Category Archives: Independent

Review: A #coffeetime and #Veggiebreakfast mash up at Grand Central Kitchen Birmingham City Centre. 

Posted in Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Coffee, Coffee Time, Independent, pizza, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie by

    

The grand in the name of this new coffee/cafe on Stephenson Street is from the view inside, looking out. Sitting in the window one early Saturday morning whilst waiting for our train to take us to Suffolk from New Street Station opposite, one could feel that this was another era. Another brief encounter. 

The view is the reflection of the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in the new Grand Central station window, it’s lovely even in the grey early cool, not the misery at all of the roadworks on the street, but the promise of a new dawn, a new era, a new independent coffee shop with extras, yes breakfast, yes pizza, yes burgers, yes beer, yes good Vegetarian options. 

The angled mirror cladding on the outside of the almost here Grand Central Station is the culprit for the reflection. 

Grand Central Kitchen reminds me of one of those places you may go to in London for breakfasts, a stop over a refuelling in the early morning shut eye. I like it. It’s dark outside lends itself to a brighter interior, colourful, laid out well with clear menu boards behind a buffet bar and functional comfortable furniture.  

   

As it was breakfast time, that is what Ruth and I ordered. The Vegetarian options are very good. On the advice of the friendly waiter I went for my own concoction from the breakfast hot buffet. A breakfast of tomato, rocket, and cheese omelette, in a brown seeded bap, it was delicious, the bap fresh, not claggy or stale, the cheesy omelette perfectly cheesy, well made and with my own hand chosen additions of tomato and rocket a satisfying and ‘grand’ breakfast. 

Served with a good cappuccino and a top notch flat white. 

The Flat White alone is worth stopping for. A good taste of coffee, great for the morning. 

   
       Flat white 

Grand Central Kitchen Also serve veggie pizzas, veggie burgers and Pannino, ciabatta, and sandwiches, with various veggie fillings. Plus, 2 veggie wraps, falafel and Humous and vegetable melt. 

Grand Central Kitchen do takeaways too,  which I’m sure will be very popular in months and weeks to come, with the station opposite. In fact a few people came into take away whilst we were there. 

The service was excellent, offering me advice on the menu and the veggie choices, always friendly and relaxed. 

Ruth loved her omelette, bacon sandwich. Which she’s talked about a lot since, so yes a winner. 

All the food was cooked fresh to order, and as a cafe, it’s going to get busy as the station and the street with its Midland Metro link outside opens up. 

Maybe try it before the deluge, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, get in there and spread the word on Grand Central Kitchens reflective air of relaxation and tempting vegetarian food. 

  

Our seat at Grand Central Kitchen. 

  

Grand Central Kitchen, 7 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BL. 

  
http://www.grandcentralkitchen.com/

  
Facebook: grandcentralkit 

@grandcentralkiit Twitter. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

Disclaimer: We paid for our own breakfasts and coffee, all opinions are my own, and honest as always. 

#Tastymorsels: Bar Opus and Opus latest.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Tasty Morsels, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Three nice pieces to share about two of Birmingham’s finest Independent restaurants and two of the best places for Vegetarians to eat in the city, 

Bar Opus based in the heart of Birmingham’s bustling Colmore Business District has appointed Carl Hawkins as its new general manager. 

Born and raised in Birmingham, Carl has over 15 years’ experience as a ‘liquid chef’ working with some of Birmingham’s finest cocktail destinations. With a vast amount of experience in the bar industry, Carl was eager to join the Opus family and help catapult Bar Opus into the forefront of the Birmingham food and drink scene.   

Carl previously worked for The Jekyll & Hyde pub where, under his leadership, it became a national finalist for “Best Spirit Pub” in 2013 and “Best Cocktail Menu” by Class Magazine in 2011. Carl is also one of the founders of the Birmingham Association of Bartenders and has been committed to cultivating the next generation of bartenders for over a decade. 

