Monthly Archives: October 2016

Vegetarian street food traders The Indian Lunch Box are at 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter this week. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Craft beer, Craftbeer, curry, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Jewellery Quarter, Pop up's, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian by


Make sure you get down to 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter this week as vegetarian Indian street food company The Indian Lunchbox are taking over the kitchen for one week only. 

Street food trader Reena Mistry has a mission to open minds and mouths to tasty, homemade Vegetarian street food. The Indian Lunchbox is all about fresh ingredients and many of the dishes are served traditionally on the streets in India, and have been passed down the family.

Their signature dish is the Double Roti burger- a soft bread bun filled with potato curry, Chevdo (like Bombay mix), chopped onions, peanuts, and a chilli coriander chutney.

Other highlights include Bhel, a dish made with puffed rice, potato, chickpea, and a tangy tamarind sauce, and Pav Bhaji, a mixed vegetable curry. There are also Onion Bhaji’s. 

All these dishes are suitable for Vegans. 

The food will be complimented by the delicious and local Indian Brewery, one of the most recent additions to The Birmingham evolving craft beer scene. 

They will be laying on a selection of their crisp and refreshing craft ales. As well as the highly new Birmingham Lager. If it’s ready in time on draught. 

Established in May 2016 The Indian Lunchbox is a Veggie Foodie rising star and one to watch in 2017. 

The menu’s below: 



1000 Trades can be found at 16 Frederick Street in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.
The Indian Lunchbox will be at 1000 Trades from Monday 31st October to Saturday 5th November, serving from 5-10pm Monday- Friday and 1-10pm on Saturday. 

Should be a fantastic week of vegetarian food. 

Thanks for reading, 
Andy 😊

All photos courtesy of Indian Lunchbox and 1000 Trades. 

Look out for The Indian Lunchbox at Streetfood events around the Midlands. Including the new Hawker Yard in the city centre. 

Restaurant review: Kababish, Moseley, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Cocktails, curry, Gastro Card, Independent, Indian restaurants, Moseley, vegan, vegetarian by


Many years ago when I was a young fledgling curry eater and ‘Don’t look back in Anger’ was number one, the Kababish was my favourite curry house. Moseley Village was a lot less hipster and more crusty around the edges, pubs were pubs and curry well it was a balti or nothing fancy and washed down with a pint not a cocktail. The good old days, maybe we thought they’d live forever, maybe it was the ‘day we caught the train’ to the future. Maybe I’m just grumping. Maybe it’s the cocktail infestation in the village. 

But less of the Brit Pop references. It’s testament to the hard work and quality of this independent and family run restaurant that now over 30 years since it opened its still going strong on the same site in a village where others have come and gone and food and drink times have changed. 

Ruth and I decided to visit one Saturday evening, finding a bustling restaurant that had a good mix of larger and small groups. 

One of the changes since those bygone days is the introduction by Kababish of a cocktail menu. I’m not a massive fan of cocktails with food generally, don’t get it when there’s beer or wine available (but with snacks/ small plates/ aperitivos its ok).  This is especially a no no with main courses but in saying that I’m happy to slurp away pre or post dinner with the best of them. 

Thus, Ruth and I dipped our palettes into a couple of cocktails before the main event. Myself The Exceptional Gentleman from their Signature cocktail menu and Ruth the Cosmopolitan which she enjoyed. 

My cocktail was lovely, Jack Daniels, shaken with fresh mint, ginger, apple juice and a dash of champagne. An indulgent tipple with a bite that was a fine pre dinner drink. 

For the food, Poppadoms are crisp with some excellent sauces. The mint, zingy and with a nice sharpness which goes well with the cocktails (poppadoms are snacks). 

At most curry houses I have the desire to keep eating. Order too much or overdo my appetite. The Paneer Shashlik starter is lusciously creamy on the inside and just charred perectly round the edges so that the soft and crisp texture can be dusted with the thinnest pasting of the mint sauce a la 1990’s with the chilli sauce zinging up the plain salad like a riot  of splashy artwork in Tate Modern. The starter soothing and reassuring of the standards set by Kababish’s kitchen. 

The Tarka Daal is one of two test dishes for me of a good curry. Here it bristles with spices, a dreamy daal of channa lentils, a creamy must have dish and possibly the best in Birmingham, still the quality dish of a bygone memory in time for me. An accomplished rendition. 

The Gobhi Mutter, fresh cauliflower, with onions, peas and peppers. A classic veggie curry, perfect for a main veggie dish. Subtle spicing, slight tomato flavour that makes for a complimentary dish to the daal.

The Saaag Paneer, the other test dish of cooking credentials is here fresh, with a nice balance of spices and fresh ingredients. The spinach not too much, but complimenting the creamy paneer and herbs. A delightful dish, another for memory lane. 

Accompanied by a well flavoured Garlic Naan that’s fluffy and light and a not grainy but softly cooked Pillau Rice. 

Dishes were washed down by a tremendous Malbec. 

Gobi Mutter Tarka DaalSaaag PaneerGobhi Mutter

Pillau rice

Garlic naan 

The only downer was my pudding the Ras Malai which was shockingly poor as only curry restaurants deserts can be. Maybe I just chose wrong but it was disappointing and not what I remember from Previous Ras Malai offerings in other restaurants. 

Ruth enjoyed her Ghulab Jamon. Oh well!  

We’ll move on. 

The Kababish is not fancy, not flash. It’s a rewarding and reasonably priced restaurant that ticks the boxes of quality, informality, good friendly service and food made with passion and cooked fresh. 

For Vegetarians it offers numerous tempting options and has the slight subtlety in choice that is tempting for repeat performances.

Though I walked through their doors 22 years ago the consistency and core values remain to this day and that’s the key to a good neighbourhood curry (open since 1983) and the essence of what makes The Kababish popular and successful and proof that though times change a good curry at Kababish doesn’t. The buzzy weekend atmosphere is a bonus which in all makes Kababish a ‘Champagne Supernova’ in the bright sky of Moseley.

My friend used to say that The Kababish was the best curry house in Moseley. You can argue that it was and still is the best. 

So Here’s to many more years of this independent stalwart in an ever evolving Moseley. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Home

After dinner Tip:

For afters try The Bulls Head (The Cuban Embassy) in Moseley village for a rum fest and after dinner drink. 

Rum at The Bull. 

The Gastro Card offers diners 15% off food from Sunday-Thursday. 

To buy a card see the link below: 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/buy/

We paid for our food and drinks in full. My opinions are honest as always. 

Song references from Oasis. 

Hawker Yard Birmingham goes Vegan: Sunday 23rd October. 

Posted in beer, Birmingham, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian by

This Sunday 23rd October Brum Yum Yum and The Vegan Grindhouse by Vegan Vox are re joining forces to bring you Hawker Yard goes Vegan.

The all Vegan street food event in the heart of Birmingham city centre is at Hawker Yard Pershore Street B5 4RR next to The Arcadian. 

From 12-5pm, you can come and eat tasty vegan street food, buy vegan beers, wines, spirits and cocktails, meet like minded people, buy from vegan stalls and find our more about the fabulous work of their chosen animal rescue centre – Grace’s Rest who will receive a percentage of all takings on the day. 


Following on from our two previous joint events with BRUM YUM YUM in Kings Heath which were vegetarian/vegan, that after campaigning this event is now all Vegan. 

If the event  is successful, hopefully a regular Vegan street food market in Birmingham will be hosted. so please bring all of your friends, vegans, vegetarians and not yet vegans. Families and dogs welcome and undercover seating provided. 

If anyone is able to volunteer on the day to hand out flyers outside the Bull Ring, in the Arcadian, Snow Hill and at Grand Central, that would be great and will be rewarded with a free meal!

So support a fantastic event. 

