Category Archives: Cafés and Restaurants

Review: Star and Garter: Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants, Leamington Spa, vegetarian, Warwickshire by

   Leamington Spa is a place I didn’t know very well, having never been there before our visit to the Star and Garter. Because our reservation was on a Saturday evening we decided to make a weekend of it, and had a lovely stay. Leamington Spa  is a nice town, pretty buildings interspersed with a lovely parks and river with a good independent streak running through its shops, cafes and restaurants. Well worth a visit for the day, or weekend stopover. 

The Star and Garter recently refurbished in a very tasteful way is tucked slightly off the main High Street shopping area, nestled away from the main traffic bustle, but is easy to find. It’s location I think benefits it and also doesn’t hinder its popularity with the locals and visitors, for when we visited it was packed and full of great atmosphere. 

The Star and Garter is part of the independent Peach Group of pubs that also own The Highfield in Birmingham and The Rose and Crown in Warwick, both of which I’ve reviewed on my blog before and The Almanack, in Kenilworth which I haven’t. 

It’s impressive from the outside, lit beautifully in the fading evening light. It’s smart interior provides a Gastro pub kind of feel and is a subtle hybrid of a cosy pub, restaurant and cool bar which makes for a contrasting mix of folk eating, drinking and meeting up before moving on elsewhere. It’s a go anytime kind of place it feels, open all day it felt an important part of the town. 

The food element of the pub is the trump card in the armour. The menus are seasonal, providing a variation for all tastes and diets, with a good choice for Vegetarians. 

With a keen relationship built up with local farmers and producers. Vegetables are from Evesham and when we visited Asparagus was just on the menu with their popular ‘dip your own’ Asparagus dish. Prices are sensible and you feel you are getting good value. 

We sat in a cosy booth like seat near the bar so was able to feel an indulge in the full pub atmosphere which was ideal. 

We ordered two Negroni’s to drink initially. It was dry and zingy, everything a Negroni should be. It packed a punch with the divine bitterness of the Italian spirit Campari but had a mellowness from the Vermouth that was spot on. Perfecto.   

 Negroni: A super-modish choice.

  
   

The choice for Vegetarians at The Star and Garter is a good one, but from experience of their previous pub visits the so called, Veggie Board (Well by me) is a delicious choice. Called here Major or minor orders (prefer deli board or tapas maybe) you can choose any 3 dishes off the menu for £9.50. They come in their own pots and the menu is above. It’s a fun way to start the meal and gives a flavour of what they do well. 

The Red Lentil Falafels with spicy yogurt, was a good falafel with the added dipping quality of some gently spiced yogurt which gave them another dimension.

The Stuffed Artichoke Hearts and Pesto Mayo: again with added dipping deliciousness, lovely artichokes full of Spring flavour with again a full flavoured Mayo. 

The Sesame Crusted Halloumi with peanut salad and Oriental Dressing  though was my favourite, and a real complimentary contrast to the other dishes offering a real stir fry like texture and crunch to the softer Halloumi and stuffed artichoke and falafels. A lovely complete dish. I love this kind of eating, and The Star and Garter’s version is a real winner. 
  
    

Ruth chose the seasonal special and tempting Dip Your Own Asparagus.  

Fresh seasonal Asparagus with its own pot of Hollandaise and Parmesan, presented beautifully and set up for a dipping frenzy. Ruth loved it. I tried a spear with the hollandaise and could concur to its simplicity and celebration of a beautiful British vegetable. With both starters taken together to share between two you’d have near perfection this Spring.

For veggies that don’t eat Parmesan it can be ignored as it comes seperate in its own pot. 

  
 Dip your own Asparagus.

  

For my main course I ordered the delicious sounding Spring Vegetable and Puy Lentil Pie, Quicke’s Mature Chedder mash, Veg gravy. 

In fact it was delicious. Deep flavoured put lentil filling, chedder mash with a really mature kick, soft but firm tenderstalk Broccoli. Indulgent, rich, comforting. It was delicious and full of deep flavour and well seasoned. A tasty Vegetarian option served with hot veggie gravy. 

We ordered a side order of Spring Greens and Peas with a thyme dressing, which complimented and boosted my dish well. 

  
    

For dessets Ruth ordered the Treacle Tart, Chantilly cream. Which she said was nice, but didn’t wow and could have done with a zingy lift. 

