Category Archives: Food

Review: Byzantium, Kings Heath, Revisited. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Food, Independent, Kings Heath, Spanish, Tapas, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

Byzantium was colonised by Greek colonists from Megara in 657 BC. Not that anyone in Kings Heath was present, or can remember this. Partly because of heavy nights and days in the nearby Hare and Hounds and partly because well, the residents of Kings Heath have been silenced by their fear of more charity shops and the shock that a new ‘Subway’ sandwich shop has opened on the High Street. 
    

But then if the Greeks were around today then I’m sure they’d be impressed by the quaint and intimate hideaway named after their great empire that sits cosily on York Road (almost opposite The Hare and Hounds and next to Fletchers Bar.) 

For me Byzantium is the kind of tapas restaurant a Vegetarian could frequent often and still not get fed up of the same dishes. In fact there are numerous choices and daily specials that makes one scratch your head and shout out ‘if only I had one choice, life would be simpler.’ Yet, I have my favourite dishes, well why not, life’s too short!

Byzantium takes its inspiration from across the Mediterranean to create a tapas menu that’s reflective of the whole area. So you have, Spanish, Italian, Greek, French influences in the dishes which keeps the menu varied. Inside you’ll find religious art on the walls, church like seating, and ornate lamps which help to create a lovely exotic atmosphere. 

I’ve been going with Ruth to Byzantium fairly regularly over the last few years. It’s our go to place. We had a lovely Valentines night meal there earlier in the year. For its elegance, romantic lighting and soothing gothic shadows lend itself perfectly to the occasion. In fact my very first restaurant review for Veggie Foodie was Byzantium back in April 2014. 

This occasion too was a celebration for it was Ruth’s Birthday and her Mum was with us to celebrate. In fact Ruth’s Mum loves the restaurant.

I began with an aperitif. The Negroni. The classic Italian cocktail. 

  Negroni at Byzantium.

The Negroni was a well made aperitif, one part gin, one part Vermouth, one part Campari. Italy in a drink. Delicious. 

We also shared an excellent bottle of Prosecco with our food. Well we were celebrating. 

  

The vegetarian dishes we chose to share were: 

Homemade Flatbread. 

Zaalouk: pan fried Aubergine dip with cumin, Tomatoes, and Corriander. 

Olives: a selection of marinated green and black olives. 

These were all eaten as a shared starter. 

The flatbread was a beautiful unleavened bread, very large, served with a jalapeños chilli on top. Ideal for sharing it was a joyous thing, and probably due to its flavour and size the best plain flatbread in Birmingham. Taken with the punchy tomato and aubergine based Zaalouk its a perfect sharing starter. The pan fried aubergines perfect in a dip and the ideal accompaniment to the flattened doughy bread. A beautiful zingy flavour with a touch of cumin. 
  

To follow Ruth and her Mum ordered a couple of meat tapas to share and I ordered the Halloumi Souviaki for myself and four veggie tapas to share between the three of us. 

The dishes we shared were: 

Croquetas: Cheese and spinach croquetas served with alioi and red onion jam. 

Patatas Alioli: Crisp potatoes served with Garlic Mayonnaise. 

Tortilla Con Queso: Spanish omelette with potato, spinach, cheese, caramelised onions. 

Championes Rellenos: mushrooms stuffed with tomatoes, roasted red peppers and cheese. 

Halloumi Souviaki: skewers of Halloumi cheese, Mediterranean vegetables, served with Tzatiki (creamy yogurt, cucumber and garlic).

  Tortilla Con Queso. 

A classic Spanish Tortilla, an indulgent blend of potatoes, spinach and cheese, topped off with the golden tinged caramelised onions to make s very satisfying tapas dish. One of the best. A Perfectly made tortilla. 

  

Championes Rellenos. 

A tasty tomato based stuffed mushroom dish which had a delicious lingering flavour and complimented the tortilla well especially. The cheese didn’t overwhelm the rich tomato sauce. I liked the bulky mushrooms as a contrast to the Patatas Alioli too. 

  Croquetas. 

Nice Croquetas with a good creamy filling. Served with the red onion marmalade gave it another dimension in flavour that elevated it. A recommended dish. 

    Halloumi Souviaki. 

The star dish on the night. Who doesn’t like skewers of Halloumi? Served with Mediterranean vegetables, the peppers in particular offer a juicy accompany ment as does the side salad and the garlicky Tzatiki. Halloumi heaven on a plate. 

  Patatas Alioli: 

crisp potatoes served with a garlic mayo. A classic tapas dish though not as fine as the Patatas Bravas which is also on the menu. Any potato dish whether Alioli or Bravas is essential for Vegetarians at Byzantium.

  Tiramisu. 

The most disappointing dish of the night. Both Ruth and I chose the Tiramisu. I’m in love with tiramisu and it’s often my first choice when in any menu. Yet in the UK it can be underwhelming, as this unfortunately was. The cream was over whipped and it didn’t ‘pick me up’ at all. Quite the opposite in fact. A disappointing pud. I can’t find anything positive to say about it at all. 