Speaking of his appointment, Carl said: “I am excited to become a part of, what I consider, a legacy project. I believe that Bar Opus will become a Birmingham institution and will be here for many years to come. We will be bringing a contemporary technique to cocktail making that will keep customers coming back. Bar Opus will exceed expectations of what a cocktail bar in Birmingham should be and we will redefine the cocktail and dining experience” 

 Irene Allan, director at Opus, said: “Carl is creative and passionate about enhancing the bar experience. We are thrilled to have his expertise to help establish Bar Opus as one of Birmingham’s premier bars. Carl knows the ins and outs of the Birmingham bar scene and his leadership and skills will be essential to the bar’s success.” 

Bar Opus is the sixth-month old bar addition to the Opus family, boasting a contemporary and modern landscape that will cement it as a city staple. Keeping with the Opus ethos, Bar Opus develops innovative food and cocktail menus, uses the freshest produce from the company’s range of British and strictly sustainable suppliers and engages with British spirit suppliers to create its inspiring cocktails.   
 

Birmingham waitress achieves prestigious hospitality award: 

 A talented waitress at city-centre restaurant Opus at Cornwall Street, Gabriella Murea has achieved the celebrated Service Award at this year’s Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence.

The final, which took place on Saturday 16th May at Le Gavroche, London, saw Gabriella and 15 other finalists from some of the country’s finest restaurants and hotels serve a three course meal to two guests. As part of the service, Gabriella had to set up the table, decant and describe the wine, and fillet a dover sole in front of the diners. The awards, which have a high-profile judging panel, received an unprecedented number of entries and are designed to encourage young people within hospitality to achieve the highest possible standards in their profession.

Gabriella, 26, has worked at Opus for just over six months whilst studying hospitality and events management at University College Birmingham (UCB) and was the only finalist from the Midlands to be shortlisted for the award. Speaking about her achievement, she said: “I’m so happy to have passed and got my award. I prepared as much as I could for each stage of the process and it has really paid off. The standard was very high and I am delighted that the judges saw the quality of work that I can produce and felt it worthy of the award.”
Irene Allan, restaurant director at Opus restaurant, said: “This is such a fantastic achievement for Gabriella. She is an absolute perfectionist and always delivers superb service, so to have this award as recognition of that is a huge accomplishment. Pawel, our restaurant manager, has been an inspiring mentor for Gabriella and has supported all her hard work. We are committed to developing both our front of house and kitchen teams and encourage them to go for awards like this. Everyone at Opus is immensely proud of her and we’re privileged to have her working with us.”

This follows on from Opus at Cornwall Street promoting head chef Ben Ternent to Executive chef to replace David Colcombe who helped launch Opus a decade ago and had run its kitchens. 

He will manage a team of eleven chefs and three kitchen porters at the groups three venues- Opus at Cornwall Street, Bar Opus and Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery in Brindley Place. He will help to develop menus and buy produce from the companies range of local and sustainable suppliers and continue to cook. 

We wish him well, and hope that standards will be maintained. 

  
I can’t wait to see what he and his team cook up in the future, as vegetarian dishes are always worth tasting at Opus. 

Thanks for reading 
Andy 😊

Bistro 1847 kickstarts its crowdfunding: New Vegetarian  beginnings. 

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

    

Vegetarian 1847 is planning to open this autumn in Liverpool and are looking for support through their Kickstarter campaign. 

http://uk.resdiary.com/go.aspx?id_message=14918&id_prov=5124&id_subscriber=65357853&url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dmcYLP2zcMnw%26feature%3dyoutu.be

Bistro 1847 is also crowdfunding to: 

. Open 1847 Liverpool

. Extend their current sites in Manchester and Birmingham and include their pantry table items to be eaten in the office or at home. 

.  Launch their cookery school, allowing their employees the space to develop their skills, plus open it to the public as a cookery school for those wishing to learn about fresh and foraged ingredients. 

Bistro 1847 launched in Manchester in February 2011 and then in Birmingham in 2013. 

Through fundraising these ambitions may be realised. As banks unfortunately are reluctant to back small companies in these expansion ventures. 