I ordered The Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was a good pud. Very sticky, a deep toffee flavour and plenty of toffee sauce. Lovely.

Treacle Tart, Chantilly cream.    Sticky toffee pudding.

  

We also ordered a nice bottle of White Rioja which complimented the food well.

The Star and Garter is a lovely old town centre pub. It’s cosy, quirky, with a good atmosphere that adds to our experience and made for a lovely evening. With its low lighting and modern but old feel it a recommended try when in Leamington Spa. For Vegetarians dining out the food is superb. A good mix of dishes that could possibly do with another main course on it (maybe a special) for added choice or maybe to utilise more of the seasonal veg that is around in different more adventurous ways, but for informal eating with a cosy, Gastro feel it’s a joy and with its genuine welcome and relaxed service its a fab choice to eat, drink and be merry in Leamington Spa.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Thanks to General Manager Colin for his time and taking us through the menu and to Sarah for the organisation.

The review was written after a kind invitation from the Star and Garter to review their Spring menu. Our food and drink was complimentary on the night. All opinions are my own, honest and without bias. I was not required to write a positive review.

 Ruth’s Fish main course special which she enjoyed.

  

    
 

   
   

The last three photos plus the first two courtesy of The Star and Garter. The rest of the photos are my own. 

Star and Garter, 4-6 Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, CV 32 5LL.

http://www.starandgarterleamington.co.uk/

Click to access Star-Garter-Spring-16-MAIN-MENU-Toast-1.pdf

https://twitter.com/star_leamington?lang=en-gb

https://m.facebook.com/TheStarGarter

Restaurant Review: Vanilla Black London revisited. 

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, London, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

I still can remember the first time is saw Michaelangelo’s Ceiling in The Sistine Chapel in Rome, the wonder that something so beautiful had been created and that Art has now evolved over centuries, but still the perfection of a ceiling could rewrite my vision and seduce the poet in me to gasp and be silent. 

Then the other week in London I had the luxury of seeing Claude Monet’s lily pond paintings at The Royal Academy. The simplistic but oh so sure images of a scene that was so precious to him that he recreated it so many times in order to demonstrate its beauty. 

So what’s this got to do with food, or with London’s Vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black? 

Well it’s with the élan of the cooking and the presentation of the dishes. An artists eye for colour. Art you see can be precise, intricate, and flamboyant, Or it can be dark and light, shades of grime amongst the surface, with Vanilla Black the beauty on the plate of so much of the food presented to us was nuanced with compelling flavours and spoke to me of my morning gallery visit. The design to get it right, the light, the lush, the technicolor of shouting through the spectrum of brightness. 

That is to me Vanilla Black. To be the best, to be thoughtful with every bite the customer takes. The wow factor, the surprise (by meat eating punters) that vegetarian food can be so good. 

So I guess that sounds like a conclusion before I begin. Well in truth it is. Vanilla Black makes you want to mix up the rules, you won’t find burgers, risotto, curry or pasta bake here. Though I guess if you did it would be the best you’d had.

When I first visited Vanilla Black a couple of years ago I was enthralled by it’s heartbeat. Feeling that Nothing could prepare you for the pleasure of eating there. Set in an elegant townhouse in Tooks Court, the legal area of East London, the dining room is a mellow sophisticated hush of understatement. Muted colours, a calming air of relaxation. It feels right before you even begin the food. 

Ruth and I visited on a Saturday evening. Its popularity was visible and it was noticeable that their was a fair bit of smiling when people’s food arrived. That wow factor I mentioned. 

An amuse bouche, sorbet like. A cleansing begining. Followed by some stunning homemade bread, always a good sign of things to come.    Amuse Bouche. Fresh homemade bread.

So to the food. My starter Dried Yeast Pumpkin Terrine with Orange Purée -Seeded Cinder toffee, mulled pumpkin and oil. A beautifully constructed dish of subtle but cooling flavours. The terrine with hints of toffee running through against the bright fruity orange that dances upon the tongue. Layers of unorthodox flavous, sharper with every mouthful. Lovely. 

  

  

Ruth’s Yorkshire Blue Cheese Toastie, Crisp Rye, Grapes, Puffed Wheat: Light, cheesy, no bread, constructed and flavoured beautifully. She loved it. 

