Category Archives: City Centre

New Vegan and Vegetarian coffee lounge to open in Birmingham City Centre. 

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, healthy, Independent, Lunch, vegan, vegetarian, Vegetarian takeaways, Veggie foodie by

Exciting news has reached me that a new Vegan and Vegetarian coffee shop is set to open in Birmingham City Centre.

Called 3 Three’s Coffee Lounge it’s based in a unit in Martineau Place just off Corporation Street (the street by WH Smiths and Sainsbury’s). 

It’s not open yet, but according to their Facebook page, not long. 

Note: Due to own on the 6th April. 

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

Looking at their website they will sell a mixture of sandwiches, wraps, paninis, soups, salads and cakes, plus coffee and soft drinks. 

http://www.3threescoffee.com/

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

I’m looking forward to hopefully finding some interesting salads and warming soups as well as good quality coffee and cakes. 

Hopefully the food will be a leader for interesting vegetarian and vegan lunch time options and be a firm favourite with Brummies and visitors alike. 

   

  
 

  
Of course the proof will be in the quality of the food and coffee. Hopefully items will be made in house or from local suppliers.

The joy of course will be in the trying out. 

Any 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. 

The coffee shop is now open keep an eye on their Facebook page and website for updates. 

  
http://www.3threescoffee.com/

3 Three’s Coffee Lounge, Unit 8, 17-19 Martineau Place, Birmingham 

Photos courtesy of their facebook page. 

Opus Restaurant launches new Vegetarian menu. 

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

   
 
During the last few years I’ve visited Opus Restaurant numerous times and have always been impressed by their passion and belief in the locally sourced produce they obtain from the area surrounding the restaurant. The Source Dinner series held over the course of the year highlights this. In particular for Vegetarians the Vegetarian Source Dinner in July is a real highlight and a must do on my foodie calendar. 

Worcester Produce from Pershore, Worcestershire provide the vegetables, fruit and produce for that dinner and the link is now deepened with the new introduction this month of a seasonally changing Vegetarian menu which uses their produce all year round. 

Opus’ vegetarian dishes have always been stunningly  made, taking seasonal produce and making accessible and tasty dishes that showcase this ethos off to its maximum. 

See below for examples from their last Source vegetarian dinner.

   
 

The new Opus Restaurant vegetarian menu replaces for veggies the A La Carte menu, by offering a dedicated menu that changes monthly to reflect the produce on offer from the farmers. 

There is also a Vegan option on each course.

It is available for lunch and dinner.

The A’La Carte is still available for non vegetarians who can now choose from both menus. 

The winter Vegetarian Menu is listed below. 

 

For the A’La Carte menu and Market Menu which is retained see below:

Click to access A-LA-CARTE-MARKET.pdf

The Market Menu is also available offering two courses for £20 including a Vegetarian Starter and Main Course (price includes home baked bread and tea or filter- coffee) see above link for details. 

I’m looking forward to trying the new Vegetarian menu soon and for me this cements Opus as one of the best places for vegetarians to visit in Birmingham. 

Review of Vegetarian Source Dinner with Worcester Produce:

http://t.co/WkopBcpQ9P

Opus leads the way on sustainability:

https://t.co/3tmU7L7Y2V

  

   

    
    
 Four photos above courtesy of Opus.

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

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

Opus Restaurant, 54 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B3 2DE.

0121-200-2323.

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

The next vegetarian source dinner with Worcester Produce is on Friday 19th August 7pm costing £65 for five courses. 

   
 

A tale of three drinks: Wine, Detox cocktails and Smoothies at Opus restaurants. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Colmore business district, Health drinks, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Wine by

   
 

Some of us at this time of year are thinking of either our health or our wallets or both. Birmingham Is generally very good at promoting its non alcoholic cocktails, and smoothies, but this month The Opus Restaurants are offering some good deals.

