Fried scamorza @ Charlie Jones x Bunch
50 Berry St, Liverpool, L1 4JQ
Life can be a slog. But, occasionally, the stars align and something beautiful happens.
The book you’ve been wanting to read but couldn’t find anywhere turns up on a charity shop shelf. You run into a friend you haven’t seen for ages and spend hours together talking and laughing.
These are the kind of events that force you to recognise how happy you are, that make you think – to paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut – ‘if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’
Charlie Jones’ on-off residency at Bunch is the culinary equivalent of this.
Jones used to cook at Michelin-starred SY23 in Aberystwyth, which sadly closed last year. Now, back in his hometown, he’s been popping up at the Berry Street natural wine since last November for a few weeks at a time.
With each stint the menu changes, according to what’s available and what’s of interest – mackerel with dashi, courgette with tahini, excellent char sui pork.
There are, however, some regular items (or at least regular themes) on the menu.
Almost always there are beautiful heads of leaves – soft and sweet hispi cabbage, crisp and vegetal gem lettuce – blackened on the grill and dressed perfectly with salt and acid.
Desserts are clever reimaginings of British classics – nutty apricot bakewell; jellified rhubarb and aerated custard; a gooseberry fool with elderflower granita and hung yoghurt that’s like mainlining a summer hedgerow.
Visit often enough and you can see dishes shift and evolve – an incredible plate of scallops in Tom Yum broth has become an equally delicious hake in Tom Yum, this incarnation lifted by shreds of pink pickled ginger.
One stalwart feature of the menu – appearing on almost every iteration alongside the beautiful sourdough focaccia – is the fried scamorza.
Smoky, melting cheese breadcrumbed and showered in fine shavings of fruity parmesan. On the side a light, thin mayo humming with garlic. Like the most incredible mozzarella dippers you’ll ever have.
My favourite (and, objectively, the best) place to drink wine in Liverpool hosting a chef making some of the most remarkable food I’ve eaten – well, if that isn’t nice…
