The finestAsian cuisine

M E N UTHE DAILY POST FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE

Brewing upa storm

Perfect Host

Catering forall tastes

Museums chef’s tough task

JANUARY 09

The brave new world of tea drinking

2 DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

■ JANUARY sales aren’t just restricted toshops – Liverpool’s restaurants are gettingin on the action.

Chefs at 60 Hope Street have created aset menu for just £18.50 per person,available until February 28 (notincluding Valentine’s Day) from12-7.30pm. Choose three coursesand get a complimentary bottle ofDomaine du bosc Chardonnay, orShiraz South of France, to sharebetween two people. Book on 0151 7076060 or www. 60hopestreet.com

fresh

Dinner date

Who would you invite to yourdream dinner party? JackBauer, from 24, John McLean,from Die Hard, and Batman.

Who would be your nightmareguest? Sir Alex Ferguson, orFiona Phillips, from GMTV.

What would you serve?Nibbles, in case they have to rushoff in an emergency.

What would you all drink?I would drink lager. The otherswould need a clear head forfighting bad guys.

What would be the topic ofconversation? Fighting terrorists

and crime, and whether their TVand film releases show enough oftheir sensitive side.

Who would do the washingup?Batman‘s butler, Alfred.

EVEN those unlucky VIPs who didn’t win aGolden Globe earlier this month were given anaward – in the form of a chocolate statuette fordessert.

Stars, including Beyoncé, right, were treated toan organic feast, created by chefs from theBeverly Hilton hotel.

To start, the guests were served California FieldGreen Salad with white asparagus, crisp apricotdill and poached pear with maple syrup, followedby beef tenderloin with green tea pearl sauce, orAsian-style sauteed sea bass, sherry wine yuzupepper sauce and grilled king oystermushrooms.

Russell Silverman, 51, partner at Haines and Wattschartered accountants

HALT the detox for just few days to give yourself time tocheck out Merseyside’s newest chocolate shop.

Chocolate Cellar, at Hanover Galleries, on HanoverStreet, Liverpool, sells a range of confectionery,

including chocolates shaped like stilettos andsuperlambananas.

It also provides a range of services includingtasting parties, workshops, custom-made

corporate gifts and wedding chocolates andcakes.

As well as the Liverpool branch, there is ashop at 3 Brandon Street, Birkenhead.

Find out more at www.thechocolatecellar.co.uk

Ditch the diet

■ GUSTO is relaunching its Healthy LivingMenu, which means that, even if you aresticking to a strict diet, you can still enjoy ameal out.

Developed in association with a nutritionalbiochemist and Adidas Wellness clinics, itfeatures fresh organic ingredients and doesnot include excessive fat, sugar or salt.

The menu states the nutritionalinformation of each dish, as well as whichare good for an active healthy heart, willboost the immune system, are calcium rich,detoxifying, energy boosting or low in carbs.

There is also a Complete Health Menuwhich provides three-courses totalling fewerthan 700 calories.

Gusto has restaurants in Heswall,Wilmslow, Knutsford and the Albert Dock,Liverpool. Further details fromwww.gustorestaurants.uk.com

MEL BLANC, the manwho played thevoice of BugsBunny, wasallergic to carrots

Tasty treat

food facts

try it...UNOPENED, new MooOne per cent keeps for upto six months andcontains just 1% fat, but allthe taste of semi-skimmedmilk. It’s 75p fromSainsbury’s and Tesco

SWEDEN is the largestconsumer of ketchup

food facts

■ PLAN ahead and getyour Valentine’sbooking in early.

The Living Room, onVictoria Street,Liverpool, has comeup with a menu that’sperfect for a specialromantic dinner-for-two.

On arrival, guestscan choose from acomplimentarycocktail or glass ofProsecco and then

cosy up together attheir table to awaittheir three-coursemeal. Priced £37.50per person.