  

Poached Pears soaked in Red wine.

So to counterbalance the bad, meet the good. The Poached Pears, Just lovely, decadent, the pear fragrant against the deep full bodied reduced wine, a beautiful strikingly simple desert that I’ve eaten before and found an old photo of. 

Along with the Creme Catalan the best pudding on the desert menu. 

Byzantium is a lovely tapas restaurant and one that Kings Heath is rightly proud. Our food on the night was delicious. The dishes were all well made, with the menu demonstrating a varied and sensitivity to vegetarians and meat eaters are well served too. In fact for veggies there’s enough choice for tears of joy and to return with Christmas bells on next week, and have a completely different menu. 

The service was good, attentive, friendly and efficient. In fact everything that a neighbourhood restaurant should be. It has a strong drinks menu, with sherry’s, cocktails and a mixed selection of European wine, plus spirits, vin Santo (which we enjoyed) and a good strong espresso. If only their Tiramisu was up to scratch things would be perfect, but for now it will do, maybe the Greeks didn’t get to Venice or Verona, but thankfully South Birmingham and who can complain at that? 

  
 

We paid for our food in full apart from the complimentary bottle of prosecco, kindly given as it was Ruth’s birthday. My opinions are honest and no review was expected or required. 

She had a good night. 

http://www.byzantiumtapas.co.uk/

http://www.byzantiumtapas.co.uk/menu/

Byzantium,  11 York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7SA. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Byzantium have also recently opened an up stairs function room for parties and large groups to dine and party. 

For details and party menu see their website and my post here: 

http://t.co/9wa86cSkdr

   
 

  

The Food Assembly comes to Birmingham

Posted in Birmingham, Farm producers, Food, Food Assembly, Independent, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   
 A new way of buying food has come to Birmingham’s suburb of Kings Heath. As seen in the BBC and The Guardian. The Food Assembly is an online service that brings people together to buy food directly from local farmers and foodmakers. 

Every week Food Assembly customers in Kings Heath can order food online from local producers before picking it up weekly at a local venue. The local venue in Kings Heath is the Hare and Hounds pub on the corner of York Road and the High Street. All the food comes from within 100 miles of the area. 

Weekly shoppers can choose from unique local products, such as artisan bread from Peel and Stone, local fruit juice from Model Farm Shop, and local chedder from Heath Grange Farm. 

Plus local fresh vegetables and cheeses, pasture fed meat, butter and eggs. 

Community is at the heart of The Food Assembly, it connects neighbours to farmers, neighbours to each other, and everyone to to their food. For its efforts it won Best British Food Initiative at the BBC Food and Farming Awards. 

The Kings Heath Food Assembly is organised by three university lecturers: Valerie Leick, Emilia Prodanova and Catherine Vincent, who love the idea of bringing food to their friends, family and neighbours. 

Valerie Leick says: 

“I can’t wait for the idea to grow in the wider community that live and work in Kings Heath. It is important for us to give people the chance to eat really fresh, ethically produced food and share our love of socialising around home-cooked delicious meals.”

“We Would like to attract more people to the idea of eating healthily and enjoyably, as well as helping local producers supply food directly to interested people at the fairest prices for all. It’s going to have a huge positive impact.”

The Kings Heath Food Assembly takes place every Tuesday from 7.30-9pm. The venue is Hare and Hounds on Kings Heath High Street. Locals can meet farmers, foodmakers and neighbours and indulge in the finest local food. 

To join the Kings Heath Food Assembly and for more information see below: 

https://foodassembly.com/en/assemblies/7362

Remember there is no commitment to buy. You can buy as much or as little as you wish. Orders have to be in by 12pm on the Sunday before the Tuesday of the assembly.

Changing your shopping habits a little could lead to a big positive change for the world. 

I’ve joined and can’t wait to get started. 

  
    

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/food-and-farming-finalists

https://thefoodassembly.com/en

All photos courtesy of The Food Assembly.

Leon is bound for Grand Central Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Coffee, Coffee Time, Food, vegan, vegetarian, Vegetarian takeaways, Veggie foodie by

  

  

  

  

Now food should taste good, and do you good. 

Well that’s the ethos of Leon the “naturally fast food” restaurant that has been a major success since its Carnaby Street opening, in 2004, will open up a new restaurant in Birmingham New Street Station. 

Leon has further London branches including Ludgate Circus, Spitalfields, The Strand, Regent Street, Cannon Street and Bankside. 

Owner John Vincent sees the Birmingham restaurant as a flagship  site. He founded the restaurant with chef Allegra McEvedy and Henry Dimbleby, the once Governments advisor on school meals. It is named after Mr Vincent’s father. 

The restaurant are most famous for their takeaway boxed meals. 

http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/menu/all-day/

  
For Vegetarians and Vegans Leon has often been cited by those in the know, as been one of our best foodie friends with numerous options on their menu. 