Opus of Cornwall Street have introduced their  January Wine Sale – Monday 4th January to Saturday 30th January.
From these dates you can Enjoy 50% off selected bottles of wine at Opus at Cornwall Street’s annual January wine sale. With 18 bottles to choose from including red, white, rose and dessert, wine enthusiasts can enjoy a range of fruity, spicy and velvety drinks. From the powerful but elegant ‘Valpolicella Ripaso’, a deep ruby red that is usually £35 but will cost just £17.50, to the soft ‘Auxey-Duresses Blanc’, a rich but relatively soft drink with orange blossom and lime notes that usually costs £75 but will be just £37.50, this is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy an old favourite at half price or to try something new.

To see the full wine sale menu, take a look here: http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JANUARY-WINE-SALE.pdf

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

Cafe Opus at Ikon Gallery: 
The cafe have introduced a number of  Detox Smoothies, packed full of healthy ingredients and sold All day, every day.

   
 
  
Cafe Opus will be serving three delicious smoothies – ‘Ginger Spice’, ‘Green and Clean’ and ‘All About The Berries’. All smoothies contain healthy ingredients, which are full of antioxidants and fibre to help purge those festive toxins. 

Each smoothie costs £3.50 and can be enjoyed to drink in or takeaway. 

To find out more about events happening at Cafe Opus at Ikon, visit: 

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

  

Bar Opus from the outside, AH

   
 Bar Opus at One SnowHill have introduced a number of Detox cocktails if you are Bidding the booze goodbye this month with Dry January or just want to cut down on alcohol or you are the designated driver. 
Luckily for you, Bar Manager Sam has whipped up some delicious alcohol-free cocktails for your January health kick. 

With six flavours to choose from including beetroot, pear, banana, carrot and ginger, apple, and kale and cucumber, these detox drinks are the perfect solution to not drinking but still going out. 
Cocktails are £3 each or £15 per case of 6. 

   
 Plus , Bar Opus have introduced  Wow Weekend – Every Friday and Saturday.

If you’ve got an Opus loyalty card then enjoy 50% off Prosecco from 5pm on Friday and all day Saturday. 
Opus loyalty cards can be picked up from Opus at Cornwall Street, Cafe Opus at Ikon and Bar Opus at One Snowhill and can be used in connection with other fabulous offers, including gaining 10p points for every £1 spent.

http://baropus.co.uk/

Whatever you do this year have a healthy one. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊
All photos apart from one are courtesy of Opus Restaurants. 

#Tastymorsel: Great deals at vegetarian 1847. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Food, Independent, Lunch deals, Organic, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
  

Vegetarian restaurant Bistro 1847 has a number of offers that are  perfect for those enjoying Veganuary (try vegan for a month) or cutting back after the festive season. 

In Birmingham you can Enjoy £40 worth of food for just £20 via Dine Birmingham. Full T&C available here.

http://www.dinebirmingham.co.uk/offers/birmingham-restaurant-deals-january-restaurant-offers-birmingham/#sthash.rjlvphFB.dpbs

   
 
For my latest review of the Winter Menu, see here:

https://t.co/p2wLZcZfFg

Veggie Sunday Lunch Watch:

Bistro 1847 are also open every Sunday in Birmingham – new for 2016 from 1200 – 2000 offering a choice of Vegetarian and Vegan roasts with 3 courses for £17 plus kids eat free! 

I’m certainly tempted. 

Book on their website 
http://www.by1847.com/
  

Bistro 1847 also have Valentines menus available on their website for Valentines weekend, February 12-14th. 

Book directly on their website. 

http://by1847.com/

Valentines menu: 

Click to access ValentinesMenu2016.pdf

Vegan and Gluten Free options will also be available.

  

For details of Veganuary see here:

Home

  
   
   
Bistro 1847 are still doing their classic lunch deal.

  
Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

Bistro 1847, Great Western Arcade, Birmingham, B2 5HU.

https://m.facebook.com/pages/1847-Birmingham/208341145981255
 

Winter menu review: An 1847 Christmas in Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Christmas, City Centre, Colmore business district, Independent, Lunch deals, Organic, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

What does Winter mean to you? A cosy fire, warming comfortable food, deep intense flavours, Christmas, Milky sunshine, snow?

