French cuisine on a shoestring!!! Bistro Jacques is in the perfect area for both students and…read morethespians, and caters accordingly, with a budget menu and a theatre menu. The special lunch offer is 3 courses for £7.95, which seems amazing, but unfortunately the food always seems as though it's heated-up, mass-produced and bland. The presentation is good, but it doesn't cover up the quality of the food. Then again, you can't really expect a prime steak of £7.95! The service can be a bit absent-minded at times, but the staff are pleasant and friendly. It is a favourite place for Sunday lunch for my dad, as he always appreciates spending less than £10 for what he terms 'decent food', and loves the fact that you can get a French lesson either by reading the messages on the walls or spending long enough in the loo, where an education-style tape is played teaching you various sayings. A pleasant enough place for a cheap meal, but nothing outstanding about the food.

Like it's sister restaurants on the other side of Liverpool 1 and Matthew St, Bistro Jacques does a…read moregood impression of being an authentic French restaurant while not resorting to Parisien prices. Anyone who has been to Paris will know that it can cost you an arm and a leg for a meal and couple of beers - although I'm not sure why there is still the idea that the French are still great cooks, they're massive for cheese on toast over there, you get laughed at over here for suggesting it's called Welsh Rarebit but Croque Monsieur is somehow much more acceptable! Anyway a 3 course lunch for £8 quid is a bargain and when you can get an early doors - sorry pre theatre - meal deal for £11 its good value and handy for the local Everyman and Philharmonic. They don't rest on their laurels either as the menu seems to change regularly.

My husband and I had an excellent dinner at Cote. The fish parmentier (fish pie) was wonderful…read more For dessert, I had the chocolate fondant (what we would call chocolate lava cake in the U.S.). That too was wonderful. The atmosphere and service were nice as well.

I have eaten here every visit to Liverpool. In the past it has been lively and the food was…read moreexceptional. The service this time was neglectful. Restaurant was empty when I arrived for my reservation and was placed in the corner, given a menu and then forgotten. 3 waiters going back and forth and 20 min till I was even offed water and my order taken. Then another long wait for rilettes that were way to salty and thin crips dripping in oil. Entree of bass was on point. Dessert was unremarkable. No checking on me. Every time I needed something I had to flag the waiter and then it did not come. So disappointed. I can for give fair food if the service is great when they are not busy. I will not be back

Loved! Cool space, great location!!! Near the shopping, hotels, harbor. They have a really nice…read morevariety of options. I wasn't in the mood for a big heavy meal so ordered the French onion soup - yum! And chicken walnut salad. I'm not necessarily a huge salad person but it was wonderful!!! We also had a chicken liver pate, which was great. Didn't think to take any pics other than of that dish!? It was a busy Saturday night in Liverpool and we did not have a reservation but were seated about 930pm. Would recommend.

Arrived in Liverpool today after leaving Scotland and tried @bistrofrancliverpool for dinner. When…read moreI walked in, I immediately liked the vibes. Beautifully lit and a cascading staircase decorated with lights and greenery. The menu also did not disappoint. There were many excellent choices, and I landed on the seabass filet. Something I've learned traveling abroad, if you don't know what to order, ask your server! Their recommendations have been on point thus far. As for the food, my seabass was exquisite. Crispy skin, meaty filet, all the things. My traveling companion said the beef bourguignon was tasty. They also noted that the portion was large, but not too big they couldn't finish it. The meatballs, however, were terrible. Maybe I'm biased because I'm Italian, but they were awful. The texture was off, flavor strange, and sauce tasted canned. Minus serious points for those meatballs. Lastly, the sticky toffee pudding was just okay. I kept hyping it up to my friend because I've had it at Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, and it's fantastic, but this was just okay. Overall, if I were here more than one night, I'd definitely go back and try more from the menu.

