Casa Italia, Stanley St, Liverpool

As regular readers may have noticed, I'm living back in Liverpool and keen to rediscover old favourites that I've forgotten about. With the advent of glitzy Z-list celeb haunts like San Carlo and its ilk along with the increase of faceless chains like N*ndo's, not to mention the seemingly constant regeneration of Liverpool city centre, it's hard to keep up with what restaurants have survived the double threat of recession and the opening of Liverpool One. Casa Italia is one old school eaterie that has survived and it's not difficult to see why. For years, it has had three main rivals in the rustic Italian genre- Buca di Bacco (now closed), Villa Romana (demise in food quality) and Franco's (massive price hike). Casa Italia is a survivor, a strong competitor on Liverpool's food scene. With word of mouth popularity, no flashy advertising and no need for special offers, Casa often has queues out the door and never has a problem filling up of a lunchtime despite the obvious absence of meal deals. I visited on a Monday at 6 and it was heaving. Full of Italian homeliness, the restaurant has all the essential ingredients like checked tablecloths, an open plan kitchen and the typical wall display of empty wine bottles. Casa has been a mainstay for around 40 years and was one of the original celebrity restaurants- back in the day, rumour has it that Cliff Richard was turned away as he wasn't dressed smartly enough!

To start, I had the Minestrone soup for £2.95. Like a meal in itself, it was full of celery, beans, pasta and was served with a huge hunk of rosemary foccaccia. Delicious.

My main course was my staple dish- penne Arrabbiata which came in around £7.50 (all pastas are between £7-8). Fiery and potent, it was the perfect winter warmer, a ray of sunshine in the freezing February temperatures. This picture doesn't do it enough justice as the portion was HUGE!

The two carnivores with me chowed down on Polpette, a Spaghetti and meatballs dish, and Amatriciana, a spicy bacon penne. Empty plates and full stomachs all round. Sadly, there was no room for dessert but I spied my favourite Cassata ice cream for £3.95 which I felt guilty saying no to! We settled for coffees- Irish, Americano and a Cappucino. The coffees were a bit pricy, £2.10 for an Americano but when the food and atmosphere was this good, it was a small price to pay.

P&D Italian Deli, Williamson Square, Liverpool

I just thought I'd make your mouth water with my new favourite antidote to that afternoon drowsy feeling! P&D's Italian Deli breathes a heady rush of caffeine and la dolce vita into the previously depressive surroundings of Williamson Square. The Americano is £2 for a small, a bit pricey compared to its city centre rivals, but when the staff are as hunky as theirs, they're worth it! Cakes are around £3.50 but for those watching the waistline and the pennies, they come in miniature form for £1 like mine above. I've not eaten Cassata since my trip to Malta last March, so it was a much deserved treat to find it in my hometown. The only minus point about P&D's is the temperature- the heating is always on full blast and gets rather uncomfortable. Never mind, there's always the outdoor seating area too.

Christakis, Smithdown Rd, Liverpool

Smithdown Road seems to be the new foodie haven of Liverpool. Underrated and overlooked by some, the area is sometimes viewed as student central and home of the raucous Finch and Firkin or whatever they call it these days (I'm showing my age now). Christakis is a ray of Mediterranean sunshine, occupying the site that us 1980s babies knew as Suzy's Cafe. Little did I think I'd be revisiting my much-loved greasy spoon 15 years later, albeit reincarnated as a Greek taverna!

In stark contrast to the city centre Christakis, famed for its hen night antics, this is a more civilised affair, perfect for solo diners, families and couples alike. After my most recent Greek experiences in Liverpool which were disappointing (Zorbas and Romios), I was hoping this would fit the bill. I can't afford to keep going to Manchester's Kosmos for my Greek fix!

To start, I had this delicious Melitzanosalata, my staple diet. This was served with warm bread. Top marks for not charging for the bread, unlike some eateries.

After much deliberation over the main event, I settled for a veggie Moussaka. All mains are served with beautiful fat chips which are like roast potatoes, a Greek salad (and I mean horiatiki with huge hunks of feta, not limp lettuce!) and rice.

What can I say? Christakis ticked all the boxes. Huge portions, friendly staff, value for money, spacious surroundings and the cutest tropical fish I have ever seen as the central focus in the dining area. Liverpool has a new Greek temple.