 In 1847 (the year the vegetarian society which Bistro 1847 takes its name from was formed) Winter was very different, but had for some those comfy elements. For others poverty and cold filled the darkening destitute days with a penniless existence. There was fog in London, Famine in Ireland, times were hard and a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens had been written four years before. 

For me, food is best comforting, warming seasonal and filled with the intensity of deep flavours and cheerfully rich colours that only a Winter time dish deserves. So you’ll find root vegetables, cabbage, red onion gravy, kale and hearty mash on the menu. 

Bistro 1847 are in full on expansion mode. Openings recently in Bristol and Brighton supplement the Manchester and Birmingham restaurants. Dishes served with contemporary flair and passion which just happen to be Vegetarian with good Vegan options and menu make 1847 unique in Birmingham. With a neighbourhood feel in the city and cocktail list its charming. 

I visited with my parents and brother to try the new Winter menu’s delights, one mild lunchtime. 

We enjoyed two courses, a main and a desert. 

   

Merguez and Mash: 

Spicy Puy lentil sausage, turnip and sage mash, red onion gravy.

A hearty vegan friendly main course, big flavoured, spicy, a deep intense gravy. It’s comfort food at its best. It’s simple in design, almost traditional, but those hearty slightly exotic flavours pack a punch that creates a harmonious wintry and Christmas memory lane delight of a main. 

To accompany it I enjoyed a glass of decent house red that worked, bringingout the deep flavours of the sausage and red onion gravy.


  

  Chocolate and Pear:

Soft ganache, port poached pear, gingerbread, mulled wine gel. (Vegan)

A gem of a pudding, and the best I’ve tasted at 1847. It felt luxurious and with a deep and full flavoured port poached pear which set off the soft, dark chocolatey ganache,  it was heavenly, creamy (but no cream) and made me think, can I have some more please? 

    ‘Fish and Chips’

Ginger ale battered Halloumi, triple cooked chips, savoury lemon curd, green pea and Basil. 

A Bistro 1847 signature dish that my brother lapped up. A variation on the norm due to the added ginger ale. Cheese heaven! 

  

My parents also had the Merguez and mash. They said it felt like winter on a plate. 

  
  A welcome to Winter

  
  Cheese board. 

My Dad enjoyed his British cheese plate for desert, which he said was a good size with the right amount of varied biscuits. Local to 1847 they come with grapes and homemade chutney. Nice cheeses. 

 

A trip to Bistro 1847 is a refreshing and inventive experience for Vegetarians and Vegans. When the classics are spun into another more modern realm of intricacy, simplicity and beauty then Winter feels more 2015 than 1847. Dishes are more precise, but not less indulgent and comforting for it. With the core elements of familiarity and comfort 1847 have taken the season and made it now, but with a certain doff of the cap to the past. It is on this level where it succeeds and in its discovery where appetites are more than satisfied. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

Disclosure: We paid for our own meal at Bistro 1847. My views are my own and honest of my experience of the dishes eaten. 

   
 

Click to access b-menu.pdf

Click to access b-menu-desersts.pdf

Bistro 1847, 26 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5HU.

http://by1847.com/

Two courses on the winter menu cost £19.50 and three cost £25. 

Bar Opus Christmas cocktail making videos. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, City Centre, Cocktails, Colmore business district, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian by

  

  
Bar Opus is one of the best places to drink cocktails in Birmingham. Classic cocktails are served along side some innovative concoctions using the freshest ingredients. 

To countdown to Christmas, and to celebrate the unique Christmas cocktails that Bar Opus will be serving over the festive season, the team have made a series of videos showing how people can make their very own Bar Opus cocktail at home!  Or at the very least enjoy them in the bar over the Christmas period. 

  Sam Cross Photo courtesy of Bar Opus.

To see the videos, please click on this link underneath the cocktail. 

The five cocktails that bar manager Sam Cross, makes in the series of videos, are:

Smoking Monkey Sharer: £25, serves four: Monkey shoulder, smoked ice tea, cherry, citrus fruits.

Half Dozen of Egg Sharer: – £12, serves two: Six warm eggnogs with nutmeg dust

Frozen Candy Cane  Kallipo – £6 for two: Peppermint, Burgal blanco, strawberry, Cranberry.