Take a look below for more details:

http://uk.resdiary.com/go.aspx?id_message=14918&id_prov=5124&id_subscriber=65357853&url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.kickstarter.com%2fprojects%2f1699484970%2flets-bring-1847-to-liverpool

Recently myself and Ruth were invited to the launch night of their Kickstarter campaign in Birmingham and were treated to a delicious 7 course meal by the team, and had the opportunity to meet and discuss the God with new Head Chef Tony Cridland. 

I’m not going to review every dish but suffice to say we both loved the dishes and particularly a shout out to the 

starter: 63 degree poached egg, chargrilled asparagus and salted baby turnip. 

   

 And the main: ratatouille, red pepper jus, burnt aubergine purée, polenta hash brown, chard red onion, confit tomato.

   

 

We also enjoyed a pre starter: 

Pea purée, basil jam, grapefruit in pastry case and sea salt

Pickled mushroom, chargrilled cucumber

Beetroot soup, coconut creme, with dark chocolate 

   

 

Pre Dessert: poppy seed, banana custard, peach rhubarb, micro coriander. 

  

Dessert:

Apricot and thyme jam, tofu almond creme, sugar, cubed coated strawberries. 

   

 

The combinations of ‘foraged, grown and brewed’ ingredients is what makes Bistro 1847 unique and a pioneer in new Vegetarian food.

Bistro 1847 have also introduced a pantry table, for takeaway and eating in at lunchtime as well as the main A La Carte menu. 

Look out for a full review soon on Veggie Foodie of their Spring menu. 

For full details of investment opportunities see here: 

http://uk.resdiary.com/go.aspx?id_message=14973&id_prov=5124&id_subscriber=65713519&url=http%3a%2f%2fow.ly%2fMpXeB

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

I was invited to the launch of the 1847 Kickstarter campaign, All food and drinks were complimentary, but I have not been paid to write this blog, I just support Vegetarian food ideals and restaurants. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bistro-1847-Birmingham/208341145981255?

http://by1847.com/

   
   

  

  

Vanilla Black cookbook: Fresh Flavours for your Vegetarian kitchen: Andrew Dargue. 

Posted in Books, Cafés and Restaurants, Independent, London, Recipies, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

‘To us the fact our cooking is vegetarian is incidental. We just like to eat good food. We love to reinvent classic dishes, create new flavours combinations, source unusual ingredients and occasional we use is microwave because , well why not’

Fifteen months ago Ruth (a meat eater) requested to visit London vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black. This was around my birthday, and on a cold January night whilst staying in London we did. 

That in itself is the appeal of Vanilla Black, non vegetarians love eating there too. 

In fact we visited again last year, my blog was only a couple of months old. We went on this occasion for lunch, on a Friday and the restaurant was packed. 

I can safely say that Vanilla Black is one of the reasons I began my blog. 

It’s elegant and beautiful vegetarian dishes captured us on that Cold January  night, warming the cockles of our heart, and inspired me to pursue setting up my crazy veggie blog, and to begin the journey of trying to change and influence the veggie dining scene to be as interesting and thoughtful as this small experimental kitchen demonstrated it could be. 

My review from last year is here:

VANILLA BLACK: A SLICE OF VEGGIE HEAVEN IN LONDON

  

So when I received a complimentary advanced copy from Andrew Dargue (head chef) and publishers Saltyard books i was thrilled. Thank you. 

Vanilla Black has a mission ‘to reinvent expectations About what it means to eat vegetarian food. It’s all about the flavour, the first bite that intrigues, the surprising, the unusual’.

The recipes in the cookbook are intriguing and look delicious. 

They can be made by home cooks, and adapted for the home kitchen. They follow some of the advanced textures and flavours of the restaurant food, smashing stereotypes, the intriguing and delicious. Something simple, something technical, to cook their food is to have fun. 

So dishes such as Jerusalem Artichoke, white wine and thyme pie, Savoy cabbage pudding, to broad bean and lemon cheesecake and parsnip cake with Horlicks frosting and a reinvention of tomatoes on toast, make intriguing inspired recipes. 

