by Hanna Fowler
Heading to Pan Am on a Friday night, my friend and I were excited for its latest event, the ‘Friday Night Experience’; an evening of food, cocktails and entertainment from Liverpool’s best bands.
The former Granada studio space makes for a great restaurant and bar; the exposed brickwork, modern interior and views overlooking Liverpool’s waterfront and ‘Three Graces’ are all enviable qualities which work in its favour.
We were seated on the restaurant’s mezzanine level, which overlooks the large bar and stage area below. As we arrived, the evening’s entertainment were sound checking ahead of their set – the sporadic sounds of instruments and vocals made us excited to watch their performance later on.
Pan Am offers diners a variety of modern British and European influenced dishes, ranging from the likes of chicken supreme (£13.95) and Ribeye steak (£18.95) to a seafood tagliatelle (£11.95).
For the ‘Friday Night Experience’, we were able to enjoy a two-course meal with half a bottle of wine for £19.95 per person; which for an evening of food, drink and the added bonus of live entertainment is a great price.
My guest and I both decided on starters rather than desserts, a conscious choice to leave more room for cocktails.
I picked the soup of the day – red pepper and chilli served with a baked roll. The soup tasted subtle yet flavoursome, with just the right amount of chilli to give it a fiery kick. My friend decided on the Maryland crab cakes, which were crispy on the outside but full of tender crabmeat inside.
Proving that a good steak is always a winner, my friend went for the 8oz Ribeye for her main, served with hand cut chips and buttered green beans and she decided on a blue cheese sauce to accompany it. I tried the Tortellini Formaggio, a vegetarian option with the choice to add chicken. The ricotta filled pasta in a garlic cream sauce was a tasty surprise and the asparagus, forest mushrooms, peas and spinach added colour to the dish.
Although we were seated at a table with a restricted view of the band, we had finished our two-course meal before they started, giving us the perfect opportunity to head downstairs and grab front row seats.
Eight-piece band Funk Soul Continuum, and the subsequent cocktails which followed the meal, were definitely the highlight of the evening and made the ‘Friday Night Experience’ come alive.
We sampled cocktails from Pan Am’s varied drinks menu, with classic combinations including strawberry daiquiri, Raspberry Collins and Amaretto Sour going down a treat.
The atmosphere picked up and the band rose to the occasion, singing Soul and Motown classics, as well as ‘funked’ up modern songs which got everyone bopping away – whether in their seats or those brave enough to make their way to the dancefloor.
Dining at Pan Am was an enjoyable experience. The food was delivered to a high quality and with the band playing and drinks flowing, you can easily pass the night way at this dockside venue.