Siam Garden, Smithdown Rd, Liverpool

Back in my student days, a must-eat business lunch for me was the Siam Garden. In between my busy schedule of Kimos, Caesar’s Palace and the now defunct Kebab House, I always squeezed in a visit to the Siam on days when I didn’t have lectures as it was near my house. Their three-course and a drink special offers were an open secret amongst us South Liverpudlians; its moody, purple exterior giving people the impression it was a select, pricey venue. Sadly, it started to rest on its laurels, its bad reviews on TripAdvisor and embarrassingly low scores on the food hygiene database Scores on the Doors being testament to its decline. After much Googling, it seemed that it has had a major shake up and I decided to sample its offerings all in the name of research!

Siam Garden offers a business lunch for £6.95- starter, main and dessert plus a soft drink or glass of wine. The addition of a free drink definitely gives it a head start above its local competitors, Fung Lok and Eastern Diner. The restaurant has had a bright, modern refurbishment without appearing too stark and Pizza Express-like, still maintaining the cosy ambience from before. Thai ornaments garnish the windowsill and an eyecatching fishtank complete with Nemo clownfish give the white restaurant a welcome touch of colour.

To start, I opted for the Tempura Vegetables- fluffy, battered carrots, peppers and onions served with a chilli dip. The portion size was extremely generous for a cut-price business lunch, a welcome change from a frozen spring roll oozing oil. My colleague had a chicken and sweetcorn soup but this old favourite came with a zingy twist as it contained spring onion and a hint of lemongrass. The perfect pick-me-up for these Baltic times.

For the main course, I chose the interestingly-named vegetarian Pad Ped, a mix of aubergines, minicorn, mushrooms and an abundance of greens in a sweet-hot sauce served with jasmine rice while my colleague opted for a vegetarian noodle dish which was heightened with coconut milk. Both mains were faultless and a much needed cocktail of vitamins after all the Christmas stodge.

Dessert was a choice between Banana Fritter and coconut ice cream, so we ordered both. The ice cream made a welcome change from Asda smartprice vanilla and was a generous portion, unlike its neighbouring rivals who serve their ice cream in those nasty metal dishes reminiscent of school dinners. There’s not much you can say about banana fritters, they don’t tend to differ but it was a great warmer before we braced the biting January frost.

Siam Garden, good to have you back on top form. May you continue to bring a touch of the exotic to damp, dull Smithdown.

Saravanaa Bhavan, Mississauga, Canada

I found this interesting alternative to bog-standard curry houses tucked away in suburban Ontario. A far cry from the beer, poppadoms, chintz carpet and rowdy vindaloo-eating contests, this eaterie is a tranquil retreat. Although this place is strict vegetarian, its gentle spices and combinations of exotic veg and home made dips can fill the belly of the most dedicated carnivore. I ordered the Special Meal (above) at approx $10- needless to say, it never got finished as there was so much of it! Even my carnivorous colleague didn't complain- the first time I've ever seen a meat eater say they were full after a herbivorous feast. The meal came as a traditional Thali setup,complete with rice, popadom and two puffed naan-style breads. If you're expecting familiar names like Madras and Chicken Tikka Biryani, you'd best either look elsewhere or embrace this alternative Indian experience with an open mind. To be honest, I didn't know what some of the dishes were on the menu, hence my decision to go for a mixed platter. I recognised some familiar faces like Dhal and Aloo Gobi, plus there were some familiar tastes with a different but nonetheless appetising appearance like lime pickle and raita. The lime pickle was out of this world, the zesty lime harmonising with a potent chili that was well off the Scoville Scale. Definitely a more culturally enriching experience than the nearby Pizza Hut and co.

New India Sweets, Britannia Rd, Mississauga, Canada

Check out this bountiful thali I picked up in Mississauga, Canada! At a bargainous $6, it included 3 veggie curries, pickle, naan, rice and salad. New India sweets is more of a cafe than a fancy restaurant, but they do not scrimp on quality. Despite its name, they are not just experts in sweets but put on a great show when it comes to savoury treats. At approx 50 cents for homemade samosas, who can resist? Popular with expats and locals, this is the perfect stop for homesick Brits too thanks to its convenient location next to the Yorkshire Arms pub. Recreate a slice of home with a curry here and a pint or several after!

