Category Archives: vegan

Brum Yum Yum in Kings Heath 20/12 #kingshEATh 11am-5pm

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

Brum Yum Yum are due to take over the Village square in Kings Heath in South Birmingham on Saturday 20th December from 11am-5pm.

KingshEATh is a long running streetfood market that usually runs on the 2nd Saturday of every month. It was on last week on the 13th and lucky Christmas festive revellers have a second opportunity to enjoy fine street food, real ale, live music and the local Kings Heath vibe.

There is always plenty of food choice for veggies.

Look out for Bare Bones pizza, Mrs Mills, Ciao-Arancini (well recommended) Big Papas Beautiful South, and Bombay tapas and Pip’s Hot Sauce.

Brum Yum Yum have been selected as one of the top 5 food attractions in Birmingham by Visit Birmingham.

This Saturday see traders:

-Big Papas Beautiful South, soul food and soulful music, deep south
-Rolling smoke
-Flipping cow
-Bare Bones pizza
-Pimpernells Delights
-Nosh & Ciao, Italian street food. Inspired by Italy.
-Bombay Tapas
-Pelima Satay
-Mrs Mills, cakes, bakes, and brownies.
-Pip’s Hot Sauce, devishly spicy chilli sauces, and more

Plus, Live bands, DJ’s, Purity Craft Beer Bar,

and a special Christmas gift Market and ice grotto for children.

That’s Brum Yum Yum at the Village Square, Kings Heath #KingshEATh

11am-5pm 20th December 2014 for festive family fun 🙂

See you there.

Thanks for reading.

@brumyumyum
Facebook/brumyumyum
http://www.brumyumyum

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#TastyMorsel: The Eight Foot Grocer opens: A Feast of Veg in the Jewellery Quarter

Posted in Bakery, Breakfasts, Cake, Coffee, Food, Fruit and Veg, Grocers, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Jewellery Quarter, shops, St Paul's Square, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

If you are a vegetarian and you don’t eat or like fruit or vegetables, then maybe ask what’s the point. Veg are the kings of vegetarian and vegan living. All hail the veg 🙂

So in that respect any news that an Independent food grocer is opening in Birmingham is therefore greeted with the applause and plaudits it deserves.

That’s why I love the idea of The Eight Foot Grocer. i did wonder if the guy who owned it initially was a giant, that eating all those veg like your Mother told you to do had made him grow so much that he had turned into a fairy tale character, old Jack himself.

No in fact, his name is Chris James and his grocers is in the lovely Jewellery Quarter and is housed in a eight foot wide former loading bay near
St Paul’s Square.

Chris has turned a quirky venue into a new fruit and veg store selling exciting deli produce locally sourced where possible and all in a eight foot wide space. The store is in Caroline Street next to the Braderie Vintage shop and opposite The esteemed Bloc Hotel.

The shop is an eclectic mix of local art, and photography, and receives daily fresh bread deliveries from nearby Peel and Stone bakers and stocks such items as jams, marmalades, loaclly made Cufuffle preserves,
Kneals Chocolates, Pip’s Hot Sauce, pastas and olive oil.

It also serves porridge for breakfast, and sandwiches, salads, and cakes for lunch.

It’s a proper shop, independent and local and open from
8am-8pm Monday-Saturday.

The Eight Foot Grocer
13-15 Caroline Street
off St Paul’s Square
Jewellery Quarter
Birmingham
B3 1TR

@The8footgrocer

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Veggie Foodie Guide to: The Birmingham Christmas Markets for vegetarians

Posted in Events, Festivals, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Pop up's, shops, Tapas, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie Foodie Guide to by

Navigating the Frankfurt German Market in Birmingham City Centre at this time of year for vegetarians and vegans can be difficult.

The times I’ve been out with Ruth, family and friends and whilst the meat eaters have a array of fleshy delights us veggies are left eating cake and pastries and if we are being greedy Garlic Bread. Good but hey, we like Christmas too 🙂

Then of course it is easier for veggies to drink more at the market than eat some super independent food.

