Zaaffran, Allerton Rd, Liverpool

I have always been a bit apprehensive about these fancy modern Indian restaurants after being stung so many times in the past by small portions and a pretentious wine bar type atmosphere. I'm a traditionalist you see, a sucker for chintzy carpets, tacky décor and those all important booths. Zaaffran is a relative newcomer to the South Liverpool dining scene. Facing stiff competition from its neighbouring rivals Millon and Sekander, plus the fact that from the outside, it just looks like every other bar in the street, will it meet Vindaloo Queen's expectations?

 

Saturday night and stone empty- this wasn't a good sign but to be honest, it was freezing out. At least I managed to bagsy the solitary booth down the back! Despite being empty, the staff were friendly and didn't rush me or make inappropriate small talk like some other places (Yes Spice City, I mean you.) I was delighted to see they offered mocktails! A collective nod of approval from all us teetotallers. I tried this kiwi and aloe vera based mocktail. At £3.99 it was a bit pricey but it made a great photo on my Instagram!

 

 

To start, I feasted on popadoms. They weren't greasy like the usual pops and the dips didn't taste mass produced either. The chutney tray was a different take on the usual choice of 4- it consisted of a chili with onion, a mint yogurt and a spicy orange chutney. Delicious!

 

The main event was this Jeera Aloo at approx. £6- it's about time restaurants realised they were overcharging for veggie dishes, can't complain at this bargain price! I had it with a generous portion of brown pilau rice- not the usual coloured rice. The spuds were nicely marinated in a chili based sauce infused with coriander and parsley. A simple yet filling meal, spicy without being a ringburner.

 

 

The dessert menu looked extensive but I couldn't move so settled for coffee instead. The coffee was potent and they had a real coffee machine! About time the curry houses cottoned on to the fact that instant won't suffice in a classy establishment any more. Zaaffran is a great example of how Indian restaurants are keeping up with the times and paying more attention to quality, presentation and that all important after dinner coffee. Modern without being all nouvelle cuisine and scrimping on portion size. I'll still make my occasional trips to the UNI and Royal Tandoori though. Some things never change!

 

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The good- great drinks menu and a mix of old classics and new, more adventurous curries

The bad- hard pressed to say! Ok.. the heating was rather stifling. My only minus point.

 

Tai Pan Buffet, Hanover St, Liverpool

After many bad buffet experiences, I tend to swerve them as they are usually full of chavs licking the spoons and putting them back in the food, clueless staff who don't know what the slop they're serving is, screaming kids running round people's ankles and all the atmosphere of a rubbish Skytours package deal hotel in Santa Ponsa. However, when Tai Pan opened in Liverpool, I was convinced by my mate to give it a try. It seemed that the Jeremy Kyles hadn't discovered it yet, or saying that it was 12.30 when we went so they were probably just getting up. The other Tai Pan restaurant in the city has a great reputation so this seemed worth a try. For under £8 and with reasonably priced drinks, it seemed too cheap to miss!

 

There was soup and dim sums to start- I was disappointed to see that out of 3 soups on offer, none of them were veggie. I did have some spring rolls though and the famous Chinese delicacies of Samosas and Onion Rings (yeah I know).

 

For the main, there was a beautiful selection of stir fries, aubergines in garlic sauce, vermicelli and all the usual Chinese dishes, plus an Indian corner which I devoured! Pilau rice, lashings of popadoms and a yummy pea and potato curry. Perfection. It made up for the lack of veggie starters. Veggies watch out though, as the Szechuan tofu dish actually contains some sort of mystery meat.

 

 

 

 

The desserts were the typical underwhelming morsels offered by cheapo buffets. A few dried chunks of Turkish delight, some obscure Chinese jelly with fruits in, cubes of jelly (there seemed to be a running theme here). Tinned fruit cocktail. There were however about 6 flavours of ice cream, but the taste was so synthetic it wasn't a pleasant experience, a bit like that banana flavoured medicine you used to have as a kid.

