No strangers to the gastronomic pantheon of England, the brothers Galvin have always been a formidable force on the simmering and roasting fields of French cuisine, with a handful of restaurants to their name in just a few years, all with equal acclaim. A rainy day’s wandering around Liverpool street awakened the slight memory of there being a Galvin establishment in the vicinity and upon entering, the grand building housing La Chapelle bestowed a breathtaking sight with its giant windows, high ceiling and stunning design.
A couple of familiar faces in the front of house (from time spent at the Orrery) meant I was soon nursing a lovely glass of bubbly whilst perusing the menu, which, to be honest, was a very quick affair – it was almost as though the dishes chose me.
Red mullet
Duck
Souffle
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Escabeche of red mullet, spiced aubergine puree: As good a classic as ever, with a slight twist of cumin infused aubergine puree. Personally, it could all have been a tiny bit warmer, and the pickled vegetables themselves were a bit uni-dimensional in their complexity. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable dish that could have been better.
Ah yes! YES! Roast Gosnargh duck, beetroot, cabbage, wild mushrooms What a beauty. Sweet and fruity beetroot puree, roast golden beets, chanterelles and cabbage – a hearty forkful with contrasting elements in classic harmony.
I never order souffles. Never! It’s because what one often gets is a hot eggy mushy frothy thing. However, having made souffles during my time at Galvins, this is the only place I would order a souffle as with that recipe, it’s a given that it will be a perfect souffle - light, well cooked, fruity. All the magic combinations. Oh, and here they added milk ice cream. Just lovely!
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And to finish, raspberry macaroons, chocolate truffles.
Delightful.
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Overall experience: 8
Food: 7
Recommend you go: 7
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