The book is beautifully photographed and their should be something for everyone in the book. 

The point in many ways is that Vanilla Black is not just for vegetarians, and neither is its cookbook. 

Andrew is a talented chef that is keen to expand the horizons of vegetarian cooking and bring it to the modern palette. 

Unusual combinations which challenge the norm. 

When you’ve tried the cookbook, try the restaurant and savour The Ribblesdale cheese Pudding if it’s on offer. 

   
     

So finally apologies from Andrew and his partner Donna (who runs front of house) there will be no pasta bake or veg curry, only beautifully presented food and now a beautifully presented and enticing cookbook. 

Give it a try. 

Just for National Vegetarian Week. 

Vanilla Black is in London in Tooks Court. 

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

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Disclosure: Though I received an advanced copy of the Vanilla Black cookbook I wasn’t asked to write a positive review or put any post on my blog. I’ve done so as its a good cook book and its National Vegetarian Week. 


Bistro 1847: National Vegetarian week 18-24th May, 50% discount booked via Veggie Foodie 0n Spring A La Carte menu. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Food, healthy, Independent, Sunday lunch, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

This week the 18th-24th May is National Vegetarian week. 

By reserving a table via Veggie Foodie you can save 50% on the Spring A La Carte menu for this week only. 

Bistro 1847 are offering 2 courses including wine for £17 and 3 courses including wine for £21. 

Book here via the link below. 

https://widget.resdiary.com/CheckAvailability.aspx?Id=5220&theme=bistromanchester&channel=VEGIEFOODIE

The deal is available: 

Sunday-Thursday-lunch and dinner

Friday and Saturday lunch and early evening 5pm-6.45pm.

Please note Sunday lunch is available on a Sunday. 

Wine can be substituted with beer or a soft drink. 

Also Bistro 1847 are offering 2-1 cocktails 17.00-19.00 Monday-Friday plus 12-00-17.00. 

   
  

 Halloumi/Tofu, mushy pea emulsion, lemon curd, sea herb. 

Bistro 1847 is a Vegetarian restaurant located in The Great Western Arcade in Birmingham City Centre. Its opposite Snow Hill Station and within an arcade that is known for its independent shops. 

Named after the year The Vegetarian Society (who organise National Vegetarian Week) was formed, 1847 aim to serve exceptional and innovative Vegetarian British Food alongside an array of tempting cocktails, mocktails, beer, wine and spirits. 

With a leaning to creating good innovative dishes, using foraged and locally sourced ingredients its a restaurants that makes me proud to be a vegetarian. The dishes are innovative and intricately created and presented, 

Voted the Best Vegetarian Restaurant outside London, dining at Bistro 1847 is a real experience for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters alike. 

Modern, fresh and natural. 

To celebrate National Vegetarian week and the abundance of fresh produce that is available Bistro 1847 has launched its new Spring Menu. 

The first under new head chef Tony.

For Reservations with the discount 
Book Here via this link:

https://widget.resdiary.com/CheckAvailability.aspx?Id=5220&theme=bistromanchester&channel=VEGIEFOODIE

For menu see below link. 

http://by1847.com/menus/new-menu-feb-2015.pdf

I’ve previously reviewed Bisto 1847 on Veggie Foodie on a couple of occasions. For a taste and my thoughts see links below. 

https://vegiefoodie.com/2014/06/01/bistro-1847-homemade-and-british/
https://vegiefoodie.com/2014/12/01/tastychristmasmorsal-bistro-1847-christmas-menu-launched/

The photos below are from my previous visits to Bistro 1847. 






For reservations Book Here via this link for more than 25% off. 

https://widget.resdiary.com/CheckAvailability.aspx?Id=5220&theme=bistromanchester&channel=VEGIEFOODIE

Cocktails at Bistro 1847

   
 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

Bistro 1847, 26 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5H

Twitter: @bistro1847

Facebook: Bistro-1847-Birmingham

Bistro 1847’s new look:

   
   

   
  

 

For details of Bistro 1847’s Kickstarter campaign to open a restaurant in Liverpool see below. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1699484970/lets-bring-1847-to-liverpool

Bar Opus: Snow Hill, Birmingham.