The bar-restaurant isalso taking bookingsfor its Grand Nationalrace day breakfast,available on all threedays of the AintreeRacecourse festival.For bookings andmenus, visit www.thelivingroom.co.uk

Kiefer Sutherland, asJack Bauer

Russell Silverman, ofHaines and Watts

DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009 3

Chef’s Table

Something for everyoneLaura Davis meets thehead chef at NationalMuseums Liverpool, anddiscovers how he managesto create dishes for all tastes

Lancashire Hot Pot

IF THERE’S one thingguaranteed to make GordonRamsay’s head spin round andsmoke come out of his ears, it’schefs who don’t know who

they’re cooking for.Country pubs trying to tempt the

traditional Ploughmans brigade withbite-size starters of caviar blinis, orexpensive city centre restaurants thatfluff their presentation.

But what if your customers comefrom every age group, from allbackgrounds and all countries? What ifsome want a pie and a cup of tea, whileothers demand three-course fine dining?

This is the challenge that Nigel PaulSmith, National Museums Liverpool’sexecutive chef, has to overcome on adaily basis. He oversees the cafes andrestaurants within the organisation’sMerseyside venues, as well as itscorporate entertaining arm.

“If someone’s coming here fromMexico, they don’t want a chilli concarne. I think it’s only us English whogo to Spain for fish and chips,” says thefather-of-one, whose partner, Natalie,runs a chain of restaurants inManchester.

Visitors to NML’s museums andgalleries, which include the MerseyMaritime Museum, The Walker andWorld Museum Liverpool, come from allover the world to marvel at the finecollections of paintings and artefacts.

For this reason, Nigel, 40, feels hismenus should be part of the attraction.

Many of the dishes have a local feel,including Lancashire Hot Pot and arange of “posh pies” with fillings suchas steak and ale, or bangers and mash.Ingredients are sourced locally –beetroot from the Ribble Valley,vegetables from a farm near Southport,beef and lamb from Hesketh Bank.

The abundance of good quality localproduce is one of the things thattempted Nigel to relocate to the areafrom London, where he was working forTate Catering, helping to plan therestaurant that will sit inside TateModern’s new extension.

Before that, he was the executive chefof London caterer Chester Boyd, whichran a public cafe at Buckingham Palacelast summer, and ran his ownrestaurant in Essex with his partner,Natalie.

His first job in Liverpool was as headchef for Upstairs at the Bluecoat, whichopened last year, and he moved to NMLlast October.

Since then, he has been revampingthe attraction’s menus, to bring eachone under a single vision, and workingon expanding the conferencebanqueting side. All profits are fed backdirectly back into NML.

The banqueting suite at the MaritimeMuseum can seat up to 200 people, whilethe other venues cater for up to around50 guests.

“I think there’s a massive market inLiverpool for really strong banquetingand for restaurants in general,” saysNigel.

“The next five years are going to bereally interesting for food, as people’spalates change and new places open.”

lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)3 necks of lamb1 ltr chicken stockfew sprigs thyme40g diced turnip40g diced celeriac60g diced carrotfew sprigs of thyme100 ml chicken stock500g white onions, sliced1 star anise50g butter500g potatoes, cut into discs200g clarified butter

METHOD1. Trim the necks, removing

most of the fat, and sautethem to get a rich colour whileseasoning well.

Place in a casserole dishwith the chicken stock andthyme, and braise for 2-3hours at 150°C. Leave to cool.2. Saute the turnip, celeriacand carrot to get a nice colourthen add the chicken stock tocook them through.3. Saute the onions in thebutter with the star anise andcook until very soft. Removefrom the heat.4. Poach the potatoes in thewarm butter until soft.

5. To build the dish, line aceramic or cast iron pot. Placeone quarter of the dicedvegetables in the bottom, thenone eight of the onion, then alayer of potato, then the lambthat has been sliced.

Add a layer of onion, thenpotato, lamb and finish with afinal layer of potato.

As you build the layers, topup with cooking liquor fromthe lamb and season eachone.6. Cook in an oven at 180°C for20 minutes, or until the potatois golden brown.