 

Tai Pan Buffet is a must if you're on a budget, not so if you want a delicious dining experience or are a strict veggie like me. After a while, all the food started to taste the same, not so much a party in the mouth than an oil slick of dirty chip fat.

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The good- cheap, cheerful and filling
The bad- boring desserts and not much for veggies

Shangri-La, Victoria St, Liverpool

One of the perks of my job is that I work weekends, meaning I have two glorious days off in the week to make the most of cheap business lunches in the city. (Yes, unfortunately food blogging isn't my job- maybe one day!) Today I fancied being a tourist in my own city and visiting the museum, so decided to look for a cheapo deal in the vicinity. After walking through the foodie nuclear apocalypse that is Queen Square- the disgusting chav bolthole that is Tso's, the Yummy Mummy soulless chain that is Ask, the frozen meal tapas gone to Iceland La Tasca and the swearword of good food that is N*ndo's (I still can't bear to write it)- I backtracked to the old classic Shangri-La, where I spotted a business lunch offer.

Shangri-La has been around for decades and is your typical English Chinese albeit not in Chinatown. In recent years, the quality had declined and had became one of those places to you only go at 2am and have the tastebud equivalent of beer goggles firmly on. It also got a bad hygiene rating on Scores on the Doors but thanks to getting its 5 stars back and good reports from my workmates, I gave the new, improved Shangri another whirl. I had not been since 2008 where I feasted on a deep fried spongelike spring roll and a tasteless load of water chestnuts fried in rancid soy sauce, so needless to say I was dubious.

I got great vibes when I went in. The staff were now friendly and welcoming and gave me and my dining partner a great table down the back where we could have a reasonably private conversation. The deal consisted of 3 courses and a drink for £7.50- not bad!

My first course was this deliciously potent Vegetarian Hot and Sour soup- portion size generous, the right balance of hot and sour and yummy chunks of tofu padding it out.

Delicious- I feared I'd be too full by the time the main course came! Second course was veggie spring rolls with a seaweed garnish.

The spring rolls were huge and filled with a curry and glass noodle filling. Delish! The seaweed was a nice touch too, better than the inedible carrot or turnip carved into a flower. What is the point of those and more importantly, do they get re-used? Oh dear, I was definitely not going to manage the main event, beancurd fried with kung po sauce with egg fried rice.

The sauce had a right chili kick without being too salty, the egg fried rice fresh, fluffy and a generous portion. My only complaint was my beancurd was a little too fried and made it lack the spongy, bouncy taste that I prefer. Nonetheless, it was a delicious meal and the portion size left no room for complaint (or dessert for that matter!)

Shangri La is definitely on top form again and on course to re-establish its good rep it had back in the 1990s. An oldie but a goodie, it is staring all these young. glitzy pretenders in the face. Trendy restaurants have came and gone again during the time the Shangri La has been around, that's got to stand for something. Great food, pleasant atmosphere and an even better price.

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The good: portion size, great atmosphere and lots of choice for veggies
The bad: tofu was a little greasy

Kasbah, Bold St, Liverpool

After discovering Liverpool's first Lebanese restaurant had opened, you can imagine my excitement to find the city's first Moroccan restaurant had opened a few doors down! Moroccan eateries are common in our Continental neighbours' cities like Paris and Amsterdam so we were long overdue a tagine invasion. Most of the new Liverpudlian eateries don't really appeal to veggies like me- the high-end ones do either rabbit food or mushroom risotto for the millionth time and the lower end of the scale 'specialise' in burgers, lasagne and other yawnsome frozen food section treats. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern never fails to disappoint me though!

 

Kasbah is similar in décor to Bakchich, its Lebanese neighbour, conjuring up memories of Dubai's Spice Souk and Instanbul's Grand Bazaar- a heady mix of spicy scent and garish colours. To drink, I had the mint lemonade; admittedly not as good as Dubai but nonetheless refreshing:

 

 

Check out the beautiful steaming hot tagine!

