veggiefoodie

Vegetarian Food at Opus Restaurant.

The first two photos are courtesy of Opus Restaurant. The other three are my own.

5Aug2016

The return of Opus Restaurants Vegetarian Dinner with Worcester Produce.

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

Friday 19th August sees the return of the annual Opus Restaurant Vegetarian Dinner with Worcester Produce.

Enjoy 5 courses with wines to match and an aperitif for £65PP From 7pm.

The night is a celebration of veg and is one of my favourite nights of the year for me with innovative dishes using fresh seasonal produce with the growers present to provide an insight into the process of seed to vegetable or fruit. As someone who grows vegetables I love the Highly interesting presentations from the growers about the process and hard work that’s put into make the produce and the journey it takes to the plate.

Opus believe vegetables are more than just side dishes… their Vegetarian Dinner proves just that.

At The Vegetarian dinner you will Enjoy a delicious five course menu designed by the innovative kitchen team, showcasing heritage vegetables and fruits, all of which are home-grown in Worcester.

Opus are running a competition to win 2 places to the dinner. See below for details, and questions and Direct message your answers on Twitter. Winners announced on 15 August.

PLEASE CALL 0121 200 2323 for bookings.

Opus at Cornwall Street | 54 Cornwall Street | Birmingham B3 2DE | 0121 200 2323

opusfamily.co.uk

Homepage

For inspiration take a read of my review of last years Vegetarian Source Dinner:

http://www.highfieldedgbaston.co.uk/

Food Photos from last year vegetarian dinner.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

Opus restaurant also offer a vegetarian menu permanently

Review here: https://t.co/AIpppfvenl

3Jun2016

Dip into delicious Asparagus at The High Field, Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Edgbaston, Farm producers, Fruit and Veg, Independent, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

Asparagus has been my favourite Spring Time indulgence for many years. It heralds the change for me from winter to Spring, through to early Summer.

With the British asparagus season now in full swing, there’s a delicious and different way to enjoy the pick of this year’s crop at a great local right here in Birmingham.

From now until the end of the season in late June, The High Field in Edgbaston, Birmingham will be serving Dip Your Own Asparagus – pots of hollandaise sauce, grated free-range egg and Parmesan (which can be omitted or ignored for vegetarians who don’t eat it) for dipping the spears, a new twist on a classic flavour combination.
“We are always out there on a never ending quest to find the best of British produce and this is one of my favourites yet,” says Ian Meek, head chef of The High Field. “Asparagus is one of our top spring ingredients and we wanted to make sure we served the best British asparagus we could find, and serve it with a twist.

“So we headed for Barfoots Farm in Botley on the South Sussex Coast where they use a combination of traditional farming and advanced cropping techniques to produce the best asparagus we’ve ever tasted.

“Like us, they believe in doing things properly and don’t take shortcuts which means their produce is of the highest quality. It’s the reason they won British Vegetable Grower of the Year and Most Environmentally Friendly Farm in Hampshire,” he says.

Barfoots Farm sits in a unique microclimate between the South Downs and the Isle of Wight, where the long, high light levels and warm soils make for perfect asparagus growing conditions. Each tender spear is picked by hand and rushed to the pub where the chefs are serving them as Dip Your Own Asparagus as well as on the pub’s specials boards for as long as the season lasts.

Ruth and I were lucky to try this delicious way of eating Asparagus at The High Field’s sister pub The Star and Garter a few weeks ago.

To reserve your table and Dip Your Own Asparagus, please check out The High Field, 22 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, B15 3DP. Tel: 0121 227 7068.

https://m.facebook.com/TheHighFieldEdgbaston/

3May2016

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 andydhare

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://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.

8Apr2016

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 andydhare

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.

15Feb2016

Review: Vegetarian menu at Opus Restaurant, Birmingham.

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

It seems quite an obvious thing to have. A Vegetarian menu can demonstrate your commitment to vegetarians, but also to the produce you use and to the producers. You’re giving them a helping hand and saying here you go this is your time to showcase your wares. Little things help, not that I’m particular about restaurants of a certain Ilk not having a menu for me to peruse. Some of the best meals I’ve had have come off the cuff or from a limited menu of veggie goodness.

