Food: A Vietnamese Treat at Pho Café, Bold Street, Liverpool*

Food: A Vietnamese Treat at Pho Café, Bold Street, Liverpool*

Sunday, 28 May 2017

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If you know anything about me at all, you’ll know that I really, really like going out for dinner and trying new foods. When I was given the opportunity to check out the menu at a new joint – Pho Café on Bold Street – I absolutely jumped at the opportunity and invited my best friend along for the ride. We booked in for a Wednesday afternoon and arrived ready and waiting to eat some amazing dishes.

Pho café is in an absolutely prime location, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the Bold Street shops and restaurants. The interiors are spectacular and I found myself spending a significant amount of time before looking at the menu just checking out all the artwork and the layout of the place. For a Wednesday night, it was quite busy, with one large table occupied by a family party. Very good first impressions.

We were greeted immediately by a waiter, who ensured that not only were we comfortable and given the help we needed, but ensured that our table was moved once a better one (with much better lighting for pictures…) became available. He told us all about the company and talked us through the menu, explaining different aspects and ensuring that we knew exactly what we were ordering!

Catrin and I decided that we weren’t actually THAT hungry (for us) so we decided to share a starter between the two of us, then grab a main and dessert each. One of the lovely ladies in the restaurant brought over a platter of prawn crackers and sweet chilli dip for us to nibble on, we ordered drinks (homemade lemonade) and finally set about deciding what we were going to eat. We umm-ed and ahh-ed over which starter to go for as they all just sounded SO delicious, but eventually decided on Cánh gà, which were crispy chicken wings with a spicy (!!) sriracha dip. The wings were salty and delicious and while I wasn’t brave enough to try the dip, Catrin was and whilst she used it sparingly, she quite liked it – I, on the other hand, dipped mine in the Sweet Chilli dip.

Mains were much easier to decide between – I’d actually decided what I was going to eat at lunch whilst at work earlier in the day and Catrin was very quick to decide what she was going to have as well. I went for Beef Phở Xào, which were wok fried noodles, with a generous serving of beef, lemongrass, beansprouts and peanuts. I’m always a little bit apprehensive getting foods with peanuts in them, not for my own safety but for other peoples’, but this dish was more than worth that. The portion sizes were fantastic, there was more than enough of everything. The entire dish was full of flavour, filling and very moreish. I’ll more than likely be returning and ordering this dish again. Catrin ordered the traditional Vietnamese dish, the Phở chín. This dish was an interesting one, as you were given the broth aspect of the dish, and then a side plate with herbs and sauces to make it exactly to your own taste: there’s absolutely no room for disappointment here. Again, the dish was plentiful in both quantity and flavour. This is another dish that I’d really like to go back and have a taste of, as I had some serious food envy watching Catrin eat it. Stomachs full, our thoughts turned straight back to the menu and what was to come next!

At this point in the meal, the lovely lady who had been so attentive towards us all evening suggested we try a few of the restaurant’s signature cocktails. I only had to see the word “Prosecco” on the menu before I pounced on the Rose Apple Bellini, whilst Catrin opted for the Phojito: a Vietnamese twist on the classic mojito. These drinks were interesting, simply because of the inclusion of rice spirit, something I’d never tasted before. The Bellini wasn’t really to my taste, as it was quite strong, but as a treat it was definitely something I was glad to have tried. On the other hand, the Phojito was absolutely delicious.

Of course, we couldn’t go to a restaurant and not get dessert. I avoid dairy, for health issues, so I decided to get the Kem sorbet, so I wouldn’t miss out. I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn at all when I say that it was probably the best sorbet I’ve eaten outside of Italy: it was absolutely delicious, sweet but not overbearing and was a fantastic, light end to a delicious meal. Catrin chose the Bánh sô-cô-la truffle, a delicious looking chocolate truffle slab served with a generous helping of green tea ice cream.

All in all, the food and service at Pho was incredible. The staff were attentive to our (and more importantly, to other customers) needs and I can see myself returning time and time again. I’m always looking for good and consistent places to eat so I can see this place becoming a staple in my life.

