Sunday dinners: Malmaison Brasserie

IT was once at the centre the warm cocoon of British life - but now we have gone cold on the home-produced Sunday dinner.

Just eight percent of families, here in the north, regularly sit down together around their own table – as the comely charms of the checkout girl in B&Q, Primark or footy on the telly eclipse those of breaking bread with our loved ones.

It seems we are just too busy to be bothered with the peel of potatoes, the resting of the roast, or opening up Delia for a good forcemeat stuffing.

Admittedly, it can, sometimes, be a lot to pull together - but nowadays in pubs and restaurants it’s a different story.

Sunday roasts are in. Never have so many places offered so many slap-up feasts on the Sabbath day.

Yep, roast dinners are breaking out everywhere, but are they any good?

Liverpool Confidential is going to tell you about Sunday roasts you can sit down to all around the city, the best day-trip lunches out, no more than 50 minutes away, and hidden gems on your very doorstep.

So stick with us and let someone else do the dirty work. You don’t want spend all day Sunday thinking about Monday – no more than you want to think about why you can never obtain a giant Yorkshire.

Where this time?

What’s on the table?
A two-course roast dinner for just £9.95 for adults; £5 for children; £14.95 with a bottle of wine (for you, not them).

Why go there?
The Malmaison is just on the edge of the city centre, on a very picturesque, peaceful dockside. This makes it one for people want to have their cake (or should that be their roast?) and eat it.

French onion soupFor example, those who enjoy doing their Sunday thing - hiking around the stores in town or strolling along the waterfront – and then sitting down to eat something traditional. The Mal roast begins at 12.30 so is ideal for lunch before - or after - the other stuff. The Brasserie, you see, keeps the roast potatoes rolling out until 6.30pm.

What’s for starters?
Soup, a choice of two. On our visit a creamy carrot and coriander, and a sweet, caramelised French onion with a big fat parmesan crouton floating atop. Bread was straight from the oven, served with lactic butter and olive tapenade.

GammonThe main course
Two were offered. Grass-fed, aged, roast topside, in a red wine reduction. Plus honey roasted gammon from old spot piggies.Both helpings of meat were generous. The succulent thick slices of beef had a good open grained texture, set on fire by a bit on the side – a serving of creamy, coarse horseradish.

The gammon was sweet, tender and moist. Accompanying apple sauce was fresh and fruity with not a whisper of sugary sweetness.

They understand gravy here, and a massive Yorkshire pudding was just the thing to capsize a boat of intensely flavoured loveliness into.

Not forgetting a big dish of nicely cooked whole glazed carrots, delicious cabbage and French beans for sharing.

The spuds? Maris pipers roasted in goose fat.

What about vegetarians?
Homemade baked beans, a fried duck egg and toasted sourdough is the alternative dish, and you can still nick a few roasties.

Erm, what if you don’t like roast dinner?
Unusually for a venue offering Sunday roasts, everything on the a la carte menu remains available - as this handsome Mal Burger from a three course kids menu (£12.95) shows.

We’d better push off then.
Oh, go on, have a pudding.

Such as? 
An excellent chocolate truffle cake, with a ridiculously large percentage of cocoa solids in the mix, came with a well matched vanilla pod cream. Meanwhile, we also cracked into good old crème brulee which was big enough to finish our little taster off - by the time he finished it off.

There is also a baked New York cheesecake with a berry compote and other confections, all £5.95.

All in all…
As the Mersey sunlight pours through the windows, starched white tablecloths are the only reminder of the pile of ironing for Monday morning, waiting back at yours.

With the cool groove of Sly and the Family Stone playing somewhere far away in what remains a modern, stylish location to retreat to, it is hard to believe it’s possible to enjoy a three course Sunday lunch in a restaurant which places a premium on the provenance of its ingredients, for around £20 - or under.

Remember, if you cannot move after this, the Mal will even let you stay over. Spend £75 in there and accommodation is just £10 on a Sunday.

Save room.