Downtown (formerly Top Chef) Berry St, Liverpool

April 2012

I'm currently having a break from Dubai desert life and am holidaying in my home town of Liverpool, a city famous for the Beatles, football and more importantly, home to numerous foodie hidden gems! Since I have left the city, old favourites have fallen victim of the recession, such as Buca di Bacco, some have hiked their prices and reduced their food quality like Zorba's but on a positive note, some delightful new eateries have opened, offering competitive prices, huge portions and eclectic menus. Step forward Top Chef.

Now, I've always been dubious about restaurants that have a self-important name like Number One and Best Kebab, but Top Chef is more than deserving of the title. Suffering from Dubai withdrawal symptoms, I ventured into Top Chef as its menu was packed to the brim with Arabic favourites like falafel and halloumi. Normally, I default to Kimos when craving Levantine cuisine, but after a recent disappointing visit (not to mention overpriced), I am currently 'on a break' with them to quote a line from Friends. Top Chef has a practically identical menu to Kimos, albeit cheaper with bigger portions and the added bonus of beer on the drinks menu. 'Kimos with booze', one of my Twitter pals affectionately called it. Despite its Mediterranean offerings, Top Chef is located on the fringes of Chinatown at the Bold St corner of Berry St, the crossroads of Liverpool foodie heaven in my humble opinion.

I ordered the falafel pitta (above) which was approx £4- sme price as Kimos but as you can see, this came with chips and a well dressed salad garnish. The falafels were amazing, as good as, if not better than any I have tried in Dubai. These fist sized balls of chickpea pleasure were fried but not greasy and served with a choice of houmous or tahini. Arabic fast food heaven. The Carnivore had a chicken kebab, another popular Dubai staple and this scored highly too. The chicken was fresh and not that nasty processed variety you encounter in the likes of Chicken Bazooka, served with a shovel-load of chips, salad, rice and pitta. Who needs Dubai when you have Top Chef? The meals were washed down with a couple of deliciously potent coffees at £1.30.

If Arabic grub isn't your thing, fear not as they also have a selection of pizzas, fry ups and paninis to fill your belly. Step aside Kimos, make way for Top Chef, Liverpool's new king of kebab.

December 2012

UPDATE- Top Chef has now been renamed Downtown and have changed their focus to have more chippy-style dishes. The Arabic food is still there and is just as good, my only complaint is that in the toilets, the soap dispenser is filled with washing up liquid. Classy.

Cafe de Pearl, Bold St, Liverpool

Finally, Bubble Tea has made it to the streets of Liverpool! After making a slow-burning impression on to the Manchester foodie scene, it was high time it tested the waters of the Mersey. Cafe de Pearl has replaced the modern Chinese eaterie Tea House (maybe it's the same owners? Who knows.) with the premise that it is a bubble tea joint. However, after visiting twice before I decided to blog about it, it left a sour taste in my mouth. Literally.

Cafe de Pearl reminds me a bit of Ryanair, ie lots of hidden costs. Although it advertises itself as a cafe, it sees itself as a restaurant, the staff shoving food menus in your face and asking about 3 times whether you want any food. And here's silly me thinking it's just a cafe. To be fair, the food looked lovely, but don't advertise yourself as Cafe de Pearl if you don't want people coming in just for a drink.

I ordered a bubble slush at a jaw-dropping £2.80 and I noticed no bubbles were actually in it. I was told it would be an extra 50p for bubbles. Ridiculous. It's like charging for sugar with a coffee. The slush was nothing special, it tasted like a poor quality version of a Blackpool seafront Slush Puppie. The staff here should really work for a budget airline. On my second visit some months later, I tried a mango bubble tea in the regions of £3. The mango taste wasn't evident and it tasted like one of those cold cappuccinos packed with Coffee Mate that you get on Easyjet. The tapioca balls were bland and didn't have the consistency of previous bubbles I have experienced around the world. This was disappointing as I was looking forward to trying this eaterie with so much potential, hopeful that Bubble Tea would catch on in my home city. This fun, quirky drink has won the hearts of many faddy foodies around the world, I definitely thought it would be a good gamble in Liverpool.

I am expecting some sort of catty, defensive commentary about this review, probably from someone called 'John Smith of Liverpool', saying I am a 'jealous rival'. I'm just speaking the truth. I've had bubble tea in Manchester, Toronto and Dubai so believe me, I know my way around a mouthful of tapioca balls.

