Cracking read. I've never been but like the writer I'm divided on this. Pleased but annoyed Liverpool has a place like this. If I were loaded enough to splurge hundreds of pounds on a meal, I could live with the small portions but by the sounds of it the music would do my head in.
I too feel conflicted about this - it’s great that Liverpool has such a restaurant but the whole ‘tasting menu’ puts me off (Lerpwl at the Albert Dock tried the same approach and ultimately closed, which isn’t a great omen). David’s article makes it sound like the restaurant in last year’s Ralph Fiennes film The Menu, so you could save yourself a lot of money and have a similar experience by precisely arranging dips on a tortilla chip and watching the film on a streaming service .
Great article which made me smile this morning with my coffee. You really evoked the essence of the place and the feeling of being a voyeur with your participants in a pretentious side show.
Nice article. Definitely captures the Instagram feel of some city-based "fine dining" experiences.
Happily you can still get three or four courses of Michelin-approved lovely grub for under £50 or so per head, although you usually have to cross the Channel to find them.
Entertaining piece, I actually felt hungry at the end of it, I’d probably head for a maccies or a kebab before I went home. It actually sounded like a scene from a movie. I remember one where the characters ate in the pitch dark. The place sounded a bit pretentious and possibly out of reach for the majority of people in view of the prices.
Did you spot a flabby old emperor-type chappie wanderin around in the nack by any chance? Laughed out loud reading this - loved the 'egg in the hat teppanyaki' stroke. I'm more a Keith's on a Friday night sort of woman - don't get the 'food as theatre' schtick. It's for eating &/or socialising. But if it gets me a read of this quality (on someone else's dollar) bring it on. Well done.
"Dining became a stand-up routine that cut straight to the punchlines." What a perfect distillation of the trade in a piece stuffed with such delicious morsels.
Last week we were across town at The Old Art School where you can put your hand up for a lengthy tasting menu, but where we opted for a short a la carte which gave us time to get to know each impressive and pitch-perfect dish. There were swoon-worthy snacks, beautiful breads with inventive whipped butters and delightful amuse-bouches, alongside an elegantly built wine list. The atmosphere, setting and staff could not have been more conducive to a relaxed and special evening. So old school fine dining is still to be had, with so much space to spread out that your neighbours may not even notice your hotpants.
Love this
Bravo, bravo! This is a joyful and wonderfully cynical piece of writing that surely, should be up there with the best. Well done. That's showbiz!
Cracking read. I've never been but like the writer I'm divided on this. Pleased but annoyed Liverpool has a place like this. If I were loaded enough to splurge hundreds of pounds on a meal, I could live with the small portions but by the sounds of it the music would do my head in.
I'm glad you avoided the word 'pretentious' but it's lurking like a shark underneath.
Cracking review.
I hope 8 thrives & lasts for years in Liverpool but it may have to loosen the controls a bit.
Very good writing from David!
I too feel conflicted about this - it’s great that Liverpool has such a restaurant but the whole ‘tasting menu’ puts me off (Lerpwl at the Albert Dock tried the same approach and ultimately closed, which isn’t a great omen). David’s article makes it sound like the restaurant in last year’s Ralph Fiennes film The Menu, so you could save yourself a lot of money and have a similar experience by precisely arranging dips on a tortilla chip and watching the film on a streaming service .
Spot on. Art for Art’s sake Money for God’s sake as 10cc would say.
Superb article by David, as always. More please!
Great article which made me smile this morning with my coffee. You really evoked the essence of the place and the feeling of being a voyeur with your participants in a pretentious side show.
Wonderful, delightful reading: your words leave me more satisfied than a microcress microsandwich ever could.
Brilliant David... you took us there with you.. I can still taste those tantalisingly teensy bites and feel the heavy weight of their presence !
Sounds like the place should feature in the next Saw movie
Nice article. Definitely captures the Instagram feel of some city-based "fine dining" experiences.
Happily you can still get three or four courses of Michelin-approved lovely grub for under £50 or so per head, although you usually have to cross the Channel to find them.
I've got a few lined up for June, can't wait!
Entertaining piece, I actually felt hungry at the end of it, I’d probably head for a maccies or a kebab before I went home. It actually sounded like a scene from a movie. I remember one where the characters ate in the pitch dark. The place sounded a bit pretentious and possibly out of reach for the majority of people in view of the prices.
Did you spot a flabby old emperor-type chappie wanderin around in the nack by any chance? Laughed out loud reading this - loved the 'egg in the hat teppanyaki' stroke. I'm more a Keith's on a Friday night sort of woman - don't get the 'food as theatre' schtick. It's for eating &/or socialising. But if it gets me a read of this quality (on someone else's dollar) bring it on. Well done.
"Dining became a stand-up routine that cut straight to the punchlines." What a perfect distillation of the trade in a piece stuffed with such delicious morsels.
Last week we were across town at The Old Art School where you can put your hand up for a lengthy tasting menu, but where we opted for a short a la carte which gave us time to get to know each impressive and pitch-perfect dish. There were swoon-worthy snacks, beautiful breads with inventive whipped butters and delightful amuse-bouches, alongside an elegantly built wine list. The atmosphere, setting and staff could not have been more conducive to a relaxed and special evening. So old school fine dining is still to be had, with so much space to spread out that your neighbours may not even notice your hotpants.