Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Miyagi

Once I heard there was a new Japenese restaurant open on Bold Street, Liverpool I was already trying to make the arrangements to get myself there. This place unique restaurant also has a bar upstairs filled with neon lights, giving off a cool Tokyo vibe. The downstairs restaurant gives off such a nice atmosphere with its dim lighting and interior decor, it really is such a beautiful restaurant. Miyagi now offers up a lunch menu too so there is always a time of day for you to dine. 


I love trying cocktails when I'm out for dinner, and Miyagi's choices were too hard to refuse. I love the names Miyagi have given to their cocktails, I tried the 'Cho Cho San' which was delightfully refreshing; my friends also tried the 'Ghetto Geisha' which was very tropical and had a great flavour. I wish I was able to try them all they sound so tasty.


All the food comes out as and when it is ready which I love as you are never waiting long. Me and a friend shared the 'Mr M's Bento Box,' if you're a lover of cold and hot sushi dishes you have to get this! This gives you a mixed selection of the sushi available and comes presented in a cute little bento box, it certainly tastes as good as it looks. As a side I also got the crispy duck gyozas, which with the hoisin sauce was a match made in heaven.




















I decided to get the Chicken Laksa for my main, as I have previously told you I am a lover of satay, so once I saw this was in the dish I couldn't resist. The combination of flavours in this dish work a treat as it tasted amazing. I love that this dish is served with a wooden ladle, giving it an authentic touch.


If you're ever looking to try something different, Miyagi is the place to go. I already have plans in place to revisit with my boyfriend. This restaurant is highly recommended to those of you who already love Japanese food, and if you don't, well you're just missing out!

Sunday, 1 November 2015

Cinco's

Back in my hometown this little Mexican situated in Poulton-Le-Fylde is proving to be extremely popular despite only opening up earlier this year. If you want to visit this restaurant you need to book well in advance as tables fill up very quickly. I am currently home for a reading week from University and instead of spending my money on a night out for Halloween I couldn't think of a better way of spending my night then going out for amazing food, and Cinco's was top of my list. 


My visit on Halloween was my second, and definitely won't be my last. On both occasions I have chosen the 'Nachos Libre' topped with the tinga chicken for starters; these have to be, hands down, the best nachos I have ever eaten, the cheese sauce is to die for. Other great starter options I have tried and recommend are the 'Gringas Al Pastor' (tortilla filled chicken and cheese) and the 'Brochetas Cielo Mar & Tierra' (marinated prawn, chicken and beef skewer). 

With my great love for Mexican food and such an fantastic menu I always have a hard time deciding what to have for my main. On my first visit my boyfriend had the mixed fajitas consisting of steak, chicken and prawn, and in his words these were 'absolutely sensational'. I decided upon the chicken quesadillas which were equally as delicious, neither of these dishes lasted long on our plates. Most mains are accompanied by rice, charro beans and a chalupa cup which adds a great touch; all portion sizes are extremely generous, you definitely won't leave hungry.  


For our most recent visit, I studied the menu beforehand on their Facebook page and decided to try the enchiladas with Cinco's signature mole sauce. The waiter informed me this was a chilli and chocolate sauce, the idea sounded strange to me and almost put me off, however I decided to go for it as I thought anything this place serves up will taste amazing. What a great decision I made... this sauce works wonders on this dish and I would highly recommend to anyone going.


If you haven't tried this place yet you certainly have to. This small and intimate restaurant boasts a quick and friendly service and offers up the freshest Mexican food in town. I am already looking forward to my next visit and will endlessly be dreaming about them nachos!

Monday, 26 October 2015

Moose Coffee

There are so many places I want to eat at for breakfast and brunch, however getting me out of the bed in order to do so proves to be a challenge, so a place that serves this up these kind of dishes is ideal! On weekends,  Moose can get extremely busy and unfortunately you can't book. Going at a busy time such as a Saturday afternoon may see you waiting up to an hour for a table. But there is a reason people wait this long and as soon as you have eaten your food you will understand why. 


There is so much choice on this American influenced menu, that it is hard to whittle it down to one dish. The breakfast menu offers up great breakfast classics as well as a few twists on these; and there are a wide variety of sandwiches and mains on the brunch menu which means everyone leaves highly satisfied. 