Nigel Paul Smith believes the menus at the NML venues should be part of the attraction Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY/ at090109achef

Blundell Street

Reservations 0151 709 5779(Opp Echo Arena)

Website: www.blundellstreet.com

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One in four Dines FREEEvery Thursday & Friday for January & February

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4 DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Cups of cheer from the tea sorLaura Davis tastes the difference inthe brave new world of tea-drinking

PHIL KIRBY stirs his potanti-clockwise – or“widdershins”, as theyused to say in the MiddleAges when describing the

habits of witches.Does this make him some sort of tea

sorcerer?, I wonder, as he hands me acup of a green concoction that couldeasily be liquidised eye of newt andtoe of frog.

But, no, it’s actually a tea latte – oneof the celebrities of the brave newworld of tea-drinking, along with teasmoothies, that the British are

gradually opening theireyes, and trusting their

tastebuds, to.Tea, it would appear, is

the new coffee, and thereis much to learn on thesubject, as I discover onPhil’s two-hour tastingsession – a sort of Tea 101if you like.

“People are usuallysurprised to find out thatall types of tea come fromthe same leaf,” he begins,indicating a plate on

which the four basic varieties aredisplayed.

First, there is black tea, the sortused to make the more traditionalblends. After picking, the leaves areleft outside for one hour to oxidise andthen placed in an oven to dry out. Thisnot only gives it the strongest flavourof the four varieties, but also thegreatest concentration of caffeine.

Oolong tea is also left to oxidise, butthis time just for 30 minutes.Beforehand, the leaves are rolled upand resemble twisted knots of thickthread.

“White is the most expensive kindof tea you can get,” explains Phil,owner of Brew cafe, on St Paul’sSquare, in Liverpool’s businessdistrict.

“Only the leaves from the top of theplant are used, because they’re thefreshest and have the cleanest taste.They are picked before sunrise and airdried.”

Pickers of green tea, on the otherhand, can afford to be less fussy abouttiming. The leaves are dried in anoven, as are those used for black andoolong tea, once the oxidisation iscomplete.

Although your average tea drinkersmay be unaware of all this, they cantaste the effects of the differentprocesses as soon as they take a sip.

“Green and white teas are sodelicate that they are usually drunk bythemselves, but black and oolong teasare mixed with other flavours,” saysPhil, 27, who opened Brew lastautumn after deciding to give up acareer as an accountant.

“As for which should have milkadded – the answer is black tea andthat’s it.”

In February, Brew will be expandingits already well-stocked selection ofvarieties to include a further 12.

Among them are a chocolate/chilliblend (in my opinion, surprisinglyrefreshing; the chilli flavour comingthrough more strongly with each sip);Valentine’s Tea (a mixture of rosepetals, rosehip, hibiscus andpassionflower that smells of Turkishdelight but tastes subtly perfumed);Fruit Punch (a vermilion infusion oforange peel, lemongrass, hibiscus,strawberry and rosehip that ispotently fruity).

Eventually, I can put it off no longer.It’s time to taste the witches’ brew.

Surprisingly, the tea latte doesn’ttaste of seaweed or spinach – probablybecause it doesn’t contain either, but isactually made of tea leaves ground upinto a vivid green powder – and, if youdon’t think of it as tea, but as analternative to hot chocolate, it’ssurprisingly easy to find yourselfunder its spell.

■ FOR more information on events atBrew visit http://www.brewteabar.co.uk/

Another Liverpool tea shop, Leaf, inthe Contemporary Urban Centre,Parliament Street, is holding a teatasting master class this evening.Tickets cost £7, book on 0151 707 7747or www.thisisleaf.co.uk

lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk@dailypost.co.uk

Peopleareusuallysurprisedto findout thatall typesof teacomefrom thesame leaf

Phil Kirby, above, says there is much to learn on the subject of tea;right, the four basic varieties of leaf

One of Wirral’s Finest

Fine DiningInternational/Modern British Cuisine

20 BIRKENHEAD ROAD, HOYLAKE, WIRRAL CH47 3BWOpen Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm

0151 632 6241

Julian’s Restaurant in Hoylake were delightedwith October’s edition of Menu.