  

It’s when the creative imagination of the chef (Andrew Dargue) consumes a dish that you know that you are in elegant surroundings. Take my main course: Salted and Ash baked Celeriac & Kale-Whey poached celeriac, Broccoli, Yoghurt Curd: A dish with layers and layers of differing textures and flavours. 

The earthy, crisp, bright coloured  kale, the subtle but soft whey poached celeriac of oozy decadence. Then the ash baked celeriac, the charred crust of the charcoal baked with a riveting harmonious result that’s lifts the root vegetable to another level entirely. Clever enlightened cooking, every ingredient put together perfectly. A supreme dish. 

 Salted and Ash Baked celeriac and Kale-Whey poached celeriac, Broccoli, yoghurt curd.

  

 Ruth’s main course 

 

Desserts follow a similar creative line as the first two courses. Mine, Poached Rhubarb with Salted Orange Yoghurt and Rhubarb Toffee: Crispy Porridge and Moscatel Syrup: The shocking pink of rhubarb beautifully poached, a depth of tart flavour set off by the dash of explosively crispy porridge as a contrast. Plated like a painting of subtle brush strokes that is playfully mastered and cleverly executed. I loved the complete flavours of this dessert. 

Ruth’s Chocolate Brownie crumble with Marmalade parfait and crispy milk: Dark Chocolate, contreau, candied kumquat which she enjoyed especially the harmonious flavours of the chocolate and the orange. 

All of this is done with effortless and charming service from front of house Donna and her team, who are passionate about their dishes and the experience you may discover. 

  

The dark cooking clouds have lifted. Visiting Vanilla Black will certainly banish those over cooked risottos and death by pasta bake. Food consumed with big brash bold flavours

Vanilla Black is an upmarket treat that offers thoughtful indulgences of veggie decadance. It’s a remarkable experience of creative, beautifully presented and exciting food that is art on the plate and a brushstroke on the palette. Even non veggies would love the sophistication, the cleverness, the fun and the delight of this bright canvas of  vegetables. Food executed perfectly, the fact that it’s all Vegetarian is a bonus. 

And then there’s Michaelangelo’s ceiling, well that’s one of the wonders of the world. An idea from a seed of inspiration, much like vegetables, and then it’s what you do with them that matters, that is what makes art. For the food you are unlikely to have tried anything like it before. 

  

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Disclaimer: Our food and drinks were complimentary. This doesn’t affect my honest opinion of our meal. 

With thanks to Andrew and Donna for their hospitality and conversation. 

Vanilla Black, 17-18 Tooks Court, CT London EC4A 1LB. 

Subway: Chancery Lane

020-7242 2622.

http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/

http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/menus/vegan-menu

https://twitter.com/vanillablack1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Opus launch new 2 course for £25 Market menu every Friday evening with added wine. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Farm producers, Food, Fruit and Veg, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
  
Friday evenings at Opus is a new concept menu that celebrates local and sustainable produce. 

Now you know what they say. Never look a gift horse in the mouth, or eat 5 a day: Either way, Opus has this sorted. 

Opus is one of the best restaurants if not the best for vegetarians in Birmingham that isn’t purely veggie. So if you have meat eating mates or partner, then this bargain Friday indulgence maybe for you. 

Every Friday you can enjoy two courses from their British market menu including Vegetarian options, home baked bread and half a bottle of house wine for £25.00 per person. The perfect way to kickstart your weekend! 

All dishes reflect produce from their family of farmers and fishermen around the British Isles, including   Worcester Produce, Caroll’s Heritage potatoes, M&J Seafood, Brixham Seafish, and award winning butchers Aubrey Allen.

Available Every Friday from 6pm for £25 per person. 

Join in an celebrate the beauty of British produce. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/

http://www.worcesterproduce.co.uk/

http://heritage-potatoes.co.uk/

Opus has recently launched a new vegetarian menu. For my review see here: 

https://t.co/AIpppfvenl

   
    
 Photos from Opus’ recent vegetarian menu.

   
 

The Warehouse Cafe, now with added Vegan friendly beer and wine. 

