THE MARITIME DINING ROOMS
As a resident in Liverpool, I am one of those who “always intends” to do the tourist thing but never quite gets round to it, so consequentially tourists to the city probably know more about our heritage than I do. I was recently invited to sample the fares at the newly opened Maritime Dining Rooms on the fourth floor of the Maritime Museum, a place that I have never visited due to a lifelong struggle with sea sickness! I took Nancy Barton, Downtown’s office manager, who it seems has good sturdy sea legs!
Local architects, Austin Smith : Lord are responsible for the interior concept, and a jolly fine job they have done too. The spacious 120 cover restaurant has more of a deco feel than a nautical one (which, the latter I anticipated….wrongly!).
We sat to the right of the dual aspect dining area (or the left, depending which end you stand!) overlooking the deck chair (apparently the nickname for the new Museum of Liverpool… which I love. I imagine Daniel Craig to parachute from a giro-copter, slide down the roof slope onto a waiting Jet Ski and shoot up to Birkenhead with a Terries chocolate orange for his missus!)
The menu has been devised by Nigel Paul Smith using his past experience of cooking for the likes of Gordon Ramsey (the insufferable foul mouthed bore) and Paul Gayler (who?). Presentation wavers between Haute and Nouveau cuisine, with a distinct contemporary twist. (I love Wikipedia!).
We were both impressed and managed a starter, main course and dessert in the space of an hour. We discussed some business, drank some wine and admired the teapot (that was Nancy to be honest….I just played along. I might take here to IKEA or the Lisbon and show her some real teapots!)
The food was absolutely top class and very reasonably priced. The Maritime Museum is without doubt a great destination for a business lunch or Afternoon tea.
Book a table on 0151 478 4056.
Labels: Downtown, Liverpool, Maritime Musuem, Museum of Liverpool
