The word Albion provokes many thoughts for me, many of them romantic notions of times gone by where celtic and Anglo-saxon mythology was prominent, times of King Arthur, druids and running into the dying embers of stories of Robin Hood. I think the latter of these was mainly because the excellent Robin Hood 1980s television series (Robin of Sherwood) starring Michael Praed and the highly watchable Nicholas Grace, featured heavy with the mythology of Herne the Hunter and a sword gifted to the hooded man is named Albion. It is also the oldest recorded name for Great Britain, which has been adopted by local chef Steven Burgess for his latest foray into addressing the subject of true British cuisine. Albion is somewhere understated from its façade on Coronation Road in Crosby, with the primary setting of a light and airy atmosphere firmly anchored by wooden furniture and fatigued bare brickwork, occasionally adorned by glassware from times gone by and other simple ornamentation. The décor sets the scene rather well for the menu of Albion, projecting a no-nonsense approach with some stylish touches and not much out of place. Somewhat cleverly, the dishes are nowhere near as heavy as they ought to be, with many dishes conjuring images of home or school cooked meals for brisk and squally early winter evenings to fortify and ward off the cold with the glowing ‘ready-brek barrier’. The Beer bread cooked in hay was presented from within a small hessian sack next to brittle but thick shards of chicken skin, both items were complimented by a mustard and herb butter. The chicken skin was seasoned well, but the invitingly scented beer bread was soft, warm and dusted with extra flour, onion seeds and rolled oats. The starter list was something to wrestle with, having at least 3 items which looked heavy in temptation, but also sounding quite heavy for such an early stage in any meal should one want to navigate to the desserts via mains and some side dishes, as stated earlier though, the heaviness is mitigated by some clever takes on each of the dishes. The pressed ham was superbly soft and giving to the touch of a fork, the residual fattiness foiled by the gooseberry catsup’s gentle acidity. The crisp bites of deep fried brie provide some much needed texture for the dish and it works together rather well, though there does feel as though there is something missing in the dish, without being completely able to put a finger on it. The Cumbrian mutton and treacle bacon turnover is a much more robust affair, a wonderfully stout parcel sitting above a sharp but juicy cucumber chutney and fenced in by swirls of a dark and sweet dressing. The earthy but slightly sweet flavours of the mutton are well tempered by the salty and crisp bacon; this is a tidy and well thought out dish, which was well cooked and possibly for those who are definitely feeling at the greedier end of the spectrum. The main event list is somewhat beguilingly familiar, with nods to gastropub staples, home cooked meals and school dinners. Thanks to the presentation, preparation and cooking though, it never strays too far into any of these territories and retains the tidiness and balance that Burgess’ kitchen employs so well. The Berkshire bacon roly poly pudding is a reasonably sized turret, crowned by a soft fried egg and fortified by generous slabs of homemade black pudding with a moat of deeply coloured veal gravy. The flavours and textures work well, although with many dense textures on show, there is the sense that there could be a clash; not so. Make no mistake, the portion sizes are not huge, but they are more than adequate given the stodginess from some of the components. The absence of steak on the menu is a notable one, however, this is easily forgiven when the selection of a superbly tender, deeply flavoured beef shin is sampled. Resting atop a pavement of crisp potato is the shin sitting beside shredded bacon, which is again a deceptive touch, having the appearance of a mound of pulled pork, the bacon provides a punch of flavour to compliment the beef whilst the dressing of Balmoral sauce is excellently prepared. Toning down each of the components, just incorporating light brush strokes of whisky and mushroom to the sauce provides a sweetness which is infinitely bearable and makes the dish a silence inducing one. The dessert menu is a foray too far for those who have been greedy too early, though again, the dishes are deceptively light for what is alluded to in the menu. With Britain’s rich heritage in puddings, there is much to go at for Albion. On this occasion, the idea of Eccles cakes were all that we could go off, with two small domes of lightly filled pastry, a small pile of sherry butter and currants and finally a generous slice of tangy but slightly salty cheese, there was a slight feeling of emptiness at the end. The balance of the sweet, salty, sour tang and thick textures was spot on, but there may have been room for a little more moisture in the dish. The drinks menu is a mixed bag, the wine selection is perfectly competent, but could perhaps find more focus on British wines; which are definitely becoming more palatable. The appearance of a single varietal Carignan is something to be blessed, an oft-overlooked grape works exceptionally well with much of the menu, indicating that drinks are not an afterthought. The beers on offer do need some work; whilst the Cheshire Blonde is a good solid beer, Doom Bar from Sharps and Wainwrights from Thwaites are distinctly average; while they are definitely British, they are not anywhere near the top of the pile in an age where brewing in the UK is experiencing a purple patch of unseen proportions.
It will be interesting to see how the menu is affected on seasonal basis, perhaps some lighter touches during spring, with local produce getting a chance to sing and Autumn/Winter could see other introductions to strengthen the resolve against colder Mersey air. Albion should be here to stay; the food is unfussy yet precise, satisfying with delicacy and restraint, plus it unashamedly sings the praises of the isle from which it takes its name. Wesaþ hāl indeed. Pedro. ----------------------------------------------- N.B. Albion has undergone a name change to Albina, as of October 2014. Disclaimer: There was a discount on the bill following an invite to review this restaurant, however, the review above remains an honest opinion of the experience. Albina 55 Coronation Road, Crosby. Merseyside. L23 5RE Tel: 0151 932 9460 Web: http://www.albina.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Albina_Crosby
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