“Just wanted to say a BIG THANKYOU for looking after us. Our full page advert intoday’s Daily Post is absolutely fabulous.We will be changing where we advertise next

year and will be advertising much more frequently in the Daily Post.We hope youcontinue the Menu theme for 2009.

Thanks again.

Jackie and Julian”

0151 632 624120 BIRKENHEAD ROAD HOYLAKE WIRRAL CH47 3BW

One of Wirral’s Finest

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Featuring “Robbie” Scottish Piper

Awarded Taste LiverpoolHighest Quality Assured

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A SELECTION OF DISHES FROMTHE WINTER A LA CARTE MENUChoice of 3 Home Made Soups prepared daily £4.95

Sauteed Chicken Livers en Croute £6.95• Warm Winter Fruit Compote £6.95

Orkney Scallops Three Ways withCoconut Soup £8.25

(also available as main course £17.95)Chateaubriand (serves 2) £39.95

• Mixed Grill £17.95/Mini Grill £14.00Corn Fed Chicken and Asparagus £15.50

Eaton Estate Venison Steak £17.50• Wirral Pheasant Breasts £15.75

Tenderloin of Pork & Blackpudding Roulade £16.95John Dory Tout Paris £17.50

• Spaghetti Peprinchino £15.00Wild Mushroom Lasagne £15.25

Home Made Chocolate Fondant Seduction £4.95Julian’s Bread and Butter Pudding £4.95Home Made Cappuccino Meringue and

Mocha Ice Cream Sandwich £4.95British Cheese Board £5.95

per head£26.95

BURNS NIGHT(25th January) Celebrating onMonday 26th January

6 Course Scottish Menu

DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009 5

Cupboard love

YOU either love it or you hate it –but even those people in the

second camp have to admitthis box would come inhandy.

And, of course, you can putsandwiches of any variety in it

so there’s no need to hold yournose if Marmite just isn’t for you.

Priced £5.99, from www.gifttogo.co.uk

om the tea sorcerer

MATRIOSHKAS, or Russiandolls, seem to beeverywhere at the moment.

This pretty tea toweldesign will add a splash ofcolour to your kitchen.

Priced £9.99, from www.beckyandlolo.co.uk

GET the New Year detoxoff to a good start withthis stick blender, byAinsley Harriott.

It takes up little storagespace and is easy toclean so is perfect forwhipping up a smoothiein the morning or somevegetable soup for dinner.

Priced £39.99 fromMatalan.

Smooth tastes

Tea drinkers can taste the effects of the different processes as soon as they take a sip

THE days of orderinga simple “tea for two”could soon be in thepast as more“Starbucks-style” teashops are created.

Instead, you couldask for a tea smoothie– made from coldmilk, fruit andpowered tea (and I amassured it issurprisingly nice) – orone from a board ofmany differentvarieties and flavours,a bit like you do incoffee shop chains.

If you fancyyourself as a bit of acelebrity, then Puerhtea is the choice foryou.

Victoria Beckhamswears by it,according to rumour,because it helps herstay thin and youngerlooking.

Puerh is to tea whatPort is to wine – it’saged for years to givea more intense flavour(but I have to reportthat to me it smells ofmusty, old furniture).

Some cafes in theLondon district ofSoho charge nearly£200 for a pot of25-year aged Puerh,but you can buy the12-year aged varietyin some places,including Brew, forjust a few pounds. A smoothie made from cold milk, fruit and powdered tea

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6 DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Eating Out

Host

IT SHOULD have been asimple stroll from theshopping heart of Liverpoolinto the city’s culturalquarter.

But throw in sideways rain andthe sort of wind that dispatchedDorothy to Oz, and our walk toHope Street for dinner hadsuddenly become an endurancetest.

So cold and wet were myhusband and I that it took all mypowers of persuasion to convincehim that our struggle would beworth it, once we reached ourdestination.

That destination was Host, thenewest addition to the family offine eating establishments on HopeStreet, but when we finallystaggered inside, soaked andwindswept, it looked for a momentlike our efforts had been in vain.

“Have you booked a table?”enquired the maitre d’. Hmm, wehadn’t.

Then again, it was 5.45pm andJanuary.

Apparently it would be OK, solong as we were out by eight. I willreturn to that later.

As we shook off our wet coats,the waitress showed us to a longcommunal table at the back of thebrightly lit restaurant, issued uswith menus and explained the Hostdining concept.

The menu is a mix of Asiandishes sampling Thai, Chinese,Japanese, Indian and Malaysiancuisine.

You can either order a bunch ofsmall plates to share – or go downthe traditional route and order astarter and a main. Oh, and you allsit together.

Think of it as a posh Wagamamaand you have probably got the gist.

While we got our heads aroundthe food, a waiter took our drinksorder.

A Tiger beer (£4.50 – and it was ahuge bottle), a bottle of Pinot Grigio(£17.95) and some still water (£3.25),although when our tablematesordered a bottle we discovered youcan also specify tap water.

After a bit of discussion, wedecided to order three small platesas starters and a main course each.That walk had given us both quitean appetite.

From the small plates, we chosethe duck gyozo dumplings (£3.50),the beef teriyaki with salad (5.75)and a small portion of the bangbang chicken salad (£4.25).

For my main course, I picked thered curry with duck and rice

(£9.50), which the waitress assuredme was only medium hot, whilemy husband chose one of thespecials – hot and sour braisedbeef with cassava and rice noodles(£9.25).

We had been warned by ourwaitress that the food would bebrought to our table as soon as itwas ready, to maximise thefreshness, and sure enough it wasjust minutes before the first disharrived.

The duck dumplings werefabulous.

Four little pasty-shaped bitesfilled with slightly spicy and richduck and a portion of soy sauce.

We were only halfway throughwhen the other two starters came.

The bang bang chicken wasserved cold with a fantasticChinese salad and thick satay-stylesauce, and there was a lot of it.

The teriyaki, meanwhile, wasutterly delicious just lightly seared

A Host of tasty delightsEmma Johnsonspices up a coldand wet Januarynight with someAsian flavours

■ VENUE: Host, 31, HopeStreet, Liverpool, L1 9HX

■ Tel: 0151-708 5831

■ Interior: 21st-centurymodern and minimal,communal seating.

■ Service: Very helpful andfriendly.

■ Value: Main coursesaren’t cheap, but the cost isup to you really.

■ Opening times: Lunch 12-3pm Mon to Sun. Dinner:Mon to Sat 5 -10.30pm; Sun5pm-10pm.

■ Disabled access: Yes.

■ Bill: £70.60 for threecourses with wine, beer andstill water

and truly melt in the mouthwonderful.

As I saw the waitress headingover with the main courses, thetable was starting to look a littlecrowded – not the best when youare sat just a foot or so from thenext diner – but we ploughed on.

My curry came in a clay pot andI could smell it before I could seeit. Wow! Alongside it was a smallbowl of sticky rice.

Across from me, my husband’sbeef and noodles were sloshingaround in a giant bowl burstingwith pak choi, chilli andbeansprouts.

The beef looked and tasted great– although chopping the beef alittle smaller could have helped onthe chopstick front, we left thetable in quite a state.

As for that cassava, the waitresshad described it as a sort ofChinese potato which was a fairdescription.

What she didn’t mention is thatit sucks every drop of moisture outof your mouth when you eat it.However, it did taste great.

I was also making quite a mess,dripping my curry into the rice.The curry tasted incredible,slightly spicy with an almostaniseed aftertaste, and thereseemed to be an endless supply ofmeat.

Now, we should have stopped atthis point, ordered coffee and gonehome.

But when two fabulous-lookingchilli chocolate brownies arrivedin front of the couple seated next tous, suddenly dessert was verymuch on the cards.