The pancakes are a must-have if you go and sharing them on the side with your date is a great idea. The 'New Jersey Moose,' 'Vegi Liberty Moose' and 'The Manolito' are the three dishes I've had the pleasure of trying. I highly recommend trying the homemade potato hash they offer as it is unlike anything I have ever tasted but is so addictive once you start eating.


With Moose Coffee proving to be such a popular place in Liverpool, they have recently opened up a second cafe and just a few minutes away from University, this hopefully means many more visits for me in the future. For breakfast and brunch lovers out there, this ones for you!

Sunday, 25 October 2015

The Alchemist

For special occasions, this place is ideal! It's definitely worth splashing out on a fancy meal every now and then and this is my favourite place to do so. Both a restaurant and a bar this is a great spot for a few cocktails or a fancy meal. The restaurant section of The Alchemist is very small, but this means great service and high quality food. The dim lighting and leather interior gives it such a nice vibe, you certainly have to make an effort to go here. 


I have only visited the Leeds Trinity restaurant twice, both occasions did not disappoint. They also have restaurants in Manchester and London, I hope they're thinking of opening one in Liverpool, that would be ideal! If you're a cocktail lover you will have a tough decision choosing between the extensive list there is to offer. Some of my favourites that I've tried include: Caramelised Rum Punch, White Chocolate & Raspberry Martini, Solero and Bubblegum Daiquiri. 



With such a great menu, I found it hard to whittle it down to one starter I liked, so me and my boyfriend have gotten three to share both times we have been. Calamari, Prawn Lollipops and Chicken Satay Skewers are the usual, (anything satay I can't resist!). 
Onto the mains.... The Alchemist offers up the best Fajitas I've ever tasted. Served on a sizzling hot skillet with guacamole, sour cream and salsa on the side, they were divine! The second time I went I chose the Special Fried Chicken Wrap, this was equally as tasty. 

I'm now just looking for another excuse to revisit as it's up near the top of my favourite restaurants ever. If you're ever near an Alchemist you must make sure you go, it's a completely different dining experience to anything you've probably visited before and you will not be left disappointed. 
Surely worth spending them few more pennies for this restaurant.


Saturday, 24 October 2015

Nolita Cantina

This little American diner on Bold Street, Liverpool, is the perfect place for lunch or dinner. It's a small and intimate place, playing great music; the little wooden booths and tables create such a nice atmosphere. Their lunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches accompanied with bottomless fries for £7! I've not yet been in the evening but they're American inspired menu amazing.


On my most recent visit, me and my friend shared two sandwiches. We got the 'Pork & Pickle Cubanita' (I'm a sucker for pulled pork) and the 'Po Boy - New Orleans Chicken'. With bottomless fries you're sure to never leave hungry, I'm still yet to ask for a top up.
This place is so cute and a great place if you're a student on a tight budget. 


Almost Famous

Every now and then I do love to have a big fat burger, and one of my favourite places to get my burger fix is Almost Famous. I last visited the Liverpool restaurant in March and they have since changed the menu so this calls for another reason to revisit, right?
I love the atmosphere as it is a converted warehouse with really cool, casual vibes and great music. The glass tables filled with sweets are my favourite touch. 



I love it so much, I've visited four times now. I always like to try something new on the menu, so far I've had the Famous, Triple Nom and the Wonderland (on the old menu). The perfect companion to these burgers.... Bacon Bacon fries! You literally can't go wrong with bacon mayo.


Service is always pretty fast and they present it so well, putting them in the plastic trays really suits the casual environment. You definitely have to prepare to get stuck in and make a mess, they aren't the most elegant things to eat, but the taste is well worth it.
Next time I go I'm making sure I try some of the cocktails, Bitch Juice and Haribo Smash sound so tasty. This is such a cool place to go before heading out for a few drinks afterwards.
Definitely the place for all fellow burger lovers out there, if you haven't been before you need to!


Who is Mel?

Melissa Biddlestone.
20 years old.
I live in Blackpool but I currently study Business Studies at University of Liverpool.
Complete lover of all types of food. After people telling me for so long to start a food blog I've finally decided to do it as I'm constantly eating out. 
I'm excited to share my food journey with you all and get my list of restaurants I want to visit ticked off!