  Frozen Kallipo Photo courtesy of Bar Opus.

Candy Cane Cocktail – £5, serves one: Brugal blanco, peppermint, strawberry, cranberry

Spiced toffee Apple cocktail – £5, serves one : Stoli salted karamel, gingerbread syrup, apple juice.

The countdown to Christmas begins. 

Have fun. 

Thanks for reading and hopefully I’ll get the chance to try them myself.

Andy 😊

Click to access BAR-LIST-WINTER-2015-NEW-WINES1.pdf

  

You can purchase cocktail making classes gift cards via the Opus Website. 

http://baropus.co.uk/

Bar Opus is at one SnowHill, Queensway, Birmingham, B4.

Veggie Pizza Watch: First look at The Stable, Birmingham.

Posted in Bars, beer, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Cider, City Centre, pizza, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
I think The Stable will be a popular place, what’s not to like about Pizza, Pies and Cider. For Vegetarians it constitutes two of our favourite things, or is that just me. Yes I know Pizzas and Pies are not great for you, but in Winter, well what’s better (apart from a veggie roast).

The Stable, a few footsteps from New Steeet Station on John Bright Street like to personalise the menus to cater for the local area or city they land in, so you find names of pizzas like ‘The Bull Ring Boar’ ‘The James Brindley’ ‘ The Longhorn Jim’ and ‘The Perry Barr-Baa. 

Using locally sourced ingredients  The Stable offers the West Country with a Birmingham twist. In fact it’s casualness (you order at the bar) is its strength with a mixture of long sharing tables, and cosy booths it creates a nice warm, buzzy atmosphere that caters well for groups, couples, single customers or families, and was doing a good strong trade on the night we visited. 

Note though that the restaurant is quite darkly lit at night, so not great for food photos. 

The Stable isn’t independent in any way, but that doesn’t make it a place worth trying. They have hired Jon from Marmalade (Bitters N’ Twisted) to manage the restaurant. 

Serving gourmet pizzas, pies and cider The Stable makes all pizzas from scratch, from the sourdough to the sauces. 

There are a four Vegetarian pizzas on the menu (the stone-baked sourdough kind) and one pie called The Squish Squash.

They are: Margherita, The Four cheese special, The James Brindley, and The Billy The Kid. 

Sadly, there aren’t any vegan pizzas on the menu, which is a bit of an oversight in my opinion and could do with been rectified as numerous places such as independent Mr Singh’s in Handsworth,  Bare Bones Pizza who you can find at Brum Yum Yum in Kings Heath and Alfie Birds at The Custard Factory in Birmingham do Vegan pizzas well.  

   
 Above photo courtesy of The Stable. 
  
Ruth and I visited on their first Monday night to take advantage of their 50% off food day. 

We both chose vegetarian pizzas. I ‘The James Brindley’ and Ruth ‘The Billy The Kid’. We also decided to take advantage of the seasonal mulled cider offer. We also ordered a garlic bread to share. 

  Mulled cider: 

The upside of cold weather, lovely warming with a good cider punch. Recommended. 

  Garlic bread £4.50. 

A fresh pizza base smothered in garlic and parsley. A nice generous sized garlic bread. A good garlic flavour. Enjoyed. 

  The James Brindley: £10.50.

Herb crusted potato, Fowlers Forest Blue, Roasted Spanish Onions, English Spinach, fresh tomato sauce, and mozzarella. 

A fine pizza, surprisingly so as I wouldn’t have thought the potatoes would work with the strong flavours of the cheeses. In fact, it complimented perfectly. The potatoes were like roast potatoes and with the deep flavoured blue cheese made for a top and hugely recommended vegetarian pizza.    

 The Billy The Kid: £12.50.

Cheese Cellar Dairy Goats’ curd cheese, caramelised onions field mushrooms, English Spinach, fresh tomato sauce, and mozzarella, topped with roasted hazelnuts. 

Ruth enjoyed her pizza, she said it had a good cheese flavour with the goats and the mozzarella working well together. All the elements were sound and with the generous size of the pizza made for an indulgent choice.

