple canspend Valentine’s Day together.

“Irina is my right-handwoman,” explains Brian. “Shedoes the business side of thingsand keeps me organised, so it’sgreat to have her with me. We’llbe working hard on Valentine’sDay, but it’s good that we can betogether.”

Brian and Irina met when hewent on a fact-finding trip forLiverpool’s Capital of Cultureyear.

“Irina was the press officer onthe trip, and it all went from

there for us,” says Brian. “Every-one jokes that now I have alasting legacy of Capital ofCulture.”

Now Irina and Brian work allyear round at the farm, anddoing workshops around Mersey-side, promoting the fantasticlocal produce available andencouraging traditional skills.

“I do a lot of work to promoteour local producers and I wantedto promote the importance ofcarefully grown ingredients andcooking nutritious food,” saysBrian.

“Together we can work oneducating people that greatquality food should be availablefor everyone. We are perfectlypositioned on the farm to bringall this together.”

Claremont Farm is renownedfor its seasonal ingredients, suchas asparagus and strawberries,which are supplied to toprestaurants across Merseyside,as well as sold in their farmshop.

“This is Wirral’s year of foodand drink, and we have eventsand workshops planned tocelebrate the fantastic producethat’s available,” says Brian. “AtEaster we’ll be looking atforgotten Easter treats – thingslike Simnel cake that taste greatbut that people might not thinkto try.

“As soon as the asparagusbegins in April, we’ll be runningsessions where people can picktheir own produce and learn howto cook it on site.

“There’s always a really goodatmosphere at the workshops,and you get to eat what you cook.At the end of the session, we allsit down and eat the meal we’vecooked together. There’s no funcooking and not eating.”

Brian Mellor’s Valentine’schocolate workshops run thisSaturday and Sunday, priced £55.Full-day cookery workshops areavailable throughout the year,priced £90, and half-days for £55,including ingredients.■ FOR more information,visit www.claremontfarm.co.uk

Brian Mellor and his girlfriend, Irina, make a toast toValentine's Day

chef’s table

48a Castle Street, Liverpool - Tel: 0151 236 3375 Fax: 0151 236 7260www.baritalialiverpool.com

Also available for Business Lunches• Birthdays • Parties • Celebrations • Office Functions. Mon-Fri 11.30am-3.00pm. Tuesday-Sat 5.30pm-11.00pm

APPETIZERSAssorted Canapes

STARTERSExotic seafood salad with Marie Rose DressingOR Vegetali al Forno Europei OR Home-made

Vegetable Soup

MAIN COURSEIntimate Steak Maison OR

Sexy Supreme of Chicken A la Crema ORBig Bulging Barbecued Pork Fillet

DESSERTSChoice of Sweet

£23.95 Per person includingcomplimentary rose for your

companionCoffee & Mints £1.90 extra per

personLook on our website

for further details

Franco’s RistoranteWhere Italians love to eat

Valentines Day 14th FebruaryValentines Day 14th FebruaryA Welcoming Glass of Champagne for your loved one.

Serving the best Italian cuisine for 25 years

5Tuesday, February 9, 2010

JadeWrightaboutthesweetestwaytoapartner’sheart

IF YOU can’t decide whether to buychocolates or flowers this

Valentine’s Day, get bothwith these gorgeous chocsfrom Charbonnel etWalker.

The Pink Marc deChampagne Truffles comein an exquisite, handmadepaper rose box which you

will never want to throwaway. Order them now at

www.charbonnel.co.uk, priced £30.

PUCKER up because thistoaster is just perfect for aValentine’s morningbreakfast. Handbagdesigner Lulu Guinness haspenned her famous lips logoto Comet's two-slicer. LuluGuinness Toaster, £34.99,selected Comet stores,stockists www.comet.co.uk

THIS Love Hearts “It” bagmakes a gorgeous treat fora fashion-savvy Valentine.The cute bag comescomplete with padlock andkey and contains 500grams of delicious SwizzelsMatlow retro sweets.

