HUDSON HOUSE , LIVERPOOL by Si Hall & Karen Booth
Located on The Strand in Beetham Plaza , Hudson House is a stylish new seafood and champagne restaurant , bringing a welcome and overdue addition to the city ’ s diverse dining and culinary experience .
Light and airy with an opulent feel , not unlike a waterside Hampton ’ s eatery / bar , comfort and quality are paramount . A dramatic glass façade covers the entire frontage of the main restaurant bringing a light , spacious and welcoming feel to the restaurant . The bar and terrace overlook the Three Graces and the view by day or night is spectacular . With restaurant dining for 60 covers on the lower level and 30 on the mezzanine , a separate bar and terrace menu serves up lighter tantalising bites , cocktails , gin and of course champagne .
Warmly greeted by the charming team : Jo , Gary and Tom , we were presented with the well-crafted menu and wine / drinks list . Predominately for the seafood lover , there are two meat and vegetarian / vegan options available . The seafood is freshly sourced from Fleetwood , with the oysters ( seasonal ) from Colchester , which is famed for its annual oyster festival ! The kitchen is headed by Chef Chris Hughes .
To begin ...
• Gin smoked trout served with textures of beetroot and borage . Beautifully presented with edible flowers , the trout with it ’ s buttery texture and subtle flavour worked especially well with the candied beetroot and borage . A beautiful clean and light starter .
• Ceviche of monk fish – this packed a punch and looked amazing ! Monk fish ceviche with heritage radish , compressed apple and a red pepper puree . This was a really interesting combination which worked brilliantly and tasted great .
• Potted Shrimp - with a mace and cayenne pepper butter , succulent and delicious Southport shrimps , served with toasted brioche sticks and accompanied with a crunchy cucumber and carrot vinaigrette salad . Both delicious and satisfying - one for all brown shrimp lovers .
Both starters and mains were paired with a British white from the up and coming Chapel Down winery - Chapel Down Bacchus - with notes of melon , peach , passion fruit , gooseberry and a hint of cut grass , this is the fourth most planted grape variety in England . Bacchus is the ancient Roman name for the classical god of wine and was a superb choice .
On to our mains and Hudson House did not disappoint .
• Pan Fried Stone Bass - served with pomme purée and tender stem broccoli . The stone bass was meaty and succulent with a melt in the mouth texture , served with gorgeously creamy and well-seasoned pomme purée and sauce vierge . Top marks .
• Confit Salmon Fillet – cooked with olive oil in a bain-marie for 25 minutes at 42 degrees exactly - the result was a beautifully cooked soft and buttery textured salmon . Accompanied by braeburn apple , oyster leaf , lemon pearls and celeriac purée , this was a fabulous and generously portioned dish .
• Sashimi Tuna Nicoise Salad – A true show stopper ! Succulent seared sashimi tuna loin served with anchovies , soft quail eggs , olives , green beans , cherry tomatoes and purple potatoes . Visually stunning , every mouthful was a delight and not a morsel was left … Wonderful dish .
With a tantalising Cocktail Menu , the fabulous Hudson House bar staff worked their magic …
• Mangetout – ‘ eat all cocktail ’ – gin based with hints of lemon , Chartreuse , crème de peche and an edible cap made from seaweed with a pasta straw ! A great and refreshing concept with all the elements being edible ! Brilliant .
• Beetham Juice – a true crowd pleaser – all the lovely things that should be in a cocktail - Absolut Elyx , cherry heering , fraise , port , cranberry , pineapple , ginger . Gorgeous .
• Bloody Mary - Blammo ! This packed a serious punch !! An all - time classic has been super-charged with a chilli infusion and topped with a huge king prawn ! Seriously moorish .
After two beautiful and sumptuous courses , perfectly paired wine and fabulous cocktails it was ... dessert time !
• Rhubarb and Apple Fool – a classic dessert served in a glass with delicate layered mouthfuls of rhubarb , braeburn apples topped with a beautiful crème anglaise . Smooth , crunchy , custardy , yummy .
• Belgian Chocolate Tart - Surprisingly light in texture with incredibly light and lovely pastry base , this was a rich dark chocolate and whiskey infused tart served with a hazelnut tuile and a gorgeous dollop of Chantilly ice cream ! The Pedro Ximénez sherry works brilliantly with this dessert .
• Pina Colada ( but not as we know it ) – A great culinary nod to the classic cocktail by way of coconut air , maraschino cherries , compressed pineapple and rum baba . A seriously good pud .
Overall , Hudson House is fabulous . Great food presentation and quality produce , impeccable service and all set in comfortable and striking surroundings . You really must try this place .
We wish them every success . 5 stars .
To book – call 0151 370 0118 Email : reservations @ hudsonhouseseafood . co . uk www . hudsonhouseseafood . co . uk
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