I had a taste and i concur with her. I liked the roasted hazelnuts too which gave it a crunch and an additional texture. 

  Hogans Draught cider: medium/dry. 

     

 
   
   
The Stable, on first glance is a hearty and atmospheric new pizzeria addition to the informal Birmingham food scene. The pizzas are excellent, fresh, a good size and of good value for £10.50 and £12.00.  

The toppings in some ways are more unusual across the menu, but that’s ok in my book as the pizzas are made so well. The Sourdough base works and the fresh flavours come through. I liked it, and it’s certainly worth further examination and with an addition of a vegan pizza it would get full marks from me.

The Service was friendly and efficient. You order your food at the bar. They deliver it to you with a smile. 

For drinks there is a huge cider menu from draught (10 ciders) through to bottles from across the South West.

There are not many ales or lagers on the menu, but you are able to order a tempting cider tasting board costing £7.50 for five different third of a pint samples selected by them. Wines to are available by the bottle and the glass. 

For bargain lovers, Tuck in Tuesday offers a pizza, side salad and a drink for £10. A Bargain.  

Ploughmans are also available. Including vegetarian cheeses for £9.00.

The horse has now bolted from The Stable. Slightly trendy, quite delicious and fully vegetarian friendly. 

The Stable, Unit 1, Orion, 115 John Bright Street, Birmingham, B1 1BE.

Www. Stablepizza.com

For the Birmingham menu see below.

Click to access Menus-Birmingham-V2.pdf

Thanks for reading,
Andy 😊

Disclosure: we printed off a 50%off food voucher. All other drinks were purchased and my thoughts and opinions are my own and honest as always. 

   
 

#Coffeetime: Waterstone’s independent cafe Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Books, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, City Centre, Coffee, Coffee hour, Coffee Time, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Now books, that’s another story. I’m always to be found with a book in my hand, whether fiction, poetry, gardening or art, I’m never far from one. In fact I’ve been known to spend a few hours in book shops and thus if in Birmingham Waterstone’s is the main and largest book shop in town to visit. 

  
The new impressive Waterstone’s Birmingham on High Street on the Bull Ring intersection is huge. 

Covering five floors, it covers every type of book and has a lovely floor for its Children’s section which also has its own cafe and cup cake making sessions (plus children’s play area).

Created as a ‘flagship bookshop for the Midlands’. The fiction section has its own floor (basement) and there are oak bookcases fitted throughout. Topped with this there’s also a varied events programme (see in store or on the website) and the shop itself feels more engaging, more user friendly with a new shop front and enhanced book range (though the poetry section is still a bit small for me). It’s a joy to walk around and another step on the revolutionisation of Birmingham as a cultural city merging with an impressive and vibrant city centre. 

  

Now it appears that me and Mrs Mills’ cakes have a thing going on, but just keep it a secret, but then I’m bound by been a blogger and all food consumed is ‘for the blog’ and the blog alone. Ruth my wife disputes this, and feels that I just consume food, well because I like it. It’s probably one of the reasons why I began my blog. As, what’s the point in being a food blogger if you don’t like food, and cake is food…right. 

The cafe is run independently and this shows in its free and easy layout and atmosphere with comfortable seating throughout. It’s a peaceful spot, but there is a surprise that you can sit on any floor with your drink and food if you wish (as long as you don’t mind carrying it up flights of stairs).

The aim is as much as possible to use local producers for cakes and bakes such as Mrs Mills. 

  Cheesecake and Flat White. 

  Yummy 😊

  Mrs Mills’ Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake: 

Creamy chocolatey layers of delight. Cheese cake base well made, a good bake. Rich Vanilla pod infused with a thick swirl of dark chocolate running through each slice, chocolate chip pieces. Melt in the mouth deliciousness. Indeed the best cheese cake in Birmingham no doubt.

Eaten with a lovely flat white. In fact everything one should be. Velvet micro foam and a powerful double shot of coffee.

   
 Flat white 

  Mrs Mills’ Chocolate Brownie (with Pips Hot chilli sauce).