 

I ordered a veggie tagine served with a fluffy helping of cous cous- the tagine comprised of stuffed vegetables in a bubbling hot tomato and pepper based stew. A perfect winter warmer of a dish providing a little ray of sunshine too!

 

 

Don't forget your camera when you rock the Kasbah- a big stash of fezzes in the corner provide many hilarious selfie opportunities! It's the type of place which has a great atmosphere for a night out and is also a great place where you don't feel conspicuous being alone and can happily sit in the corner with a mint tea while you're doing your stalking rounds on Facebook.

 

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The good- one of a kind in a city infested with burger joints and buffets

The bad- a few more veggie options on the menu would be nice!

 

Bakchich, Bold St, Liverpool

When I lived in Dubai, I must have eaten Lebanese food at least 4 times a week. As common as our chippies, Dubai seems to have a Lebanese in every mall and on every street. Falafel, shish kebabs and zingy plates of tabbouleh are a staple ingredient in  the Dubai foodie's life, be it for breakfast, tea or chucking out time at the clubs. Back in Liverpool, I wondered how long it would be for the North West to finally cotton on to this delicious cuisine which often gets mistaken for Greek or Turkish up this end for some bizarre reason. Enter Bakchich, Liverpool's first Lebanese since that one what was briefly in Renshaw St in the early 1990s that is now waste land. (I never did go there actually, so would love to know if any of my more mature readers experienced it!)

Bakchich reminds me of Dubai's famous Zaroob, a trendy, faux street food setting Lebanese eaterie. Modern with an open plan kitchen and fabulous interior décor, it was instantly welcoming and in my mind, I was back in the 45 degree heat of Dubai (unless this had something to do with the heat emanating from the open kitchen). After fighting for a table- this place is extremely popular- I settled down with a glass of mint lemonade. Admittedly, this wasn't as good as the ones I had in Dubai- this tasted like a normal glass of lemonade with a few mint leaves in whereas its Dubai counterpart is made with fresh lime juice.

I ordered the spicy Lebanese potatoes (below). Garnished with parsley, they were a fresh and healthy alternative to the usual sides of chips etc, but lacked the padding and substance of its Dubai equivalent. The portion was padded out with a lot of chopped onion, giving the impression it was a bigger portion than it actually was.

I also had the falafel wrap plate, a favourite of us veggies who can't participate in the Doner Kebab cravings you carnivores have. Not just Dubai, in most European cities a falafel wrap or pitta is part of the fast food staple diet of late night snackers and foodies. The falafel plate came with a dollop of hummous and a crunchy lemon-heightened salad.  At £5.99 for this falafel plate (below), it is considerably more than the 3 euro I used to pay for a similar dish in Germany. I'm not complaining though, Bakchich is one of a kind in Liverpool and has no serious competition- they can charge what they like, I'll keep returning for that bit of Middle Eastern sunshine!

 

The good: One of a kind in Liverpool- friendly service and a diverse menu

The bad: Slightly cramped seating and portion size a bit small

 

Peking Duck, Smithdown Rd, Liverpool

In my opinion, Smithdown Road knocks spots off its nearest rival, Allerton Rd, when it comes to food. Whereas Allerton Road's eateries all look the same and tend to offer small, bland portions, Smithdown provides the cheap and cheerful vibe with a lively selection of restaurants from all round the world. After my last meal out in the Royal Tandoori, a recent meal deal in Christakis and a gallon of potent coffee in Santino, it was time for me to sample the delights of their neighbour, Peking Duck. Like the Royal, this restaurant has been there for years but for some reason, I never tried it, it was either local ones in the Childwall vicinity or the city centre. After having so many bad Chinese meals in Liverpool compared to my previous home towns of Manchester and Dubai, my expectations weren't high for this one. How wrong could I have been?