For Opus Restaurant on Cornwall Street I guess it makes sense to have a vegetarian menu, it allows their producers Worcester Produce scope to be given a platform to grow and perform and the chefs an opportunity to create menus that reflect seasonality like it should.

That’s an excellent philosophy from the field to the plate. Its one they own and do if you’ll allow me the indulgence, oh so well.

The Vegetarian menu was launced in January, initially to be changed every month, this has now been amended to a change every season. There is a market menu that changes more frequently also available.

Ruth and i visited on a Saturday evening, and from experience Opus tends to be busier on a Friday and Saturday evening and had a nice chatty atmosphere throughout the evening. Opus is an excellent choice for a celebration, but is relaxed enough for a chilled lunch or evening out.

We began in the large bar area at the rear of the restaurant in order to have a cocktail and look through the menus. We ordered an exemplary Dry Gin Martini, classily made by Thomas the bar manager with Hereford Chase Gin, who deserves a special mention for his hospitality and cocktail.

Dry and soothingly beautiful it was a mighty fine thing.

We both chose to eat from the Vegetarian menu which offers two Vegan dishes also.

Both Ruth and I chose to order the Roasted Butternut Squash Tortellini, Squash velouté, Toasted Seeds. Dish Before the velouté was poured over the tortellini.

We both thought the dish was stunning. A real taste of the winter season, where a gentle natural heat came through and demonstrated the versatility of the squash with Perfectly cooked tortellini, a luxurious dish of real quality and elegance.

We also both tried a second starter off the menu, as a pre-main course dish. The Asiette of Beetroot, textures of goats cheese.

This was a fine starter, that though wasn’t as stunning as the velouté before was full of the earthyness of the beetroot which woked well against the creamy goats cheese. An impressive starter which used the fantastic thinly sliced and striped sweet candy beet (from Worcester Produce) against the creamy soft goats cheese.

For her main course Ruth chose the wintry sounding Porcini mushroom risotto, crispy hens egg, sherry vinegar reduction.

A twist on the traditional Northern Italian dish was certainly a winner with Ruth. She loved the earthy intense nuttyness of the porcini (piglets).

She said it was perfectly executed, the risotto the right texture and the strong depth of flavour showed off the so called king of mushrooms well. The added hens egg on top gave it a creamy addition when broken into. A delicious rich dish, which on trying i concurred with. The ruling class of risottos.

I chose the beautifully sounding Celeriac, red onion and feta pithivier, baby spinach confit tomato and pearl barley sauce.

A pithivier is a classic French savoury pastry dish (I love pastry dishes) with a distinctive round shape and sunbeam pattern scored on top.

Beautifully presented, the contrasting ingredients worked well with the feta holding it all together to make a stunning winter pie that though large in size wasn’t heavy but had a light finish.

A real centrepiece dish which showed off the subtle but slightly nutty celeriac and confit tomatoes well.

A special mention to the Pearl barley sauce which gave the dish an extra wow factor.

We also ate some top notch chips as a side extra. Naturally they went perfectly with the pithivier.

We chose not to have a desert (but recommended) as we had enjoyed a pre main course, but chose to have two excellent double espressos and petit fours. These were ok, though not the best we’d had and were slightly underwhelming considering they were on the desert menu as a dish to buy. Could be improved.

After visiting Opus last year for their Vegetarian Source dinner with Worcester Produce i noted how much more the kitchen were becoming in creating interestingly different and creative Vegetarian dishes. How by using the great fresh seasonal produce you are able to get the best extracted from the season.

The chefs now seem more adept and positive in creating a menu that gives a permanent showcase for this produce and vegetarians a better and richer dining experience. The vegetarian menu at Opus is a natural progression from the Source dinner and one that makes Opus one of the best dining experiences in Birmingham for Vegetarians, and with a couple of Vegan options (though could be more) a restaurant for them to visit too. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Spring will bring to the plate and long may we enjoy the fruits of the producers such as Worcester Produce and Caroll’s Heritage Potatoes in Northumberland.

Opus is indeed a special restaurant in Birmingham and now for vegetarians maybe just essential dining.

