Michael Wong , Emma Underwood and Gary Usher .
BURNT TRUFFLE by Si Hall & Nicky Rigby Smith
Burnt Truffle based on Telegraph Road , Heswall is a delightful restaurant with a warm and intimate atmosphere . Greeted by Emma Underwood - General Manager , we were shown to our table which was located on the upper floor .
To start , we chose the signature dish chicken liver pate , roast beetroot and the cured salmon gravlax . Emma paired our starters with a Montanar , which is an organic Spanish wine and reasonably priced at £ 22 a bottle . It was fresh and aromatic , similar in style to a French Sauvignon Blanc . Nose of tropical fruit with a palate of citrus . Dry and easy drinking .
The chicken liver pate was deliciously creamy with subtle flavours of madeira , port and brandy and perfect with the beetroot and orange jam . The homemade brioche , baked fresh every day was light and buttery . The cured salmon gravlax was divine , beautifully presented with lots of citrus flavours coming through . The lime mayonnaise and pickled cucumber were a nice touch . The beetroot salad served with ricotta and toasted walnuts had delicate flavours , the coal oil dressing was subtle but complimented the dish perfectly .
For mains , we chose Jacobs Ladder , the Jerusaleum artichoke risotto and olive oil poached Stonebass and opted for a Renacer ‘ Enamore ’ Malbec .
The Jacobs Ladder was excellent ; the beef extremely tender and succulent . It came served with watercress , truffle and parmesan chips and onion puree . A special mention is needed for the truffle and parmesan chips – these are the best chips we have ever tasted ! The risotto served with charred king oyster mushrooms , Bath soft cheese and truffle oil was also probably
the tastiest we ’ ve had . The Stonebass was equally as good and came with fennel croquettes and braised leeks . The Malbec was full bodied and rich with flavours of plum , cherry , fig - perfect with the Jacobs Ladder .
As it was so cosy , we decided to extend our stay and opted for dessert . We chose the Baked Alaska , Hot Chocolate pudding and Orange and Almond Sponge . The Hot Chocolate pudding was smooth , rich and light ! Served with popcorn , ice cream and toasted almonds – this dish definitely unleashes your inner child ! The Orange and Almond Sponge was delicious – our favourite – with refreshing citrus flavours complimented by the butterscotch sauce . The Baked Alaska was beautifully and professionally presented – the exciting part was breaking open the meringue to find a delicious passionfruit ice cream in the centre . It was served with a side dish of mulled fruit - which was perfect for the festive season and complimented the dish beautifully .
We finished off with a El Despacho de Vinos , Mar 7 , Pedro Ximenez Sherry priced at £ 6.75ml glass . Flavours were rich chocolate , almond and dried raisins . Lovely !
Well , what can we say … Head chef Michael Wong is clearly a culinary craftsman , not only did everything taste fantastic , the dishes we ’ re visually stunning too and the charming Emma provided outstanding customer service . If you haven ’ t been to Burnt Truffle yet , then we would definitely recommend a visit , you won ’ t be disappointed !
To book , call 0151 342 1111 .
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