The second cake I’ve eaten at Waterstone’s cafe is the Chocolate Brownie made with Pips Hot Chilli Sauce and sea salt. A luxurious brownie, with a definite chilli hit, which though quite powerful compliments the gooey chocolate well and makes for an indulgent treat at any time of the day. A very beautiful brownie that deserves repeated trials. A treat. 

Eaten with a disappointing cappuccino which wasn’t intensive enough in coffee for me and felt quite flat next to the brownie. Shame.

Waterstone’s cafe also serve sandwiches and biscuits. Bread is provided by local artisan baker Peel and Stone from the Jewellery Quarter. Other local producers are Anderson and Hill and Too busy to bake. 

It’s a delight in every way and a place to wile away the time, but beware if you fancy working there, their wifi is erratic and tempermental, in fact much like writers.  

A match made in bookish heaven. 

   Cakes and sandwiches at Waterstone’s. 

  Christmas time 

  

   
   Cafe seating.

 The view from the cafe of Birmingham’s German Market in the distance. 

   
   
  

 Children’s floor with plenty of activities. 

 

   
    Books and coffee, whatever next?

    Cafe seating amongst the books. 

 Waterstone’s Birmingham, High Street, 24-26 High Street, B4 7SL.

0121-633-4353.

Disclosure: I paid in full for my coffees and cakes. My opinions are honest as always. 

Mrs Mills Cakes makes celebration cakes, on the go granola bars, indulgent deserts and cheesecakes, biscuits for mail order and at food festivals, fairs and Brum Yum Yum Streetfood events. 

All cakes baked using free range eggs. 

At Brum Yum Yum Kings Heath on the 12th Decenber. 

https://m.facebook.com/MrsMillsMakesCakes/
  

http://mrsmillsmakescakes.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/mrsmillscakes

Christmas orders: 

http://mrsmillsmakescakes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/pdf-flyer.pdf

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Birmingham restaurant director receives prestigious membership at leading hospitality association.

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
Birmingham City-centre restaurant, Opus is celebrating another fantastic achievement after one of its directors was awarded the prestigious role of academician at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RAOCA).
Irene Allan director at Opus at Cornwall Street, Cafe Opus at Ikon and Bar Opus at One Snowhill, was presented the outstanding membership earlier this month (November) following a rigorous application and interview process. She is the fourth hospitality professional from the city to take on the role, joining Glynn Purnell from Purnell’s and Luke Tipping and Andreas Antona from Simpsons. 

With an aim of raising the standard of the hospitality industry as well as inspiring the future generation of restaurant professionals through education, training and recognising and rewarding talent, the RAOCA is the UK’s best and leading professional association, whose members include the country’s top head chefs and restaurant managers. To achieve the esteemed role of academician within the association, applicants must first be nominated by three current RAOCA members, before completing an application stating the unique attributions they can bring to the association as well as partaking in an intensive interview.

Through initiatives such as working with the University College Birmingham to offer the ‘Opus Scholarship’ programme, achieving the highest possible accolade from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and adopting a school to educate pupils of the importance of food knowledge, Irene has demonstrated an exceptional skill set in raising the standards of the catering sector by sharing her wealth of knowledge and skills with the younger generation. She has mentored a number of her staff through to achieving awards of excellence in their careers. 
Irene said: “Opus is having a tremendous year so far, what with celebrating our 10th year in business and recently being named the most sustainable restaurant in the Midlands, so to also achieve the role of academician at the RAOCA is another brilliant achievement for us. From a personal level, I’m thrilled to have been given this added responsibility and with it, I hope to inspire and mentor the next generation, as well as highlight our fantastic industry within the West Midlands” 

For more information on Opus, please visit 
http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/

I want to congratulate Irene personally on her wonderful and much deserved achievement and thank her for the support of my blog. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Review: Leon, Natural Fast Food in New Street Station, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Breakfasts, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Coffee, Coffee Time, healthy, Lunch, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie by

  

Now just imagine this..healthy fast food..now that’s a discovery..imagine all fast food was healthy. How many Marmite crisps would you eat? Now that’s probably just me, I think I’m the only sane person in the world that likes them, hey what do you mean, insane? No seriously healthy fast food, that’s the domain of Leon, yes even their chips which are baked. 