Posted in beer, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Craft beer, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Wine by

  

  
The Warehouse Cafe has always had a special place in my heart. For many years not long after I first became Vegetarian (27 years ago) I used to frequent it often with veggie friends. The veggie burger was a huge favourite as was the potato wedges and desserts which were back then vegan friendly. There weren’t many places to go, in the city centre it was the one and only! Over the years it’s changed hands a few times but has always stayed similar and offered deliciosly good value vegetarian and vegan food. Now things have changed, but for the better. 

Vegan friendly beers and wine are now more popular than ever. Look in the supermarket or good wine shop and you’ll see more available than ever before. 

This summer marks three years since The Warehouse Cafe reopened the doors to Birmingham’s original Vegetarian restaurant and cafe. 

After a successful application for an alcohol license a new drinks menu will be introduced over the next few weeks. 

In order to stick to a completely Vegan friendly range and keep the environmental impact to a minimum the real ale and craft beer will be supplied by local Birmingham brewers Two Towers. 

The beers on offer at The Warehouse are Complete Muppetry, Electric Ale, Hockley Gold, Bhacker Adams, and a special craft beer Come on Feel the Noize- in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham band Slade. 

The wines will be supplied from independent merchants Underwood Wines who are based in nearby Stratford-upon-Avon. 

Try the drinks with dishes such as Digbeth Daal, The Warehouse Burger, Refried Bean Quesadilla, Halloumi Fish and Chips or ancient grain risotto. 

I’m looking forward to giving the beers a run for their money and walking down memory lane again as i always do when I visit. 

   
   
   
    
    
   
 http://www.thewarehousecafe.com

http://www.underwoodwines.co.uk

http://twotowersbrewery.co.uk/

Thanks for reading, 

Andy😊

Thanks to Darren at Two Towers for the beer images and info re beers. 

What is Vegan Friendly? 

It is during the filtering process of wine or beer that the non-vegan and vegetarian part usually occurs. For beer this part of the process is usually only reserved for cask ales, where Brewers use finings to clear away excess yeast suspended in the beer. Finings are also used in the production of wine. Animal derived products include most commonly islinglass. A form of collagen obtained from raw fish bladders. Finings don’t remain in the finished product, but by using finings that are not animal derived, such as Irish miss it adheres to the core principles of veganism and vegetarianism. 

Is Nomad The Wilderness or just the best Vegetarian food experience in Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

What’s in a name? Does it matter what a restaurants called? Nomad was or is (until 7th May when it becomes The Wildernes and reopens on the 25th May) the best Vegetarian food experience in Birmingham. 

Ruth and I’s final experience of its current incarnation came a couple of weeks ago. We’ve enjoyed and got immersed in the food on three occasions, twice in Kings Heath and once in its new Birmingham City Centre location. Their is something immersive, something involving about eating here. You feel you become the ingredients, you can smell the earth, feel the sweat of the producers, sense the innovative ideas that come from the kitchen that lead you on your food journey, that’s your own journey, your own personal experience, a connection to the ingredients. 

Spring is abundant with renewal. Blossoming trees signal newness, freshness and fine ingredients, the dawn of asparagus season, Jerusalem artichokes, rhubarb, radish, celeriac, beetroot, the list is a vegetarians friend, a long lingering hug of the senses, the light at the end of a long winter.  

  

Dishes come thick and fast. Beautifully and sublimely presented  echoing the natural world that nourished the ingredients, and inspires the chefs of which Alex Claridge is turning into a master worker of delicate innovation.

There’s a savoury Apple and Chedder morsel of such delicacy and flavour that leaves the mouth tingling with further anticipation. 

Then the simple Baby Radish, crunchy, light paired with Seaweed Hollandaise becomes a thing of beauty within its own simplicity. Like it had just been picked from the ground with its vivid and perky peppery crispness that when dipped into the hollandaise snuggles with proof that good things come in small packages. 
  Apple and Chedder. 

  Baby Radish, seaweed hollandaise.

  

A 64 Degree Yolk, Asparagus is a dose of sunlight, crisp yet tender asparagus, so fresh it hadn’t been named yet is the perfect foil to the yolk that is a masterclass of well…yolk with a luxurious after taste. 
  

Followed by Beetroot, Apple, quail egg: Where earthy beetroot meets sweeter Apple with the delicate and runny quail egg lapping at the sides. Unusual combinations bump up against one another to create a sunny sunlight of spring. An elegant dish. 