Expect to see Vegetarian and Vegan options such as: 

Hot boxes: Sweet Potato falafel served with Italian brown rice and fresh slaw,  

Lean Gobi-cauliflower and potato curry with rice. (Vegan) 

Wrap: Grilled Halloumi with fresh leaves, pink cabbage, slices of pickle, tomato, parsley and mint and sweet chilli jam. 

Salad: Original superfood- Broccoli, peas, avocado, cucumber, quinoa, feta, parsley and mint, toasted seeds and pot of vinaigrette. 

Vegan Superclean Quinoa Salad, 

Shredded Kale and peanut.

poached egg pots and saucy beans, 

Porridge, cinnamon and banana. 

Sides: 

Leon baked fries. (Vegan) 

Hummous (Vegan) 

Crushed Pea salad (Vegan) 

Click to access 14.PAPER_MENU_2015_SUMMER_MAY.pdf

Leon have also announced some new autumn dishes such as:

Roasted Cauliflower and Courgette salad, and roasted Aubegine pot side.

Plus Better Burgers after 5. 

Veggie is Grilled Halloumi burger. 

  
The award winning food menu looks very tempting and from what I’ve read, the dishes are popular and well liked, so all I have to say is bring it on. 

Leon also serves teas and organic, fair trade coffee daily. 

Leon will be opening at New Street Station in a few weeks time. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Disclaimer: Photo and images courtesy of Leon. Apart from the first two that are mine, as are the Grand Central photos. 

   
   
  
Grand Central Birmingham/New Street Station. Home of Leon in Birmingham. 

#TastyMorsel: Now open Natural Healthy Foods, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, City Centre, Food, healthy, Independent, Independent Birmingham, shops, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
  

What was once the 100% Vegan shop has now become Natural Health Food. Still based in Allison Street, Digbeth in the same building as Veggie/Vegan The Warehouse Cafe, it’s expanded its stock and had a complete refurbishment and hence  double quick relaunch. 

Lovers of Vegan, raw, Gluten Free, Organic, dairy free and Vegetarian and healthy plant based food will love it’s packed shelves in Birmingham City Centre. It’s genuinely a one stop source for health and nutrition based goods that are very tempting. 

I visited last week and was impressed with the stock on offer in the shop, which was very varied and catered for Vegans, Gluten Free and Raw food diets as well as vegetarian. 

The staff are friendly, enthusiastic, passionate and had a good knowledge of the products. I spoke with the owners Simon and Susan who were genuinely interested in the products they sold and especially the health benefits of reducing or cutting out sugar from your diet. 

Natural Health Food are in the process of setting up their website which when completed will allow the customer to purchase the products in the shop and more online to be delivered to the home. They are open to suggestions as to what stick they sell and what the customer would find useful and would like to see displayed. 

I found the shop beautiful presented, with real wooden shelves and cases to display the products which I was told was handmade for them locally to the shop, and gave the products an organic feel and look. They looked as if they belonged in the room and were presented in a very clear and ordered fashion. It was very easy to browse and find what you would need. 

What Natural Health Food are attempting to do is encourage a more plant based diet, and fashionably reduce the amount of sugar we eat in our diets by promoting those products as an alternative. 

The products I tried had zero sugar and you couldn’t tell, as the natural sugars gave the kick to the bars that compensated for this. In fact the moisture of the juices came through. 

This was especially true of the Raw Health bars. 

The face of health and vegan stores is changing as more products come to market. I’ve noticed the packaging is brighter, more inviting, more professional. The products are superior and you can feel the benefits and differences when you try them. What the Natural Health Food Shop are doing is embracing that change. This is good news for Bimingham and anyone who cares for what they eat and drink. 

There are plans to introduce make up and more beauty products too. Obviously cruelty free, vegan and organic. They already stock a fine selection of toiletries such as shampoos, shower fells and deodorants etc.

I’m looking forward to returning soon and buying some more and seeing how things are progressing. 

 
   
   
   
    
 
  
    
   
   
    
 

Products sold from, health bars, drinks, chocolate, snacks, gluten free products from pasta, gnocchi, flour, bread. Plus tofu, Ready meals, Fresh soups, toiletries, dairy free products, coconut water, teas and coffee. Plus many more. 

Natural Health Foods is a one stop shop for health and nutrition and being independent is a business well worth supporting and enjoying. 

Allison Street, Birmingham B5 5TH. 

Open: 10-7pm Monday-Saturday 

11-5- Sunday. 

   
 

  

Everyone needs good neighbours: 

Next door to The Warehouse Cafe. Birmingham’s original Vegetarian Restaurant. Pop in for lunch and dinner. In fact combine the two. 

  
Goodies kindly given to me by Natural Healthy Foods to sample. 

In particular the Raw Hemp and Protein Balls made by Raw Health  were delicious: organic fruits bursting with dates and the subtle hint of orange. Using raw organic ingredients, Raw Health soak and sprout the ingredients to bring their natural vitality to life. Using low temperatures to make them in order to keep the health giving nutrients and enzymes alive and well. Very enjoyable. 

   
 
 
The dark chocolate snack bar from Organica, Hazlenut nougat.

