Fraiche - Wirral

Merseyside's new Michelin star is a rather modest-looking spot right in the middle of the conservation village of Oxton. Chef/patron Marc Wilkinson knows this place like the back of his hand – he used to cook here some 14 years ago when it was The Rondelle. Fraiche may be small, but it is – as they say – perfectly formed: a modest 20-cover dining room decorated in subdued contemporary colours with coffee-coloured upholstery and high-backed chairs.

Creating intense flavours and challenging the palate are high on the agenda (how about loin of English lamb with a cube of Earl Grey jelly and a ball of deep-fried sweetbreads, or Anjou pigeon on pickled cherries with Serrano ham and cherry salad?), and any chef who can juggle menus running from two to 12 courses is clearly on top of his game.

Marc takes the rigorous techniques of classic French cuisine as his starting point, then goes for broke and cooks his heart out. Warm glazed chicory with Gorgonzola and orange salad and a pomegranate dressing is a typically racy starter, while desserts might feature a show-stopping combo consisting of roast strawberries with pine kernels, mango sorbet and a rice pudding brûlée tart. The wine list is a magic mix of irresistible pedigree vintages and keenly chosen bottles from lower down the scale; also check out the gilt-edged list of sherries.