Luke Traynor takes a ride into Garston to sample some home-cooked gastro-pub fare at The Stables
After prompting from the waitress I agreed that, yes, a bernaise sauce was necessary to lavish over the steak at an added £1.95.
Medium rare is how I like it cooked, and this was flamed exactly as ordered, with the size of the steak warranting the slightly pricey outlay.
There was a generous quantity of chunky chips and the whole dish certainly took some eating.
But finished it was, and it was hearty enough for me to declare the dessert menu unnecessary.
High praise to the kitchen for this dish.
My wife’s chicken was well cooked and moist, with slight sweetness to the skin giving it a good flavour, and the accompanying bubble and squeak was tasty and seasoned perfectly.
The service throughout was excellent, and the staff made a point of frequently visiting the table to check everything was to our satisfaction.
Obviously, in these hard times for the pub and restaurant trade, The Stables is trying to establish a reputation of looking after its customers.
We didn’t have room for dessert but puddings on offer included a homemade cherry Eccles cake, custard tart and three local chutney cheeses, all for around £5.
Afterwards, we moved into the bar area for a couple more drinks and relaxed in the inviting rounded leather booths.
Certainly, for the locals of Aigburth, Allerton, Cressington and Hunts Cross, The Stables is an inviting alternative to heading into town or making another trip to the now over-rated and over-populated Allerton Road.
Every week, it seems a bar or restaurant is throwing in the towel, so to launch an ambitious venture like The Stables in the uncharted waters of Garston is an admirable step.
I'd urge everyone in south Liverpool to give it a try.
The Stables 1-3 St Mary's Road, Garston
Tel: 0844 209 4005
Bill: £53 for two starters, two main courses and a bottle of white wine
Value: Very good
Service: Extremely friendly and attentive
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-11pm, Sat, 8am-midnight, Sun, 8am-10pm.