(Food and drinks were complimentary, thoughts and opinions remain my own)

Food: #YourNewMcDonalds #AD

Food: #YourNewMcDonalds #AD

Wednesday, 24 May 2017

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Ever since I was a little girl, McDonald’s has always been a place filled with excitement and good feelings. Whether it be a treat after a good school report, a place to hang out with friends on the Maltese waterfront after-school, or else just somewhere to go now, as a teacher, when a quick snack is needed after a long day of teaching and marking books, I know that I can always rely on McDonald’s to give me that little bit of comfort. I’ve eaten McDonald’s all over the world, in France, Spain and Germany alike, and the convenience of going into a restaurant and ordering a meal, knowing full well that it’ll be exactly as you want it, appeals to me on so many levels.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be invited witness the entire magic of McDonalds behind the scenes, in their Huyton Page Moss restaurant. Huyton’s a little bit out of the way for me, but the promise of an amazing experience spurred me on and I made my way (bags of school books in hand) to see what REALLY happens in the McDonald’s kitchen. I was advised that we (a few other bloggers and I) would get to meet a few of the people behind the Page Moss restaurant and learn all about how the company has transitioned into a multi-functional, technologically advanced comapny, as well as have the opportunity to make my very own burger. That’s right: with my own, bare hands. What a blinking fabulous opportunity!

I happened to go to the restaurant with 2 of my blogger friends, and after a quick detour via a different restaurant in Huyton, we arrived at Page Moss just in time for the shenanigans. We were greeted by Diane, the restaurant manager, and one of the men who had franchised into the McDonald’s brand, Mark Blundell. Mark has worked within the McDonald’s brand for 30 years and currently owns 5 restaurants across Liverpool. He is set to open a sixth restaurant, in Great Homer Street which will inevitably introduce jobs to the area. It’s also the first restaurant to be built within restaurant for 16 years, so definitely something to look forward to!

We sat down and Mark provided little drinks for us to sip at whilst he explained the enormous amount of changes that the restaurant, and the brand as a whole, had undergone over the last few years. He explained that whilst in the past food may have been sitting around for a short period of time (as in, twenty seconds maximum), ALL food at McDonald’s is now made fresh to order so there are no concerns about whether or not the food is fresh, hot and properly cooked. It also leads to improved customer convenience; you can order your burger exactly as you want it, with or without different ingredients, with no worry that you’ll be standing around waiting for an insufferable amount of time for your lunch. Making a quarter pounder without onions, for example, would take exactly the same amount of time to make as a normal, unaltered quarter pounder because of their fresh to order policy – an average time of between 120 and 180 seconds, Mark claims. The group split into two at this point, and myself, Sam and Katy went deep into the staff area and were kitted out with our very own, personalised McDonald’s uniform. To be honest with you, I don’t think I’ve ever been more chuffed to receive an apron and a hat as a gift and I was quick to get stuck in and put it on!

I’m not a big fan of the classic Big Mac burger so I opted to make my own Quarter Pounder with Cheese (sans mustard and onions). I’m going to be honest here, the whole experience was quite a stressful one and my respect for McDonald’s staff has risen exponentially as a result. The pace in the kitchen is incredibly fast and turnaround is equally so. I felt completely in the way and found myself apologising at every opportunity! After a very thorough hand-wash, I was able to get stuck in and make my burger. I started off by putting the patties on the grill and pressing them down with a very scary looking piece of equipment. After what felt like the blink of an eye, the burgers were cooked and I transferred them over to a tray for transport to the next ‘station.’ I learnt that in the McDonald’s kitchen, everyone has a different job to do – this definitely speeds up production and makes it possible to give the customer their food in their target time. I chose my toppings (a dollop of the red stuff) and toasted my buns, evenly on both sides, in the biggest toaster I’ve ever seen. Next, I was directed over to the fries station where, salted carefully, I directed my fries into the holder with expert (HA!) precision. I finished off by making myself a Mango and Pineapple smoothie, before settling down back in the restaurant to enjoy my creation. Did it taste good? It did. Could I master that and do it on a daily basis? Probably not. Hats (and hair-nets!) off to the amazing staff who do that day-in, day-out. I salute you.