We happened to pass by Bistro Franc while getting together with some friends over from the States…read more We were greeted with warmth and humour by our server, Peter. He was awesome! He made great recommendations for drinks and food, and made the entire experience memorable and enjoyable. We will be returning very soon and would recommend Bistro Franc (and Peter) very highly as a delightful, fun, and delicious experience! Michael and Geoff

Elude is tucked away, and you probably wouldn't notice it just in passing, but it is worth keeping…read morean eye out for it. My first impressions were brilliant, very friendly and helpful staff when I phoned up to book a table. When walking in the staff welcomed me and my party like we were long lost relatives, it was a bit overboard but very pleasant. Whilst waiting for my meal, the drink was a bit blah... a very watered down vodka which was a disappointment - no, not because I'm an alcoholic but due to the price! The food was really tasty, and surprised me, but the presentation was slightly lacking. The prices are very high considering the presentation, and I think a little steep anyway. As pleasant as my evening was, I would only go back if the prices came down as I can find just as good food for half the price elsewhere in Liverpool.

Elude is a fine dining restaurant which adds a bit of class to the dining scene in Liverpool. You…read moreprobably haven't heard too much about it, which is probably because this is a restaurant which is only open 3 days a week and is reservation only. It is also a bit pricey, but ideal for an anniversary dinner or a special occasion with a cost of £50 per couple. Let us get down to the nitty gritty matter of the most important element, the food. The environement is ofcourse very important. Thus if you just fancy a fine dining experiance in an intimate classy environment then this is the place for you. Glancing down on the A la carte menu, which is available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the options are varied and look very appealing indeed. For appetizers I would recommend the stuffed portobello mushrooms, filled with delicious local garstrang blue cheese, delicately topped up with some nice basil creme fraiche. Now for the mains I would definately quack my way through that Confit of duck leg, but I understand the duck meat is not for everyone. In which case the vegetarian option of roasted butternut squash would be a fantastic alternative. The quorn mince is nicely mixed with Spiced Beans, Tomatoes. Throw into that tasty mix some melted garstang blue cheese and some creamed greens on the side, and I dare your taste buds not to dance around with all that flavour. In conclusion this is a special occasion option only, unless you happen to have fairly deep pockets, and can afford to make weekly reservations. Well worth a try for all you fine diners out there, who might be in town on business or pleasure and want to push Liverpool's limits and find a top class fine dining restaurant. Feel free to be lured into Elude.

I stumbled across this restaurant today and although it was pretty quiet inside the menu looked…read moreamazing, this is a small plate restaurant so I order three small plates one being the seafood selection, Squid, king prawn and whitebait with black aioli. Tender baby pork ribs followed by slow cooked duck. With a portion of potato fries with salt and chilli, finishing off the meal with a large crème brûlée. I have got to say the meal was outstanding.... a must if you visit Liverpool

The Left Bank Brasserie is tucked away behind the main streets in Ormskirk. It is a lovely little…read moreplace which appears tiny from the outside but is spacious inside. As soon as I walked in with my parents they were greeted warmly by the owner as they regularly go to the Left Bank for lunch. The owner then introduced himself to me and he was charming and very welcoming. We were there on a Sunday and we had a 2 course meal for £6.95. I had Dip Fried Goats cheese and then Lamb Rump Steak with mint mash and veg for my main course. Every mouthful of the food I had was heavenly and cooked perfectly. The service was impeccable and I can't wait to go there again.

Is this... wrong? Or is it tongue-in-cheek? Ah, of course, it's very tongue-in-cheek. Le Frog…read morefocuses on British food and gives it a French twist. First of all, the place is decorated spiffingly. Literally. Spiffingly. It's astonishingly gorgeous, just my kind of quirky decor - a ceiling plastered in newspaper, lovely quaint wooden features, neutral and pastel colours... the whole thing looks like it could have come out of a Hans Christian Anderson story. There are plenty of French favourites on offer like starters of a twice baked cheese soufflé, French onion soup gratin, tartlet with spring vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms and spinach, and more unusual options such as black pudding with chicken roulade, Thai fishcakes, potted shrimp with warm brown toast and hot smoked salmon or tempura veg. I'd call it a more Modern European affair to be honest with its additional pastas and risottos (the spaghetti with salmon and lobster is just heavenly indulgence) and you can have these in small or large portions. The sharing platters are excellent value and mains like lamb shank, duck breast, baked chicken, pork trio, a filo parcel of sun-blushed tomato, goat's cheese and spinach, all of which occupy the fusion cuisine spectrum Le Frog seems to operate within. Oh and there's steaks for the super carnivorous. The side orders aren't just supporting actors here, they're stars. Veg are cooked perfectly al dente, the broccoli hollandaise is delicious, I'd highly recommend the breads with dips and you can get potatoes in many forms - French fries, Cajun fries, garlic and chive mash and even the garlic bread comes in three varieties. All of these are stonkingly good value at under £3 each! Sorry about the dreadful pun, but I'm hopping crazy for Le Frog. See if you agree.

