Puschka, Liverpool

UPDATE: Puschka is now, regrettably, permanently closed.

“I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best” - Oscar Wilde

The restaurant scene in Liverpool is booming. There are now more fantastic places to eat in the city than ever before.

One of my favourite areas to visit for a meal is Liverpool’s historic Georgian quarter. I recently dined in one of the area’s most popular restaurants, Puschka. It opened its doors in 2001, why it’s taken me this long to visit is beyond me. Everyone I know who has been has raved about the place. 

It’s is a little independent restaurant on Rodney Street and has been quietly and consistently building an impressive collection of awards in recent years.

It isn’t clear where the name Puschka came from, apparently it may be a pet name for a friend of the owners, but whatever the origin, it’s certainly quirky and makes it all the more memorable. 

Inside the restaurant reflects its location, neatly sat between Liverpool’s classic Hope Street and bohemian Bold Street. The decor is intimate and cosy with candle-lit tables and fresh flowers. Pops of purple feature against a backdrop of wooden walls and floral cushions. 

The delicious menus change seasonally with all dishes made fresh using, where possible, local produce. Provenance of ingredients is taken very seriously, so much so it has it’s own dedicated space on the menu.

Vegetables are brought in from farms over on the Wirral, meat is sourced from Lancashire and Cumbria, fish from Fleetwood. You get the picture!

We visited one lazy Sunday afternoon. Our waiter was charming and the service was great, the food took some time to arrive but that’s to be expected due to everything being freshly made. There is a little note on the menu to advise you to expect a slight delay. 

The atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely. Elegant enough to enjoy a celebration but relaxed enough for a laid-back group meal, not in the least bit pretentious.

Once inside you feel like you’re in a little haven off the beaten track, you don’t want to leave.

“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing” - Oscar Wilde 

One of my biggest gripes in life is when people quibble over the cost of freshly made, good quality food. Sadly many of the reviews I read of Puschka mention how expensive the menu is. I’m not sure how people can go to a restaurant like this, producing the wonderful food that it does, served by such lovely - well trained - staff, and not expect to pay decent money for the experience. 

Puschka is a little hidden gem. If you’re a foodie it’s definitely one to try and well worth the cost. Just make sure you book in advance!

The only downside to our visit was that we were too full from our starters and mains, we were unable to even consider dessert.

I’m hoping to return this week to sample some pudding as a birthday treat… so family, if you’re reading this, hint hint!

Puschka

The Spa @ Suites Hotel, Liverpool

“All I want is world peace and a pedicure” - unknown

One of the great things about blogging is that you learn about places to try that you probably wouldn’t have known about otherwise. 

I was recently invited to one such place, The Spa @ Suites Hotel in Liverpool, for a pamper day with my friend. 

Nestled away in the most unlikely of places, just off the M57 motorway in Knowsley, I’ve driven past dozens of times without realising it even existed. The exterior gives little away about the indulgent spa experience that you can experience inside.

Suites is the only 4* hotel in the North West that provides all of its guests with suites. Hence the name! The privately owned hotel opened in September 2014 and The Spa has since become a popular destination for a luxury pamper. 

Facilities include a Thermal Suite with Double Rasul Chamber, Sinann Foot Spa, Rainforest Showers, Hot Beds, Himalayan Salt Inhalation Steam Room, Sauna and Ice Room offering a range of heat, ice and water treatments.

The leisure facilities include an 18 metre swimming pool, two Jacuzzis and a fully equipped gym.

Therapists are trained to Decléor and Carita standards, offering over 90 treatments. There’s a choice of manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, wraps, therapies, anti-ageing treatments, treatments for mums-to-be, couples treatments… the list is almost endless. 

My friend had the Drift Signature Treatment. This began with a skin softening body brush followed by a warm soya bean oil drizzled over the body before a full body massage. Guests are given the rest of the massage candle to take with them to enjoy at home. 

I had the Twin Souls Treatment, an exfoliation of hands and feet before a deep relaxation massage of both. 

After our treatments we went to the Thermal Spa for a sauna before retreating to the Relaxation Suite.

This little sanctuary allows you to relax and unwind while sipping a cup of tea. Perfect!

The venue also offers dining and drinking destinations in the form of Handley’s Brassiere and Bollinger Bar. Those visiting The Spa have exclusive access to the Spa Bistro, which serves up healthy and indulgent light-bites.

With a range of facilities and treatments on offer, The Spa @ Suites Hotel, truly was a pleasant surprise. It just goes to show that you can find a little bit of luxury in the most unlikely of places. 

Spa@Suites Hotel, Ribblers Lane, Liverpool, L34 9HA

The Spa @ Suites Hotel

+44 (0)151 549 2222

Cocktail Saturdays was a guest of Suites Hotel

Neighbourhood, Liverpool

“Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood.” - Louise Lester Beal 

Following our glamorous day of fashion shows and celebrity talks at the British Style Collective, my friend and I were looking for somewhere equally as glitzy to have dinner. 

We landed on Neighbourhood Liverpool, having visited the sister restaurant in Manchester last year. With a focus on live music and cocktails, it was the perfect place to continue our stylish weekend. 

Set in an imposing Grade II-listed building on Castle Street, built in 1868 for the Alliance Bank, it has recently been renovated into an elegant restaurant with a pop twist. Pink parlour seating and marble tables under 80s neon signs give the space a laid back Miami vibe. 

The menu is described as all-day brasserie style with European and new American cuisine influences. Offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, as well as a vibrant bar area, Neighbourhood has something for everyone to “Dine. Drink. Dance.”

