BURNT TRUFFLE
by Nicky Rigby-Smith & Si Hall
We originally reviewed Burnt Truffle in December 2016 and
thought we’d re-visit to see what has changed.
To start, we opted for the White onion and madeira soup served
with rarebit on toast. A perfect winter warmer. It's rare for us to
describe a simple soup as divine, but it really is and the rarebit -
moreish and delicious. We paired the dish with a Cotes Du Rhône
which was just a fabulous all round wine, perfect for larger groups
and balanced the rich velvety soup and stood up to the cheese in
the Rarebit.
Out next was Crispy pigs head croquette with miso glazed chicory.
A very generous portion, it was perfectly moist and packed full
of meaty flavour. We paired with a glass of Trebbiano which was
just the ticket, refreshing and not overtly acidic to balance the rich
mouth feel of the croquette.
The Salt baked beetroot with confit shallots and hazelnut dressing
was a beautifully presented and delicate dish; clean tasting and
fresh on the palate. The hazelnuts added a punchy texture. This is
a rare dish that can go with red or white, so you could try a zingy
Sauvignon for a fresh lift or perhaps the Hungarian Pinot Noir
from Kovacs, 777 Monopole, which would really accentuate the
earthy nature of the beets.
For mains, we had Pan roasted cauliflower, butterbean mash,
salted lemon and green chilli dressing and toasted almonds.
This was amazing… full of interesting flavours. It is not just for
vegetarians! We paired with a Chenin blanc from South Africa - it
is just perfect for this dish, not only that it’s Fair Trade too, so guilt
free!
Next up was Sea bream with winter vegetable broth and a dill
butter. Well, this is a taste sensation. Sea bream cooked to buttery
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perfection. Whilst the fish is light and delicate, the broth has some
body so a wine with some texture is needed. We chose a Soave
from Prieopan which hit the mark - lots of pear, green leaf flavours
and no sweetness at all, making it a great pairing.
Last out was the Lamb rump with parsnip puree, caramelised
shallot, hen of the woods, and redcurrants. Again a generous
portion, lamb cooked to perfection. This dish was outstanding!
Note: one of our editors had given Lamb a miss after '10 years of
disappointment'. So it's saying something about the mastery of
this dish to seduce him back, big time. Lamb and Chianti - it’s just
one of those things that works, it's ideal!
For dessert, we thought we’d indulge in the Ring donut with salted
dark chocolate sauce and honeycomb ice cream (well it is nearly
Christmas!) A sweet, naughty but nice dessert! We loved it! To
accompany the donut, we went a bit retro and had a baileys on ice,
because well, why the hell not?
The Warm carrot and walnut cake with cream cheese ice cream
and a cinnamon crumb was divine! Paired with a fruity French
Monbazillac, loads of peach, with just a touch of nutty savoury
notes.
Overall, Burnt Truffle offers an outstanding dining experience,
every element was brilliantly considered and really surprisingly
great value, for such an exceptional standard. We enjoyed it so
much, we've booked the family in for Christmas Eve!
Great work guys - 5 stars!
To book call: 0151 342 1111.