 

Peking Duck offers a 3 course early evening deal- a soup, a dim sum and a main, with coffee or tea to finish for just £10.50. Inside, it is a typical old school Chinese- dark with the proverbial fishtank but with ever so friendly staff. To start, I went for that old favourite of mine, Veggie Hot and Sour.

 

Amazing. A perfect potent blend of hot and sour spices with meaty chunks of tofu, this was what Hot and Sour is all about. One of the best quality H&S's I have ever had.

Starter number two was a much loved favourite of mine, Spring Onion Pancakes:

 

 

 

Served with an orange flavoured dip, the pancake was fluffy and packed to the gills with spring onions, again top notch and far better than the freezing cold offering I had at Canton Palace a few months ago.

 

After those delights were digested, time for the main event, tofu in black bean sauce, served with boiled rice:

 

Fabulous again. Huge portion size, a rich black bean sauce, not watered down like some establishments, thick slabs of delicious fresh spongy tofu soaking up the flavours of the sauce. There was no scrimping on portion size here!

After digesting that feast, there was a complimentary coffee (albeit instant) with the cherry on the cake- an After Eight.  A perfect, classic old school good old fashioned British Chinese with all the ingredients of good food, good company and pleasant surroundings. Peking Duck, you have surpassed my expectations and saved me the journey to Manchester for decent Chinese grub.

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The good- excellent portion size, bargain price and a great atmosphere. Good veggie selection.
The bad- instant coffee

Royal Tandoori, Smithdown Rd, Liverpool

After visiting so many new restaurants that have been a letdown, I decided to visit an old favourite of the Liverpool curry scene that I've never been to but always wanted to go to- the Royal Tandoori. Smithdown Rd is becoming a great place for foodies, what with Christakis, Peking Duck and Santino's, offering better food than the uninspiring bistros of Allerton Rd. The Royal is an old school curry house with vital components like a sticky carpet, booths, twangy music and a fabulously ornate ceiling that wouldn't look out of place in Dubai. To start, we feasted on the usual popadoms and there was yet another variation on the chutney tray. Lime pickle, onions and mango chutney were there but with two other dips- red onion salad and a tangy concoction of hot, sweet and sour.

 

The main event consisted of Veggie Madras for me and Veggie Bhuna for the Other Veggie, served with lashings of pilau and garlic naan.

 

 

 

My madras was heaven- lots of spuds and other assorted vegetables, this was a quality curry experience. The pilau was at its oldschool best- the colourful variety and the naan lovely and fluffy with just the right amount of garlic without being overpowering. The veggie curries were only £6.20, bargain.

 

For dessert, I couldn't resist a Pistachio Kulfi- only £1.95. I needed it after eating a curry on the hottest day of the year so far! Note the retro tableware!

 

At around £30 for the two of us including 2 drinks each, the Royal is a great throwback to the days of a big curry night out before Indian restaurants got all pretentious on us. Amazing.

 

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The good- the prices, the décor, the atmosphere, well everything!

The bad- could have done with a yogurt dip on the pickle tray.

Spice City, Stanley St, Liverpool

Spice City, the former Balti House. A fond memory of my past, a whimsical world of sticky Chintz carpets, cosy booths and hot towel, orange slices and Vimto lollipops with the bill. A common feature on nights out, be it stag, hen or the dreaded office party. Sadly, the Balti House burned down and this traditional curry house became just another chapter of my past, along with Liverpool legends the Old Monk, Howl at the Moon and Plummers. I was delighted to find out it had recently reopened as Spice City- but how would it fare without its traditional décor?

It was unrecognisable as all the booths had gone and no longer looked like a curry house. Hopefully, the food would distract me from the boring décor. There was a meal deal on- 2 courses plus a drink for £10. Surely that would have the crowds flocking? Apparently not. We were the only ones in there. Awkward. To start, we paid extra for popadoms- £4.80 for the three of us- ouch! The chutney tray was plentiful though, 5 dips including a fiery hot tomato based one:

 

I washed them down with a glass of flat coke, good job the drink was free with the meal. My starter was vegetarian samosas served with a side salad. If you look, the salad includes that well known Indian vegetable, the Jalapeno.

