Red's True Barbecue Liverpool

Red's True Barbecue came to Liverpool in late 2015. Red's True Barbecue is just that good, wholesome, true barbecue food. If you LOVE meat, good food and a great atmosphere then Red's is the place for you.

I first experienced Red's a few years back when my sister told me about the one in Manchester and after our first trip we instantly fell in love. We have returned multiple times and even ventured to the one in Leed's. If you truly know me, it takes a lot for me to go back to a place more than once.

We were invited to experience Red's before it opened to the general public we went to an event held to raise money for Whitechapel, a charity in Liverpool who provide resources for the homeless across Merseyside. We went and donated £10 and they gave us a meal and a drink in return.

 First off, the theming in Red's is amazing. It's like a metal, garage, church theme. Their menu is called "The Good Book" and their slogan is "Let There Be Meat". God it's so well themed. Upstairs in Liverpool they have decorated it like a speakeasy and it's just fantastic and fits perfectly with their cocktail menu.

We all know that theming isn't everything about a restaurant. It's the food! Red's is the place to go to experience filling, good quality 'murican style cookin'. My favourite being the Pit Burger (only to be tackled if you are very hungry). For this occassion I decided to go for a meat tray which comes along with 2 sides. I went with Chicken Wings and Baby Back Ribs with Skin-On Fries and Giant Onion Rings. Lee went for a burger "The Juicy Lucifer" - 2 Steak Burgers with Spicy 3 Cheese Molten Lava inside served up with fries. The one constant we always stick with is dipping our fries in Red's 5 Signature Sauces. My favourite being Kansas City BBQ which is the perfect combination of Sweet and Spicy.

If you enjoy meat there's literally something for everyone in Red's!

Red's Signature Sauces

Red's Meat Tray and Juicy Lucifer

Red's is the perfect place to take that burger/rib/meat lovin' carnivore in your life. With restaurants in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Shoreditch, Nottingham, Headingley and Sheffield, Red's is worth the trip if there isn't one in your city. Red's also has it's own Rewards Program and Special Offers which change month to month.

Red's Liverpool can be found on Hanover Street across the road from Tesco and Home Bargains. 

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Update: Pit Burger and Buffalo Chicken Burger Special

Lush: The Experimenter

I have just tried one of Lush's newest bath products - The Experimenter. If you're thinking about purchasing this best buy a good ticket because the way this Bath Bomb is a show worth paying for.

I'll be honest, when I first got this I was shocked at how strong the smell was but when I popped it in the bath the smell evened out and was really lovely and pleasant.

With its vibrant colours and it's heavenly aroma of vanilla this is a Bath Bomb in it's own caliber. Pinks, Blues, Yellows, Greens, Purples it's mystifying to watch. When The Experimenter has fizzled away, it leaves the bath dark purple and sparkly. 

The only problem I have with this is the sparkle it leaves in the bath after but it easily rinses away. 

The Experimenter cost £3.95 and is well worth it.

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Free State Kitchen Liverpool

This week I have been working until 9pm and I had today as a rest day. I've not really seen much of Lee so we decided to have a date night. I've been wanting to try Free State Kitchen for ages! I have heard nothing but good things about FSK and the main part of their menu is...wait for it....wanna guess?....ahhh ok. Burgers! And we love Burgers as you know. 

Free State Kitchen is hidden away in Maryland Street just off Hope Street by the Everyman. It definitely is a little gem which even though it's tucked down a little street has a hell of a lot of hype and I believe it does really well. 

Walking into FSK it's really cool, it's very 60's I think and I love it. It would have been nicer if the sun was shining because their garden is beautiful. It's very clear there's an American influence.

 

Our server was lovely she came over and took our drink orders. FSK have American Soda's on their drinks menu. Lee had a Pepsi Wild Cherry, which is amazing but I decided to go for a Coca Cola out of a glass bottle, it's how it's meant to be served. 

I was kind of umming and ahhing over whether to get a burger or a hot dog but I decided the burger was the smart choice. Their menu has a great deal of choice on it. It was probably the best choice. Lee got a Double Deluxe Burger and I got the American Cheeseburger with Baconnaise. I have one word: Delicious! I proper couldn't get over it. The burgers were cooked to perfection, they were so juicy and lovely. They were a little messy but it's all worth it. If you go in I would ask for extra napkins. I have never had Baconnaise before but I cannot wait to have it again. 