I also enjoyed the Coconut Water from Go Coco, which had a lovely sweet tasting and natural flavour. It tasted very refreshing and isn’t from concentrate. Includes 5 essential electrolytes. Won a GreatTaste award in 2012. 

  
 Fresh soup. 

  

   
 
http://www.naturalhealthyfoods.co.uk

@NHfoodsUK

Facebook: Natural healthy foods. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Disclaimer: I was invited to Natural Health Foods to take some photos after mentioning to them that I was going to put a post on my blog on their opening. They gave me the products to try and pass on my honest feedback on what I thought. All opinions are my own and honest as always. 

Thanks to Simon and Susan for their time and showing me around their shop.

#Tastymorsel: Bring on the revolution: Tapas Revolution set to open up at Grand Central. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Food, Spanish, Tapas, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   
 

   
 
With tapas and small plate sharing dining becoming increasingly popular in Birmingham we welcome another to its growing canon. In this case it’s a small chain with a big reputation in London. 

I love this form of eating, it’s social, and it allows you to sample more dishes and with a hood drink or two it’s s great way to relax after work or on a weekend. For vegetarians in fact it’s usually works well, and allows for seasonal ingredients to be used more vociferously. 

Tapas Revolution, the Spanish-style tapas restaurant group from Omar Allibhoy, is set to open its fourth site in Birmingham this September.

The all-day tapas bar in Grand Central will feature a copper-topped bar, an open kitchen and marble tables, and will serve a changing menu, from breakfast, which will include pastries, Spanish-style coffee and freshly-squeezed Valencia orange juice, to lunch and dinner options such as a paella for £7.95 including a glass of beer, wine or soft drink included. 

For Vegetarians:

Nibbles: pan con alioli, pan con tomate, toasted almonds, olives, 

 Tapas: Try Gazpacho de sandia, Piquillos peppers stuffed moth mushrooms, Paratas Bravas, potato and onion tortilla, red and yellow tomato salad, or fried sweet padron peppers. 

Desserts will include churros (long, thin doughnuts) prepared to order and fried in specialist “churreria” equipment imported from Spain, and then tossed in cinnamon and sugar and served with a hot chocolate dipping sauce.

 The drinks offer will begin with sangria, available between 5pm and 7pm, (on half price) plus Estrella de Galicia beer on tap and a craft beer menu from every corner of Spain, including one brewed with honey and Mediterranean seawater. There will also be a selection of Spanish-brewed gin and wine from all regions of the Iberian peninsula.

There will also be Spanish sandwiches (bocadillos) and coffee available to take away.

First launched in 2010, Tapas Revolution began at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City and now has sites at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent and in London’s Shoreditch.

Allibhoy said: “Tapas is more than food; it’s part of everyday culture. Food and life are always best shared. Tapas Revolution in Grand Central is my version of the lively and bustling tapas bars back home. Birmingham has a great food scene and is increasingly becoming a destination city. I wanted to get involved in the buzz happening here and bring a real taste of Spain to the city centre.”

Life and tapas are best shared. 

You can find Tapas Revolution at Grand Central from Thursday September 24th. 

http://www.tapasrevolution.com/section/45/1/birmingham/557a0749502c604e7953ec5ab02d8693

http://www.tapasrevolution.com/

http://www.grandcentralbirmingham.com/

http://www.tapasrevolution.com/section/8/1/omar-allibhoy-tapas-revolution

@tapasrevbham

tapasrevolutionbirmingham: Facebook

tapasrevolution: Instagram 

   
 
Omar Alibhoy (The Antonio Banderas of cooking according to Gordon Ramsey) riding the bull of Birmingham. 

  
All photos and images courtesy of Tapas Revolution with thanks. 

  
Desert at Tapas Revolution 

  
Photo courtesy of Grand Central. 

   
   

   
   
  
Grand Central Birmingham. 

Review: Mockingbird, Custard Factory, Birmingham.

Posted in Bars, beer, Birmingham, Craft beer, Digbeth, Food, Independent, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   
 

Anyone who went to Big Papas at The Sunflower lounge will know the work that Anthony and Craig put into their businesses. What’s always impressed me is their flexibility and nuance in understanding veggie diners and dishes, and what’s put out onto the table. They are open to experiment, your ideas and opinions. 

The vegetarian menu at their new venture The Mockingbird, Bar, Bistro and Theatre is evolving. It’s early days, it’s short at present, a bit too short, needs a couple of additions, maybe the Big Papas Mac and cheese, (please) veggie burger, sweet potato fries? why not? Plus think seasonal specials, be imaginative. 

We had the three dishes on the nights menu: Starters: Nachos with cherry tomatoes, salsa lemon and chive cheese, chunky guacamole, garlic and cheese ciabatta, and Main: Cauliflower and Brocolli fritters. 

   

 The Nachos, which we shared. A good Tex-Mex dish. The tortilla chips were crisp, though maybe on reflection the dish could have done with a few more to get the balance right with a delicious salsa lemon and chive cheese sauce and nice guacamole, which slightly overpowered the tortillas for that reason. The flavours were there though and the size was ok for a starter. Could do a larger plate to share as a larger starter. Enjoyed. 

