When the owners of Amanzi chose the site of the former Newz Bar for their new destination restaurant, there were some very big boots to fill. But the multi-million pound redevelopment banishes all memories of the past occupier and cements Pan-Asian Amanzi as a welcome addition to Liverpool city centre.

When we arrived at the Water Street venue, we were greeted by the huge stalactite structures that hang from the ceiling. My guest and I decided to sit at the bar and choose a drink from the spectacular cocktail menu. Amanzi’s menu aims to transport you around the world to different holiday destinations, so though it was threatening to snow outside the ‘Juaran Dragon’, a vodka-based drink with passion fruit and Prosecco, made you wish for sunnier, more tropical times. The ‘Belle Mare-Tini’ was an individual take on the classic gin martini, featuring lychee liqueur, coconut syrup and fresh grapefruit to make a drink that was both refreshing and different to the normal cocktail offering.

When it came to deciding what to eat, my guest and I spent a long time pondering the different fish and meat dishes Amanzi offered. The menu was a taster menu as the restaurant had recently opened, but what it lacked in size it made up for in flavour.

I sampled the crisp goats cheese fritters (£6.50), which were beautifully presented with jelly-like cubes of beetroot and rhubarb and tiny helpings of orange foam, balancing out the saltiness of the fried goats cheese. My guest tried the Asian spiced Carpaccio of beef (£9), which was accompanied by tempura samphire, adding a satisfying crunch to the thin, delicate nature of the meat. The starters were a good size in order to make way for the large mains we were to be served.

Amanzi’s chefs put a lot of effort into the locally sourced, 35-day aged steaks the restaurant serves, but the fish is its secret weapon. I tucked into the grilled loin of cod (£16.50) with spinach, tender stem broccoli and garlic herb butter, on the recommendation of the waitress. The cod was light but flavoursome and the garlic herb butter was lightly salted to complement the fish. On the other side of the table, my guest chose the whole spatchcock of chicken, served with very crispy skinny fries (£17). The chicken was cooked to perfection and fell off the bone easily, though the portion size could defeat even the hungriest of customers.

The dessert menu was too tempting to pass off so my guest and I shared the burnt Cambridge cream (£7), the English version of crème brulee, which was accompanied by tiny pieces of cinder toffee and biscuits filled with blueberry crème fraiche. The Cambridge cream was sufficiently creamy and the topping not too burnt, offering the classic, rich caramelised taste.

Amanzi offers a relaxed but upmarket vibe to its customers, along with excellent food and friendly staff. With booths to hire at the weekend, the venue would be perfect for a special occasion, whilst the extensive cocktail menu is worth a visit alone.

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