REVIEWED: El Gato Negro, Liverpool

Simon Shaw, Chef Patron and Creative Director at El Gato Negro opened the doors to his new restaurant in Liverpool in August.

 

VIVA darted down the M56 as soon as we could to see how it differs from the other successful restaurants within the group.

 

El Gato Negro Liverpool occupies the former Vincent site in the historic Exchange Flags.

 

The relaxed dining space is a good size. It’s big enough to provide room for 240 people and features a striking charcuterie bar, where guests can enjoy a wide range of delicacies.

 

In addition, there’s an impressive island bar, which is a statement within itself, serving classic cocktails, premium local produce and a select range of Spanish wines and sherry.

 

There’s a strong theme of red and dark green colours throughout, with heavy woodwork and exposed brickwork. The space feels light and airy what with floor to ceiling windows that flood the huge space with light. The decor is similar to its sister sites in keeping with the theme, but I think the open plan idea works better here given it’s set across just the one floor.

 

 

Huge booths run along the far end of the restaurant, which are perfect for groups. Equally, the rest of the tables are just as good, but there’s nothing better than having your own booth especially when there’s a group of you. After all, Tapas is all about lots of small plates, and sharing them with family and friends gathered around a table.

 

There’s a private dining room with privacy for celebratory and business dinners, and an outdoor terrace providing additional dining space for 40 people with views across the square.

 

El Gato Negro is renowned for providing seasonally inspired dishes reflecting a mix of modern and traditional Spanish flavours and techniques, with influences from closer to home.  The restaurant has received recognition from Hardens, Michelin, and this year, was awarded a prestigious Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand once again.

 

Like most Spanish restaurants, dishes arrive as they are cooked, so you never know what you’re going to get next. I like this element of surprise and the constant stream of food that keeps on flowing.

 

To graze on, we began with the charcuterie board while deciding what was best to share. Little did we know that it would come loaded with food, there are no small portions here!  In fact, this ‘platter’ is big enough for four people to share, never mind two. It comes with jamón serrano; black truffle salchichón with cornichons; aged Manchego with bittersweet green figs; Monte Enebro goats cheese, crystal bread and thyme honey. It’s a steal when priced at £13.50 and is perfect to nibble on while quaffing some fine stuff if you find yourself sat at the bar reading the papers on a weekend.

 

From the meat part of the menu, we had morcilla scotch eggs with a moist mushroom duxelle, apple purée and aioli. You get three for £9.50 and you can add an extra scotch egg for a mere £3.20.These are deep fried until golden. The sausage meat was perfectly salted with an earthy mushroom taste and a nice crunchy outside coating.

 

 

The jamón Ibérico croquetas were another nice deep fried addition. Whoever was on ‘frying-duty’ on this day did themselves proud. The meatballs in tomato fritarda sauce (£7) and spicy mini Catalan chorizo with cider (£7.80) completed the meat course nicely.

 

From the fish part of the menu, we chose the cod Bilbaína (£9), which is pan-fried with a tomato, sherry and garlic sauce.  It was perfectly cooked and could easily be my go-to staple. If only I could find someone willing to replicate something just as good at home for me on a daily basis. The crispy fried baby squid (£6.50) with lemon aioli is lightly battered and then quickly fried, it’s a simple dish that doesn’t need any other seasoning besides lemon and salt.

 

The tiger prawns with chilli, garlic and lemon butter (£11 for a portion of 4) were gigantic and hummed of garlic. The sharp taste of lemon cuts through the dish nicely while the chilli gave a good kick to the plump, meaty morsels. Again, you can have a larger portion if you want, priced at £16 for six.

 

The vegetarian choices are just as good as any other dishes on the menu. I like the way that the vegetarian dishes here are integral rather than featuring as side dishes.

 

Chargrilled sweet potato with mango, chilli and yoghurt dressing (£6.5) is a nice balance between the ingredients, a contrast between spicy chilli and a hint of cooling cucumber.

 

The roasted cauliflower with shabu-shabu dressing and fried chickpeas (£7.50) seemed an unusual choice yet again the flavours work so well together. It had just the right the amount of dressing and seasoning, making what can usually be a rather bland vegetable seem exciting.

 

 

The green beans with sun-blush tomatoes and hazelnuts had an explosive flavour (£6), smoked in a hot grill plan with lashings of sweet sauce, while the tomato sauce on the patatas-bravas is spicy and spot on with a glorious hum of aioli (£6).

 

Of course, we had to order pudding despite a tummy full of fine food. The mini doughnuts with hot chocolate sauce (£7.50) were calling. The dish comes with five cinnamon coated doughnut balls filled with chocolate or jam and is accompanied by a rich chocolate sauce.

 

The tarta de Santiago with salted caramel chantilly cream (£6) is highly commended by servers. It’s a light cake with a citrus taste that’s sweet enough to round off an afternoon nicely if you can’t manage anything more.

 

Simon Shaw has done well to mix small Spanish plates with classic cooking. Everything about El Gato Liverpool is to put it simply, delightful!

 

To drink, we chose a bottle Centelleo Tempranillo Syrah 2017/18, VdT Castilla, Spain. It is an impressive house red, which you can buy by the glass at £5, but when a bottle costs as little as £20, you’d be silly not to go for the lot.

 

To see the entire menu and book visit El Gato Negro Liverpool, Exchange Flags.