Wheeler’s of St James’s brings its traditional menu from London to the modern and light surroundings of the Pullman Hotel at ACC Liverpool. Tony McDonough headed down there for lunch

 

Ever since Monty Python’s ‘Four Yorkshireman’ sketch, in which a group of wealthy middle-aged men compete to show who had the poorest upbringing, it is tricky to tell a rags to riches tale without slipping into parody.

I thought about that when I read up on Marco Pierre White’s early life. Aged 16, he left Yorkshire for London with “£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes”, and began his career as a chef under the renowned Roux brothers, Albert and Michel, at their La Gavroche restaurant.

My story was similar. At aged 16 I walked around the corner, with probably no more than a quid in my pocket and caught the 92 bus to Walton where I started my career with the slighty less famous Connolly brothers, Paul and Steve, as a trainee electrician. Okay, maybe not quite the same.

Traditional brand

The boy Pierre White has done rather well for himself, since. He is now a successful restaurateur. One of his brands – Steakhouse Bar & Grill – already operates in Liverpool city centre and last year he brought another illustrious brand to the city – Wheeler’s of St James’s.

Wheeler’s was established in way back in 1856 and the Liverpool outlet, based in the Pullman Hotel close to the waterfront, was only the second to be opened outside of London.

Marco has kept the original recipes at the heart of the menu, adding his renowned flair and originality to the seafood offerings. Oysters are a signature of the restaurant but the menu also includes Marco twists, such as the lobster macaroni with black truffle and mango and coriander fish curry.

Destination venue

The Pullman is part of the ACC Liverpool complex and is right next door to the entrance to Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Wheeler’s is probably a little too far out from the city centre to pick up casual diners but clearly works as a destination venue.

It thrives thanks to the regular conferences at ACC and from guests staying at the four-star hotel. It is not a budget lunch or dinner, with prices for dishes such as fruits de mer costing £90 and roast rump of lamb and cockles £23.95, but then it doesn’t pretend to be. People are prepared to pay a bit more for higher quality.

Joining me for lunch was Angela Cruise, business development director at the Liverpool office of wealth and investment management firm, Investec.

 

In the spirit

I like fish but I rarely order it in restaurants (I’m more of a steak and chips man – Angela was invited to inject a bit of badly-needed sophistication into the occasion). But I decided get into the spirit and order fish for both starter and main course.

My starter was Severn & Wye smoked salmon garnished with capers, shallots, pickled cucumber, parsley and served with buttered brown bread. Angela chose the Wheeler’s crispy calamari with fresh lemon and sauce tartare.

I was surprised by both the presentation and size of the salmon. A very generous portion for a starter it was served pizza-style in a circular shape on the plate. It was delicious and and I do love the flavour fresh parsley adds to a dish.

Angela was also impressed with her calamari. She remarked that it can often be greasy and sickly but Wheeler’s offering, she added, was light and fresh.

 

Perfect accompaniment

For my main, I ordered the roasted red mullet with sage beignets, sauce vierge and baby spinach. Angela, rebel that she is, went sans fish and ordered Mr Lamb’s shepherd’s pie with buttered garden peas.

So, a confession. I didn’t know what a beignet was. For fellow philistines it is a French term for a pastry made from deep-fried choux pastry. Mine were lovely and a perfect accompaniment to my red mullet. In future I shall be dropping ‘beignet’ casually into conversation. I’m a big fan of baby spinach and this serving didn’t disappoint.

For Angela,  the shepherd’s pie was a rich and hearty triumph. We don’t know who Mr Lamb is, but our compliments go to him.

The Pullman’s glass frontage means light pours into Wheeler’s, offering a light, airy and modern feel to what it a traditional brand. Although the place does have an air of exclusivity the staff were down to earth and welcoming.

As stated earlier, the restaurant is not cheap but it defies the usual convention of ‘the posher the place the smaller the portions’. Well worth a visit… but you’ll probably need more than £7.36.

Wheeler’s of St James’s, The Pullman Hotel, Monarch’s Quay, Liverpool L3 4FP. Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 3pm and 5pm – 10pm. Call 0151 945 1010 or click here for the website