The TV presenter has previously praised a host of Liverpool establishments but only one of them remains standing today
Grace Dent arrives back in the UK after leaving Australia and ITV show I’m a Celebrity
MasterChef’s Grace Dent has named her favourite Liverpool restaurant among her top venues, describing what the team behind it do as “rare”. The 52-year-old made her debut on the amateur cooking series alongside chef Anna Haugh.
Grace previously hosted the celebrity edition of the show with John Torode. A restaurant critic by profession, she has also appeared on programmes including The Professionals, Great British Menu, and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. She has also had several stints at different magazines and newspapers but has worked at The Guardian since 2018.
Even though Grace was born in Cumbria, she has love for the city of Liverpool as her dad is a Scouser. Grace said that her “favourite leisure day ever” in the city involves lunch at Pilgrim on Duke Street, followed by tea at Belzan on Smithdown Road while also fitting in a “scoot around” Harvey Nichols in-between food. Since then, Harvey Nichols has closed altogether, with American company, Anthropologie replacing it and Pilgrim relocating to Allerton Road.
Writing about Belzan, she said: “Belzan pulls off a rare thing that many restaurants try and fail to do: being relaxed as hell, but also a little challenging, too.
Belzan opened in 2017(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
“I can’t say that everything I ate at Belzan was perfect, or daintily plated or life-changing, but I certainly left fed and happy.
“My strongest memory of Liverpool on this visit – and it’s always the least expected thing when reviewing – was a plate (not a bowl, nor a ramekin) of lukewarm, decidedly unbeautiful rice pudding topped with pear steeped in Lillet vermouth.
“The rice was flavoured with tonka bean, an ugly-looking, raisin-like lump that enhances all food with a vanilla-y, liquoricey, caramelly and clove-esque aroma. Sure, it has been banned in the US since 1954 because large quantities of it can kill you and, yes, two 5g teaspoons of the stuff can reportedly see off a sheep, but, look, we’re all going to die some time.
“And I can think of no better eulogy than: “Grace passed away in Liverpool. She was quite tipsy. She had no shoes on, had just made friends with a Labrador and was halfway through eating a tonka bean rice pudding. She died happy.”
Belzan was opened in 2017 by friends Chris Edwards, Owain Williams and Sam Granger, and has since received numerous accolades and catching the attention of locals and diners from all over the UK, including critics tied to the illustrious Michelin Guide.
Belzan Restaurant owners, from left, Sam Grainger, Chris Edwards, and Owain Williams(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Last year, the team behind the restaurant learned they had received the honour of being among the country’s best. Chris from Belzan discovered his Smithdown Road venue made The Good Food Guide‘s top 100 list for the second year running.
The Best Local Restaurant awards highlight independently run venues that “define affordable and accessible dining across Britain”. Almost 60,000 public nominations were registered from diners championing their favourite venues, with anonymous inspectors travelling the country to put these nominations to the test.
Liverpool’s Belzan made the best in the North West list, accompanying venues such as Bar San Juan in Manchester, Cantaloupe in Stockport, and  Sé Anār in Blackpool. Prestwich’s Lupo was named the North West winner.
Belzan restaurant, Smithdown Road(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Chris told the ECHO he learned of the The Good Food Guide‘s credit when he opened a message from a friend. He said: “Somebody shared it with us so I opened my messages and saw that we were named one of the best in the country.
“Being a little more rural and out of town means it’s slightly more difficult to build custom but from day one everyone has backed us. From day one we’ve been a neighbourhood bistro and being in the top 100 really solidifies what we are and what we set out to do.
“When Belzan opened, we were working every single day and as our business grew, Belzan continued to get better and better. It’s evolved over time, but what hasn’t changed is focusing on delivering great goods to the locals.”
Another firm favourite of Grace’s was Mexican restaurant Madre at the Albert Dock. The writer and broadcaster spoke highly of her time at Madre as she said the food is “nonetheless ambitious.” While Madre has closed at the Albert Dock since shut her column, it can still be found in Liverpool on Hanover Street.
Grace meanwhile will return to screens with MasterChef from 9pm on BBC One. She will be putting six more amateurs through their paces, including a tattoo artist and a retired US diplomat.