SampleIssue 1Free

Editor

Will Gricewill_grice@hotmail.com

Creative Designer

Will Gricewill_grice@hotmail.com

Thanks to:

Host RestaurantDuke Street EspressoSertOneWeavers Door LJMULee FlemingJohn Towner Daniel Maddox

Welcome to the first issue of The Sample Magazine.

About UsThis issue is the first, real, published issue of The Sample and is a way for me to showcase my work as a freelance journalist and allow me to develop my ideas as a hopeful future publisher and journalist. This issue only came around as the result of a University project which I was fortu-nate to be able to partake in as a result of the work of the wonderful people at LJMU. In this issue of The Sample magazine I intend to show you, the reader, what I have hoped to do with myself and what I feel passionate about. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Contents5 - 12 HOST: Pan aSian ReSTauRanTA look at Liverpool’s favourite Asian restaurant.

12 - 19 SertOneA quick chat with Ireland’s most promising young producer.

20 - 25 Sample Magazine’s LookbookAn insight into what you should be wearing this season.

26 - 27 Have You Heard...For all your musical updates.

28 - 33 Duke Street EspressoBold Street Coffee’s little sister gets a makeover.

34 - 37 Universal WorksAn interview with the man behind Britain’s most innovative new label.

38 - 39 Bon AppetitA couple of things that are making our mouth sali-vate this month

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”Virginia Wolf

Hope Street is one of Liverpool’s most iconic streets, not only does it act as the road that connects the city’s two Cathedrals but it is also home to some of city’s best theatres, restaurants and pubs. Traditionally people go to Hope Street because they want thoughtful food, educated entertainment and smooth drinks. The immersive culture on Hope Street has helped it become a mecca for those who want a good meal at a reasonable price. Amongst the endless lines of restaurants stand three of the city’s most revered eateries, 60 Hope Street, HOST and the Quarter. With all three restaurants offering some fantastic dishes, it is safe to say there is plenty of choice for the discerning foodie. However in my opinion, it is HOST, which really stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Their menu is diverse and innovative, the interior is sleek and stylish and the staff are friendly and cooperative. With relation to the menu, it is easy to see that the food at HOST has been influenced by a number of different cultures and traditions. The menu fuses together the best pieces of Western and Eastern delicacies and finds a happy medium where the food is thoughtful yet familiar. For those of you wanting to try something different and unusual there are plenty of intelligent takes on a number of traditional dishes including one of my favorites, the Tempura Salmon Nori Rolls, which is a fantastic dish served up with a tangy Wasabi mayo. This dish is one of my favorites and is a very interesting take on the traditional Japanese Nori roll. The fine Tempura batter wraps around the seaweed and salmon in such a way that it gives the sushi a completely new lease of life, the batter is crisp yet not too thick and in turn compliments the other ingredients in such a way that three pieces of sushi just won’t be enough to satisfy your insatiable desire for more and more Nori rolls! However, the food served in HOST isn’t just traditional Eastern cuisine with a cutting edge. A lot of their dishes combine some of the most traditional pieces of British and American cui-sine in such a way that you feel as though what you are bearing witness to is a completely new culinary experience. One of the most interesting and unusual pieces on the ‘Little Dishes’ menu is the McHost, which is a

fantastic piece of crispy hoi sin belly pork layered between two soft buns and finely garnished with a fresh salad. Based on the traditional American hamburger, the McHost blows your preconceptions of a burger completely out the water. Gone are the days of tasteless beef patties sandwiched between two pieces of lackluster bread, instead you are welcomed with a tangy mini burger that is ridiculously moreish. All in all, this makes the McHost a deserved winner of the Weavers Door seal of approval.