Thanks for reading,

Andy😊

Disclaimer: our meal at Opus was complimentary. This does not affect my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

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

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/dinner-series/

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

0121 200 2323

The next Vegetarian Source Dinner is on Friday 19th August 7pm with Worcester Produce. For my previous review, see the below link:

Previous reviews of Opus from Veggie Foodie:

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

https://t.co/3tmU7L7Y2V

18Jan2016

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 andydhare

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:

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:

Opus leads the way on sustainability:

https://t.co/3tmU7L7Y2V

Four photos above courtesy of Opus.

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

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

0121-200-2323.

http://www.opusfamily.co.uk/

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

6Nov2015

Opus leads the way on sustainability.

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

Opus has been named the most sustainable independent restaurant group in the Midlands by leading organisation, the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).

The restaurant family, which includes Opus at Cornwall Street, Cafe Opus at Ikon and Bar Opus at One SnowHill was named a ‘Three Star Sustainability Champion’ by the SRA, the most prestigious and highest possible rating a restaurant can achieve, and it is the only independent restaurant group in Birmingham to achieve the accolade. From achieving its highest rating yet of 82%, the restaurant group is now in the top 9% of SRA members.

The SRA, a not-for-profit organisation which encourages restaurants to improve its social and environmental impact, awards One, Two or Three Stars depending on how a restaurant rates against the three pillars of sustainability – ‘Society’, ‘Sourcing’ and ‘Environment’.

Opus achieved exceptional results, ranging from 90% – 100%, for sourcing local, seasonal and ethical food, through a sustainable supply chain, for being highly committed to community engagement, responsible marketing and treating people fairly.

Fuelled by a passion for fresh British produce, Opus is fully committed to an ethical approach to sourcing. The menus are ingredient led and at its Cornwall Street restaurant, they are freshly-written each day.

Through its unique ‘Source Dinner’ series, Opus connects the diner with its family of farmers and suppliers, allowing them to hear their compelling stories and see first-hand the passion they put into raising their quality produce.

Lucianne Allen, sales and marketing director at award-winning butchers Aubrey Allen, said: “Opus is a pleasure to work with as they are genuine and passionate about their commitment to ethical and sustainable purchasing”

Executive chef, Ben Ternent, has handled the sourcing of produce since April 2015 and it is his uncompromising stance on only using strictly market fresh, seasonal ingredients and free-range livestock that has made Opus the most sustainable it has ever been.

“Frankly, it’s all about the ingredients that you start with. There is a definitely a direct connection between ethical, quality sourcing and the delicious flavours on the plate. My team love the sourcing side and get fired up by meeting the farmers and visiting the farms – they take real pride in the produce,” Ben said.

Sarah Hepburn, sustainability champion at Opus, said: “Supporting sustainable, British food is so important to the Opus family – from sourcing fruit and vegetables from Worcestershire to fresh fish from Brixham Market – we only buy seasonal, ethical ingredients. Receiving this recognition from the SRA is a fantastic achievement and is a testament to our team’s passion and commitment.”

This outstanding rating from the SRA is not the first success for the Opus group this year. 2015 has seen Opus at Cornwall Street celebrate its 10th birthday, going from strength to strength even through a difficult recession, Cafe Opus at Ikon was recently named a ‘local gem’ by The Good Food Guide 2016 and Bar Opus at One Snowhill continues to push boundaries with innovative and award-winning cocktails.

For more information on the Opus restaurant group, please visit:

My Review of this years Vegetarian Source Dinner:

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

Sustainable vegetables from Worcester Produce: Opus Source Vegetarian Dinner.

28Sep2015

Vegetarian Dinner with Worcester Produce @ Opus Cornwall Street, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Events, Farm producers, Fruit and Veg, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

Direct from the source, are words that we hear often when it comes to our food. The question, do you know where your food comes from? as an (attempting) grower of vegetables it is close to my veggie heart. It is something we should all care about.

Last week I put a post on this blog regarding the new Birmingham Food Assembly in Kings Heath that has just launched. Where producers and customers can meet and where fresh produce can be picked up after ordering online. You know the source, you trust the grower.

Opus on Cornwall Street follow that ethos. They know where their veg, potatoes, fish, meat, herbs etc come from. They have met the farmers, seen the farms, been involved with the process of ground to fork or spoon.