Then a Jerusalem artichoke, vinegar gel, cauliflower is a cauliflower lovers dream, coming with the chunky artichoke with masses of flavour. A sweet surprising marriage, of textural contrasts that worked perfectly. 

  Jerusalem Artichoke, vinegar gel, cauliflower

  

A main course of sorts was the best of all Celeriac Three Ways, Dill, white sprouting broccoli: A complex dish of galactic cooking. The ingredients felt elegant and restrained with nutty slightly cheesy overtones from the celeriac presented beautifully with the unusual white sprouting broccoli. It exudes gentle charm and is a culinary garden of attention to detail. 

Then there were desserts. Buttermilk sponge, fennel, meadowsweet: Nostalgically soothing and full of gentle harmonies of flavour, beautifully comforting. 

Followed by Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, celebrated 3 ways: parfait, meringue and foam. A sharp and light dessert, delicious and full of the love of spring, and in fact food. We chased the last morsel from the plate. (So good I forgot to take a photo).

  Buttermilk Sponge, Fennel, meadowsweet. 

Maybe it’s a sign of even better things to come that Nomad is to be renamed and rebranded as The Widerness. Vegetables are placed at the centre of the dishes, and through the crucible of the imagination a journey of flavours and textures takes place. The cooking is masterful, complex and consistent as dishes flow and twinkle with playful creativity. The food stands up to its own beauty.

Yes Spring is abundant with joys for Vegetarians yet it’s the expectation of the unexpected that makes Nomad a beautifully immersing experience. With added charming and informative service its a game changer and makes you look at Spring ingredients anew.

So whatever the restaurant is called Just try it for its beauty and celebration of vegetables and then when you’ve tried it go again, tell your friends, grow your own and please if the Wilderness is this good, then take me, as I desire to be lost in its immersive culinary garden world. 

    
  

  
    
   

  

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

You can find Nomad/The Wilderness on Dudley Street, Birmingham City Centre. (By New Street Station/Grand Central) 

http://foodbynomad.com/

https://m.facebook.com/nomadbirmingham/

https://www.resdiary.com/Restaurant/Nomad

https://twitter.com/nomadbirmingham?lang=en-gb

We both ate the vegetarian menu. Our food was complimentary, we paid for drinks only on the night. My opinions are honest as always. 

Look out for my future blog post about The Wilderness next month. 

  

Coffee time @ Vegan and Vegetarian 3 Three’s Coffee Lounge, Birmingham City Centre.

Posted in Birmingham, Breakfasts, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, City Centre, Coffee Time, Independent, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

3 Three’s Coffee Lounge is a new Vegan and Vegetarian coffee shop in Martineu Place, Birmingham City Centre. 

Recently opened it offers a mixture of hot ( soup, vegan hot dogs)  and cold food (Sandwiches, cakes, ice cream- 12 flavours, 4 vegan friendly) and of course coffee. All cakes are also Vegan friendly and dairy free. 

Most of the menu it seems is suitable for Vegans and offers mock meat style options (sandwiches, wraps) as well non meat style options such as hummus, avocados and roasted peppers and the soup and hot dog (Frankfurter) is dairy free. 

 

3 Three’s has an informal and comfortabl feel with good reliable Wi Fi and sturdy wooden tables, ideal for working on. 

It’s quite a large space with plenty of seating and art work on the walls. 3 Three’s also had a nice atmosphere, with good background music. 

On the two occasions that I’ve been it was busy considering it had only been open a few days and word of mouth seems to be getting round.  

On my first visit I enjoyed  a Chocolate Brownie (£2.20) that had an excellent chocolatey flavour, was nice and gooey in the middle, a good flat shape and had a homemade feel about it. It was a pleasure to eat and very tempting to repeat. 

My Flat White had a good espresso coffee flavour, though lacked the micro foam swirl of others in the city that makes it so distinctive, it was a bit of a disappointment though had a decent full flavour. I’m sure this will improve. 

Mine was made with semi skimmed milk, there are non dairy versions available with Soya or Almond milk. 

  
  Chocolate Brownie. All cakes are vegan friendly. 

  
    
  

On my second visit I tried the Vegan friendly Frankfurter Hot Dog £3.00. 

  

Served in a 8.5 inch white roll, the Frankfurter hot dog made out of tofu? I think, came with a choice of toppings, jalapeños, mustard, ketchup, and onion with salsa to be launched soon. It looked stunning and tasted exceptionally good. The Frankfurter was full of tofu flavour, and set off by the spicy jalapeños and soft silky onions and bright and vividly flavoured mustard was one of the nicest of it’s kind I’ve tasted for ages. 

I also enjoyed a semi skimmed Cappuccino ( £2.50) that had a nice strong coffee flavour and had a lovely arty chocolate 3 Three’s logo on top. A great coffee. 

  
    
  

Before now the brilliant Warehouse Cafe was the only informal veggie and vegan eating place in the city centre, but not a coffee lounge in any form. 3 Three’s is going in a different direction. It’s very much needed and in a decent central location with lots of foot traffic.

As a first look, I was very impressed with 3 Three’s Coffee Lounge. It’s a very friendly shop, wih staff that are enthusiastic and keen to please. The food I’ve eaten is of a high standard and the menu though limited so far, is nice and catering to an informal laid back crowd who want something different and find the indulgence of a Vegan/Veggie or Gluten Free friendly atmosphere to their liking. 

I’d like to see more risks in time with some of the food. I know this is in hand and the menu is constantly under development. A few salads, raw maybe using seasonal vegetables, breakfast items,  a bit more simple hot food, perhaps burrito’s, even a burger. 

These though are only my perceptions of an informal vegan/veggie space, from ones I’ve visited in London for example, not the definitive, but for now 3 Three’s is an improvement and an asset to Birmingham’s developing independent cafe and coffee scene and offers something different with quality for us non meat and fish (and dairy) eaters, (in fact the whole of Birmingham.) it’s a place I’ve warmed to and a place I will frequent often. 

Any new venture of this kind deserves support and is a positive start in creating a more defined informal Vegetarian and Vegan lunch stop in central Birmingham and this is most welcome. 

https://m.facebook.com/3threescoffee/

http://www.3threescoffee.com/

3 Three’s Coffee Lounge, Martineau Place, City Centre, B2 4UW.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

  
  

I paid for all my food and drink in full, my opinions are my own and honest as always. 

Veggie Lunch Watch: Cafe Opus @ Ikon Gallery.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Farm producers, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Lunch deals, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

  
Lunch is a serious subject. Whether it’s the luxury of eating at Carters of Moseley, Turners of Harborne or Purnells Bistro (I’ve tried all those) or the informality of Bodega and Amantia its a serious subject. One not to be undertaken (unless it’s at your desk) lightly. Cafe Opus takes lunch seriously, not in a fine dining kind of way, but by providing that informality one feels comfortable in right away and one that suits the Ikon Gallery where it resides down to the ground. 

Cafe Opus is the little brother of big Opus, Restaurant that is on Cornwall Street and of the young whippersnapper Bar Opus near Snow Hill Station. What they all have in common is the keen response to seasonal ingredients, sourced locally, market fresh and of a consideration to Vegetarians and Vegans in their menus. 

Ruth and I stopped by to try their all day 2 course for £10.50 menu (available Tuesday to Saturday) after a look around the Ikon Gallery. 

The menu includes a good choice of Vegetarian dishes and some Vegan options. It’s an all day menu that offers brunch dishes, sandwiches and light bites as well as more substantial mains. 

The first thing that you find at Cafe Opus is how light floods the room and how relaxed the restaurant feels. With original art on the walls and a quirky informal seating arrangement that is more cafe than formal dining  the modern dishes on offer perfectly fit the gallery vibe and is ideal for a lunch whilst visiting.

  
    
  

The 2 course menu is ideal for lunch or for an early evening supper. It includes homemade soup of the day to start (always a vegan version) and any dish off the menu for £10.50. 

For our starter we both ordered the Mushroom Soup.

 

The deep mushroom flavours came through, perfectly seasoned with chunky mushrooms adding a rich texture to the creamy warmth. Lovely. A near perfect soup. 

On the other hand the bread was beyond dry and possibly the worst I’ve witnessed in a restaurant/cafe for years. It was fairly inedible and would have been better made into croutons. It’s beyond why it came out of the kitchen to be honest. 