I wish I would have had room to have a dessert, there was an Oreo Cheesecake on the specials menu which I would have loved to try. The burgers were so filling though.

Overall, FSK has a really good atmosphere and I think if it was a sunny day the place would have been buzzing. It was really clean. The staff and the service was lovely. It's definitely a place I would be more than happy to visit again. 

Free State Kitchen will be attending Liverpool Food and Drink Festival and are on the list for Independent Liverpool - The card which offers deals in restaurants all over Liverpool 

Free State Kitchen, 1 Maryland Street, Liverpool 

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*food was purchased by myself and all opinions given are my own. 

Rookwood Bar & 'Cue Liverpool

On our Anniversary Lee and Myself like to treat ourselves and this year was no exception. We decided to go to Rookwood Bar & 'Cue in Liverpool which opened July 2014.

For those that have read previous reviews from myself, you'll probably know that I'm a massive fan of eating meat. I'm pretty much a carnivore. When I heard about Rookwood's menu I decided that's the place we would go.

Walking in my first impression was "Oh my god, it smells amazing" but also that the decor was a bit ummm "woody" haha, there was just loads of wood everywhere and there was a backroom which looked like a Container that they haul on the back of wagons. I liked it! It was different but different is good.

We got sat down by one of the friendliest guys I've ever met and he handed us menus and drinks menu too. It was no holds barred so we were ordering whatever the hell we wanted. We ordered our drinks first - I got a Frozen Redberry Margarita which had a massive measure of tequila in and Lee got a Pint of Erdinger (it's German, 5.3% or something, I'm no good with Beers), well mine was delicious and very sweet.

 

For Starters I'd heard people rave on about Rookwood's Sticky Board, it was £19.50 so it was a bit on the pricey side to what we usually order but as I said "No Holds Barred" so we ordered it not exactly knowing what to expect because we hadn't actually seen it in real life only on pictures and Dear Lord it was HUGE! It could have easily fed 4 people for about a week with the amount of stuff on it. Beef Short Ribs, Baby Back Pork Ribs, Chicken Wings, Pulled Pork, Belly Pork, Chilli and House 'slaw. AGGHHHH SO MUCH FOOD WHERE DO I START!! Ok the Baby Backs and the Wings were obviously a winner on this board they were delicious. I think I would only order this again if there was maybe 4 adults eating because there is so much on it, I ended up struggling with my main.

For mains we both opted for burgers again (I know I shock you all). I got the Mother Clucker 2.0 which was Chicken, Bacon, Cheese and Chipotle Mayo. It was lovely, I could not eat it all though. I've had better chicken burgers but this was good, the flavours were great together. Lee got "The Fat Spanish Waiter" - Beef Patty, Chorizo Sausage, Manchego Cheese, Serrano Ham, Chopped Garlic, Fried Onions and Chipotle Mayo. He loved it, he said the range of flavours worked well together and it really was something different but food. The burgers are served with Beef Drippin' Fries - they are really delicious and flavoursome.

We decided to get another cocktail rather than get a dessert. I opted for the classic Mojito and Lee got a house special - Hawaiian Iced Tea made with Midori, Malibu, Archers and Orange Liqueur topped with Lilt. He absolutely loved it, he loved it so much that he bought stuff to try and make it at home.  

Overall my experience at Rookwood was good. I did really enjoy my meal but I think the winners of my experience there was the Sticky Board and the Cocktails. I'd go in here before a night out and order the sticky board just to pick at and I'd rather try more cocktails because they all looked amazing. I wanna try the Candy Floss Sour! The thing which really made the experience great was the staff, they work really hard to make their customers happy and they are so friendly.

Rookwood Bar & 'Cue can be found on Back Colquitt Street, by St Peter's Square in Liverpool. It's round the corner from FACT Cinema and if you're going to see a film there then keep an eye on their Facebook because they sometimes do deals!

Rookwood Bar & 'Cue
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All opinions are my own and all food and drink were bought with my own and Lee's money. 

