London Carriageworks, The

In the surging city of Liverpool The London Carriage Works restaurant, part of the boutique Hope Street Hotel, is pleasantly near the top of the pile, witness the Remy Restaurant Award for the Region in 2004. Amongst its other accolades have been inclusion in the top ten restaurants outside London in the 2005 Hardens Guide, top scorer for Liverpool's cooking in The Good Food Guide 2006, and Best Restaurant in the Northern Hospitality Awards 2008.

The doors open at 7am on weekdays, and breakfast makes a welcome appearance, with Port of Lancaster kippers or eggs Benedict. A different Liverpool breakfast is a sort of healthy take on their more lethal type, with two eggs cooked as you like, fried haloumi, vegetarian black pudding, lots of other commendable things, and no, I'll stick to the Liverpool regular, thank you.

At noon the day menu kicks in, the seasonal restaurant menu demonstrates its leaning but discretionary approach towards local sourcing and starters on show could be Iberico ham with tomato and red pepper gazpacho, a salad of Barkham Blue cheese, that wonderful strong blue cheese made by Sandy Rose with milk from the Channel Islands, or half a dozen Colchester oysters served on ice with shallots and white wine vinegar. A pair of vegetarian friends could share a platter that includes artichoke hearts, Elmhurst brie and seasonal crudities.

On then to a sirloin or rump of Bowland Charolais beef with salsify, horseradish and red wine jus, or Mr Reeve's fresh cod in beer batter, or pan seared calves liver with pancetta and caramelised onions served with parmesan mashpeas and Kos lettuce.

For many, however, the highlight could be loin of organic Duroc Iron Age pork, with baby new season vegetables, Cox apples, natural jus and fava bean purée. Recommended accompaniment in a glass is Weston's organic cider. Down amongst the pasta and rice a risotto of sugarsnap peas combines with roasted aubergine, courgette, fresh sage and confit tomatoes with truffle oil. Truly this is the menu of somebody who has a feeling for food that is precise and sensitive.

Somebody also has a distinguished taste for bottled beers with a difference. Peroni Gran Reserva, Anchor Steam beer, Cains Culture and Black Sheep - do these ring exciting bells amongst the connoisseurs I wonder? Fifteen wines by the glass do not exactly dim the prospects of a good evening either, with a Chilean sauvignon from Central Valley well on the way towards the same quality as some of the better New Zealand whites.

Make sure some space is reserved for a helping of the Cheshire duck egg custard tart with clotted cream ice cream, or bread and butter pudding served with vanilla mascarpone cream and pear coulis. However, for sheer magnificence in such matters let me commend to you the hot chocolate fondant, liquid centred chocolate pudding with caramelised almonds and white chocolate ice cream. Amongst the pudding wines on offer I would link this with a Tokaji 5 Puttonyos from the Hungarian Crown Estates, one of several interesting little numbers on offer here.

One mystified reviewing customer wonders why the Michelin man has not yet left his mark at the London Carriageworks - he is not alone.

If you want to know about the restaurant - and the Hope Street Hotel - then have a look at their Website.