The Liquid Ship

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

With its dark wood, whitewashed brick walls and quirky array of clocks, posters and nautical paraphernalia, The Liquid Ship is a laid back location in which to drink and dine. The menu, though compact, is dominated by well-sourced ingredients and features great-value tapas platters with a choice of Mediterranean meats, cheeses, dips and bread at just £3.15 for three. Starters include a salade chêvre chaud: a pile of pine nut crostini smothered in soft goat's cheese, which is well contrasted with tangy lemon-dressed rocket leaves and sun-dried tomatoes. Curries are a specialty here – a different one is freshly prepared every day by head chef Emily Shannon – and may include a lightly spiced potato and pea version containing large, juicy chunks of chicken. Packed full with steaming chilli, the beef tacos are complemented by home-made salsa and a well-selected, citrus-dressed salad. A selection of home-made cakes is also available and the wine list, like the menu, is small but well selected. There are also good lunch deals available, with either a pizza or soup and sandwich for less than £5 from Monday to Friday. Acoustic gigs and a quiz night are held throughout the week in the small basement.

• High point: Great-value, tasty food made from fresh ingredients
• Low point: No booking policy