   

 Garlic bread and cheese  

Well made garlic bread, with a nice balance in flavours. Thin, crusty. Very nice. Not too cheesy or greasy which I liked. Presented on a black slate which I liked. (shared) 

  
 Cauliflower and Broccoli fritters. 

My fritters had a good and plentiful filling of cauliflower and broccoli and a nice crisp fried outer breading.  

I enjoyed the fritters, the filling was different but had good flavours and filled the batter to leave a satisfying main dish. Again, the sauce that accompanied could have been reduced in quantity in order to get the balance right. I liked the tomato garnish though.

 Maybe introduce seasonal fillings, courgettes, mushrooms in autumn. 

I also ate a few of Ruths chips which were ok. 

Ruth also enjoyed the Buttermilk fried chicken with fries. She said it was fantastic. Perfectly cooked chicken. She knows, trust me!

The Brunch menu has a decent range of dishes, all of which can be adapted for the vegan diner. 
  

Brunch menu. 

  
   
   
   
    
   

Both Ruth and I loved the music played in The Mockingbird. A mixture, of soul, funk and a bit in between. It made for a good atmosphere and on a Wednesday night a steady flow of people were coming in, eating and having a drink before the film that was showing that night at the cinema that The Mockingbird has (Jaws in that case). The menu we had was the cinema/film menu and enabled you to take a desert with you into the film. 

   
   

The industrial feel of the decor and seating make The Mockingbird a chilled and relaxing place to visit for food or just drinks. The bar includes craft beers, including vegan beers (marked clearly) wine, and cocktails. 

I enjoyed two craft beers, the Goose Island IPA: 5.5% ABV, from Chicago, which has a fruity aroma with a dry malt middle and long hop finish. A very nice beer that went well with the informal food. A hop lovers dream. 

   
 
Plus, Meantime London Lager (suitable for vegans) from the award winning brewery based in Greenwich, London. It has the perfect balance of bitterness and hopiness, and is 4.5% ABV. If you like hoppy, malty beers this is for you. A really nice modern English lager, a quality beer. 

On a weekend they have DJ’s which we both agreed would be a great time to visit as well as comedy nights, a theatre and of course the cinema. 

The food at The Mockingbird is well executed, and though the options for vegetarians are limited at the moment, they are happy and excited to develop the menu further and ease the vegetarian and vegan diner. I liked The Mockingbird, in fact loved it. The vibe, the music, the concept. The hard work ethos pays off. I’m excited to see how those veggie dishes evolve and though not perfect at the moment you can see the potential and possibilities. It’s a place to visit at any time of day and livens up the Custard Factory somewhat in the day and for that it is achieving its aims well. 

The owners Anthony and Craig have the heart and soul for The Mockingbird, and yes this bird can sing. 

http://mockingbirdtheatre.com

        

Every Monday is Meat Free Monday at The Mockingbird with The Vegan Grindhouse taking over the kitchen. From Brunch/lunch to dinner keep an eye on social media for menus and guest chefs/Streetfood traders. 

See Mex it Up on Monday August 31st. Vegan Mexican street food. Guest kitchen. 

See below: re Vegan Grindhouse Meat Free Monday’s. 

http://t.co/dNpqBJ6b5Y

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

Disclosure: Ruth and I were invited to visit The Mockingbird. Our food was complimentary but we paid for all drinks drank in full. In no way did this make my views biased which are honest as always. 

Thanks for the invite. 👍

The Mockingbird, the Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Digbeth, B 9 4AA. 

021-224-7456. 

  

  

Henderson’s of Edinburgh. A Vegetarian pioneer. 

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Edinburgh, Food, Independent, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

 
With its ancient crags and maze of medieval streets Edinburgh is a city that is no stranger to immortalised exposure. Its foodie scene is now renowned, with its garlanded Michelin stared restaurants and cosmopolitan buzz. All a far cry from when this veggie institution opened. 

When in 1962 Henderson’s Vegetarian opened (yes 53 years ago) it couldn’t have realised that its lustre and ethos would still be as much of Edinburgh life as it is today. In 1962 it provided an outlet for the produce of Janet and Mac Henderson’s East Lothian farm and quickly became a restaurant and thus the story of evolvement into a bistro, a bakery, a deli and a gallery. A cultural hub. 

The philosophy is the same. Eat better to live better and to serve delicious, wholesome food, using the best and freshest ingredients, and at affordable prices. 

I’d been with Ruth to Edinburgh a few times over the years, but had never shamefully visited Henderson’s. So to redeem this uncalled for neglect lunch was required, on this our most recent visit a few weeks ago. 

  
We visited their Hanover Street restaurant. The restaurant opens at 8am for breakfast and serves lunch, cake, afternoon tea or just drinks and snacks throughout the day. Its a popular stop off for Edinburgh shoppers in the New Town area, as well as those deserving workers who crave a vegetarian breather from their desks. 

