YARD AND COOP LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Chicken joints used to be few and far between in Liverpool but over the last few months more and

more venues have been popping up. The latest chick on the block is Yard And Coop. Opening its second venue in England after it's flagship in Manchester, can Yard And Coop really call itself "The Home Of Buttermilk Chicken?" We booked a table to find out for ourselves.

Located on ever developing Hanover Street, right in the heart of the city centre, we headed through the door into Yard And Coop and down into the basement to be greeted by the hostess and taken to our table. Yard And Coop's decor is incredibly fun and unique. As well as normal seating areas there is a double decked area of boothed seating made out to look like chicken coops. Kid's will love it, both big and little ones. This is the perfect place to bring a group of mates for a fun bite to eat before a night out. Rachel introduced herself as our server for the evening and whilst she sorted out our drink order we had a look at the menu. 

The main body of the paper menu is the basic chicken and chips section but the great thing is that you can choose the cut of meat you want, what sauce you would like and there is an option to upgrade your fries to sweet potato ones (which I did of course!). All for the bargain price of £10! I went for a breast with Korean sauce. The chicken was cooked to perfection (as I should hope so!) whilst the Korean sauce was sticky and sweet with a little bit of a chili kick which I loved. The sweet potato fries were fried really well; crisp without a hint of grease. So far, so good.

It's the added extra's that really makes Yard And Coop stand out from the crowd. There is an array of little add ons and sides you can order if you are really hungry or want to share a couple of treats between you and your friends. I'll be honest and say that the least favorite of the evening were the crispy fried chorizo thins that we got. The super slim slices of chorizo was delicious but we found that the tempura batter didn't really stick to the chorizo very well so that the chorizo just slid out of it as you bit into it. The chorizo was delicious don't get me wrong but it was just a bit messy.

Moving on to the Monkey Balls (trust me, the puns get worse than that I promise you!). These little fried pieces of chicken would be perfect for the kids. Much like really well made chicken nuggets, they come served alongside two sauces, the first being the Bourbon BBQ. If you've ever tried Jack Daniels dipping sauce before you will know what you're getting here; a sweet and sticky delight that's lip smackingly tasty. The second sauce is "The Bee's Knees" and is not for the faint hearty. Probably not suitable for children, this cayenne pepper dip has some kick too it. You have been warned!

Not featured on the main menu at our tables but advertised around the restaurant are the "Gooey Mozzarella Sticks". Gooey they most defiantly were as they fell apart in your hand as you tried to pick them up but isn't that the best thing about mozzarella sticks? They were soft, stringy and really messy but ever so tasty. The sweet chili jam served alongside them was again sticky and sweet, the perfect companion for that yummy cheese. Not sure if these bad boys are going to become a permanent fixture on the menu but they most definitely should be!

Finally we have the "Amaizeballs". The best name ever for a side dish on a restaurant menu, these fried sweetcorn balls flavored with chili and coriander were totally immense. Don't worry if you don't like chili as I didn't really get too much spicy heat from them. All I tasted was that tantalizing combination of sweetcorn and coriander mixed together in the soft filling that hid inside the crispy shell of the fried balls. I adored them and could of easily eaten a second portion of them if they were placed in front of me at the time. Make sure you order some when you visit.

As you can imagine we were quite the full after all these treats so we passed on dessert and headed off to enjoy the rest if our evening. I got my main meal for free as it was my birthday (sign up to their newsletter folks - it saved me £10) which meant we got all these tasty yumminess for just over £20. Bargain! With great food, fun environment and fabulous prices, is Yard And Coop Liverpool's new home of buttermilk chicken? You best cluckin' believe it!

To find out more about their menu or to book yourself a table, head over to Yard And Coop's website by clicking here!