 

The samosas were tasty, but my colleagues were less than satisfied with their starters. The Carnivore ordered a chicken kebab and it looked like something from the frozen section in the halal shop on Smithdown Rd, a dubious concoction of processed meat. The Other Veggie's onion bhaji tasted uninspiring and lacking in substance, a bit like the ambience of the restaurant. Time for the mains.

I ordered a Vegetable Madras, the Other Veggie a veg bhuna. The sauces were deliciously potent but the quality of the veg was abysmal. No potatoes or carrots, just lots and lots of leafy stuff and onions. Again, tasty but lacking in any real substance. It was pleasant to eat, but just that. It wasn't what I'd call an ultimate curry experience. The rice portions were decent though and the naan fresh and fluffy.

The Carnivore fared the worst though with his lamb pathia described as 'ropey'. The meat was sinewy and tough and didn't taste like lamb apparently. During the meal, no other diners came and the staff seemed desperate to push their delivery service. Spice City, you've got a lot to live up to if you want to recreate the big night out vibe that the Balti House was known for.

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The good- Portion size and price
The bad- Meat quality and no atmosphere

 

Elif, Childwall Fiveways, Childwall, Liverpool

Hi foodies, long time no see! It's been quiet on the foodie front lately as I've been going to some of my usuals and hate blogging about the same place twice (Christakis, UNI and Red Fort in Liverpool to name a few) so have refrained from blogging til I discover some new eateries. The heatwave has put me off curries temporarily so I decided to try Elif, the Turkish place at Childwall Fiveways. I was a bit sceptical at first as Turkish cuisine UK style has been hit and miss for me, a seasoned connoisseur of mainland Europe's Turkish communities. The menu looked pretty enticing, 2 courses for £12 and there seemed to be a good selection for veggies.

 

First impressions were positive- beautiful Mediterranean décor and traditional Turkish wall tiles and a rather handsome Turkish staff member sweetened things up. Talk about dish of the day! (sorry male readers) To start, I ordered the Patlican Salatasi below, the Turkish equivalent of my Dubai staple Baba Ghanoush or my Greek fave Melitzanosalata. It was pleasant, albeit a bit too creamy. Not as good as ones I've eaten in Istanbul or even Turkish caffs in Germany.

 

 

 

My 2 dining partners ordered Cacik which tasted watered down and the chicken wings which were a success with the Carnivore. These were served with a bread basket which was sadly taken away when the starters were finished. I was disappointed that when it came to the mains, the meal I wanted wasn't available as it was the reason I had chosen to come to Elif instead of a repeat Christakis visit. I was craving stuffed vine leaves and tomatoes, and went crazy when they said it wasn't on but there was a veggie casserole instead. I'm not a fan of veggie casseroles, it shows lack of imagination and inspiration, a bit like when pubs do a frozen lasagne or 'posh' places fob us off with a mushroom risotto the colour of dirty dishwater. I had no choice but to order it, wishing I could've gone to Christakis instead. The Carnivores ordered a Lamb Casserole and Lamb Kebab. When the plates came, I was lost for words as were the carnivores. The meals were served with rice and salad but the portions were tiny. The rice wasn't even proper Turkish pilaf but reeked of Uncle Ben's. It appeared that between the three of us, we were sharing one bag of a boil in the bag rice. The salad was fresh and tasty but seemed ok for two but not sufficient for three. Carnivore 1 loved his lamb kebab- he had no qualms about the quality of the meat but complained how bare the plate was. No bread, no traditional Turkish dips and no chips or potatoes. Carnivore 2 liked the lamb in the casserole but the actual casserole was inedible- it tasted like someone had lobbed in a tin of Napolitana Chopped Tomatoes. And more toms. And even more toms. Even the lamb was probably suitable for veggies as the sheer amount of tomato puree had probably negated out the meatiness of the lamb. What can I say about my casserole? Pass the Rennies. A concoction of feta, peppers and even more tomato, I quit while I was ahead as I didn't want a sleepless night of acid reflux.