It’s buzzing basement space is set out like a canteen with the menu on a board behind the counter and huge salad table. You can also order hot food, and baked goods, wine and local craft beer. 

Henderson’s provides over a dozen salads, freshly made, so this temptation was hard to resist. I’d heard they were to be had, and with a choice of salads which were varied and colourful. 

You can choose up to four salads. So both of us chose four for little over £8. 

   
   
My salads included a beetroot based one, a pasta one, a Chinese stir fry noodles one and a Waldorf salad. The range of flavours of the four salads were zingy and they all complimented each other superbly. They proved quite filling, but in particular the pasta and stir fry were exceptional and healthy. Very impressive. 

I also washed it down with a local  Innis and Gunn craft beer, which perfectly refreshed me, in preparation for Ruth’s shopping spree to follow. 

  

With its walls showcasing local artists and cool comforting atmosphere, Henderson’s is a smart choice for lunch. It’s a local institution, based on providing good healthy vegetarian food for a quick bite or respite from City life. In fact it reflects Edinburgh city life, it caters for veggies, vegans, and is popular with non veggies too, and creates a warm happy refresh in ones day. That’s how I saw it, a snapshot of a city, a hub in the New Town. 

Don’t expect anything ground breaking, but just great healthy food, competitively priced, with a good range of dishes to cater for all requirements. Henderson’s reflects cosmopolitan Edinburgh, and if there is one place that I visited in Edinburgh for food over my 5 days that I would like to bring to Birmingham City centre it would be Henderson’s. It has that vibe, that community, that quick bite veggie food that is missing.

No trip to Edinburgh for vegetarians and vegans would be complete without a visit to this stalwart. It demonstrates that trends change in veggie food, but there’s always room for a Henderson’s. 

  

 
Above the restaurant on Hanover Street is the Henderson’s Deli, serving takeaways and deli goods. 

Henderson’s also do gluten free options. 

http://www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk/restaurant.php

http://www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk/restaurant-sample-menu.php

   
 Above 2 Photos courtesy of Henderson’s. 

Follow Henderson’s 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hendersonsofedinburgh

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HendersonsofEdi

94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DR. 

0131-325-6694.

Local Sex Sites

We paid for our own food and drink in Henderson’s. My review and opinions are my own as always and honest. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

  
The Thistle Street premises is due to reopen on July 27th. As a purely vegan restaurant. 

   
 

Purely Vegan Store: Kings Heath, Birmingham opens. 

Posted in Birmingham, Food, healthy, Independent, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   
 
Kings Heath in South Birmingham is becoming the place for Vegans and Vegerarians to live. 

Hot on the heals of the Brum Yum Yum and Vegan Grindhouse does veggie/vegan streetfood event on the 19th July  news of a fantastic new opening reached me this week via Facebook. 

This week The Purely Vegan Store opened its doors at 271 Alcester Road South, Kings Heath. 

Though I’m not a vegan, I can appreciate that this is big news as the information reaching me suggests that this store will be the largest purely vegan store independently owned in Birmingham, and a thoroughly cool place for vegans to shop and hang out. 

Information on the stock is vague at the moment, so the best move is to go down and check it out. I think they are open to requests on what stock to have in the store, but I’m sure it wi sell the standard vegan food stuffs and goodies. From the photos on Facebook it looks as if it has a big fridge which helps. 

   
    
 
I’m looking to pop down myself shortly ,  so I can update the pictures and news of products and services on offer. Their is a website that is under construction. So the best place to find them is on Facebook and Twitter at the moment. 

Facebook: Vegan Store

Twitter: @theveganstore

http://www.theveganstore.co.uk/

As I mentioned earlier Kings Heath is becoming a cool place for Vegans and Veggies to visit or live. 

The regular monthly Brum Yum Yum has a good selection of veggie/vegan streetfood from all or some of The Vegan Grindhouse, Bare Bones Pizza, with its vegan and veggie pizza, vegetarian Bombay Tapas, Pietanic, and Vegan Mexican Mex it Up. Plus good options at Other traders. 

Also recommended are resident Vegetarian cafe/restaurant Veg Out Cafe, plus The Kitchen Garden Cafe, The Loco Lounge with its vegan menu and Cherry Reds which does good veggie and vegan options including a highly regarded Vegan breakfast. 

Find the  Purely Vegan Store at

271 Alcester Road South, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 6EB. 

0121-443-3211

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊 

 

Photos from Vegan Store Facebook page. 

Brum Yum Yum Goes Veggie Sunday 19th July,  Kings Heath, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Food, Independent, Kings Heath, pizza, Real ale, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
LEADING BIRMINGHAM STREET FOOD ORGANISER AND VEGAN STREET FOOD COMPANY TEAM UP FOR BIRMINGHAM’S FIRST ALL VEGETARIAN STREET FOOD EVENT.
The teams behind the successful Brum Yum Yum and Midlands based Vegan street-food company The Vegan Grindhouse  have collaborated to host the region’s first ever all meat-free street food event.
The event, ‘Brum Yum Yum Goes Veggie which is taking place on Sunday 19th July at Kings Heath Village Square , High Street B14 7RA from 11am-5pm will feature Birmingham’s leading street food chefs showcasing an entirely Vegetarian menu with Vegan options available on each stall. 