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Craft beer, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Real ale, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

    Bar Opus is the youngest sister in the Opus family that includes Opus on Cornwall Street and Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery. 

The other week Ruth and I were invited by Anne Tonks of Opus along to try out some of their vegetarian options. 

Bar Opus is at No’ 1 Snowhill in Birmingham City Centre, a new complex behind Snow Hill Station that is next to the new Midland Metro team line which should be complete shortly. It has a nice terrace that is primed for Summer and its reincarnation into something more uber cool in the forthcoming months, imagine those long cocktails, bar snacks and lazy afternoons. It’s a sun trap in the day and a lunch time favourite. 

In fact Bar Opus is very continental with its open kitchen and smart decor. Inside its modern, stylish, and has slick lines, in its simple design. It has cosmopolitan floor to ceiling windows, and is filled with thoughtful touches like its internal Parisian like clock face, and it’s well lit interior. With a mix of bar stool seating and low bearing tables it lends itself equally to drinking and eating. 

The menu a mixture of bar snacks/plates  to eat with those delicious handcrafted cocktails or quality wines or as a starter. 

Bar Opus has an extensive Breakfast and all day menu and more substantial dishes for lunch time indulgence. The sharing bar plates are varied and with good vegetarian options is one of the best places for informal veggie dining in the city. 

   

     
The Opus family of restaurants have a real skill in making simple ingredients and dishes taste well above the average, and it’s in their ingredient led principles where the flavours begin. The produce though is only half the story, it still has to be cooked and created into an irresistible dish which Bar Opus do well, simplicity in itself. 

For example our Asparagus, and Hollandaise from their specials menu was cooked perfectly, the dish sang and I feel may not be beaten this Asparagus season, it had a beauty of flavour, creamy, every element cooked perfectly, a real delight. Simple but hard to do in the wrong hands.

   
 

To follow I tried the homemade flatbread with daily vegetarian special. The flatbread, again perfectly indulgent, not over cooked, light, fluffy, with a delicious red onion jam which gave a punch to the dish and combined with feta worked perfectly. Plus, in its generous size makes a good starter alone or generous sharing plate to tear between friends.

To finish our meal I ate the Shashouka Hash, a very popular dish on their all day menu, and one that makes a lovely brunch or lunch dish too. Wilted Greens, rich vine tomato compote, potato cake, and fried egg. The fresh ingredients again shine through, the egg perfectly runny, the tomatoes full of flavour, lifted the dish from heaven to the space that surely must be above that in the veggie foodie world. Warming potatoes and the wilted buttery greens, completed the dish, which I think is a vegetarian must when visiting Bar Opus to eat. Again a simple dish brought to ex halted heights due to the quality of ingredients and the quality of the cooking. 

   
   

The Shashouka Hash

  
 

The vegetarian Flatbread. 

Yet, Bar Opus isn’t just about the food, but also the cocktails and a fantastic wine list. 

I tried on the night a beautiful Smoked Negroni. Now a negroni always reminds me of Italy. Lazy evenings in Florence, Rome or Venice. Though I’d never had a smoked variety which came to the table theatrically smoking and yes winking at me. It was delicious, part gin, part vermouth, and then Campari. I think Bar Opus make the best Negroni in the city and if like me you love this drink, then try it here. It’s an aperitif, and a classic. 

Ruth and I also loved the glasses of Pinot Gris we had with our food. From New Zealand, Dr Renwick, it was light, and complimented the informality of the food perfectly. Lovely. 

Bar Opus also have a good selection of beers, craft ales and real ale. 

The service throughout was excellent, and was warm, attentive and consistent throughout. 

   
     

Bar Opus is a smartly appointed bar with trendy background music and at times an office like clientele, but don’t let that put you off. 

