New Middle Eastern restaurant Gulf House opens in Liverpool

Liverpool is about to get a taste of the Middle East with the grand opening of Gulf House Restaurant.

Located in Madison Square, off Duke Street, Gulf House brings the vibrant atmosphere of a traditional 1970s souk in Dubai right to the heart of the city.

The restaurant’s décor, featuring terracotta mud-effect walls, Arabic script, and woven rugs, immerses diners in an authentic experience that feels worlds away from Merseyside.

Although there are tables and chairs, in some areas guests will take off their shoes as they enter before sitting on the floor to enjoy an authentic spiced-filled sharing feast; and being played throughout the restaurant will be the earthy-sounding music of the Arab world.

The team behind the restaurant is excited about this latest offering to the city which they say is the first of its kind in the UK.

A restaurant spokesman says: “We have recreated all those magical memories from holidays and trips to the Middle East, so that the minute you walk through the door it’s like you’ve left Liverpool behind and entered a whole new world.

“People don’t just want to dine today, they want an experience, and we can guarantee to give them a wonderful one.

“Many people travel to Dubai and wonder what it used to look like before the high-rise luxury buildings and designer shops – and this is what they would have found 50 years ago, and still in some places today.

“It’s like walking into a ‘70s souk, or market, complete with everything that you’d see and hear there, from the music to the woven rugs and baskets, and the amazing smells from the freshly-cooked food and spices.”

Gulf House’s spices have been specially imported from Yemen so its chefs – all of whom have more than 30 years’ experience creating Khaliji food with the genuine tastes of the Gulf – can create its authentic dishes.

The menu includes mouthwatering offerings like Lamb Fahsah, shredded lamb in marag (a lamb broth) with fenugreek that’s served with freshly-made naan bread; chicken Mandi, half a tender chicken on the bone cooked in a special Mandi spiced blend and served with rice, salad, and a spicy yoghurt sauce, and salmon fillets, marinated in a blend of spices, before being roasted in a clay oven.

“The beauty of Middle Eastern food is that it is served on large plates so everyone comes together to eat and share a meal. And we have kept prices competitive to make sure that our food is something everyone can enjoy.

You can even order a full lamb served on a bed of rice for £290 – and it will serve 15 people.”

There are also wraps and burgers, given a Middle Eastern twist, and the Gulf House serves breakfast with dishes including omelettes, shakshuka (scrambled egg cooked with onion, tomatoes and spices) and mugalgal, small cutlets of lamb meat cooked with cheese, onion, garlic, tomatoes and spices.

The Gulf House spokesperson added: “As the Arabic script on the wall says, we want to welcome people and encourage them to sit, dine, and chat… and just enjoy.”

Gulf House Restaurant will also be opening in Manchester and London soon.