I had a beetroot salad and my friend had an aubergine bake. We both ordered a side of the most delicious roasted sweet potato wedges (so tasty they were hoovered up before I remembered to photograph them. Bad blogger, but a good excuse for a return visit!) 

For pudding my friend had lemon meringue pie while I couldn’t resist the chocolate bomb. 

Service was excellent and the atmosphere was buzzing. Our seats were perfectly elevated so that we could people watch across the bar.

We enjoyed ourselves so much we returned the following morning for Sunday brunch. 

Breakfasts have really taken off in this area of Liverpool and Neighbourhood has jumped on this opportunity to offer a bottomless brunch menu. Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, diners can enjoy unlimited Prosecco, Cocktails or Bloody Marys alongside a range of delicious breakfast dishes for just £35.00. 

The venue also offers two private dining rooms catering for upwards of 30 guests and a mezzanine level which is also available for private functions. 

As well as the Manchester and Liverpool sites, Neighbourhood is opening a third venue in Leeds next month.

Regardless of when you visit, be it in the evening for cocktails or a hangover brunch the following day, make sure you dress to impress!

www.neighbourhoodrestaurant.co.uk

British Style Collective, Liverpool

The British Style Collective arrived in Liverpool last weekend for a three-day fashion and beauty extravaganza. 

After spending more than 30 years based at Birmingham's NEC under the name The Clothes Show, the event has been rebranded and moved to its new northern home for a city-wide takeover. Huge names from the world of fashion and beauty, including celebrities, designers, models and bloggers, all took part. 

The event kicked off on Friday with a fashion catwalk at Liverpool's ECHO Arena. Renowned British designers including Philip Armstrong, Sorapol and Edeline Lee, and Lisbon based designer David Ferreira all showcased their collections.

Shows took place across the weekend at the beautiful St George’s Hall which hosted exclusive Q&A sessions and insider interviews, allowing the audience to delve a little deeper into the glamorous world of fashion. 

Caryn Franklin MBE interviewed singer and presenter Kimberley Walsh

Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing spoke about his brand Candy Kittens and his pal Alex Mytton also appeared, fresh off a flight from Ibiza. 

British designer Henry Holland spoke about his brand, House of Holland. 

Singer Mollie King spoke with Caryn Franklin MBE

Glamour magazine’s editor Jo Elvin joined with Lisa Snowdon and Jules Von Hep.

Celebrity stylist Sabina Emrit joined a panel including Towie's Lydia Bright and Glamour beauty director Alessandra Steinherr to discuss dressing for confidence. 

Another Made in Chelsea favourite appeared, Lucy Watson. 

With all of those interviews, it’s no wonder host Antonia O’Brien took a little nap in between talks. 

There was opportunity to mingle with the speakers after each session, both Mollie and Alessandra Steinherr were absolutely gogeous. 

The event also had a significant blogger presence, with Megan Ellaby of Pages By Megan, Olivia Purvis of What Olivia Did, Sarah Ashcroft of That Pommie Girl, Helen Canning of Coco Mama Style and Alex Light of What Alex Wears.

Designer Wayne Hemingway hosted the Fine Tuned event at the Albert Dock, a collection of independent designers, street food vendors, vintage traders and performers.

Perhaps my favourite talk was with Brit designer Gary James McQueen, nephew of the late great Alexander McQueen. He spoke about how he intends to continue his family’s legacy with the launch of his new collection of made-to-order hand printed silk scarves. It was a real treat for him to debut his collection in Liverpool and a nicer guy you could not wish to meet. 

It was fantastic to see our beautiful city hosting such a glamorous event and I’m thrilled to hear it’s coming back next year!

Wahaca, Liverpool

With the exception of a few flimsy fajitas made at home, or a tray of nachos at the cinema, I’ve not tried much Mexican cuisine. Drinks are a different story (I’m looking at you Tequila!) So when my brother suggested trying a new Mexican restaurant for lunch, I wasn’t too enthused. However, he was paying….

Wahaca is a Mexican street food restaurant on College Lane in Liverpool One. The Wahaca restaurant group was created in 2007 by Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers. A move inspired by her travels to Mexico and falling in love with the country and cuisine. 

Miers teamed up with fellow Mexico enthusiast Mark Selby to open a restaurant back home. They aimed to recreate the vibrant colours, flavours and character that they had both experienced in Mexico’s markets. The group has since grown and now has 24 eateries throughout the UK. 

Determined to do things a little differently to the usual Mexican food offerings, the menu focuses on freshly prepared dishes designed for sharing. The restaurant sources tequila and mescal direct from Mexico.

Wahaca have an honest approach to their menu. An authentic meal experience that shows off the vibrancy and freshness of real Mexican food. Think freshly made guacamole with lime juice, ripe Hass avocados, seasonal vegetables and zingy salsas. 

The decor is equally as zingy. Bold blues, yellows and greens are used throughout. There's an outside terrace area for customers as well as a football table. This place will certainly brighten up a dull day. 

Our waiter, Joey, suggested we order 2-3 smaller dishes each to share between us.  My brother is also vegetarian which meant we could sample plenty of dishes during our visit.

Joey circled each of our choices on our paper menus. Shortly thereafter our dishes began arriving, as and when they were ready…

Plantain tacos with sweet and spicy chipotle adobe and feta.

Roasted sweet potato, feta and caramelised red onion wrapped in a crispy blue tortilla and dotted with salsa. 

Slow cooked black bean and cheese quesadillas. 

And, crispy fried chunks of sweet potato. 

So, am I a Mexican food convert? Put it this way, if Donald Trump knew authentic Mexican cuisine was this good, he definitely wouldn’t be building that wall!

Wahaca Liverpool

24 College Lane, Liverpool, L1 3DS

0151 541 9174