See Barebones Pizza, Pietanic, Savanna Grill, Bombay Tapas, 9 Tea Cups and much more. 

It has traditionally been quite a minefield for vegetarians and in particular vegans to get well fed at Street food events, though this has improved a long way in recent months and at yesterday’s Brum Yum Yum #KingshEATh there were three purely vegan and vegetarian traders on show.  So this event will even more so readdress the balance of many such events and thus deserves to be supported as an initiative. 

Earlier this year I loved  Barebones Pizza’s Vegetarian pizza. 

See here: http://t.co/Mhkj9eBcJe

  

I also loved Bombay Tapas’ samosa Chaat yesterday at KingshEATh: 

  

In addition to street food, the event will showcase local musicians, an all Vegan Midlands based independent brewery – Twisted Barrel Ales from Coventry along with organic fruit and vegetables, crafts, cruelty-free skincare, cakes and a juice bar.

Lisa Burbidge-Brown, Co-owner of The Vegan Grindhouse said “Street food has become more and more popular in Birmingham, and it is about time people got to try some amazing vegan and vegetarian street food from some of the most popular street food chefs. More people are looking to reduce or eliminate their meat intake due to health, environmental or ethical reasons and this is a great opportunity for people to try exciting new vegan and vegetarian food and see why going meat free is a viable alternative diet and lifestyle.”

Said Duncan Stanley, Brum Yum Yum Founder, “I’m so happy to be presenting an all-veggie street-food show. Here at BYY we’ve always set out to prove that street-food isn’t just about the meat-in-a-bun classics and I firmly believe that a lot of the best street-food out there is served up by the vegan and veggie traders. What better way to spend a Sunday than stuffing your face with some of the tastiest and most interesting meat-free meals in town?! Add in the vegan beer and the great vibes and this is set to be the animal-friendly street party that Kings Heath’s been waiting for!”

        
The Vegan Grindhouse by Vegan Vox travels around the wider Midlands area to markets, festivals and street-food events to bring their high-end Americana handmade organic vegan food to a wide range of customers. They have traded across the UK including Birmingham, Warwickshire, Blackpool, Manchester, and London since starting the business in April 2014 and have many more events booked throughout this year working with some of the big names in Street Food events.

 
  
Brum Yum Yum ‘The Street-food Pimps’ produce Birmingham’s flagship street-food market, KingshEATh alongside a range of innovative street-food and dining events across the city. Licensed by Birmingham City Council, Brum Yum Yum presents the freshest street-food around and the most interesting events anywhere. BYY incubates, manages, represents and promotes street-food from Birmingham and beyond. 
The Vegan Grindhouse is a small independent all-vegan mobile catering company from Bilston in the West Midlands, who produce organic, fair trade, cruelty-free tasty vegan street-food and treats.

This should be a fantastic ‘Streetfood’ day for food lovers. 

It’s what veggies and vegans have dreamed of. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

The event:

 Brum Yum Yum goes veggie. 

Sunday 19th July, Kings Heath Village Square, High Street, Birmingham. B14 7RA. 

  

Review: Amantia Spanish and Mediterranean 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Lunch, Spanish, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
Amantia is a new family run (and family friendly!) independent, Spanish and Mediterranean restaurant right off New Street in Birmingham City centre, taking the ground floor and basement of the iconic Sun House.
This building on Bennetts Hill was the house of the Sun Insurance offices, which were founded in 1710. The name Amantia is the name of some ruins near chef and owner Andrea’s birthplace and also includes the initial of him and Marta’s (owner and front of house’s) children. 

Amantia is a smart place. Inside the space is large, bordering on vast, with a sweet bar area to the right of the entrance as you walk in. Serving pinxos  or Pincho (Basque country small snacks from Northen Spain). Oh the memories of San Sebastián are returning. It is in itself a good spot for after work downtime. 

I digress though. The decor of Amantia, contemporary- purple, grey with black and white prints on the wall, smart, and cooling. 

   
   
Though it could feel impersonal it doesn’t. The atmosphere is good,  quite busy too on a Friday evening and the warmth of the service from Marta and her team is a joy. Marta twinkles with charm and enthusiasm for the food and the adventure she and her husband are on with Amantia. 

Ruth and I were invited by Marta and her sister Silvia (also from Amantia) to taste and review some of the Vegetarian dishes on the menu and some new ones not yet on the menu. For that reason the food came out of the kitchen like tapas (discussed on arrival with Marta) and thus this review will reflect that. I like small plates though, tapas is one of life’s pleasures whether italian in nature, or Spanish (tapas) or pintxos for that matter. 

It is fun to have an element of surprise and not order from a menu. It’s very informal and thus more interesting. 

Ruth and I ordered some Olives and two glasses of Manzanilla Sherry whilst waiting for the tapas. The sherry a refreshing fino from Andalusia, served chilled it’s a perfect aperitif and goes well with tapas like dishes. 

