The Art School
Liverpool, Merseyside
Paul Askew's restaurant in an august building next to the Philharmonic Hall now has a courtyard area off the cellar bar for summer drinking and snacking. In the main room, still one of the most dramatic dining spaces in Liverpool, the cooking is full of ambitious flair, the plates busy but not overcrowded with elements that all fit together as snugly as jigsaw pieces. A trio of cuts of salt-marsh lamb – loin, confit shoulder and hay-roasted rump – comes adorned with samphire, golden beetroot and Wirral ricotta, while the vegetable main course could be tempura-battered courgette with herbed bulgur wheat, chickpeas and courgette/pistachio purée. Proceedings might open in distinctly Mediterranean manner, with a serving of marine-fresh red mullet on saffron potatoes, brown shrimps and red pepper purée, sauced with pastis. Finish with mirabelle plum compôte and white chocolate mousse or, for something more substantial, a steamed blackberry pudding with pomegranate ice cream and honey. A plethora of speciality menus supplements the basic prix-fixe, and wine is handled comprehensively too, with a distinguished global list that homes in on central and south-east Europe. Small glasses start at £6.50 for Abruzzo wines in all three colours.
Dining Information:
Private dining room, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Credit card required
1 Sugnall Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L7 7EB
0151 230 8600