After asking the diners whetherit actually tasted of chilli (it doesslightly – but in a good way) myhusband ordered the brownie(£4.50).

It came with a candied chilli ontop, which you have to taste to

believe – and a dollop of ice cream– and he declared it his best ever. Idecided to throw myself under thehealthy eating wagon and orderthe banana and marshmallowspring rolls (£4.25).

And I savoured every calorie-laden spoonful.

As the clock ticked towards7.15pm, my thoughts returned tothe maitre d’ earlier in the evening.

Her concerns were clearlyunwarranted.

There is no lingering over yourfood here.

If you do want a slower diningexperience, however, I wouldrecommend ordering as you go,rather than all at once, as youwould do in western restaurants.

Suddenly it was time to headback out into the storm but, with abit of Asian fire in our bellies,taking on the elements would be amuch easier affair.

emmajohnson@dailypost.co.uk

The restaurant offers a communal dining experience, with an eclectic mix of Asian foodPictures: ANDREW TEEBAY/ at090109bhost

Host has joined other fineeateries on Hope Street

Dessertwasverymuchon thecards

DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009 7

Sommelier – Mathew Sloane

Best bar none

Chameleon

ANEW year and all of myresolutions are still intact.That said, the only one thatyou, my fellow wineaficionados, need to be

concerned about is that, this year, Ishall be embarking on a journey toseek out new wines, to discover newcivilised libations, to bawdily gowhere no one has been for at least aweek or two. Welcome aboard mytrek to find stars of the world of winethat have been forgotten, disregardedor hidden in dark cellars by evil grapecrushing madmen for aeons.

I have, in columns past, joined withmany booze spectators and speculators inthe long-standing debate over wine withChinese food and, admittedly, like anunimaginative buffoon, I deftly jumpedonto the Gerwurztraminer/Rieslingwagon and tethered my witheringreputation to its tattered old frame withmuch enthusiasm. I am not suggestingthat a decent swig of Alsace or GermanRiesling doesn’t sit well with some well-prepared Oriental fodder but it’s a tired,old partnership in need of a rethink –think Fern and Phil, Keith and Orville,Sir Alex and the Football Association.

It was a cold, December evening whenI decided on a visit to one of the city’sfinest restaurants with the city’s finestguitar bending folk artist, John Smith,and a burning desire for a night of greatfood, brilliant wine and sweary banter.The Yuet Ben always delivers thenecessary ingredients for a stormingdinner and, on this occasion, Terry Limand his cohorts played an absoluteblinder. Terry has always offered astunning wine list to complement hismenu, but this time he introduced me toa forgotten world, a whole new realm ofgiggling juice for me to explore.

Campania, in southern Italy, isregarded as one of the oldest wine-

producing regions in the world. TheGreeks, taking a break from wearingsmart helmets and acting hard, plantedvines in the area around 3,000 years ago,around about the same time as KenBarlow ordered his first cheeky half inthe Rover’s. You will hear of somestrange-sounding grapes in the region– Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, Piedirossoand dozens of others. It was the daddyof them all, Aglianico, that we werelucky to have a gargle of, paired upwith the almost pornographic deepfried breast of lamb. Aglianico isbelieved to be the ancient ancestor ofthe Rhone Syrah and also theubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Thewine we tried was far more complex andfragrant than any of the wines madefrom its distant grandchildren that I havetasted. Earthy, dark, brooding, almostmalevolent – if Darth Vader was a bottleof wine, he’d be Aglianico – like awoman from the wrong side of thetracks, you know you want to butfeel naughty as soon as you pick itup.

With a mouthful of the bestcooked lamb I’ve eaten in decadesand a hearty swig of thissouthern Italian masterpiece, Icould almost forget themeandering nonsense beingspouted by my dinner guest– as if Iron Maiden arebetter than Zeppelin,some people shouldstick to cherryade.

I’m hoping Terry willadd some of theseancient wines to hisalready superb list. Untilthat lucky day, ask him ifhe has any cheeky bottlesunder the counter for you toenjoy with dinner.