   
 
The dishes we shared ( Ruth was a Vegetarian for the evening) were a selection of  croquetas Amantia, (blue cheese and creamy mushroom)  a Rustica mushroom Crepe, a Greek Salad, Roasted Vegetables and Vegetable Moussaka. 

   

 
Having tried the Blue Cheese Croquetas before I was looking forward to eating them again. They held a lovely creamy blue cheese flavour, a recommended vegetarian tapas. A star dish. 

On the other hand, the Mushroom croquetas were disappointing. Quite bland in flavour, with not a lot of mushroom filling,  the croquetas lacked an intensity of flavour that maybe a porcini mushroom filling could have brought. A shame. 

Oh the contrast The Rustica Crepe with its mushroom centre had a deep intensity of flavour. It wasn’t too cheesy which was a relief and the quantity and quality of the mushroom filling made for a very satisfying and enjoyable crepe and served with a side salad would make a excellent and filling main course offering. Maybe use the intense filling for the mushroom croquetas.  Recommended. 

   
 
The Greek Salad, was also very good and looked very appetising.

  
Lettuce, tomatoes, sliced cucumber, onion, Kalamata Olives, Feta cheese, in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It was well seasoned, with salt and oregano and the splash of olive oil made for a nice ripe and fresh salad. The feta creamy and the flavours bold. A very refreshing contrast to the hot dishes. Lovely. 

Our Roasted Vegetables were also well presented and looked stunningly appetising. I think roast vegetables get a bad press sometimes from vegetarians and vegans, cited as a bit boring, but when the veg are fresh and carrying a good in season flavour there arn’t  many better summertime dishes. It always makes me think of sunshine and hot sun and alfresco dining. (Appologies I was lost in memories of Italy there). 

   
 
The peppers and courgettes were delicious and looked stunning. I also didn’t mind the presentation on a board. It worked with this dish. 

   
 
The final hot dish we tried was the Vegetable Moussaka. I think of all the dishes We tried on the night this was our favourite, we felt we could have eaten more of it, it was that creamy, hearty and warming. The combination of aubergine, and potatoes, and tomatoes worked well and made for a classic Greek dish with a veggie twist. 

It also went well with the Greek Salad. A complete summer main course. 

We washed down our mains with a delicious Spanish White Wine: a Marques de Luna macebo. Amantia has a good wine list and also serves cocktails and Sangria. 

As Ruth and I border on hungryly greedy (or just nosey or easily tempted)  types when it comes to food and the fact that Tiramisu was on the menu we felt we had to try a desert. 

Ruth chose one of her favourites the Churos Con Chocolate  

 
Which she exclaimed was beautiful and one of the best she’d had. I tried a mouthful and it indeed was decadently a top pudding. 

Of course onto my Tiramisu test. 

One of my test dishes Is the above pudding. I’ve had it all over Italy and one in particular in Verona on our honeymoon I remember with salivating affection ( the restaurant had won the world tiramisu award, yes there is such a thing! ). 

Yes, it true I wasn’t disappointed. 

   
 
It looked stunning for a start and had the right quantity of coffee flavour and certainly ‘picked me up’. It was very cool, dreamy and light. It had a classic image and was nicely layered. Delicious, it passed the test and was one of the best I’d tried in Birmingham. 

We also enjoyed an after dinner Liquor    and two double espressos. 

   
 
The Vegetarian dishes at Amantia are excellent. I highly recommend it for veggies in Birmingham.

 I would like to see more in particular in the tapas section of the menu for Vegetarians (tapas and summer go well together) how about a veggie paella? On talking to Marta I know they are rolling out a Vegan menu at some point and are working on new veggie dishes which will be introduced dependent on seasonality of the ingredients. 

Amantia though has many strengths, it’s in a good location just off New Street and has a warming and cooling (at the same time) kind of atmosphere. 

The service is charming and aims to please. It’s friendly and demonstrates that it cares. 

Amantia is a good Authentic place for a lunch whilst shopping in Brum or for a delicious evening meal With a group or  with a partner. It ticks all the foodie boxes. 

Maybe some live music would be nice, some Spanish guitar or flamenco or a pianist would help fill the space. That’s Always good for atmosphere (Maybe live music nights). 

I liked Amantia, it’s a gem in the city and the type of authentic mid price restaurant that Birmingham needs more of. Good Solid cooking without the gimmicks, independent and with a good heart. 

And as Feargal Sharkey sang in 1985 that’s hard to find. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Thanks to Amantia (Marta and Silvia) for the invite to the restaurant. Our food was complimentary, though we paid for our drinks in full. My review is honest and has my own opinions as always. 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/

Amantia, 9 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RS. 

0121 643 3647. 

  

Amantia do an after work social from 4-7pm with a free Pintxo with your drink and £2 for all cocktails weekdays. 

It also has a children’s menu for £6.25. For a main, desert and a drink. 

  
Facebook: Amantia restaurant

Twitter: @RestAmantia