It’s sophistication is in doing the simple things well. A mixologist that knows a cocktail from, well, a cocktail. A chef that knows how to get the best out of well sourced seasonal ingredients and creates delicious simple dishes that  make you feel hungry even though you may not be. So be tempted. 

Though the cocktails are the pull, the ace on top the pack of cards is the food, a thoughtful concept, and a gentle buzz, a European bar after work, but please don’t tell David Cameron because he may close it down, European Moir…for vegetarians its up their with the best Birmingham can offer, good dishes made well, decent choice, well made, sound drinks. 

And with the Summer approaching a place to chill outside and take in the sun, hopefully. 

Bar Opus is an all day venue that you may not leave, I like it, so do others, it’s the city bar redefined. 

Now where are my Euros. 

Bar Opus, One SnowHill, Birmingham, B4 6GH. 

0121-289-3939

http://baropus.co.uk/

http://baropus.co.uk/eating/

My previous review of Bar Opus. 

https://vegiefoodie.com/2014/11/07/bar-opus-launch-for-breakfast-lunch-and-after-5pm-fun/

@baropus: Twitter

We were invited to Bar Opus to review some of their vegetarian dishes. Our food was complimentary, but we paid for our own drinks. My review is independent of the invite and is honest and carries my own opinions as always. 

Thanks to Ann for the invite and Sam and Gail for their service and passion for their menus. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Twitter: @andydhare

   
 

Colmore Food Festival: Friday 3rd July and Saturday 4th July. Birmingham City Centre. 

Posted in Bakery, Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, City Centre, Cocktails, Coffee, Craft beer, Curry restaurants, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Pubs, Real ale, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

    

The fifth annual Colmore Food Festival is back in July and will showcase the superb food and drink offering in Birmingham’s business quarter, Colmore Business District (CBD).

25 venues, the majority of which are independent businesses, will be serving taster options priced at just £3 in Birmingham’s Victoria Square on Friday 3rd July and Saturday 4th July  11am-19.00 and is free of charge. 

This year sees three new independent CBD venues taking part in the festival, as well as the return of some of the district’s finest eating and drinking establishments, where visitors can sample an array of mouth-watering internationally inspired cuisines as well as traditional British options including many Vegetarian choices. Alongside the varied food offering will be artisan coffees, real ales, champagne and delicious cocktails. 

There will be a programme of live cooking demonstrations from top chefs in the District, as well as live jazz music, outdoor theatre, and other entertainment during the festival’s two day run. 

Confirmed participants: 

All Bar One, Ashas, Bar Opus, Chung Ying Central, Costa Coffee, Edmunds Bar, Edwardian Tea Rooms, Hindley’s Bakery, Hotel Du Vin, JoJolapa, Metro Bar and Grill, Old Joint Stock, Opus at Cornwall Street, Pure Bar and Kitchen, Purnell’s, Purnell’s Bisro and Ginger’s Bar, Refreshments by Centenary Lounge, The Bureau, The Old Contemptibles, The Square Peg, The Wellington Real ale, Urban Coffee Company, Nosh and Quaff, Yorks Bakery Cafe. 

For further information visit: 

http://colmorebusinessdistrict.com/

The Colmore Food Festival is always one of my favourite festivals of the year, it’s good fun and with good vegetarian food options on offer, plus a lively atmosphere it is a good family day out. Look out for further updates on Veggie Foodie as I have them plus more details on the vegetarian food options. 

Keep fingers crossed for a weekend of sunshine. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy😊

Note the first two pictures are courtesy of Clive Reeves PR team who brought the event to my attention. 


#Tastymorsels: changes in the Midlands foodie scene. 

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

Last week I mentioned that chef Nathan Eades had sadly closed his Bromsgrove restaurant Epi and was in the process of looking at properties in Birmingham to re open in or around the city. Unfortunately that too has now fell through. Though Nathan hasn’t disbanded the business, things are on hold. 

