Mamasan Liverpool

South Asian cookery is on the cards here, or “a vibrant culinary offering”, if you prefer. Three floors are accessed via a floating staircase, with roof terrace for sipping in the sun – cocktails include the Lotus of lemongrass gin, butterfly pea flower, lemon and egg white.

Food-wise, and starters range from confit duck spring rolls and katsu chicken bao buns to spicy ichimi-crusted carpaccio of beef with teriyaki onions, pickled shemiji mushroom and wasabi emulsion, for extra umami, and Isle of Skye seared scallops with xo sauce and puffed pork crackling. The choice of seafood is worth a trip – starters also include squid or there’s seared tuna with winter truffle ponzu, shellfish aioli and caviar, and there’s plenty on the mains too, including half or whole lobster, if you’re feeling proper posh. A zingy kaffir lime “jungle curry” mixes mussels, cockles and king prawns or there are a couple of massaman (nearly) curries: potato and green pea rosti, pak choi and baby corn in the vegan corner; coconut smoked short rib of beef and bone marrow with pak choi and charred potato in the meaty corner. Really, there’s something for everyone, from king prawn and crispy soft-shell crab pad Thai to a plant-based wok-fried tempeh with black pepper sauce, green peppers and mangetout. Foul? We hear you. Try the kung po chicken or chicken satay, or keep it classic with aromatic crispy duck and pancakes. Don’t forget sides, including jasmine rice and dirty Thai fries, whatever they might be, and we know you won’t be able to resist a plate of salt and pepper cauliflower for the table.

Be sure to leave space for a dessert, though, as there’s a good choice of favourites with a twist. We fancy the oolong tea and lychee tiramisu with crushed peanut brittle, but then again the nashi pear sticky toffee pudding sounds pretty tempting and temptingly pretty.

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