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THE TAPAS KITCHEN by Si Hall & Nicky RIgby-Smth
West Kirby ' s The Tapas Kitchen were officially voted the best restaurant on the Wirral two years running , a title they will retain until the next awards in 2024 .
This is our first review since the passing of the late , great co-founder Peter Horsley . He would be very proud of the continued excellence of Manager Colin and Chef Phil .
Tapas or small plates in general are hugely popular right now , so for these guys to stand out , it surely must be something special . Literally everything about the Spanish ' inspired ' menu has their own unique re-imagining of the classics .
The team are obsessed with flavour , even what would appear to be visually very simple dishes , once tasted you realise they ' re anything but . They ' ll take a classic and think , " to be on our menu , it needs to be ten times tastier ".
And so we begin : Pan con tomate , a Catalan speciality .
Moorish style Cauliflower Frites with homemade hazelnut romesco sauce .
Steamed Mussels ' Mariniere ' ( Peter ' s secret recipe ) served with white wine , garlic and cream .
Deep fried Calamari ( calamares fritos ) with piquillo pepper mayonnaise .
Lamb Caldereta , slow cooked lamb in a rich paprika sauce , confit of peppers and Catalan sofrito .
Basque style Belly Pork pinchos , with a sweet sherry & sticky orange caramel , crackling crumb .
* TTK style sharing Paella ( ideal for 2 or more ) Carmencita seasoned bomba rice , Iberian chorizo chicken , peppers , mussels and king prawns . This gets a special mention , while everything today was excellent as always , this is another new addition . THE BEST PAELLA WE ' VE EVER HAD ! Not just the Wirral , but the world . There ' s next level , then there is this . The whole team were stopped in their tracks .
In summary : The guys at The Tapas Kitchen are restless , constantly tinkering , they love playing with ingredients to really push the flavour boat way out , striving to deliver fresh , simple , classic , great value , substantial dishes with their own distinct unique twist , that knocks your tastebuds out of the park . Big time . Every time . If you ' ve not been , you absolutely must !
Just excellent ! Well done guys ! 11 out of 10 ! Booking recommended on 0151 625 8111 . 95 Banks Road , West Kirby , CH48 0RB .
Confit of Duck Leg , with a sticky sweet chilli and honey dressing .
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