Home > Wine & Dine > The London Carriage Works

The London Carriage Works

Hope St, Liverpool L1. Tel: 0151 705 2222

A return visit to The London Carriage Works seemed in order, although this was in fact my third visit to the restaurant in the space of just a week! The first two visits were for a splendid Etienne Hugel tasting dinner, and the second for a trade tasting, sampling the wines of Hugel, Jaboulet and Drouhin. As with my first visit, this time I started with a glass of Pol Roger:

Pol Roger Brut Champagne NV: Lovely fresh nose. Very typical style on the palate, a blend of equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Rich, flavoursome, but with a trace of elegance; lovely balance. Very good. 16/20 (1/10/04)

Paul Askew wasn't cooking on the evening of our visit, but his sous chef did him proud in his absence. I started with a lamb, venison and pork terrine which was very good. The lamb had an obvious saltmarsh flavour, the venison firm and meaty, the pork filling soft and melting. A salmon starter was a little undercooked for our taste, a pity in view of the instructions we had sent to the kitchen, but was certainly full of flavour; I found it delightful. The main course, Welsh fillet with foie gras, was superbly presented. There was just sufficient foie gras, gently pan fried, which still melted on the tongue. It was well matched by a very good, although very youthful, Barbaresco.

Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga 1998: Lovely moderate red colour, with a faint orange tinge. Classic floral yet tarry nose, with a mix of forest berry fruit. Lovely texture, classic Nebbiolo, cut through by firm tannins. Very good with food now, but would improve in the cellar for a decade if not more. 16.5+/20 (1/10/04)

Before coffee I ordered a chocolate and thyme tort. This was simply fabulous, a thick, heavy, rich dark chocolate filling infused with a bright thyme flavour. An unusual combination, but it worked extremely well. Full marks!

Prices: no significant change. See below for prices.

My previous visit:

Expectations were high. I had been in discussion with the chap responsible for training the staff in all things vinous at Liverpool's newest restaurant before it had even opened. He promised an extensive wine list, with appropriate attention on wine in the restaurant. This is something lacking locally. There are many good restaurants, but none that really deliver when it comes to wine. Not any more. May I suggest all wine fans hot-foot it down to the London Carriage Works immediately.

Housed in what was once a furniture warehouse (which was also previously a carriage-makers - hence the name) on Hope Street, the London Carriage Works has a very appealing decor. An expansive glass frontage made a real impression on those walking past - I saw many passers-by stopping to inspect the scene. Inside it is airy, modern yet warm and welcoming. The service is impeccable - from the beginning to the end I cannot fault any of the staff.

Most of my restaurant reviews start with the food - but here I will start with the wine. This is an impressive list. There are some great bottles here, one or two beyond the reach of my pocket - Petrus and Jeroboams of Krug, for instance - but there are many interesting and reasonably priced wines also. There are, in fact, too many interesting bottles to list, but I did notice Chateau Camplazens - an up and coming Languedoc estate featured on The Winedoctor - and an old friend in the form of Castiglion del Bosco Brunello 1995 which seemed very well priced. But, after a glass of one of a selection of Champagnes available by the glass, I plumped for a Gigondas from a top domaine. But the attention to wine doesn't end there. Spotless Spiegelau glasses, and wine-knowledgeable service, enhance the experience:

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Pol Roger NV is a blend of roughly equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot meunier. Good bead. Fresh, yeasty-toasty nose. Good yeasty palate, balanced acidity. Typical Pol Roger class. Very good. (8/1/04)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 1999: The first vintage when the Bruniers had full control here at les Pallières. Good colour. Classic and delightful nose, which transports me back to Gigondas in an instance, sitting on the wall at the end of the road through the village (of course, I'd seen the label). Sun-baked stones and ripe, meaty black fruits. Middle weight rather than a heavy hitter on the palate, but all the better for it. Balanced acidity, a touch of lean elegance rather than opulence, and a background lick of tannin. Very approachable now, and a perfect food wine. Very good. (8/1/04)

The dinner menu offers five or six each of starters, main courses and desserts. Following an amuse bouche of game terrine (venison, goose and duck, with a little pork, which was lovely) I tried the terrine of goose confit with a salad of rocket and red chard, spiced fruit relish and garlic toasts. This was brilliant. Just the right texture, richly meaty, and packed with flavour. Everything on the plate worked well together. Mushrooms stuffed with ricotta, parmesan and spinach, wrapped in courgette, had a similar impact. Everything was immaculately presented. The main course of venison with cocotte potatoes, pancetta and brussel sprouts, was also brilliant, as was a fillet steak in Madeira jus with a truffle-infused mash.

The desserts had a difficult time after such a star performance from the first two courses, and in fact both were outshone by the second amuse bouche of the evening, a small pistachio brulee. I tried a chocolate and nut concoction which lacked flavour, topped with a minted crème frâiche which just didn't work. Without the crème frâiche, however, the pudding, accompanied by some berry fruits, made an impact. A panetonne-based bread pudding also sampled was pretty good.

Overall - a huge thumbs up for the London Carriage Works. I'll be returning ASAP. This is, unequivocally, the finest dining I have experienced in Liverpool. I've recently eaten in Richard Corrigan's Lyndsay House (Soho, London) and the George Hotel (Hathersage, Derbyshire). Neither were written up for The Winedoctor despite both being very good - but the London Carriage Works trumps them both, with ease. I hope this is the first step in ensuring this new and very welcome addition to the Liverpool dining scene receives the recognition it deserves.

Prices: £21.95 per head for two courses, £27.95 for three courses, not including drinks. Wide ranging selection of wines with prices to suit all pockets. Good range of Champagnes by the glass, Pol Roger NV £7.50 per glass. Our bill was £50 per head including Champagne and Gigondas.

The London Carriage Works

Restaurants