Villa Madina, 5955 Latimer Drive, Mississauga, Canada

Eagle-eyed followers of Vindaloo Queen on Twitter and my Facebook friends will have noticed that I am visiting Canada! I'm just outside Toronto in a city called Mississauga- it may not be on the tourist trail, but they have some fabulous multicultural treats readily available here including the rare (in the UK) Bubble Tea. This time last year, I was braving the intense heat and desert sandstorms of Dubai and was feeling strangely nostalgic. What better way to indulge nostalgia than eating food that stirs up memories? Thankfully, I was pleased to discover that Middle Eastern food is popular in this neck of the woods; time to track down tabouleh and feast on falafel!

Villa Madina is a chain not dissimilar to Dubai's Karam Beirut- a food-court based setup offering meal deals, platters and an extensive choice in salads. They serve familiar Lebanese staples like Shish Taouk, Falafel and Tabbouleh that are ubiquitous in Dubai so it was a format I was used to. I opted for their vegetarian platter at approx $7 which included either falafel or vine leaves plus as much delicious salad and dip you could cram on! I chose Tabouleh, hummus, spicy potatoes, Greek salad, olives, okra stew (bamia)and that beautiful illuminous pink turnip that brightens up every Middle Eastern feast. My only bugbear was that bread was charged extra, something that all Middle Eastern countries offer for free with the meal.

The potatoes were as good as, if not better, to some of the similar ones I experienced in Dubai- roasted without being greasy, a hint of spice similar to Spanish Patatas Bravas. The Tabbouleh and the other salads came in generous portions and I had no complaints, other than the price/portion ratio was not as bargainous as Dubai. The Carnivore ate Shish Taouk with a similar verdict to me- tasty by all means, but a tad pricey for the food court setting.

Gulshan, 50 Wicker, Sheffield

So far, my South Yorkshire curry adventures have been a bit oily and distinctly average. In a part of the country that is saturated with chippies and pub grub, I found myself here again desperately seeking spice. Wanting to give Sahib another chance after a heartburn-enhanced incident a few years ago, I discovered it had now become a Kebabish- bad move. Kebabish is synonymous with bad service for me, after being greeted with hostility in both their Manchester and Edinburgh branches. Spice Lounge wasn't going to be given a second chance either as my local mole tells me that despite its glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, seasoned curryholics have reported several Imodium Moments after consuming their greasy bhunas.

After circumnavigating the region on a discovery of spice, I finally found a street known simply as Wicker which seemed to be the nearest thing Sheffield has to Manchester's Curry Mile. Bright lights, a smell of spice in the air and rotating kebabs- hopefully I'd be on to a winner here. Enter Gulshan, the curry house whose USP is simply affordable curries.

Gulshan is not posh, nor kebab-shop style plastic tables, but a small yet modern curry house suitable for sole diners, stags or couples, depending what time of night you go. Its blue lighting gave it a great moody feel not too stark on the eyes, plus you could peek in the kitchen. It's a BYO with no corkage charge, plus they do soft drinks at only £1.50, not to mention mango lassi. The service was friendly without being intrusive and overbearing- a pet hate of mine when I'm in an empty restaurant and the staff are earwigging on my conversation!

Due to the absence of Vindaloo and Madras on the menu, I ordered this chili-hot Veggie Rezala:

At only £4.80 , it was a bargain, probably the cheapest restaurant curry I've had in the UK for years. Packed to the gills with potatoes, chickpeas and the vital ingredient chillies, this was a more than sufficient substitute for vindaloo. The Carnivore, set in his ways, ordered Chicken Dhansak, also £4.80 which was met with much 'mmmms' and 'yums'. We ate our curries with brown pilau and peshwari naan, £2 and £2.20 respectively. The peshwari was infused with sesame seeds, a take on Pesh I'd never seen before but was ever so moreish.

My only two minus points about Gulshan were the absence of Kulfi on the dessert menu (a staple requirement for me!) and the toilet facilities. There is only one toilet and it's a bit cramped and smelly, plus it's a bit of a Krypton Factor challenge to get to. It's bang next to the bar and kitchen but the hand-dryer and an additional sink are outside the toilet cubicle right by where the staff are passing by. However, our bill only came to around £16 for the two of us, so I shan't be complaining too much!