Pattersons Liverpool

Back in June, I was begging everyone to go to Pattersons in Liverpool and when Lee said we could go I was so excited. Pattersons Liverpool is a new Chicken restaurant that opened in November 2014 that boasts "Great Chicken & Tunes". I have to say I agree.

We went on a Thursday night so it wasn't too busy but there was still a good buzz about the place. Literally every song that came on I was saying "I love this song". The decor is very pop arty with lots of different pictures hung all over the place (including some superhero ones so we knew we were in a good place). Every day of the week they have all different deals. Me and Lee want to go for their date night deal for £15 for 2 people. (2 Chicken Sliders, 2 Wings, Golden Taco 250g Crispy Chicken with Fries, Side and a sauce).

Onto the food, we both opted for Chicken Burgers. I got Deep South Chicken Rancher - Crispy Chicken, Hash Brown, Cheese and Deep South BBQ Sauce with Sweet Potato Fries on the side. Lee got (as expected) the biggest burger on the menu; Mega Pattersons Burger Challenge - Crispy Chicken, Beef Patty, Hash Browns, Chilli Cheese, Fried Onions along with Curly Fries on the side. It was a mountain of food! But their menu is really extensive they have Wings, Buckets of Crispy Chicken, Taco's, Nachos, Wraps, Salads, Loads of Sides and Small Plates!

The food was delicious. I'm not usually a fan of a chicken burger but for this I would make an exception. The chicken was perfectly crispy and not sloppy in any way. I do think though next time I'd go with more of an appetite and order one of their buckets, the chicken looked amazing and maybe the Macho Nachos with Pollo Con Carne Nachos with Sour Cream, Guacamole, Salsa and Cheese. It's not overly priced either, this would be the perfect place for a group of students to come. And I just want to mention this because more and more people I know are becoming veggies, these do great vegetarian options too (Halloumi mmmm!)

We did have a large serving of Churros for dessert which were perfect. I'm only a fan of churros if they have a softness to them and they are warm and these were amazing, best ones I've ever had and the ice cream on the side was just lovely, it cut through the sharpness of the cinnamon just nicely.

Overall my experience of Patterson Liverpool was exactly what I wanted it to be. AMAZING! Great atmosphere and great food. I'd recommend all chicken lovers to get on to Pattersons, you won't regret it. If you're between the ages 20-35 you'll appreciate the music they play in there, it'll make you feel pretty nostalgic about your teens. The staff were also really good and friendly. It's a very welcoming environment.

They also serve really amazing looking cocktails. I went on a school night otherwise I would of had one of those bad boys!

You'll find Pattersons Liverpool just off Hanover Street, by the Q Park and it's practically next door to Cut Throat Pete's the Barbers.

Pattersons Liverpool: Facebook|Twitter
View the Menu Here: Pattersons Liverpool Menu

All opinions given are my own and I used my own (and Lee's) money to pay for our meals.

Rack & Dollar Liverpool

Rack & Dollar is a new American Inspired Restaurant and Bar near China Town in Liverpool. Located on Berry Street (Round the corner from the Bombed Out Church and down the road from the Chinese Arch) this Restaurant and Bar is deep in the heart of Liverpool's Foodie Community with competitors like Yardbird and Salt Dog Slims within a walking distance.

I am going to start by saying this before I go on to my review. I was completely blown away by this place.

As you know Lee and myself love Burgers. We literally have tried hundred's of different burgers and today Lee made a statement that I fully agree with and back up: "Best burger I have had this side of the pond!" Completely a bold statement but completely true at the same time.

First Impressions: 

Walked in and were greeted straight away, the place was empty so we were asked where we would like to sit, so we chose a booth central in the Restaurant. The main thing that struck me when we were sat was how clean it was, it was all new and shiny. The whole place seems so laid back, it's not just a restaurant, it's the perfect place to come and have a few drinks. The boys will love this as it's got massive screens with the footy on and there's a pool area in the back.

Our server was Beth, but been told she goes by Taylor Swift (I'm not sure why, but I like it!) she was a little star. Explained the menu's really well, interacted with us and took our drinks orders and brought them over straight away.

The atmosphere was just great with classic rock songs playing in the background, I knew once I sat down I was going to enjoy this.

