#AD #PressEvent I absolutely adore this time of year. The weather is just starting to turn but not too baltic and we can start the gently crawl towards Christmas without feeling too frantic. And the Christmas food starts appearing!
We were recently invited to Il Forno in Liverpool’s Duke Street to celebrate the launch of their Christmas menu. A group of Liverpool local bloggers got into the Christmas spirit with a welcome glass of bubbly and a warm welcome as we were offered the chance to try a wide selection of Christmas starters, main courses and dessert dishes.
The first starter that we tried is one that has stuck in my mind since. The Chicken Liver Pate Bruschetta was so rich, tasty and luxurious I was afraid it would be a hard act to follow for the rest of the meal. You will see from the picture that it was served on a variety of breads including squid ink bruschetta which were a lovely touch.
Now not being a huge cheese fan, I often find Italian restaurants a teeny bit worrying. I needn’t fear though as so many of the dishes were cheese free but definitely not taste free. Another huge success for me were the Gamberoni – Huge pan-fried King Prawns in a garlic butter and chilli sauce with juicy cherry tomatoes. I loved the slight kick that these gave. Another winner was the Burrata e Salmone (Smoked Salmon Tartar with creamy burrata Cheese). Not a dish I would have normally thought to order but such a wonderful surprise. The standard of fish at Il Forno Liverpool was wonderful and a definite highlight to the evening.
Actually, the only dish that I found slightly too cheesy all night was one that my fellow diners absolutely raved about. The vegetarian Parmigiano (Oven-Baked Aubergine, Parmesan with Tomato Sauce, Basil and Pesto) was a huge hit with even the meat eaters on the table.
So onto the main courses – Again the fish dishes were a complete success. We loved the Merluzzo (Cod Fillet served on Crushed New Potatoes with Cherry Tomatoes) and the Chargrilled Seabass Fillet (Branzino all Brace). By this point in the meal we were starting to struggle but not wanting to give up on this delicious food. The chargrilled vegetables served with the Seabass were a welcome palate cleanser – I still think about the Sweet potato.
Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly be served any more, out came the Lamb Shank in Red Wine Jus (Stinco D’Agnello) -Just as rich as it should be and fell from the bone with ease. If I had one slight criticism, it would be that the broccoli was undercooked and inedible.
I’d been warned in advance to save myself for the mighty Strudel Mela (Warm Apple Strudel with vanilla ice cream) and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The crumb was incredible and so crunchy with a hint of cinnamon.
The grand finale came in the form of a chocolate bomb with a flourish of warm chocolate sauce. Sadly our bomb didn’t quite melt enough but we got the gist and it didn’t spoil the delicious dessert. The chocolate bomb hid a coconut cheesecake.
For more information about Il Forno’s Christmas Menus visit their website. Christmas Menus are available from Monday 18th November to Monday 30th December. Christmas Party Dinner Menus similar to what we ate are 2 courses for £25 or 3 courses for £29.
We were invited to sample the Il Forno Liverpool Christmas Party Dinner Menu in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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