However the quality of food doesn’t just stop at the ‘Little Dishes’ menu, the ‘Big Dishes’ menu is equally as diverse and innovative as it’s little sister. Many restaurants are seen to offer quality food in rather measly portions because of the ‘quality over quantity’ ethos, however HOST are one of the few restaurants I have been to that offer both quality and quantity in equal proportions. Whilst the food on the ‘Little Dishes’ menu offers more of a Western/Eastern cross over, the ‘Big Dishes’ menu offers more of a traditional Eastern culinary experience. This, however, does not hinder the dishes in anyway and in true HOST style makes the food even more delectable. Some of my personal favorites on the ‘Big Dishes’ menu include the like of the Red Duck Coconut Curry, the Crisp Fried Fillet of Sea Bass, the Crispy Lamb Shoulder

and the ever-popular Nasi Goreng. The Red Duck Coconut Curry is a fantastic take on the traditional Thai Red Curry in the sense that rather than using the traditional ingredients of chicken breast and red pepper, HOST have completely re-sculpted the recipe by infusing the traditional Thai curry with two fantastic, traditional Eastern delicacies – duck and lychee. Whilst it may seem unusual to add lychee to a curry, it is safe to say that the sweet, tender pieces of lychee compliment the rich, fragrant curry in such a way that you’ll never want to just have a boring red pepper in a curry ever again.

The Crispy Lamb Shoulder is one of the most delectable dishes I have ever had the pleasure of trying. The meat is combined with spiced puy lentils and raita, which in turn results in a dish full of flavor and character. The dish also offers customers the chance to try something that is more native to the Middle East as opposed to the Far East, which in turn shows the quality of the chefs and the true diversity of the menu.

However, the culinary innovation at HOST doesn’t just stop at their choice of unusual ingredients. The drinks menu is just as well thought out as the food menu. HOST offer a wide array of superb wines at reasonable prices (my favorite tipple being the 2011 Simonsig Chenin Blanc) as well as a large number

of intelligent cocktails including all the classics and a couple of Asian infused creations made especially for HOST by their brilliant bartenders. However, for those of you after a good old pint of beer, HOST also offer a number of local guest ales so there will be no shortage of choice for even the most picky drinkers.

With most main courses fluttering around the £10 mark, it is safe to say that HOST is definitely a safe bet no matter what the occasion. The diverse range of dishes and the innovation of those in the kitchen is unbeatable and in turn has made HOST my res-taurant of choice for every occasion.

However, the good times don’t just stop at the din-ner menu. The folks at HOST have also been nice enough to offer a superb lunch menu, which com-pletely redefines the meaning of ‘good value’. The ‘Chop Chop’ lunch menu offers you a set-menu ‘Big Dish’ and a soft drink or hot drink of your choice, all for the brilliant price of £5. This is a deal definitely not worth missing out on.

HOST31 Hope StreetLiverpoolMerseysideL1 9XH

Open Daily 11am - 11pm

‘Chop Chop’ Lunch Menu Available:Monday - Friday 11am - 3pm

“In this world there are many

things that divide us, food is one

of the few things that unites us...”

Bold Street Coffee is a café we are all familiar with, it’s vibrant interior and delectable coffee is a favorite amongst coffee lovers of all shapes and sizes. However its Bold Street’s little sister that has been causing quite a stir (no pun intended) as of recent. Nestled away on Duke Street stands one of Liverpool’s most intriguing cafés, the Duke Street Espresso Bar. Whilst it may be smaller in size than Bold Street, the size of its menu and the fantastic selection of hot and cold drinks is just as vast as it’s Bold Street counterpart. With a wide array of different coffees and the cheapest yet most delicious espresso available, it is easy to see why Duke Street Espresso has become a recent favorite with Liverpool’s coffee drinkers. However, it’s not just fantastic coffee that is offered up by the brilliant baristas in Duke Street, their menu is also

comprised of a selection of freshly prepared cakes and bagels and in true Bold Street Coffee style the quaint little espresso bar on Duke Street also hosts a number of fantastic events. In-cluding ‘A Taste of El Bandito’ which was a fantastic night of tequila filled fun and the even more gluttonous ice cream tasting evening which definitely added a couple of inches to the waists of all involved.So if you find yourself on Duke Street and in need of a quick little energy boost then there is no better place to go that the Duke Street Espresso Bar. The glorious interior will act as the perfect accompaniment for your scrumptious espresso (keep an eye out for the ceiling hanging completely made of espresso cups!), and you will find yourself coming back again and again.