I CAN’T understand peoplewho don’t eat breakfast.I’ve never been able to

figure out how they can getthemselves to work or school– or even just functioning at abasic level – without fillingup for the day ahead.

While the famous “FullEnglish” might have fallen outof fashion, with most healthexperts agreeing that loadingup on saturated fat might not bethe best way to start themorning, breakfast is still themost important meal of the day.

“A healthy breakfast can giveyou a head start by benefitingmood, physical and mentalperformance, weight andhealth,” explains sportsdietitian Jane Griffin.

“As well as recharging thebody and brain’s energyreserves, a healthy breakfastprovides essential nutrientswhich, if missed, are less likelyto be compensated for duringthe other meals of the day. So,the old proverb ‘breakfast like aking, lunch like a prince anddine like a pauper’ still holdstrue.”

But, if you’re not sure what a“healthy” breakfast looks like(no, it’s not a takeaway coffeeand a chocolate muffin), youcan take some inspiration fromFarmhouse Breakfast Week,which starts on Sunday.

Whether you’re a savoury ora sweet sort – or even if youprefer your breakfast in liquidform – we’ve got some greatrecipes to tempt you out of bedand into the kitchen in themornings. If you’re really lucky,someone might even bring it toyou in bed!

WHEATY RASPBERRYSMOOTHIE

Ingredients (serves 2)

150g raspberries2 wholewheat biscuits450ml semi-skimmed milk50g low fat yoghurt1tbsp clear honey

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in asmoothie maker or food processorand blend until smooth. Pour intotwo tall glasses and serve chilled.2. Any soft fruit combination suchas strawberries, blueberries or

blackberries can be used toreplace the raspberries, or useflavoured yoghurt.

FRUITY GRANOLA WITHRHUBARBa 8Ingredients (serves 6)

450g jumbo porridge oats50g flaked almonds75g mixed seeds1tbsp honey200g dried fruit400g rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces2tbsp caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gasmark 6.1. Mix together the oats, almonds,seeds and honey and place on alarge baking tray. Bake for 10minutes. Allow to cool beforemixing in the dried fruit.2. Meanwhile, place the rhubarband sugar in a saucepan with3tbsp water and cook for sixminutes, until softened. Serve withthe granola and milk or yoghurt ifrequired.3. Try using different dried fruits forvariation, such as mango,pineapple, apricots or prunes.

OAT CRUSTED POTATO CAKESWITH BACON

Ingredients (serves 4)

1kg floury potatoes, diced e.g. KingEdwards75g porridge oats50g wholemeal flourRapeseed oil for shallow fryingLocal smoked back bacon, allow 2rashers per person, grilled

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in boilingwater for 10-15 minutes untiltender. Drain, return to the pan andmash, allow to cool slightly.2. Stir in 50g oats and flour andseason well. Press into eight roundpotato cakes and coat in theremaining oats. Heat the oil in alarge frying pan and fry the potatocakes four at a time, for twominutes on each side.3. Serve topped with grilled bacon.4. Add grated Cheddar cheese andherbs to the potato mix for extraflavour and serve with scrambledeggs. This is an ideal way to useup leftover mashed potato.

Quick recipes fortasty breakfasts

TheYuetBenalwaysdelivers

BY LUCY CORRY

Oat Crusted Potato Cakes with Bacon

WITH its bold interior andunusual cocktails, Chameleonis Liverpool’s hottest newnightspot.

The venue opened lastmonth, and its central location,behind FACT, on Back ColquittStreet, makes it an idealdestination on a night out.

Managing director MattLawler is actually a dentist bytrade, but thankfullyChameleon does not have adentist’s chair in sight.However, the bar does have aslight medical theme – theinspiration for its design wastaken from Damien Hirst’sshort-lived Notting Hillrestaurant, Pharmacy.

The artistic background ofChameleon’s birth shows

throughout the interior, with itsmonochrome spiral-patternedwalls, brightly coloured velvetfurniture and all-whiteminimalist bathrooms.

