Food feedback
Published: 01 September, 2010
Coverpoint’s managing director Jonathan Doughty serves up his regular shopping centre foodservice review. This month he visits a new start-up, Lunya at Liverpool One.
Question - What do you get if you cross Catalonian cuisine with ingredients sourced exclusively from the north-west of England? Answer – Lunya, one of the most recent additions to the restaurant scene at Grosvenor’s Liverpool One.
Now the idea might appear peculiar on the face of it, but the result is a balanced combination of well sourced ingredients, well presented sharing plates of tapas and, most importantly, great tasting dishes.
The idea is the brainchild of Wirral-based businessman Peter Kinsella, a former consultant in the health and social care industry.
Kinsella is one of the growing number of entrepreneurs, without a traditional background in foodservice, who are following through their passion for food and drink brought about by extensive travel and experiences throughout the world.
We arrived on a Sunday afternoon, looking for refreshments before the long journey home to Berkshire. The first impressions of the unit were the fabulous surroundings - the building is a converted warehouse with lots of exposed brick and beams which, combined with the stripped wooden furniture, made for a rustic and relaxing environment.
The menu was extensive, which made ordering difficult, but made easier by the knowledgeable staff. After some considerable time and debate, we opted for an Iberico Meat Platter (£8.95), Manchego Cheese Selection (£5.95), Patatas Bravas (£3.25) and Spanish Omelette (£3.25), washed down with two glasses of Coke and an organic apple juice. The food was delivered promptly and at the same time to the table and picked at by our party. The quality of the ingredients shone through and we couldn’t resist ordering three more dishes to complete our meal.
The bill for three came to a total of £44.45, excluding service. The bill for tapas always comes as a slight surprise, but the dish quality, service and ambience, helped by two guitarists playing Spanish music, made for a value-for-money experience.
Lunya is an excellent example of an independent offer trading happily in the same mix as national and international foodservice brands. It is a breath of fresh air to see new fascias in a shopping centre, delivering authentic tastes with tangible passion. So good were the ingredients that a visit to the adjacent deli resulted in our average spend heading north!