The good news is that Nathan has been appointed Head chef at St Andrews Town Hotel in Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire. Droitwich is 6 miles from Bromsgrove and is a pretty spa town in and around the lovely Worcestershire hills. St Andrews is well known in the area for a been a good wedding venue and has 31 rooms. 

Nathan has told me that he will be cooking food in the same style as Epi, so that’s great news for vegetarians as you know I’m a big fan of his innovative and seasonal dishes. He is due to begin his head chef position in June. 

More to follow.

The big change that was announced in the Birmingham restaurant scene last Week was that chef David Colcombe has left two AA rosette and Veggie Foodie favourite Opus Restaurant, who also form part of the group with Cafe Opus and Bar Opus. This is by ‘mutual agreement’ in order ‘to pursue other interests’. 

I wish David all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for some superb vegetarian food over the years, including the wonderful vegetarian source dinner last year which Ruth and I had such fun at. 

I’m sure it won’t be long before we hear more news on this. 

St Andrews Town Hotel, St Andrews Drive, Droitwich, Worcestershire, WR 9 8BS. 

01905-779 677.

http://www.st-andrewshotel.com/

Win two tickets to the Foodies Festival May 15-17th at Cannon Hill Park Birmingham via Veggie Foodie. 

Posted in beer, Cocktails, Festivals, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Real ale, Street Food, Uncategorised, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

This competition is now closed. 

A few weeks ago I mentioned in my blog that the Foodies Festival was coming to Birmingham Canon Hill Park from the 15th-17th May. 

The Foodies Festival has a host of exciting things on offer including celebrity chefs, demos, street food, artisan food stalls and much more. 

http://www.foodiesfestival.com/birmingham-cannon-hill-park/

See my post here: 

http://t.co/WI0EZqRWCl

For the above festival in Birmingham I have a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky person to the event, for any day of the 3. 

   

 

All you have to do to win the tickets for the Foodies Festival at Canon Hill Park is: 

. Follow me on Twitter at

https://twitter.com/andydhare

And 

. Retweet any of my tweets about    the competition. 

Or

. via Facebook 

Like the status and comment on Facebook and tell me which part of the Foodies Festival you are most looking forward to. 

Note: if you already follow me on Twitter you only have to re tweet my tweet about the competition. 

Terms and conditions: 

-To enter the competition you must do all of the above either on Twitter or Facebook. 

-The competition will end on Thursday 7th May 2015 at 5pm and no entries received after that date will be accepted. 

-One winner will receive two tickets that can be used on any day of the festival you wish and are valid for one day’s entry. 

-The winners contact details will be passed on by myself to Lanyard Media who will be dispatching the tickets to them. 

And good luck 😊

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

I have been selected as an official blogger by Lanyard Media for the Foodies Festival in Birmingham. 



Nomad: Memory, Nature and Place and Vegetarian in Kings Heath Birmingham

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Food, Independent, Kings Heath, Pop up's, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

    

It is very on trend to make vegetables the central ingredients on the plate. The centre of attention. Non veggie Bruno Loubet is doing it in London at The Grain Store and other top chefs were involved in creating a meat free week menu in London a few weeks ago. Though for Vegetarians our food especially In so called fine dining restaurants has always been about this. Stand up Vanilla Black in London. 

The new venture led by chef Alex Claridge, Nomad offers this concept to meat eaters, where a smaller portion sits amongst fresh seasonal and foraged ingredients. Tit bits that form the centre piece of the dish, the journey, the experience. I’ve proclaimed the joys of the vegetarian long menu for ages,  had the best food of my life at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cartmel in the Lake District. Jewels on a plate, ingredients that make you think. You get the picture. For many this is a new experience, no huge slabs of meat, no pasta, no risotto, no potatoes (on this occasion) but pure joy in the ingredients and skill in which they were presented and yes tasted. 

For vegetarians this is a vintage time, where chefs are suddenly more interested in ingredients, in foraging, in the produce. 

