Restaurant Review

Organico

74 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4HR

By Dan Haygarth | ££ |

The latest venue to arrive on Bold Street, Organico is a juice bar and eatery serving plant-based and vegetarian food.

With renowned vegan specialist chef Sean Paul Redding at the helm, it opened in October and has swiftly established itself with its target market.

On arrival for a weekday lunch, we’re welcomed by friendly staff into a bustling atmosphere. Just two days before the country goes back into lockdown, Organico is very busy – there is evident demand for such a restaurant.

Its pastel green and pink décor, accompanied by imitation foliage dressing the walls, feels appropriately styled, in keeping with the themes of its food and drink.

A compact lunch menu keeps things simple with eight straightforward options and the breakfast menu is also available throughout the day. As I’m deciding what to order, the chefs have just finished cooking a cheeseburger (£9) and it waits to be served, looking rather tempting. It is recommended to me in an enthusiastic manner by the manager, so I plump for it. It certainly lives up to the billing.

With two rich, moist and substantial patties made from a pea protein aided by fresh salad, a decent amount of cheese and a tangy tomato relish, it is a triumph. Burgers are meant to be gorged on and not all vegetarian options allow you to do so. However, there is no such problem here, as it possesses the required ‘meatiness’ for a satisfying burger.

The macaroni cheese (£9) is presented wonderfully, with ‘shoestring spicy onion rings’ resting on top of the grilled surface. Though the pasta itself is not wonderful and slightly lacking in flavour, it is elevated by the exceptional onion rings, which provide a welcome difference in texture and a much-needed kick.

An array of cakes, which are on display as you enter, provide ample dessert options. The almond and mascarpone tart (£5) is delicious – creamy and just sweet enough. Complemented by very good coffee, which can be served with many different milks, it is a pleasantly light dessert to follow a sizeable main course.

Being a juice bar, naturally there is a plethora of fruity drinks on offer. All of them fresh, so there’s no worry that their micronutrient content has been neutralised. Initially, I choose the pomona (£5) – a mix of watermelon, apple and lime. It is very sweet but rather refreshing, while the presence of lime gives a distinctive edge and lingers as a zesty aftertaste.

I was also intrigued by the PB & J smoothie (£5), wondering whether it would feel like drinking a sandwich. A deep red thanks to mixed berries and dates, it works surprisingly well as a drinkable dessert. Immensely filling and boasting an appropriately nutty texture, it straddles the line between smoothie and milkshake in consistency, making for a satisfying end to a generously-sized meal.

The drinks are vibrant in both flavour and colour, threatening to dominate proceedings. Doing a lot more than just whetting the whistle, the smoothies in particular can act as an entire course, meaning that drinking three or four of these really big juices is certainly off the agenda.

Feeling right at home on Bold Street, Organico serves uncomplicated and enjoyable plant-based food, making it a good venue for a large lunch.

Its menu will suit those accustomed to vegetarian cooking and may sway those who have not yet been convinced, while the cheeseburger is worth the trip alone. Not just offering lunch, its excellent juice, cake and coffee also make it an enjoyable spot for a catch up with friends, whenever that will be allowed again…

Organico is open for collection/delivery everyday until 5pm. You can order direct through Instagram or via Uber Eats.

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