Menu: 

The menu mainly consists of what you'd expect of an American Restaurant - Ribs, Wings, Steak - lots of meat! They also have this menu where you create your own burger and name it yourself. Well like I said we love burgers and why would I pass up the chance to create a burger to our exact taste. I'll move on to the Burger's after, the menu on a whole is a proper foodie's dream. There are regular challenges throughout the week for those who have a bottomless stomach. I would say the prices are mid-range, they are priced the same as most places who offer the same type of food.

Food: 

We both opted to make our own burgers and name them. Burger's cost £9 and come with skin-on fries. We also got sides of Corn Dogs, Onion Rings and Hush Puppies which were all absolutely delicious. Below are our Burgers:

Lee - The Golden Scouse Bad Boy
Bun - Brioche Bun 
Protein - Beef Burger 
Cheese - Monterey Jack Cheese
Salad - Lettuce, Red Onion, Pickles
Premium Toppings (£1 extra each) - Streaky Bacon & Pulled Pork
Sauce - Bourbon Sauce

Kate - Farmyard Madness
Bun - Brioche Bun 
Protein - Beef Burger 
Cheese - Swiss Cheese
Salad - Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles
Premium Toppings (£1 extra each) - Streaky Bacon, Crispy Onion & Pulled Chicken

All the food was exceptional, all perfectly cooked and I had a complete taste sensation. The only thing I would pick up on (and it's literally the smallest thing ever!) is not to put mustard on the corn dogs as they it's an acquired taste, I prefer to dip.

Out of 10, I would happily give a 9.99/10.

Facilities - 

I am obsessed with bathrooms and I went in and these were so clean and smelt like baby powder. I'm so weird but I don't care - here's a pic.

In terms of parking, there's a lot of Pay and Display parking spaces surrounding R&D and it's also a 5 minute walk from Liverpool Centre which means if you prefer to park in a more secure multi-storey then that's not a problem.

Service - 

As I said our Server was Beth AKA Taylor, she was the perfect little host and an absolute asset to the restaurant. She was very prompt and was so attentive (and not overly attentive like some places can be) her interaction with not only us but other customers that came in was faultless. She was just really nice girl who made our visit, a very good and memorable one.

Price - 

Our bill with 2 drinks each came up to just over £40 and if I'm honest I would pay a lot more because the food was amazing.

Overall - 

We will be coming back to Rack & Dollar, probably for Lee to try a eating challenge, probably the 54321 Burger Challenge. I will be telling all my foodie friends about this because it is definitely worth a try and picking your burger and figuring out a name for it is so fun and it brings in a new element of dining. I love that it's just outside the hustle and bustle of the main city centre so it's not too chocker but I think this is going to be one of the best restaurants to be seen at in Liverpool. This is probably bar none the best dining experience I have had.

Oh yea...John Bishop walked in while we were waiting for the bill and when we got home we realised he was hanging out in the Pool Room with Steven Gerrard (of football fame). So yea, celebs eat here...now the only question now is, why aren't you? Details below :) 

Rack & Dollar
27 - 35 Berry Street
Liverpool
L1 9DF

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*All opinions are my own and completely honest*

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Pro Activ: Final Summary

Sorry this is a bit late but as they say: "Better late than never".

Before

During

After

My final thoughts on ProActiv+:

Pro's: I don't have any more dry patches round my eyebrows or nose. It's left my skin feeling smooth and hydrated. The Pore Targeting Treatment Facial Cream was my fave product, that really did bring all the crap that was stuck in my pores out.

Con's: It was great the first week and a bit but it just stopped working. I started getting spots and blemishes again in the 3rd week of use. I didn't think the cleanser did anything really, I've used cheaper products that have worked better than this.


Would I use this again?: Sad to say that I probably wouldn't use the 3 Step System again. I had really high hopes for it at the start but then it started letting me down. I feel my skin is both better and worse for different reasons. It feels smooth, moisturised and no dry patches but I have more redness, blotches and spots. I'd rather have clear, dry skin than have smooth, spotty skin.

Would I recommend this to anyone?: I would say to anyone to give it a go because my sister used this last year and her skin was fabulous for using it.

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