Also appearing at Hawker Yard are The Vegan Pizza company, Sri-Licious with Sri Lankan Street food, all vegan brewery Twisted Barrel ales for Vegan beer, Vegetropolis, for organic fruit, veg etc. Fresh juices and shots from U-Juice, and a range of gluten free cakes and bakes and desserts and fermented drinks bar from the Gut Hut. 

Looks a fab line up! 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

The Hawker Centre is inspired by the Hawker Centres of Asia and the ruin bars of Budapest and provides a centrally located destination where the stars of Birmingham’s independent street food scene create and collaborate. 



Opening hours: 

Thursday 11-5pm

Friday 5pm-11pm

Saturday 12.00-11pm

Monday-Wednesday and Sunday closed. 

62-70 Pershore Street, Birmingham, next to the Arcadian in the City Centre.

http://www.facebook.com/brumyumyum

http://www.brumyumyum.com/

The Official Press release:

BIRMINGHAM’S ONLY ALL-VEGAN STREET FOOD EVENT COMES TO HAWKER YARD THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday, Birmingham’s new purpose-built street food venue serves up an all-vegan special.

Hawker Yard Goes Vegan, the only 100% vegan street food event in the region, will feature dishes freshly cooked by leading street food chefs, showcasing entirely vegan menus from around the world.

The pioneers of Birmingham’s street food renaissance are collaborating with leading Midlands street food company, The Vegan Grindhouse to host the event on Sunday 23rd October, from 12-5pm, Hawker Yard, 62-70 Pershore St, B5 4RU, next to Arcadian.

 The street food lineup includes The Vegan Grindhouse with ‘vegan junkfood’ like handmade burgers and huge hotdogs; The Vegan Pizza Company; Sri-Licious with Sri Lankan street food classics, plus Caribbean, Mexican, Indian and more.

As well as all the street food, local all-vegan brewery Twisted Barrel Ales are taking over the bars, and there will be stall with organic fruit and vegetables from Vegetropolis, animal-friendly clothing and cosmetics, a fermented drinks bar from The Happy Gut Hut, fresh juices and shots from U-Juice, and a range of vegan and gluten-free cakes and desserts.

The event is supporting Grace’s Rest, a not-for-profit organisation that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes animals in crisis.

 Lisa Burbidge-Brown, Co-Owner of The Vegan Grindhouse and prominent vegan blogger said,

“We are thrilled to be bringing this hugely popular event to Hawker Yard. It’s a great way to showcase quality meat-free street food and raise money for a good cause at the same time, and now the event is all-vegan it’s even more exciting!”

“There’s some amazing vegan street food in Birmingham, from some of the most popular street food chefs. More people are looking to reduce or eliminate their meat intake due to health, environmental or ethical reasons and this is a great opportunity for people to try exciting new vegan and vegetarian food and see why going meat-free is a viable alternative diet and lifestyle.”

 Hawker Yard Founder, Duncan Stanley added,

“Here at Brum Yum Yum we’ve always set out to prove that street food isn’t just about the meat-in-a-bun classics and I firmly believe that a lot of the best street foods out there are the vegan and veggie dishes. What better way to spend a Sunday than stuffing your face with some of the tastiest and most interesting meat-free meals in town?! Add in the vegan bar, the side stalls and the great vibes, and this is the animal-friendly street party that Birmingham deserves!”

 So get down to Hawker Yard on Sunday 23rd October for a day of plant-based family fun at Hawker Yard Goes Vegan.

For up to date information in the run up to the event and for the full street food lineups follow @brumyumyum and @vegangrindhouse on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 



Photos courtesy of Hawker Yard and The Vegan Grindhouse. 

Welcoming The Physician, a new venue for Edgbaston. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Edgbaston, Food, vegetarian by

The growth in restaurants and bars in the Edgbaston village area in recent years is one of the significant success stories of the new found Foodie confidence in Birmingham. From the pioneering Simpsons to El Boracho del Oro, The High field, Blue Piano, the new Comida @ 21 Edgbaston and Cocktail bar The Edgbaston are providing Birmingham with places to eat and drink for the smart diner. Now another new restaurant is due to open soon, welcome to The Physician. 

