A lost Italian restaurant loved by celebrities "boasted so many dishes" in Liverpool for years.
Established by Derek and Edwina Lilley, many will remember enjoying a delicious Italian dish at an Est Est Est restaurant. According to a Liverpool ECHO advertisement, the Italian ristorante and pizzeria opened April 17, 1989 on Edward Pavilion, Albert Dock.
Many will also remember going for a meal at Est Est Est in Heswall - and being too old to be given a chef’s hat - or visiting its Chester branch. Serving everything from classic pizza and pasta dishes to meat and desserts from its popular sweet trolley, Est Est Est was a firm favourite on Merseyside for years.
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Photos , recently rediscovered in our archives, show what the Albert Dock restaurant looked like in years gone by. One images shows the exterior of Est Est Est, and its white and black logo, whereas others show inside the restaurant and how it was decorated at the time.
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In June 1995, the Liverpool ECHO visited Est Est Est for a "taste la dolce vita down at the docks." The review reads: "The restaurant has to be a bit special to stir memories of happy moments abroad - and Est Est Est on the Albert Dock turned out to be just such a place.
"Set in the natural brick contours of the dock, it would be difficult for this eatery to be anything but atmospheric. The menu is also something to behold, boasting so many dishes my partner got bored going through them all. As well as the 16 antipasti on offer, another 16 pasta dishes are available in start portions.
"The second course was no easy choice either, with a plethora of pasta, pizza, meat, chicken and prawn dishes to consider." At the time, calamari cost £3.55, spaghetti bolognaise was £4.90, mozzarella fritta was £3.35, penne Est Est Est cost £4.90 and the overall verdict was "excellent atmosphere and food, particularly when the sweet trolley is full."
Throughout the years, Est Est Est on Albert Dock Style saw competitors come and go, but was still top of every celebrity pasta-lover's list. In 1999, it was locally reported that Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez enjoyed a meal with star striker Fernando Morientes there and that popstar Lisa Scott-Lee dining with hubby, former Hearsay star Johnny Shentall, dined at Est Est Est.
At the time, assistant manager Santo Cannizzaro said: "The celebrities are treated exactly the same as all our other customers. They are very well behaved, not fussy and the other customers leave them alone."
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In November 2005, the restaurant also underwent a complete transformation, including a new bar and the "who's who" of Liverpool came along to sample the authentic Italian food in "Liverpool's premiere heritage hot-spot." A number of Hollyoaks stars attended, as well as John Barnes, Sylvian Distiin and singer Liz McClarnon. Kitten)
But by 2007, the Liverpool ECHO reported how the Est Est Est restaurant chain was to change to a new "Gusto bar and restaurant" identity, in a £10m rebranding by owner Living Ventures. Blackhouse Grill and the Living Room brands were also part of Living Ventures. One of the first of the restaurants to undergo a £1m rebranding and refurbishment was the Heswall site in Telegraph Road, creating 50 jobs.
All 10 former Est Est Est branches weredue to be converted by 2008. At the time, it was reported how the "refurbishments will draw on the glamour of 1950s Italian restaurants in New York city, placed in a contemporary setting."
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The following year, I'm a Celebrity star David Gest was among the showbiz guests celebrating the relaunch of the popular Albert Dock bar and restaurant last night. Actress twins Connie and Cassie Powney, who played Sophie and Mel Burton in Hollyoaks, were among the 150-plus guests, as well as Liverpool’s Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin and team-mate Martin Skrtel.
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