Elixir Oxton

Promising “interesting and inspired cooking”, from Wednesday through Saturday, the food at Elixir Oxton is all about good-looking small plates served tapas style for sharing, and the cocktails and decor are just as pretty, with plenty of choice for both eats and drinks.

If seafood is your weak point, then you’re in luck: we’ve got our eye firmly on the ravioli filled with poached lobster sitting in a creamy white wine bisque, but there’s also hand-dived scallops and Cornish crab arancini on the shellfish front, while fish includes cod loin as well as a super-fresh golden beetroot and snow pea salad with seared sea bass fillets. Meat-wise, there’s roasted wild boar meatballs in a thyme-scented garlic treacle and honey blossom sauce, and a couple of chicken dishes, such as Tuscan-style chicken hot pot, listed under “Inspired”. This section also harbours a dish showcasing locally made Wirral ricotta cheese and there’s plenty to tickle the plant-based tastebuds, including roast candied root vegetable and hazelnut terrine with a date and berry fruit chutney or fregola couscous with roasted pepper pesto, shaved fennel and cherry tomatoes. If you can’t be faffed with decisions, plonk for one of the Taste of Elixir menus (vegan or non-vegan), coordinating a variety of dishes for the perfect spread. Saturdays sees bottomless lunch; Sundays means all-day roast dinner, with various choices alongside beef short rib, belly pork and prime British lamb.

Sweet treats include a vegan handmade orange and ginger marmalade cake with Madagascan vanilla ice cream, gluten-free petite meringues and passionfruit dressing, and much more. Don’t forget to finish with an “after dinner potion”: elixir iced coffee martini.

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