Brunning and Price restaurant group are currently breathing new life into what was once the Birmingham Medical Institute building on the Calthorpe Estate within Edgbaston Village on the corner of Harbourne and Highfield Road.

The building was taken over in 1957 by the BMI. It once housed the extensive library before it moved to more modern facilities and when the chance came to take on such a wonderfully characterful property, it was an opportunity not to be missed by Brunning and Price.  

Lisa Rogers has recently been appointed as its General Manager and is keen to open the doors in order to get to know everyone and become a full and active member of the local community.

Lisa is new to the area, hailing originally from Southampton, she has worked within pubs since the tender age of 18, spending over 20 something years behind the bar and the last 12 of those in London as a pub manager. She jumped at the chance to run the Physician as it will enable her to live out 3 of her loves, great wine, good food and a love of history, as well as bringing her to her boyfriend Noel’s hometown to be closer to friends and family.

Lisa is joined at the Physician by Rachael Perry and Andy Harris, both will become Deputy Managers and compliment the team with Rachael’s love of wine and Andy’s love of real ale and a shared wealth of local knowledge being born and bred in the area. Our new head chef Ashley Kilroy joins us from Stourbridge and will head the kitchen team whose job it is to create daily menus which will have a core of modern British cooking and where possible use great local suppliers.

Now that the management team is in place they are busily looking for enthusiastic, personable people to make up the rest of the 40 strong team.

‘’We are looking for lots of local ‘crew members’ to work in the bar, or waiting, kitchen and maintenance roles. You don’t need to have experience, just genuinely love working with people and being generally ‘hospitable’, we will happily teach the rest if needed.

 To apply, for any role, please send your CV with a covering letter telling us about you and what makes you tick to Jan@brunningandprice.co.uk, check out our website http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/physician/ or find us on Facebook’’

‘’I’m really looking forward to creating our menu, finding some great new local suppliers and forming relationships. I love the idea of running beer and gin festivals and evenings where customers can meet local brewers or distillers to find out more and taste what’s on offer locally. We are fortunate to have a wealth of brewers in the area to choose from and I would love to hear from our customers about what they would like us to stock. The pub has a great bar at its heart and I hope that it will be a hub of local life.’’

The pub will have 2 private dining rooms seating around16 people in each. The bar is at the heart of the building with a mixture of rooms that incorporate lots of nooks and crannies to hide in or views out to the newly formed courtyard garden through the new Orangery.

Dogs will be welcomed in the bar area and we are busy mapping suitable circular walks from and to the pub so that customers can take in the many sites in this extremely historical part of town before they settle back with us to dine or quench their thirsts.

They plan to open in early November. We will update the website and Facebook with any notable dates and plans as they are finalised so we encourage anyone who is interested to follow our progress there.


  

BRUNNING AND PRICE INFORMATION

They are a group of 55 pub restaurants that were founded in the North West of England and North Wales, however, through popular demand and with the assistance of an A to Z they have now ventured further afield and have a substantial branch of the family in the South.

Each pub has its own style and flavour, though you’ll find good cask beers, freshly cooked food, decent and affordable wine and a good shelf of malt whiskies throughout. They like to think they run informal places for people who like to meet, eat, drink and talk in a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

Looking forward to The Physician opening in November. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

The Physician, Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DH.

 

 

Veggie Sunday lunch watch: The Station: Kings Heath, Birmingham. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Kings Heath, Sunday lunch, vegetarian by

  

The Station pub in Kings Heath underwent a refurbishment early in the year. Previously called the Sun at The Station, it’s now returned to its original name after been sold on. 

For many years in Kings Heath’s history it was the pub closest to the now erased railway station that ran via Moseley from the city centre. Oh for its return. The train line is still there and caters for mostly freight trains, but the name of the pub has now returned to its rightful place as the first point of call on the High Street as you come in from the city via Moseley. 



It’s a cosy local neighbourhood pub with a laid back feel with a large back room for events. 