Fruit, salad and vegetables are grown in nurseries of Worcester Produce across the Vale of Evesham (Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Warwickshire) and were picked on day one and were with Opus on day two. The produce is nurtured by local farmers for nearly a year.

From Pershore Worcester Produce work exclusively with local growers to provide the best food. Grown with pride and nurtured by local farmers the sourcing supports the local community and is lovely to eat.

The source dinner series of events that Opus at Cornwall Street run is a chance for diners to meet their suppliers and hear their compelling stories. Opus have a mission to promote their farmers, fisherman and wine makers, hence the Source Vegetarian Dinner with Worcester Produce.

Opus celebrates the freshest of ingredients, independent and market fresh top quality produce allows the ingredients to dictate the menu and allows Opus to buy each day from their suppliers.

The Vegetarian Source dinner is a five course meal with wine (cost £50) with an Aperitif at the begining and coffee at the end. It is a chance to hear the compelling stories of how the food is grown, which for me is so fascinating and an inspiration for my humble but improving growing abilities.

Menu and paired wines.
Fresh bread to start.

Ruth and I began with an Aperitif in the bar (a crisp Prosecco di Valdobbiadene from Trvisol, Italy) which allowed the guests to gather and the atmosphere to build.

Opus is a stylish restaurant, it has a fine dining tone with an informal bistro like quality. It’s a place for an occasion. The Source dinners are certainly a celebration.

First Course :

Westland baby sweet peppers Avocado, almond, quail egg, nasturtium.

Baby peppers are unusual and are not for the mass market sadly. They Made a beautifully sweet dish with a fine quail egg on the side. A nice starter.

Served with ‘No Stone Unturned, Senillion/ Chardonnay, 2014, Australia.

Second Course:

Burnt English onion consommé Spring onion and goats curd

A rich flavoured clear soup, with a beautiful stock made from the burnt onion from Redford in Nottinghamshire. A classic, given a veggie twist. A refined dish made delicate by the goats curd which worked well with the depth of flavour in the clarified stock. Delicious.

Served with Domaine de Bellevue, Sauvignon Blanc, 2014, France.

Delicate Ingredients before the soupy liquid was poured over.

Third Course:

Salt Baked Offenham celeriac, Summer truffle and oat granola.

The most surprising dish of the night. Surprising in the fact that it was beautiful. A simple looking dish packing loads of flavour. The salty celeriac combined with the earthy truffles. With the breakfast like granola providing a crunch and bite on the side. Very impressive.

Served with the same wine as above.

Fourth Course:

‘Beet’ Bourgignon, Fennel, maitake mushroom and home dried Drews Farm tomato ravioli.

Take golden and purple beetroot from Evesham Vale and present it with a perfectly made ravioli with delicate and inviting flavours of fresh summer tomatoes. A celebratory Summery dish. Vegetarians are a mushrooms best friend.

Served with ‘Domaine de Bertier, Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014, France.

Fifth Course: desert.

Evesham Vale courgette cake, Dorset cream cheese, Crushed hazelnuts, Worcestershire carrot and lime sorbet.

Crushed hazelnuts with the well baked courgette cake, a really enjoyable end to the meal. The sorbet was beautiful.

Wine, see above.

The Vegetarian Source Dinner at Opus Cornwall Street is one of the Vegetarian food highlights of the year. For both Ruth and I its a must do every year. It’s a friendly, formal, but celebratory experience. Think a wedding where the happy couple are the vegetables and Opus Restaurant.

The dishes, were thoughtful, creative and celebrated the freshest produce. Most of the diners were non vegetarians which may be surprising, but maybe not when you can see what good Produce can help create. Just, lovely food, made and grown with passion, pride and a sense of adventure. The celebration of veg, herbs and edible flowers, luxurious, harmonious and in Opus’ hands, modern, Engaging, a family ‘wedding.’

Every source does have a story.

Disclosure: we paid for our meal in full. All opinions are my own. No review was requested. But who could resist.

Opus at Cornwall Street, 54 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B2 2DE.

0121-200-2323.

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

https://twitter.com/worc_prod