And the drinks menu is justas creative, with a selection ofcocktails based on some of thenation’s favourite desserts.This week’s favourite is a

Lemon Gingerbread and IceCream Martini, for £5.50.

But, if Bakewell Tartinis andEnglish Trifle Milkshakes aren’tyour thing, then fear not, asmore traditional beers, winesand spirits are also available.

The venue has its own stageand promises live music everynight of the year. A weeklyacoustic night takes place onTuesdays, with an acousticshowcase on the firstWednesday of every month.

So, if you’re after a laid-backatmosphere, with good musicand contemporarysurroundings, then Chameleonis the place to be.

■ CHAMELEON, 7-9, BackColquitt Street, Liverpool; Tel:0151 707 0283

8 DAILY POST Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Advertising Feature Tso’s Oriental Buffet Restaurant

Taste sensation for New YearW

ITH ChineseNew Year fastapproaching,where better tocelebrate than

Tso’s Oriental BuffetRestaurant?

One of Liverpool’s premier all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurants,Tso’s is conveniently located inQueen’s Square – right in theheart of Liverpool’s bustling citycentre – and offers bothexceptional value for money andfirst-class food.

On the mouth-watering menu,you will find a vast array of over60 delicious Oriental dishes withsomething to tempt every taste.

Choose from sensationalstarters, such as crispy springrolls, wantons and sui mai, to afantastic feast of main coursesincluding tender beef in peppersauce and succulent ribs, as wellas vegetarian and seafood dishes– plus, there is a fully licensedbar serving a wide choice ofdrinks.

The grand buffet, onthroughout the week from 6pmto midnight, also features aselection of extra dishesincluding aromatic duck andtiger prawns in ginger andspring onion. Tso’s is alsorenowned for its excellentselection of superb desserts,including their famous toffeeapples, fresh fruit and cake.

Tso’s takes great pride in

using the finest ingredients inall of its dishes and, since itopened in 1994, has establishedan enviable reputation forproviding fresh, high-qualityfood.

It’s not just the fantasticcuisine that keeps customerscoming back time and timeagain however.

Elegantly decorated in atraditional Chinese style, Tso’sseats up to 200 people and isequally famed for its attentiveservice and friendly waiters –not to mention its fantasticparty atmosphere over Chinese

New Year – and attracts dinersfrom right across the region.

A real highlight in Tso’scalendar, the restaurant will becelebrating the Chinese NewYear on Sunday, January 25, andthe party will be in full swing,with lion dancers providingentertainment.

And with special buffet pricesat just £7.99 all day, with kidseating at half price, everyone canafford to join in.

Just a stone’s throw away fromthe bustling shopping streets,Tso’s is also a great place to stopoff for a quick lunch or tasty

evening meal. With prices forthe all-you-can-eat buffet lunchstarting at just £5.95 before 4pm,Monday to Saturday, you’ll findit hard to find a better deal.

Diners are advised to booktheir table for Chinese New Yearearly to avoid disappointment, asthe ever-popular restaurant issure to fill up quickly.■ START the Chinese New Yearin style at Tso’s Oriental BuffetRestaurant, on St John’s Lane,Queens Square.

Call 0151 709 2811 for furtherinformation or to reserve yourtable today.

Celebrate Chinese New Year in style at Tso’sOriental Restaurant

Relax and enjoy fabulous food and the elegant interiors at Tso’s

4 QUEENS SQ, LIVERPOOL, L1 1HF, OPPOSITE MARRIOT HOTEL & QUEENS SQ BUS STOP0151 709 2811 WWW.TSORESTAURANT.CO.UK

CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR£7.97 ALL DAY

ALL YOU CAN EATLUNCH BUFFET

£5.95Mon - Wed

11.30am-6.00pm

Thurs - Sat

£6.50

GRAND BUFFET£8.95

6.00pm - Midnight Mon - ThursFri - Sat

£9.95

ALL DAYSUNDAY

£6.7511.30am - Midnight