I hate frogs, but I like this place. Never really been a fan of French cuisine, more weird than…read morewonderful I'm afraid. However I was told the menu also carries a Mediterranean twist which worked in its favour!! I was unable to find my peace with the decor of the place, yes the decor is quirky but is it cool?? I wasn't so sure.....you'll have to decide yourself. The food, well again I must say if I'm honest I have had better. It lacked substance I thought. Perhaps the French have over the years had so much red wine with their food that their taste buds have been filed down. My marinated breast of chicken lacked a bit of umph!! The lemon, thymed and garlic chicken was served on roast vegetable cous cous with chive creme fraiche. I'm not sorry at all that my taste buds are absolute whores!!!!! Yes they are , they have been around the block and indulged in every fit cuisine around and had their way ever which way. This meal didn't quite do it for me. Having said that I did only try one of the mains and I'd like to try some of the other ones. Perhaps an update is needed. I'm sorry froggy it takes more than a decent decor to impress me son!!! We'll meet again and we 'll see if seconds are any better!!

This is what I've been waiting for. Excellent, simple cooking done to perfection…read more The second venture from the guys who brought us Sticky Walnut near Chester, have smiled upon us with Burnt Truffle. On a residential road in Heswall it's about an hour away from Manchester City Centre via car, and well worth the trip! The building is lovely, a large house and when we entered we were seated upstairs amongst around 10 other small tables. Decorated excellently, it gives off a lovely but quite casual bistro feel. After a quick glass of champagne, I started to place my order. For the record, I could have eaten EVERYTHING on this menu! Every single one of the dishes sounded great. We enjoyed some sourdough bread with truffle butter and then came my starter, the cured salmon, gazpacho, avocado, cherry tomato and pickled cucumber - which was excellent! My main course was also brilliant. I had opted for the confit duck leg and faggot, which was served with braised celery, skordalia and cherries. Melt in your mouth meat and the vegetables were a great accompaniment. I finished off with the blackberry frangipane tart with a crème fraiche sorbet. I was a very happy lady. I cannot fault Burnt Truffle. For the food you're eating, the prices are extremely modest! And the service is second to none.

Unless you've been living under a rock (apologies to the community of insects and other creatures…read morethat do), Burnt Truffle in Heswall is the Kickstarter funded (well the first £100k) sister restaurant of critically acclaimed Hoole bistro, Sticky Walnut. Opening in July 2015 Burnt Truffle has also garnered near universal praise, so what better way to spend a birthday lunch, than having a lovely drive up the M62, M56, and M53. Complimentary fizz is always a welcome surprise, however, complimentary bread, sourdough, truffle and walnut butter to be precise is as good as it gets. Perfectly baked sourdough with rich, salty, and creamy butter with a hint of truffle should be the way all meals start. (Thank you, Emma) I opted for the grilled mackerel, Jerusalem artichoke, poached turnip and nut ragu to start. The beautifully cooked fish married perfectly with the subtle artichoke puree and slightly al dente turnip. The crunchy nut added a welcome different texture to proceedings. Having visited an acclaimed Manchester-based French restaurant the night before and sampled their signature chicken dish I probably shouldn't have opted for chicken for my main. However, since seeing its development on Twitter via Manager Emma I couldn't help myself. And I know I shouldn't make comparisons but the Burnt Truffle dish of truffled chicken mousse, poached breast, pancetta fat potato, shimeji mushrooms and caramelised onion was hands-down the clear winner of the 'cockfight'. Everything was inch-perfect. The lightly crumbed truffle chicken mousse was creamy and rich, the breast was moist and full of flavour, the crispy potato bursting with pancetta flavour, and I could have eaten a whole bowl of the crispy chicken skin as crisps - possible business idea? The hand cut truffle and parmesan chips were as good as they have always been on my previous visits and I decided that the honey roast chantey carrots were so good I now feel sorry for all other carrots I would be eating going forward. Despite my lack of a 'sweet tooth,' I couldn't resist the chocolate marquise, caramelised pear, blood orange and pistachio for dessert. The dense chocolate marquis was balanced impeccably with the sweet pear, salty pistachio and tart orange. Having visited the Burnt Truffle late-ish last year and included it in my favourite meals of 2015, as well visiting the original sister restaurant Sticky Walnut just prior to Christmas, you may feel I'd had my fair share of 'Elite Bistros of the World', but when the food is this good, and as well priced as this I am adamant I could visit daily and never grow tired of it. So many restaurants over complicate things; be it the addition of an unnecessary ingredient, a gimmick or ridiculous presentation. Not at Burnt Truffle. The highest-quality ingredients, cooked with care and precision at what it is genuinely unfathomable value (£55 for 3 courses and a large glass of wine). Owner Gary Usher said it best himself when he spoke before opening the restaurant: "the philosophy is to serve quality ingredients without the fuss." Mission accomplished. P.S. - Just to further reference the fabulous service. As well as the complimentary prosecco and bread, at the end of the meal I was brought the below. Now that's the very definition of great service.