Available in black or red,priced £15, fromLoveHearts.com

Masterchef BrianMellor createssome chocolatehearts in time forValentine's Day,at ClaremontKitchen, inBebington

Pictures:JAMES MALONEY/

jm050210menu-2, left,and jm050210menu-9,

inset, below, left

menu

Servedwithagreatbighelpingoflove cupboard love

Situated in the recently restoredStanley Park, Kemps Bistro at theThe Isla Gladstone Conservatoryis perfectly located for enjoyinglazy Sundays in the park. With freeparking, and acres of beautifulgardens it’s the ideal place to goand unwind. You will be delightedwith everything we have to offer,with our delicious, home~made,locally sourced, organic, freshlyprepared food.

Sunday Lunchserved 12.00 - 4.00pm

£7.95 ~ 1 course

£10.95 ~ 2 courses

£12.95 ~ 3 courses

open daily9.30am - 4.30pm

book now on:0151 263 0363

stanley park anfield road liverpool l4 0td

telephone: 0151 263 0363 info@theislagladstone.co.uk

www.theislagladstone.co.uk

6 Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Anyoneforanicekebab?VickiKellawayowesthechefanapologyatoneofthecity’snewestrestaurants–TheNobleHouse

The sophisticated dining area of The Noble House, in Brunswick Street, LiverpoolPicture: JAMES MALONEY/ jm050210noble-1

THE Noble House, HeywoodBuilding, 5 BrunswickStreet, Liverpool L2 OUU

Contact: 0151 236 5346 orinfo@thenoblehouse.co.uk

Bill: £90 including tip

Service: Excellent. Veryfriendly and helpful.

Value for money: Expensivebut the food is worth it.Watch out for the extrassuch as bread and mineralwater.

menu eatingout

THERE is somethingostentatious about eatingyour dinner from a giantskewer suspended in themiddle of your table.

But that’s the fashionable way toorder your meat, or your fish, oryour meat and fish at The NobleHouse, and there were three othercouples eating exactly the same way.

This mains-to-share – “The Vine” –is a long metal skewer suspendedelegantly from a vine shaped handle.

It’s a clever way to bringsomething unusual to this newventure on Brunswick Street –opposite the formidable RestaurantBar and Grill – and it works.

The Noble House, named after theexperiment of banning alcoholacross America in the 1920s, is stillcarving out its atmosphere.

The decor is nice enough; redleather booths and dark wood tables,a huge chainmail chandelier andpleasantly low lighting.

But it was gently humming ratherthan bustling on a Friday night and,from the people behind Alma deCuba, you would expect the theme tobe a little more overt.

At first glance, the food lookedclassic rather than creative and thewine list was enormous. Fortunately,our waitress was friendly.

She chose a beautifulChilean Sauvignon Blanc –the Errázuriz 1870 PeñuelasBlock for those in the know(£5 for a large glass).

We weren’t offered breadbecause bread and oils is acourse and costs £2.95.

At least that meansyou’re not tempted to spoilyour appetite. The servicewas prompt but we were ravenous

when my goats’ cheese (£5.95) and hisrisotto (£6.95) arrived.

Mine was a tasty towerof goats cheese and rocketserved between layers ofjuicy tomato with a sweetpepper sauce on the side.

The boyfriend’s risottolooked like a pizza – a juicyshallot-infused rice basewith tomatoes, cherrymozzarella and herbsscattered on top.

“Oh no,” he said.“We’ve let the chef down here.

This is seriously tasty and yet we’ve

just ordered a giant kebab.” Butthere was no going back. The hugechar-grilled skewer was on its wayand we had potato and garlic gratin,roast maple parsnips and a mix offine beans and sugar snap peas to eatalongside it (£2.95 each).

The kebab (£30) includedCumbrian fell lamb, marinated ingarlic and rosemary; chilli chickenwings and chunks of chorizo.

It was delicious – and a really funway to eat, even though we werebeaten by the last few pieces of meat.

Still, that left room for dessert. Ihad the excellent passion fruit and

mango brulee with shortbread and avery tasty sorbet (£6.95)

The boyfriend ordered the RonZacapa Experience (£9.95) – a glass ofthe 23-year-old Guatemalan rumserved with espresso and somegorgeous chocolate and orange fudge.

