Restaurant Name: Panoramic
Location: Beetham West Tower - 34th Floor, Brook Street, L3 9PJ
Link to their website: http://www.panoramicliverpool.com/How many went: 2 people
What was [roughly] ordered: Starters: Skate w/ capers, almond butter & chicken wings; scallops w/ black pudding
Mains: Lamb w/ sweetbreads, kidney, bulgar wheat; Rosseval potato terrine with truffles, duck egg & salad leaves
Desserts: Honey brioche; cheese plate
Drink: Bottle of Covilla Rioja Reserva, glass of Taylor 10-year port
Review of the Food: In my opinion, the food was pretty outstanding in almost every respect.
The meal started with a very nice "amuse bouche" from the chef of salmon (slightly rare) with a lemon vanilla sauce drizzle.
My friend's skate starter was very tasty, lightly pan seared in almond butter. Perhaps a little oilier than it could've been; probably from the chicken stuffed inside (yes, you read right) but still very good, with the capers balancing it out. My scallop starter was absolutely superb - I've had too many toughish scallops lately but these were just right. And the black pudding was to die for; I really had dreams about it all weekend and would kill to have it again. I think it would appeal to even those who don't like pudding normally - just really well-seasoned, slightly crispy and am literally licking my lips now thinking about it. One of the best things I've eaten in a long, long time.
Regarding the main courses: nouvelle cuisine is definitely in play here - not someplace you'd come if you're expecting big portions though the lamb and beef entrees would probably do you pretty well. Also, people's concerns about the use of "less popular" parts of animals is understandable but thankfully they do not take centerstage: as the host (owner?) told us, the chef uses them more for presentation than for substance. This did seem to be the case as far as my friend's lamb entree was concerned (and on the plates of the couple at the next table), though if you're adventurous and want to tuck in those types of foodstuffs, you certainly can.
The lamb was excellent, served medium rare and was incredibly tender. The quality of meat was just so apparent - really lovely and not too much seasoning required. My potato terrine was quite small - a decent serving of truffle on board (which no doubt explained the price for the dish) but very tasty. I was warned that it was smallish (and was not misled), so I pass that along to anyone who feels skittish about some of the other entrees and felt it might be the safest alternative; you'll want another starter or dessert to compensate.
Finally, the recommended honeycomb brioche was quite good; too sweet for me but my friend enjoyed it. The cheeseplate was decent - as almost everywhere, the most conservative assortment was presented: all relatively mild cow's milk cheeses. Good but what about either mixing it up taste or texture wise just a little? The only disappointment of the meal for me, but again, that's not too different from anywhere these days.
Review of the venue:First off, you get an immediate idea of type of considered personal service to expect as soon as you enter the building on Brook Street - you are greeted at the security desk on the ground floor, then personally escorted into the elevator that takes you up to the restaurant's 34th floor location.
The views - obviously the main draw - are spectacular. It was still light out (6pm) when we were there and can't complain as visibility was excellent on Friday, but I'd have loved to see it at nighttime. The space is divided in half, with the bar area actually having the better views, so you may want think about reserving there (if allowed?) rather than in the full restaurant itself as there is also a smaller "finger food" menu available.
From the decor to the incredibly attentive service, you just feel like every detail has been scrutinized and planned for without being too overwhelming. Also, a big plus was not being rushed in the least; it felt like they may in fact do only one or two seatings an evening as we spent over two hours there and still felt under no pressure to get out. All that said, it somehow still had a fairly unpretentious and relaxed feel in my opinion for a restaurant with that caliber of food and service.
Would you go again? YES!
Would you recommend it to friends and family? Already have!
Any known offers of fixed menus? Can't imagine there are any
Price Paid: Don't really want to say! But you can probably hazard a guess from the order, the setting and the quality of food (or can total it up yourself by going to the website). It was a special occasion and no regrets for one minute. Also bear in mind that wine bumped up the overall price a bit as the list contains some very nice (and pricey) offerings.
Overall score out of 10: 9+
We lucked into this reservation due to a last-minute cancellation and had heard terrific things about the place. I still haven't read the Guardian review though can imagine its complaints (as well as those others might have). But it's the sort of place by its pretensions food/venue-wise where you know what to expect going in (so find it odd for anyone to grouse). Even with that, we were really surprised by the quality of food, service and ambience. Not everyone's cup of tea for sure (and not a cheap night out!), but definitely worth a visit in my opinion. One of my best dining experiences of the last few years. Sorry to have prattled on but as I know it's getting a bit of buzz, I wanted to give a pretty good idea of the place. I'm attaching a couple of photos from the restaurant side.