Bistro Noir is a fairly regular haunt for me, either for socialising or for informal business…read moremeetings and I must say it scores well for both... With its extremely good value 3 courses for £9.99 deal Sunday to Tuesday then their still pretty appealing 2 courses for £12.95 Weds to Saturday you can have a good old feed here and not break the bank (although you might need to wear your elasticated waist trousers...the last time I went with a friend on a Tuesday night she insisted on me ordering a dessert even though I was full. "But I can't eat it!" I said. "Never mind, she replied, "I'll eat it for you. But you HAVE to order it because it's part of the deal!!!" I had to practically roll her home... The menu is actually rather an odd mix of styles in my opinion with a mix of British (roasts), American (burgers), classic French (pates and steaks), Mediterranean (feta salads and calamari) Jamaican and Asian (plus last time I was in they were playing Spanish or Mexican music - go figure) but to be honest you don't go to Bistro Noir for continuity of culinary style. The starters are always tasty and a decent size and the main courses rarely a disappointment. I always really enjoy the Jamaican goat curry and there is a beautiful Sri Lankan chicken curry that I thoroughly recommend. And keep your eyes open for the specials...I once had a fillet steak with Stroganoff sauce and creamy mash potatoes. I still drool now thinking about it. I rarely eat a dessert when out for an evening meal so I tend to sample the B.N puds and cakes when in there for a coffee sometimes of an afternoon. They do a gluten free chocolate torte which is a little piece of heaven on a plate. And as a woman who is extremely fussy about how I like my coffee, I have to say their lattes are second to none. All in all a big thumbs up from me. Fine dining it ain't but tasty food in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere it is. And you'll have money left over for drinks on Lark Lane afterwards...

I had an enjoyable late lunch here last Saturday. Although the décor is up to standard for a…read morebistro, the preponderance of families with tots ensured the atmosphere didn't get too rarified! But this wasn't a problem for me, and the ambience is probably more sophisticated during the evening. The cake and dessert selection is a big thing here with everything being made from scratch. Vegetarian options on the menu were enough - a soup of the day, panninis (?) and a couple of mains. I enjoyed my choice of baked red pepper stuffed with couscous, sundried tomatoes, olives and with a pesto over the top. I specifically asked, and the chips are definitely handcut on the premises. Everything on the plate was as it should be. Chips, albeit handcut, seems to be a bit of a fallback to fill out the vegetarian option in British 'bistros'. For me, the couscous stuffing here was more enjoyable and healthful than the chips. The service was friendly and attentive, although I did feel that one waitress was haring around the tables a bit much - a wee bit more serenity does wonders for the digestion, I find! Price is definitely right - I don't have the receipt to hand, but £6.99 is my recollection. I would have no problems with eating here again. If you like the ambience of West Didsbury in Manchester you might like to checkout Lark Lane, which has similar options for comparing the menus of a tight concentration of 'foodie' restaurants and pubs before making your choice. And with Sefton Park, the regenerated Festival Gardens and Riverside Walk (basically, a new promenade along the side of the River Mersey) nearby, this part of the world is definitely worth a visit.