And so made a lovely end to asurprisingly good meal. The NobleHouse might not yet have found itsfeet in terms of character andregular clientele, but the food alonewill definitely make it worth the trip.

I guess the only hard part will bepersuading your friends to join youfor a nice kebab in town.

Itwasdelicious–andareally funwaytoeat

Facts forthe foodies

7Tuesday, February 9, 2010

reprobates forced itself throughthe gates of Jalon’s Bridewell,Campbell Square, for an eveningof French wine and tucker. It is acredit to our fine host, theindomitable Vlastimil and his

raucous cohort, Rak Jain, of TheHouse Of Townend, that I can

only just remember thefirst excellent

course. I believesome superb duckfollowed andhave beenreliablyinformed thatall of the winewas of sublimequality.

The nextwine lover’sevent is onMarch 29 –

www.jalonsbridewell.co.uk

for details.

best bar noneWITH a huge floor-to-ceilingwindow framing Chavasse Parkand the waterfront beyond,Palm Sugar Lounge occupiesone of the most stunninglocations in the city.

And, living up to itssurroundings, it piles on theglamour.

Adjoining Chaophraya Thairestaurant, it opened last Juneand quickly gained a reputationas the place to be on a balmyevening.

But, whatever the weather,there’s an air of grown-upsophistication here thatappeals.

The decor is Far Eastern

culture meets classic New Yorkcocktail bar. High ceilings,twinkling globe chandeliersand spacious cushion-packedbooths mean the bar is asdressed up as its clientele.

As for drinks, there’s ahealthy list of classic, specialityand Champagne cocktails, plusbeers which nod to its Easternorigins alongside the bottledregulars.

And if all that wasn’t quitespecial enough, there’s amembers lounge and waitressservice on offer, too.■ PALM Sugar Lounge, 5/6,Kenyon Steps, Liverpool One.Tel: 0151 707 6654

Life is sweet: Palm Sugar Lounge, in LiverpoolOne, offers luxury, fabulous views andglamorous cocktails

menuthe wine list

I HAVEN’T been overwhelmed with the yearso far. The nation seems to be in themelancholic grip of an inevitable dystopia,exacerbated by this unruly, terrifying cold. Ihave taken small amounts of pleasure fromunleashing my fierce winter wardrobe ontoan unsuspecting city – my inherited full-length sheepskin proving to be a firm hit inboth social and business circles, a majesticgarment that has aided in raising my profilefrom genius to neo-deity and shallundoubtedly find its way onto next year’s“must have” list for all aspiring icons.

The uncouth frost has managed to destroy apair of fine loafers, which have been buriedwith all dutiful ceremony, it has also managedto murder some carelessly stored wine andhas played havoc with my nascent pear tree. Ithas been a tough old winter, with no end insight.

Despite the onset of an irrepressible ice-age,my fellow princes and I have managed tospread our considerable wealth and presencearound the old town with reckless andcontagious disregard for personal safety andfiscal responsibility. We have a duty to throwdown weary gauntlets in the face of suchtiresome adversity and rise, in the light ofvictories to come, as glorious knights,resplendent in a boozy glow, determined tofight down the demons of recession and illfortune.

In essence, a few of the lads and myselfdecided to go on a bit of a mooch and see whowas offering the best laughing soup, as thecold was killing our respective vibes and thelack of totty in the local juicer demanded atrip to the town.

I don’t mind a bit of self advertising as I’musually involved in admirable projects, sowith no regret whatsoever I’m going to callyou over to The Noble House for a glass or twoof some marvellous wine. We have employedsome insane technology to be able to offer topswag by the glass, something to do with timetravelling particles and divine sacrifice, wehave a machine that keeps an open bottle forup to a month, as opposed to a couple of days.The machine has several technical monikersbut could do with something more creative,pop in with a suitable title and I’ll pour you aglass of Pinot Noir and we’ll have a fewsmiles. I’m currently listing some very fineBurgundy, top St Emilion and one of the finestCalifornian reds you’ll ever get to taste –hurry up before the boys and myself turnViking and cane the lot of it. Check outwww.thenoblehouse.co.uk for a peek at myglorious wine list and an even more incrediblemenu – best fish in the city, best beef in thecosmos.

