Have
you tried the new Tapas Bar on the High Street yet, Cafe Olé?
For
some reason, not at first apparent, I am reminded of Sheldrakes Restaurant on Heswall Shore, some 25 years ago. The former
premises of The Dee Sailing Club, the restaurant has probably the best views of
anywhere on the Wirral. From my window in New Brighton,
with Fort Perch Rock in the foreground, I can look out across the Mersey Bar to
the North Liverpool coastline; from
Sheldrakes, built almost on the edge of the sand dunes, diners are treated to
the serenity of the Dee Estuary, with the Welsh
Hills beyond. Sunsets are exquisite.
In my
mind's eye I can still see Stan Smith, boyish blond mop like an ageing pop
star, and his wife Sandie, the Maitress d', a sleek suicide blonde (dyed by her
own hand, geddit!!) purring like a cat who's got the cream as she sits beside
you on the banquette by the blazing fire and describes each dish on the brief
menu with all the seductive techniques of a high-class madame. Gastroporn, yes
please!
Stan
had a fetish for strong black Spanish coffee, chased with Fundador - a Spanish
brandy so rough it could take the coffee-stained enamel off your teeth! Back in
the day, a quarter-century ago, when Rioja was the pits and nobody outside Spain, it
seemed, had even heard of Tempranillo.
Sheldrakes,
as it is today, grew organically. Stan would wake up one morning and decide to
lay a patio; a few months later, perhaps, the patio would acquire a roof,
supported on Mediterranean-style pillars. A year later it would be glazed and
an integral part of the restaurant. And so it went.
Sandie
went too, and, sadly, the original Sheldrakes was never quite the same again.
In
terms of decor, Cafe Olé bears a greater resemblance to The Alacadoo in West Kirby, a former supermarket on the main road,
hispanically transformed with rough-rendered whitewashed walls, lots of
ebony-stained wood and Moorish black ironwork. Tim Martin, the founder of
Wetherspoons, made his name by fighting competitors tooth-and-nail to obtain
liquor licences for premises such as these - supermarkets, car showrooms, etc -
and then giving them the appearance of tradtional pubs which had been there for
donkeys years. Despite its hacienda style, the big thing at The Alacadoo, presided
over by John and Phil Wylie, was their steaks. If you wanted the Paella (for 2)
you had to give at least 24 hours prior notice.
At Cafe
Olé, equally stark white walls and dark wood are offset by huge lurid posters
depicting Flamenco Dancers and, naturally - very non-PC - Bull Fighting. Not
the machismo blood and gore of an Ernest Hemingway book but, rather, the 1960s
rock-idol chic of El Cordobes, his matador pants so tight you're in no doubt
the guy's got "cojones" - and that's no bull!
From
then on Café Olé becomes the stuff of package holiday-makers: I mean, Scouse
Sangria? Actually quite delicious - like most of the food on offer - but
authentic Spanish? Nah!
The
Chicken Seville sounded rather tasty but would, I suspect, have turned out to
be strips of breast meat sautéed with garlic, onions and mixed peppers,
finished with a marmalade jus and maybe a dash of fresh orange juice. Of
particular note, however, were the Paella Pancakes and Pork & Paprika
Meatballs.
RECIPES
Scouse
Sangria: In a pint glass loaded with ice pour 175ml of Red Wine; add 25ml of
Cointreau, 25ml of Blackcurrant Cordial, and whatever fruit is to hand. Top up
with lemonade & stir well. Long straws essential.
Paella
Pancakes: 60g Onion, 125g
Arborio Rice, 400ml Water, 1tsp Chicken Bouillon, 0.5tsp Garlic Salt, 1sp
Tomato Puree, Pinch Yellow Colouring powder, 1sp Thai Fish Sauce, 0.5tsp Salt,
0.5tsp Sugar, 1pinch Pepper. 60g Frozen Peas, 25g Blitzed Spring Onion, 60g
Blitzed Red Peppers, 60g Blitzed Green Peppers, 60g Blitzed Prawns. 60g diced
Chicken, 60g diced Pork, a further 0.5tsp Salt, and 0.5tsp Garlic Puree. Fry finely chopped onions (not Spring
Onions) with the rice, add stock, the flavourings and the peas. Cook until all
liquid is absorbed. In a separate wok
stir-fry the two meats and THEIR seasoning. When ready, stir in the raw
peppers, spring onions, chopped prawns and cooked meats. When cold, wrap in
spring roll pastry, seal with beaten egg and deep-fry until golden brown. Eat
cold or microwave to serve. These are not supposed to be crispy, however much
they may resemble Chinese Spring Rolls!
Pork & Paprika Meatballs: 350g Minced Pork, 125g
Blitzed Red Peppers, 125g blitzed Onion, 40g Plain Flour, 40g Breadcrumbs. 40g
Oatmeal. Add 1 beaten egg, 1tsp Salt, a pinch of Pepper, 1dstsp Garlic Puree,
1dstsp Ground Paprika, 0.5tsp Ground Cinnamon, 0.25tsp Chilli Powder, 1dstsp
Tomato Ketchup. Mix together all the ingredients, form into 30g balls and
deep-fry until golden-brown and firm. Finish in oven for 20 minutes.
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