A lost "family favourite" restaurant that served traditional tapas was loved by customers for almost 20 years.
For years, many will remember heading to Lark lane to have a meal or celebrate a special occasion at Esteban. Boasting terracotta walls, Mediterranean foliage and many delicious tapas dishes, the restaurant first opened to the public in the early 00s.
Photos, recently unearthed from our archive, capture what the restaurant looked like back well over a decade ago. Showing the interior and what outside the business once looked like, many remember will Estaban as it is seen here.
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With lots on the menu to choose from, customers could enjoy anything from Cajun prawns to honey chicken, squid Romana and more, as well as cocktails and beers. Over the years, the Liverpool Daily Post and the Liverpool ECHO reviewed the Lark Lane restaurant on numerous occasions.
A review from Laura Davis in October 2002 reads: "Before long our table was stacked high with cream-coloured crockery containing a variety of delicacies. We chose a mixture of meat and vegetable dishes. Vegetable paella (£2.95), patatas bravas (£2.50) and Catalana bread (£2.25) mopped up the richer flavours of the other dishes.
"All three were flavoursome without invading the senses and preventing us from tasting each item properly. Despite it being a side dish, I could have filled up quite contentedly on the Catalana bread – squigy chunks of doughy bread, topped with intense sun-dried tomato paste.
"There was not even a smear of grease on the squid romana (£3.75). The batter was crispy and only lacked a mayonnaise or sour cream dip. The pollo moruna (£3.75) turned out to be bitesize pieces of chicken breast, marinaded in spices, threaded on to wooden skewers and cooked until tender.
"My favourite was the stuffed mushrooms (£3.25). Cooked just enough for them to be chewy but not soggy, they were filled with tiny morsels of spicy chorizo sausage – its gritty texture contrasting with the smooth vegetable."
Fast-forward to September 2008, Vicki Kellaway also visited Esteban. She said: "There is something comforting, even homely about Esteban.
"That’s not to say my flat has the terracotta walls, Mediterranean foliage and cheery cocktails of this Lark Lane eaterie – I wish it did. But there is an element to the décor and layout of this tapas restaurant that allows you to relax the moment you cross the threshold."
Did you ever visit Esteban on Lark Lane? Let us know in the comments section below.
But, after 17 years in business, in 2018 Esteban Mediterranean Tapas announced on Facebook that the restaurant would be closing after one final weekend from Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 21. However at the time, the ECHO reported how it wasn't all bad news for fans of Esteban, as owners announced that they had new plans in place for the restaurant.
Taking over from Esteban was Nonno’s Pizza and Plate - a new venture from the Esteban team. The post read: "We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to all our customers over the years and look forward to serving you wood-fired pizza and pasta in February."
At the time, Mick Cromwell said: "This has always been a family favourite. Loved all your tapas will be sorely missed good luck with the new venture." Another Facebook user added: “Gutted! My favourite restaurant in South Liverpool.”
Through the years, Esteban and Nonno's welcomed many couples and groups through its doors, being a go to destination for food for many across the city. But by May 2021, new plans were again announced for the Lark Lane site.
As we entered Step 3 of the government's plan out of lockdown, it was announced that a new pub and restaurant The Old Schoolhouse was opening at the former Esteban and Nonno's site for the first time on May 17, 2021.
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Offering cask ales, small plates, wood fired pizza, cocktails and more, the team behind The Old Schoolhouse paid close attention to detail, with the décor boasting exposed brick walls, a large feature roof lantern above the bar area, classy white tiles, rustic shelving, industrial lighting and a decent display of bottles artfully arranged as a focal point. The Old Schoolhouse still operates today and continues the next chapter of the Lark Lane restaurant site loved for years.
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