 

I was hoping I'd be won round by dessert but no. Instant coffee was on the menu plus ice cream for an astronomical sum. I gave it a miss and went to the Fiveways instead. Come on, if you're going to be a serious competitor in the restaurant market, please buy a coffee machine. I was disappointed as I really wanted to like Elif as it's local, plus I'm a massive fan of Turkey. £12 for a 'deal' seemed extortionate for a few tins of tomatoes and boil in the bag rice. As authentic as a bar of Fry's Turkish Delight.

 

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The good: Friendly staff and beautiful décor

The bad: Small portion size and no decent coffee

 

 

 

 

Millon, Allerton Rd, Liverpool

You never forget your first time. Mine was in May 1991. My debut on the curry scene was at the tender age of 8 in a proper old school, albeit posh at the time, curry house called Passage to India 2. I chose a very exciting dish called Chicken Korma and felt oh so grown up, not envying my contemporaries having to dine on something disgusting called a Happy Meal. The restaurant had booths, colourful rice, crystal glasses and Mum got given a carnation on the way out! Fast forward 22 years and it was time to head back to the place where it all began, Vindaloo Queen's Cavern Club if you will.

The restaurant is now called Millon Tandoori, it still bears a lot of the features of the original Passage to India but sadly, the booths have been stripped of most of their privacy and the carnations have gone. The food and drinks are served on bog standard tableware now but I'll try and not let it detract from the curry too much!

First impressions of Millon? Faded glory. The once posh décor looked a bit like 1990s period features now, but a bit of rough always means plenty of atmosphere for me. I was sad to notice its 2 USPs now absent, the carnation for the lady and the booths, no matter how twee that sounds, they were part of the character for me. I was greeted warmly by the staff, none of the brusqueness that its closest Indian neighbour Sekander's has. Now, I know it's only a minor point, but there was a vase with a dead carnation in on my table. If you're going to push the boat out and have some table décor, then make sure the flowers are full of life and not as limp as a Curry Mile popadom. The lack of effort in putting fresh flowers on your table could cast doubts upon the freshness of your food....

To start, I had popadoms as this time, I was determined to eat dessert. The pops came with 5 dips- the usual 4 plus one that tasted like watery strawberry jam!

No qualms whatsoever with the chutney tray quality, although I wasn't sure what to do with the strawberry jam. Maybe it was a practical joke, a bit like when I was an air hostess and we'd send newbies for a long stand. Who knows.

The main course was Vegetable Madras with the usual accompaniments of pilau and naan. This time, I had a craving for okra so took a side order of bindi bhaji. The curries were generously proportioned, albeit a little greasy. My madras had an excellent selection of fresh veg, including okra, potato, carrot, aubergine and peas. not a tinned or frozen 99p Farmfoods square carrot in sight. The naan was huge, fresh and fluffy. The bindi bhaji was a lovely healthy accompaniment with my curry, the okra just the right consistency and not slimy like in some restaurants. However, had I had known my curry contained okra, I mightn't have bothered and opted for an aloo gobi instead.

After that delicious feast, I simply had to have kulfi. At a bargainous £1.95, I pushed the boat out and had a mango one. Delish.

Millon's may not be the opulent eaterie it was 15 years ago, but at least they have kept their prices affordable and the staff friendly. While it won't win any good curry awards, it won't disappoint either and has something to please everyone. A reliable, good old fashioned curry house which is a breath of fresh air in today's pretentious times.

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Plus points- friendly staff and generous portions
Minus points- flat coke and the dead carnation on my table