  

For my main course I ordered the Vegan friendly Penne Pasta tossed in Basil Pesto with wilted rocket and sun blushed tomatoes. 

  

Now imagine sitting in an Italian square In the sunshine with a glass of wine. Sun beating down, loads of time, a bowl of pasta in front of you.  This light pasta dish had that same kind of sunny easiness about it. 

Take a good flavoured light coating of basil pesto and mix with wilted rocket and sweet and succulent sun blushed tomatoes, toss with well cooked penne and you have simple dish that spoke to me of sunnier days and not the grey showery one that greeted me outside. An escape to the Med on a drizzly day, with a glass of red wine, happiness. 
 

  
  

Ruth ordered the Brixham Fish Pie for her main course which she said was lovely, with well cooked fish, though this again came with the aforementioned stale bread which was a shame.

We also ordered a couple of large glasses of wine. A good plummy red Pinot Noir for me and a glass of white Sauvignon Blanc for Ruth. 

Cafe Opus is an excellent place for lunch for vegetarians. The dishes on offer are of a high standard, Flavours marry together and the informality of the cafe makes it ideal for a relaxed break after a visit to the gallery or during a wander around Brindley Place. The service is friendly and with smoothies on the menu a healthier juicy option is available on drinks. 

The fact that the menus change seasonally is also good for repeated visits and the terrace on a nice day begs to be lingered over. Hey, if I close my eyes I can even imagine that it’s Italy. After all lunch (and terraces) are a serious subject.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Cafe Opus is at the Ikon gallery, 1 Oozells Street, Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HS.

http://www.cafeopus.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/cafeopus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

We paid for our meal and drinks in full. All opinions are honest and my own as always. 

  
    
    
  

 

Outside on the sunny terrace. Summer’s almost here. 
Photos courtesy of Cafe Opus  

   Afternoon tea at Cafe Opus available for £10 per person.  Smoothies available at Cafe Opus. 

Spring has sprung, Bistro 1847 launches new Spring menu. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Food, Gastro Card, Independent, Lunch deals, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

Birmingham Vegetarian restaurant Bistro 1847 has just launched its new Spring menu. 

Dishes are created around and are inspired by local seasonal ingredients, which means every three months their menus change so the freshest plant-based fare possible can be introduced.  

The newest menu includes dishes that reflect the abundance of produce that’s on offer during Spring in the UK. 

You’ll find starters such as:

Marinated and Chargrilled Aubergine stuffed with Roasted Buckwheat, soya yoghurt, parsley and Sorrel (Vegan) 

and 

Lightly Dusted Goats Cheese with Black Olives, Apples, Celery and Melba Toast.

Mains such as:

Herb Breadcrumb Oyster Mushrooms with Asparagus, Quinoa, and Roasted Garlic Sauce 

and

Aubergine Steak, Seaweed Butter, Kohl Rabi Coleslaw, and Jersey Royal Potatoes. (Vegan)

For Deserts:

1847 Warm Dark Chocolate Brownie, Chilli Brittle, Pistachio Soil and Basil Syrup (Vegan) 

and

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Jelly, Strawberries and Caraway Jam, custard, meringue. 

2 courses are £19.50 and 3 courses are £25.00.

A bargain I feel for the quality of cooking and ingredients. 

For the full menus see link below: 

 http://by1847.com/menus/SummerMenu2016.pdf

Click to access SummerMenuDesserts2016.pdf

Most dishes can be made Vegan or Gluten Free. 

     

    
 The above 5 photos of the new menu courtesy of Bistro 1847 with thanks. 

A Veggie Spring has certainly sprung.

Welcome to Nature. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy😊

For my previous review of the Winter menu see link below:

https://t.co/p2wLZcZfFg

Photos from Winter Menu. 
   

  
Bistro 1847 also do a Sunday Lunch menu for £17.00 for 3 courses, plus a Express Lunch from Monday-Friday, which is a main course and drink for £10.00. 

   

 

The new Spring menus are available in 1847 restaurants in Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton and Bristol. 

Veggie Breakfast Watch: Good Morning Muffin at Leon, Birmingham.

Posted in Breakfasts, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie foodie brunch breakfasts by

  

Leon has been in Birmingham Street Station now for a few months since Grand Central opened serving its natural fast food and always seems to have a steady flow of people visiting. It’s range of food it offers is varied and caters well for Vegetarians and Vegans.  

