Vetch

Chef Daniel McGeorge is back on his home turf after a long stint at Rothay Manor in Cumbria, and is now ensconced in one of the Georgian terraced townhouses that line Hope Street, long known as Liverpool's arts and cultural quarter. He has also taken the right decision to keep this intimate, off-white and green-coloured restaurant simple and unfussy to the point of monastic understatement. On the other hand, the large sash windows frame Hope Street's hustle like a moving picture, and the Scandi-chic aesthetic suits his culinary style. The menu reflects his in-depth interest in both Nordic and Japanese cuisines, and the result is intriguing as well as sophisticated. Fittingly, given the proximity of the famous Liverpool Art School, dishes are strikingly presented and exactingly plated on handsome ceramics. Diners can choose to eat from the three-course lunch/early-bird menu or commit to one of the longer tasting menus with the option of a drinks pairing. However, the set lunch is culled from the tasters and courses can be small – we polished them off in a bite or two – and only suitable for the smallest of appetites. A standout on our visit was a thick, succulent Creedy Carver duck breast with roasted beetroot, pickled beetroot curls and a fine damson sauce, as harmonic as anything you might find at the Philharmonic Hall next door. Other eclectic options might range from æbleskiver (Danish pancake balls) with cheese and onion to a delicate, perfectly seasoned piece of monkfish served in a heavy, dark bowl with slivers of shredded fresh and toasted leek, plus a splash of very thin XO dashi. Dessert was another high point: a composition of pumpkin, caramel, miso and finger lime in various iterations that offered a memorable mash-up of citrus pop, treacly notes and sugary cream. A short, snappy international wine offers sound drinking, from ‘super-fruit all-rounders’ to ‘full-bodied heavyweights’.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence