Restaurant Review: Nova Restaurant

Pensby Road, Heswall

Review by Hannah Fowler

In the town of Heswall in Wirral sits Nova; a restaurant which offers modern British dining with a relaxed approach. Described as ‘Wirral’s best kept secret’, I was excited to visit to see if it lived up to the hype.

Located away from the hustle and bustle of Telegraph Street and its many eateries, Nova is so unassuming you might miss it. The intimate restaurant has a relaxed and cosy vibe with modern décor and is perfect for large or small parties.

Arriving on a Thursday evening, we decided on the early doors menu; three courses for £18.50 which offers brilliant value for money.

High quality, local and carefully sourced ingredients are of upmost importance at Nova. The menu is reflective of this with a small but delicious selection of dishes.

While my dining partner and I browsed the menu, canapés and complimentary homemade bread with oil and balsamic vinegar were brought to the table and were a delightful start to the meal. The black pudding canapé with apple sauce was surprisingly tasty and hinted towards the adventurous flavours to come.

To start, I ordered the spiced duck salad with couscous and cress. The oriental flavour combinations were balanced excellently and the duck was just how you want it: crispy on the outside with soft meat inside. My friend opted for the smoked haddock fishcake with an assortment of leeks. The dish was full of textures with the crispy fishcake pairing perfectly with the creamy sauce and pickled leeks.

L to R: Black pudding canapé with apple sauce; Chicken and leek pie; Strawberry panna cotta

Throughout the evening the waiting staff were excellent and the service was some of the best I’ve received. Even when the restaurant started to get busy, the staff were always on hand to answer any questions about the menu.

Next up was the mains, and my friend chose the chicken and leek pie served with poached chicken, pickled leeks and vegetables. Presented beautifully as a small individual pie, it was encased in delicious pastry and was full of flavour. As with all of Nova’s food, it takes humble British staples to new heights and manages to reinvent even the most traditional of dishes.

For my main, I picked the rump of lamb with spiced cauliflower and courgette (£2.50 supplement). The lamb was pink and melted in the mouth but perhaps the star of the plate was the vegetables. Often an afterthought in some restaurants, the different types of courgette and spiced cauliflower were delicious and it was great to taste everyday produce in a new, exciting way.

To end the meal, my dining partner went for the pistachio and dried apricot tart, while I decided on the strawberry panna cotta.

The vanilla panna cotta was light and creamy, with a sweet kick from the strawberry jelly. Although I’m not a big fan of jelly, the dessert was a refreshing end to the meal. The taste of my friend’s pistachio and dried apricot tart was reminiscent of a Greek baklava with mixed nutty, sweet flavours.

From the first canapé to the final dessert, the presentation and overall aesthetic of the dishes was beautiful. Our enjoyment of food is about so much more than how it tastes, and Nova styles its dishes perfectly to reflect the ingredients used. While there’s sometimes style over substance, this was definitely not the case here. Whether you live in Wirral or across the water, Nova is certainly worth a visit.

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