We want our Wallasey Indian Hive restaurant to be Wirral’s best after zero food hygiene rating with mouse poo

Mathew Alexander, Mathew Lukose, and Sebastian Joseph hope to create what will become one of Wirral’s top restaurants.

The Indian Hive in Wallasey at 132 to 134 Poulton Road in Wallasey came about after a year of planning. All originally from the south Indian state of Kerala, they want people to “discover India in what we offer” and show a different side to a cuisine people across the UK eat every day.

On its website, the business said it was “committed to serving high-quality, flavourful food without compromise,” and aims to be “the go-to place for those seeking a genuine Kerala dining experience in Wirral and the surrounding areas.”

However the Indian Hive got unlucky after its first ever inspection led to a zero food hygiene rating when mouse droppings were found. The restaurant now has a four star rating after turning things around.

The restaurant’s menu involves familiar dishes like korma and jalfrezi, it also includes a number of less familiar ones inspired by Chettinad and Kottoyam cuisines. One of their most popular dishes is a dosa, a savoury pancake that can be served filled.

Both Mr Lukose and Mr Joseph have extensive experience working in the kitchen. Mr Joseph, who moved with his family to the UK more than two decades ago, started the Mother Indian restaurant in Hoylake while Mr Lukose previously set up Arranged Marriage, a popular restaurant in New Zealand.

Mr Joseph told the LDRS they focused on south Indian cuisine as this was something people were less familiar with and totally different from food from the north of the country. He said they wanted to offer something more authentic for those looking for it, adding: “The focus here came from South Indian food and we are making sure it’s delivered properly and professionally.”

Mr Alexander, who is the building’s landlord, said: “We feel people aren’t aware of what Indian food is. This is what we try to say to people.

“People haven’t got the knowledge of that original taste of Indian food and that is one of the important things. I would say it’s special because of the authentic food. The second thing is the real spices brought from India.”

With its open kitchen where people can look in at their food being made, Mr Alexander said he didn’t think “anywhere else is like it,” adding: “If you go across the north west, you wouldn’t see a single Indian which is an open kitchen. If you go to any Indian restaurant, you won’t see an open kitchen but you can see here how it has been prepared and how it’s cooked.”

The trio were also keen to help the area they’ve set up in turn around and plan to host a number of charity events with local schools and organisations. Seacombe is one of the most deprived areas of the country.

Mr Alexander said: “When you looked at the other businesses, they were all in a sad state. This was a neglected area and we wanted to bring more business back into the space,” adding: “We want people to taste the real taste of India. There’s a huge demand for it […] people want somewhere they can spend their money and relax.”

However after their zero food hygiene rating was publicised, Mr Alexander said: “We have got literally no business, we have been given a bad name. People were slagging us off and were saying it’s bad.”

He added: “This will take time for us to pull through. This will be very difficult. We are looking to charities to support them. We want to bring them in.”

To view the Indian Hive’s menu, click the link here.