I love much of vegetarian style fast food, a veggie pie, a good veggie burger, a slice of pizza, sweet potato fries, and eating chips on Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk, yum..no surprise to anyone who follows my blog. Yet, healthy fast food, is a new one on me. In fact it’s a new one for Birmingham to, if the rise of Five Guys burger chain is anything to go by..big anti vegetarian Yuk! (Oh dear sorry) (must remember to not get so cross!) 

Leon has recently opened its first store in Birmingham temptingly close to the main atrium of the New Street Station / Grand Central complex. With branches famously in London for 11 years and an expansion plan in place, Leon will become more familiar outside of the capital in due course. Serving food from breakfast until evening. The menu includes burgers, wraps and superfood salads as well as breakfast baps, breakfast muffins, smoothies, and coffee. Fast Naturally Food with an excellent vegetarian and vegan choice. 

Wow, The Leon menu covers every moment. 

As its in New Street Station just below the shiny new Grand Central it will naturally be a top choice for the commuter and those on the move. It’s also a very good choice for families with lots of choice for children, with the smaller pots ideal for the younger foodie. (See children’s menu at foot of my review) 

Though quite small inside the turnover of tables appears quite quick which is helpful. The decor is industrial feeling, but is light and feels bigger with tables not on top of each other. Plenty of space for cases, bags and buggies. It has a friendly feel and staff are happy to advise on dietary needs and ingredients in the dishes. Service is also prompt and the restaurant tables are kept tidy and clean. 

All food and drink on the menu is made fresh daily. Their coffee is fair trade and organic, as are their eggs, milk and porridge oats. Leon are also a founding member of the Sustainable restaurant association. 

   
   
Leon was founded in 2004 and only employ people who are “full of sun”, (not full of chips). The award-winning, London-based company is as I’ve said the healthy side of fast food with a notable leaning towards Vegetarian and Vegan dishes. 

Take the Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Chinichurri: In my case onion, courgettes, pomegranate, roasted with turmeric and cumin with alioli and baked fries. (Side extra). £5.10 plus £2.50 for the fries. 

Packaged in a nice box, the inner cauliflower Salad packed plenty of flavour, cauliflower has always been a personal favourite and though I asked for a recommendation I knew I wanted to try this dish. The dish full of fresh flavours, crunchy textures with a good turmeric and cumin finish, was delicious. It felt healthy and nutritious,  it felt warming and filling and good value for the price. 

The Baked fries on this occasion I hasten to add were not so good, though packing plenty of potato flavour they were not to hot and felt disappointing in the end. I like the sprinkled seasoning and the curly look though and would order them again, as i’m sure they could be done better. Nice alioli though. 

With my food I ordered a Flat White. Though their were delicious juices and smoothies and coconut water on the menu an opportunity to try a coffee never escapes me, and it was a very good flat white, great for a take away. 

(My Recommendation was the Halloumi wrap by the way,which I’m looking forward to trying along with the supper food salads.)

  
   
  Baked Fries 

 
  
  
Roasted Cauliflower salad 

Leon is a chain, and though I’m not usually a massive fan of chains I’m a big fan of what I’ve seen and experienced thus far. It’s because they do care about Vegetarians and Vegans, about the food we eat and about the ethics of it all. Yes, Birmingham has another chain, and yes I wish somebody independent could offer this kind of food, this kind of experience, but until that happens Leon will be a place I’ll call back to any time of day. It’s ethos should be applauded and the food on offer with its high nutritious leaning eaten. Food should taste good, and if it can do you good as well even better and for this Leon is a vegetarian friend. 

  

  

Leon cookbooks available at all good booksellers.   

  

Click to access 16.PAPER_MENU_2015_AUTUMN.pdf

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

http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/menu/children/

http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/vision/sourcingsustainability/

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

0121-643-5925. 

Open from 6.30am-10pm every day apart from Sunday which is 8am-10pm. 

I paid for my meal in full at Leon. My views are my own, honest as always. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