With a good selection of real ale, cocktails and friendly staff it makes a nice alternative to the Hare and Hounds and Fletchers Bar further down the High Street on York Road and it’s refurbishment does the style and age of the pub justice. 

Ruth and I visited on a Sunday lunchtime in order to try out their Menu which includes a Veggie Nut Roast.

The Nut Roast came with lashings of Red wine gravy which is compulsory in my book and in many ways is a good test of the lunch. In this case the gravy was rich and punchy, though could have been a tad warmer. 

The Nut Roast itself was lovely. Nicely textured, with a moist nutty feel that wasn’t over cooked or under flavoured in any way. It came with a huge Yorkshire pudding and mixed vegetables of carrots and peas and roasted potatoes. It was a good size Sunday lunch, and very enjoyable. 

For pudding I  enjoyed an apple crumble with custard, which again was surprisingly good and in this case the custard was hot. 

The Station in Kings Heath is a lovely suburban pub to visit. The Sunday Lunch menu is good value and with decent sized portions is a nice alternative in Kings Heath to curry, Italian and tapas. Outside their is a large beer garden which is comfortable and is a nice sun trap in the sunshine. 

The vegetarian Nut Roast is to be recommended and was surprisingly full of flavour and depth and a decent choice for a roast in the area though not the best in the city by a long chalk. Well worth revisiting though for a straightforward hearty Sunday lunch in a cosy setting.

For a beer alone it’s worth a visit but stop for a bite to eat too, after all that trains not arriving for awhile. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

7 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7BB.
0121-444 8749.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Sun-at-the-Station

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The Station also puts on live music events  for up to 200 people and their back room can be hired out. 

Sunday lunch is served from 12-6 every Sunday. 

One course: £8.90

Two courses: £11.90

Three courses: £14.90.

They also serve food all day and brunch. All meat and eggs are free range. 

We paid for our meal in full. 

#TastyMorsels: Two Towers Beers go Vegan Friendly and introduce a new ale. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, City Centre, Food, Jewellery Quarter, Sri Lankan food, Supper Clubs, vegan, vegetarian by

Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of publicity (particularly on the BBC) about Vegan friendly beer. 

Two Towers Brewery in Birmingham, have now announced that all their cask ales will now be Vegan friendly. Their bottles have been for a long while and this is great news for Veggie ale drinkers and dare I say it all ale fans. 

Two Towers Brewery have always been  supportive of Vegan and Veggie friendly drink and food holding the Vegan Beer Fest annually and holding nights that are devoted to vegan food at their pub The Gunmakers Arms in Birmingham city centre. 

Their bottles are also available at Vegetarian restaurant The Warehouse Cafe in the city and can be found at Brum Yum Yum street food events in Kings Heath amongst other places. 

A selection of Vegan friendly beers from Two Towers Brewery. 


Nx West Midlands have introduced the No’11 Ale trail around their bus route. Anyone who has travelled on the No 11 bus will know that it’s a long route around the city (called the Outer Circle). 

The trail is a handy guide to where to find real ale (CAMRA recommended) on the bus route. See below. 

Their are 11 pubs in total and stamps can be collected at each of the pub. 

Collect all 11 and receive a prize. Monthly prizes given. 

See blow link for details of pubs and map. 

Click to access ale-trail-z-fold-leaflet.pdf

To celebrate the route Two Towers Brewery were commissioned to brew a celebratory ale to mark the occasion. 

Called surprisingly the No’ 11 Ale its tasting notes suggest it’s a very pale ale with light fruit flavours, suggesting the sunshine that the ale appears to project. Sitting on top of biscuit malt and slight nutty hints. 

It is available along the route at selected pubs. 


On Saturday October 22nd The Gunmakers Arms will have another night of Sri Lankan vegan food with Gayanis Kitchen HQ, with Two Towers beers to go alongside five different vegetable dishes. 

For more details see their Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1787785324836610/?ti=ia

Gayanis Kitchen HQ.

A collection of Vegan friendly beer from TwoTowers brewery. 


Two Towers beer at Brum Yum Yum KingshEATh. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