The Monro, Duke Street, Liverpool
Sep 9 2008 by Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post
The Monro, Duke Street, Liverpool _320
Emma Johnson finally manages to sample the new-look Monro
THERE was a time The Monro appeared destined to forever be the restaurant I almost dined at. Every time we planned to eat there, something happened.
Not to the restaurant, but to us.
We even got so far as stepping foot inside earlier this year, only to discover our chances of a table were slim to none (well, it was 6.30pm on a Friday night, and we didn’t have a reservation).
Sadly, that means I am totally under-qualified to tell you how the venue has changed following the recent refurbishment over the summer. However, I can tell you that the place, hailed as Liverpool’s first gastro-pub, is well worth seeking out.
We were there this time to celebrate my husband’s birthday and post-work on a Tuesday night had no trouble getting a table, even though, again, it hadn’t crossed my mind to actually book. That’s not to say The Monro wasn’t busy, there were a fair few people tucking into some midweek grub.
After ordering drinks at the bar and a bit of a mix-up over draught Fosters and draught Peroni, which was quickly sorted, we were offered a table for two in the room to the left of the entrance.
Decked out in the pub’s new livery of creams and browns, and accessorised with maritime-themed paintings, it was a quiet and relaxing place to dine after a mad day in the office.
The Monro’s menu, as befitting its gastro-pub status, is unfussy. It is all traditional hearty dishes and fits onto one page (Gordon Ramsay would be pleased).
Starters range from £4.25 for soup to £6.50 for king scallops and mains between £14.75 for risotto to £18.50 for an 8oz fillet of beef.
However, the Monro also runs a number of special offers including an early doors “Taste the World” menu where main courses at lunchtime are £8.95 and early evening are £12.50 and include a free starter, while at Sunday lunch you can enjoy two courses for £12.50 (offers also seem to be regularly updated on the website).
A meat lover, and having been won over by Janet Street-Porter on the F-Word, I threw political correctness to the wind and opted for the veal patties wrapped in Chinese leaves to start. My other half, meanwhile, stuck with one of his favourites and chose the duck leg with salad.
The dishes both arrived swiftly, even though the restaurant was starting to get busy.
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