Anyone who knows Alex’s food from Bistro 1847 and Warehouse cafe in Birmingham will know he can cook, boy can he cook. In this menu there aren’t many carbs, which is refreshing in that some vegetarian menus are heavy on them. Even more exciting is the fact that so many of the ingredients and techniques require to be looked up on the Internet. Love that. I suggest you do. 

Nomad at present is a 3 month pop up from April-June. Based at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath, a quirky venue that fits well I think. Alex is passionate about ingredients, about foraging and making you think when you eat. He aims to explore, memory, place, and nature though cooking, changing the menus weekly, even daily dependent on what’s current, what’s available, the weather. 

The Vegetarian menu that I ate can be taken long 8 courses or short 5 courses. Priced £42 and £32. 

Both Ruth and I chose the long menu, but Ruth the meat variation. 

So to the food. 

   
 

   
 

Moss, vinegar, old Winchester.

Two morsels of moss on a plate, though only one in the picture as Ruth ate it before I took the picture.😄 taken with Old Winchester cheese, on the hand, eaten simultaneously, lively flavoured slightly salty, very creative, lovely flavour and texture. Very exciting start. 

  
Cauliflower three ways:

Aerated, pickled, and dehydrated. A stunning cacophony of flavours, beautifully presented, a cauliflower lovers dream dish. Contrasting techniques, demonstrating great skill. With a texture of Parmesan. 

   
 Fresh Ricotta in Herbs, roast lettuce

An incredible depth of flavour in this dish, loved the roasted lettuce and the ricotta balls were very tender, with a substantial degree of clever cooking. What I call a wowser dish. 

   
 

Broccoli, sea herbs, yolk, dark beer. 

My favourite dish. Pleasing to the eye and to the palette, delicate broccoli, with a heavenly yolk of egg with the herbs sea herbs textures. Mouth-wateringly good. 

   
 

Mushroom, sunflower seed, gorse flowers. 

A full flavour of mushrooms, the sunflower seeds have a back note of flavour that complimented the dish and had its own flavou that lingered in your mouth. The gorse flowers edible with a slightly almond taste and coconut aroma. A Beautiful dish. A close second for me. 

   
 

Manouri in onion ash, beets, Apple, Dittander. 

As a lover of beetroot i couldn’t go far wrong with this dish. The Manouri (Greek semi soft cheese) had a clean subtly nutty flavour, creamier than feta, but covered in this context with edible onion ash, yes ash, which I remember having at L’Enclume a few years ago. Which gave a complex bitter and smokey flavour to the Manouri.  It worked well. 

The Dittander, a damp coastal herb with a subtle mustard flavour lifted the dish and made the flavours and textures very enjoyable,  And I can imagine Noma esque dish. 

  
Lemon verbena, willow catkins, chestnut crumble. 

The first of the two deserts, more pre desert in size, the dish had enjoyable flavours. The ingredients, superbly sourced and very enjoyable. 

   
 

Carrot, cumin, honey, sea buckthorn parfait. 

I wasn’t altogether sure of the carrot in this dish, but the flavours of honey and the cumin came through well. Technically superb, executed well. A mixed last dish, though had good flavours. Looked pretty. 

   
   

Throughout the meal the service was excellent. Well informed, they explained the dishes and ingredients. 

The Kitchen Garden cafe looked lovely, flowers on the table, well lit, and it felt romantic and at the same time relaxed. 

The concept of Nomad is unique to Birmingham with the skill and high technique of the cooking leaving you satisfied and usurping many more high end establishments in the city for bravery and culinary flavours. For me it felt like going on a weird and wonderful vegetarian journey, with new ingredients to discover, and new tastes to experience around every corner. I learnt such a lot. 

The foraged additions blended well with the veg, from ingredient to ingredient, not settled, or established, always searching, but ever encompassing and trusting. 

That’s the ethos of Nomad. 

And let’s be grateful for that. 

   
     

A  Gin martini at Fletchers

   
 

The Kitchen Garden Cafe

Ruth and I were  invited to Nomad by Alex our meal was complimentary,  but we paid for our wine. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

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