One of the main improvements that the restaurant has undergone in the last few months is one that you’ve probably, as McDonald’s customers, already familiarised yourself with: those fancy-dancy kiosks. The kiosks allow for an entirely improved customer experience: not only can you customise your order to ensure you get your meal exactly as you want it, but you can also easily access all of the nutritional information about every dish that they have available for you to purchase. I’ve also found, personally, that I’ve chosen things that I wouldn’t normally have ordered- there’s always that feeling of panic when you go to the counter to order food- you forget everything you were going to say and just order your usual, if you’re anything like me! McDonald’s have also introduced a table service option when using the kiosks- select a ‘zone’ and have your food delivered to you in pretty much the time it takes for you to sit down! They’ve also added child-friendly tablets to the tables, making McDonald’s into a place where adults and children alike can pass time and be productive. There are games available for the little ones to occupy themselves with whilst you have a coffee, as well as all the usual apps available for adults to use whilst they’re devouring their meal.

I think it’s safe to say that my experience at McDonald’s was an absolutely fantastic one and I am over the moon to have been invited to be part of such an opportunity! Thanks to McDonalds, to Diane and to Mark for the invitation. I look forward to all of the other amazing, innovative and exciting things that McDonald's will introduce in the future! 

Book Review: Blood Sisters by Jane Corry

Book Review: Blood Sisters by Jane Corry

Sunday, 21 May 2017

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Around Mother’s Day, I received an incredibly exciting package in the post. I get a lot of books in the post (much to my downstairs neighbours’ despair) but this one threw me as being a LITTLE bit different. Coupled in with the ARC was a teensy-weensy bottle of the good stuff- sparkling white wine! A book and a glass of wine- is there anything better? I think not. I’ve read The Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry before, so I knew that Blood Sisters would be right up my street.

The book was one that I was intrigued by immediately. They do say not to judge a book by its cover, but for this one it was incredibly difficult not to because the cover is just SO beautiful. The story centres around two characters, Alison and Kitty, who we are led to believe from the offset are sisters. The story skips back and forth between chapters from their perspectives. Alison, an art teacher at a local college, comes across an advertisement for a job as an in house art specialist… at a local, open prison. The story principally follows her getting stuck into her new job, the relationships that she forms with the inmates, and all links back to a particular point in her life where everything changed forever. In contrast, Kitty lives in a care facility following an accident that left her with brain damage and requiring constant support. We hear the story from Kitty’s thoughts, as opposed to her spoken words, because her accident has left her void of the ability to communicate coherently.  The two stories from the sisters’ perspectives are separate but as the tale progresses, become more apparently intertwined and the end result is nothing short of fantastic.

The book is brilliantly written and absolutely nothing is left unanswered at the end of the story. I absolutely loved the switch between perspectives- I found Kitty to be such an interesting and intricate character, having both a contrasting intelligent voice and childish naivety about her. She is so blissfully unaware of certain situations and the appropriateness of certain behaviours, but so sharp and witty in others. I love how tense the chapters involving Alison are- I found myself on the edge of my seat as twist after twist was unravelled. It’s fair to say that I definitely didn’t see the vast majority of the twists coming, but at the same time they were definitely twists that were just oh-so believable- no predictability at all. The book approaches some pretty tough topics and does so in a very realistic and thoughtful way. The characterisation throughout the tale is en point, and all characters, principle and secondary, are relevant and have a useful role to play. I found myself questioning everyone and everything about the story, yet I still failed to come to the correct conclusion- the tell of a practically perfect tale! The pace of the story was excellent- it started off quite slowly but burst into a story that I literally couldn’t put down within a few pages. I’ll have to be honest with you - I’m finding it difficult to write this review without blurting out all the amazing things that happened, so you’ll have to just take my word for it and pick up a copy of the book when it’s published on June 29^th!

Thank you so much to the amazing team at Penguin books for sending me this book for review- I’m so excited to see other people’s thoughts on it. It really is a fantastic and chilling tale.

4.5/5