In search of more boss gear, my gang of

MathewSloaneRaiseaglassto

yourlovedoneW

HILE scented roses pullat our heart strings andrestaurants try to playCupid with love-inducing menus,

sometimes the best aphrodisiac for aromantic evening is a Valentine’s drinkshared a deux.

Here are some tantalising tipples forFebruary 14:

■ IF YOU fancy a passionate cocktail, tryItaly’s number one nectar, Disaronno(£12.69). This amaretto liqueur is madefrom 17 herbs and fruits soaked in apricotkernel oil, and is so versatile that it can besavoured over ice, or ice-cream, or as aDisaronno Kiss. Simply take 25mlDisaronno, 12.5ml pomegranate juice andsome prosecco or sparkling wine.

Pour the Disaronno into a flute, addpomegranate juice and top with prosecco.Garnish with orange peel and toast yourfavourite saint!

■ LOOKING for some wow-factor? Whynot treat your other half to the firstnon-vintage rosé from the world’s mostawarded Champagne house. Dressed in apretty pink box, Charles Heidsieck RoséReserve (£41.24, Waitrose)is their latest release, withdelicate bubbles thatdance to a sweet tune ofcherry fruits, with a hintof cinnamon on the finish.

■ THE lady in your lifewill be tickled pink if youpresent her with one ofthese darling new offeringsfrom Veuve Clicquot onFebruary 14. Nestled insidethe eye-catching cherryblossom print box is ahalf-bottle of roséChampagne with twostem-less flutes, ideal forromantics who want to popthe question. Suitors canalso try their luck with the

appealing ice jacket that keeps thisdelicately fruity Champagne at an idealtemperature for up to two hours. VeuveClicquot Sakura Rosé paint tin (£60,Waitrose nationwide) and Veuve ClicquotSakura Rosé ice jacket (£45, Waitrosenationwide)

■ FOR a stellar red that’s beautifullytailored to February 14, try this elegantBeaujolais, Saint Amour Domaine desBillards 2007 (£11.50, Nicolas) withlip-smacking raspberry fruit flavours,it’s full-bodied and a perfectpartner withroastchicken orpork. Orserenadeyour lovedone with somered-bloodedpassion fromArgentina.Fabre

Montmayou Barrel Selection Malbec 2007(£10.49 www.laithwaites.co.uk) is packed full of delect-able black fruit with notes of spicy oakand a hint of vanilla. Velvety smooth withsurprisingly soft tannins, it’s a marriagemade in heaven with fillet steak and

pommes-frites.

■ IF IT’Ssomethingtruly

irresistible togo with

chocolates after acandlelit dinner, yourequire, try a glass ofHarveys PedroXimenez (£19.99, 50cl,Waitrose). Servedchilled, this moreishsweet wine tastesexquisite with trufflesand pralines, or even

sticky toffee pudding.

■ IF YOU’RE looking forthe perfect present for the

man in your life, amembership to Berrys’

Wine Club makes an originaland long-lasting Valentine’s

gift. Every two months, yourpartner will receive 12 bottlesof delicious wines selected byBerrys’ Masters of Wine, alongwith recipe suggestions.

Wine lovers can also createromantic feasts to match theirfavourite tipple.

Snuggle up on the sofatogether and plan your menu –after all, the way to a man’sheart is through the finer things

in life! From £65 per month,Berrys’ has a choice of

nine different casesto suit all tastes,palates and wallets,

visit www.bbr.com

8 Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Orchardr e s t a u r a n t • b a r • c i d e r t a v e r n5 7 B l u n d e l l S t r e e t , L 1 0 A J

Special Valentine’sMenu now online.

LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE

Telephone 0151 709 3060www.theorchardliverpool.com

“Something Fruityhas sprung up onBlundell Street”

LiverpoolConfidential