Set in a light and airy cafe, it’s laid back atmosphere is the perfect kill some time place for those getting a train with plenty of floor space for luggage, or a relaxed funky lunch spot for those wanting something a bit different and it’s a decent place to bring children though it may be a bit short of space at busy times. It can be popular. Leon have also added outside tables in the forecourt of the station. 

I previously reviewed them last year and found the Vegetarian Hot Box I ate to be excellent and with many other vegan and veggie dishes on the menu its a good stop off point at lunchtime. See my review below:

https://t.co/PTWPKz2ZEt

Having tried their breakfast Vegetarian Good Morning Muffin a few weeks ago before I got a train I found myself very early one Saturday morning (as it opened at 6.30am) with Ruth in Leon again and had another for good measure. 

The Good Morning Muffin is a Roasted Portabello Mushroom, Free Range Egg, Spinach and Leon made Ketchup served in a lightly toasted English Muffin. Cost £3.75.

  

Take a runny egg, chunky roasted portabello mushrooms, delicate spinach and a tangy, and subtly spiced ketchup and you have a substantial early morning wake me up, or filling sustenance on the train. The Good Morning Muffin, felt light, not oily or fatty but a healthier alternative to some of the other places nearby. The portabello mushrooms were firm and are the meatier of the mushrooms with an earthier texture  and worked well with the tangy ketchup and oozy runny egg which was pitch perfect. Taken with a smooth flat white (even at 6.30am) it proved to be very enjoyable. 

  

 

Leon is well worth a visit and though its a chain, (arriving in London a little later discovered they are taking over our capital, but not the rest of the UK just yet) it’s ethos and menu selection for Vegetarians and Vegans is well worth discovering and for a quick breakfast, it’s recommended. 

     Cookbooks in Leon

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Click to access 18.PAPER_MENU_2016_JANUARY_V4.pdf

You can find Leon at Unit 25, New Street Station, B2 4QA.

http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/birmingham/

   
   

Opus reaches final for hospitality’s most prestigious award. 

Posted in Awards, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Food, Gastro Card, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
Opus at Cornwall Street have been selected as semi-finalists for the prestigious Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence. 

The awards, which are designed to recognise the UK’s most talented young people within hospitality, will see Opus front of house staff Dorenzo Pratt and Iona Adams, as well as chef de partie Martin Baylis, the only kitchen staff in the Midlands to be named as a semi-finalist, complete a series of exams, interviews and technical tasks this month in an attempt to achieve the industry’s most reputable award. 

The gifted trio reached the semi-finals after demonstrating exceptional knowledge and an enthusiastic attitude through an application process. During the finals, Dorenzo, who has been working at Opus for two years after starting as a part-time student from University College Birmingham, and Iona, who has been at Opus since January 2016, will partake in a written exam and rigorous interview on Opus’ food and wine menus in order to receive the esteemed service award. Martin, who has been working for Opus for one year, will have two hours to prepare squid, salt baked whole sea bass, a rack of lamb and an apple tart, as well as complete a theory test and demonstrate basic kitchen skills to receive the kitchen award.  
Irene Allan, director at Opus at Cornwall Street, said: “We’re very committed to developing our front of house and kitchen teams, so having three members reach the finals for the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards is a tremendous achievement. We’re incredibly proud of Dorenzo, Iona and Martin and are thrilled that their talents and sector knowledge has been recognised. Not only will the award be a huge achievement for our staff personally, but it will also be an achievement for Birmingham’s growing culinary scene. 

“There are only two restaurants locally with staff in the shortlist, ourselves and our neighbours Purnells Restaurant  so we’d also like to wish Bradley Pace from there the best of luck too.” 

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence is an examination and not a competition. All or none of those that reach the final can achieve the award depending on their ability to attain the standard of excellence set by the judges. 

Dorenzo and Iona took part in the service finals on Saturday 19th March at The Ritz in London. Martin will take part in the kitchen finals on Wednesday 30th March at University College Birmingham. 

For more information on Opus at Cornwall Street, please see: 

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/

I wish them all good luck with this prestigious award.

   
    
 Vegetarian dishes at Opus.
See below for my review of Opus’ vegetarian menu: 

https://t.co/AIpppfvenl

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