This year it appears their are though some jewels to be sought out and tasted. Yes, you have to search and yes you have to walk a bit, but it is worth it..trust me 😊

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The Birmingham Christmas market that stretches all the way from The Bull Ring up New Street into Victoria Square and onto the area around the Town Hall, and the Art Gallery up to The Hall of memory and up to the New Library of Birmingham and the Big Wheel.

The lower part from the Bull Ring to Victoria Square is the long running and expensive generally German Market which turns Birmingham tourist crazy for a month and makes Brum feel like a European city bathed in Christmas joy. It’s good fun and full of drinking dens, but little hot good veggie food.

The Frankfurt Market leads into the Birmingham Christmas craft markets by the Art Gallery which is much more independent and has a greater amount of food outlets that veggies can enjoy and stretches up to the New Birmingham Library.

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On wandering around the markets last week with my brother Pete (also vegetarian) we found a number of options.

Within the Birmingham craft market (further on from the Frankfurt Market) by the old Central library and Birmingham Art Gallery lie two good options to begin with for veggies.

First is Woktastic which serves noodles and a variety of Japanese dishes some veggie options. A good option. They also have a stand at Paradise Forum and restaurant too.

Then, nestled within the Christmas trees at the top of the steps lies The Mumbai Grill. For curry and a spicy kick it can’t be beaten. They have a vegetarian menu that includes a vegetarian platter, onion bhaji wraps, samosas, channa chaat, and a chana chickpea wrap. They also have balti chips.

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Then, further through the Paradise Forum over bridge past the Hall of Memory you will find local Pips Hot Sauce, a creperie, and a fully veggie and vegan falafel stall.

The falafel stand sells numerous falafel options, a veggie burger, and is the markets only completely 100% veggie option. Prices start from £4.50. It looks brilliant, and I can’t wait to try it. Their are falafel wraps, spicy Jalapeños, grilled Halloumi and other falafel dishes. See menu.

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Next door so to speak is a Creperie stand that sells sweet and savoury crepes and has veggie options on the savoury side. The creperie has outside tables and is popular.

Next door to the Creperie nearest the New Library of Birmingham is Pips Hot Sauce with vegan options.

Trader Pip Bradley from Kings Heath sells dishes such as sweet potato fries, nachos, salsa, jalapeños, guacamole, and vegan friendly sauces. Try a combination of the dishes and a few sauces maybe?

Pips Hot Sauce also sell gift packs of her superb sauces that can be brought as gifts. Well recommended.

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Back to The Frankfurt Market, their is a stand that sells pizza, and Italian sandwiches near the Town Hall and a stand in the centre near the fountain that sells a nice spinach and feta strudel. Plus, sweet ones too. One I’ve not noticed before.

Then last but not least is the aforementioned garlic bread stand, that is a delight. Try it with cheese, always a winner, but this year it seems not the only hot option. Stationed next to the long bar nearest to the Council House on Victoria Square.

As well as those hot food options their are a number of sweet food stands and some are brilliant. I will leave you to discover those 🙂

As always the Frankfurt Market divides opinions in Birmingham, but at least some independent and local food traders are involved in Birmingham’s Christmas Markets, and their is always Digbeth Diner and Brum Yum Yum to satisfy that independent street food demand.

If you get out into Birmingham have a good Market experience and eat, and drink and be merry, but watch those alcohol prices at The German Market that are quite steep compared to elsewhere. Their are a good selection of drinks at the craft market, near the town hall, including mulled cider, mulled wine and Pims.

Their is also a Hogan’s cider tent near the hall of memory with sofas inside. Looks great, very popular.

Have fun and thanks for reading and Happy Christmas. 🙂

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Library of Birmingham

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Winter Season Markets: Digbeth Dining Club: Winter Wonderland, Spotlight, Digbeth

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

Birmingham has a thriving Independent food scene and its Streetfood is well known accross the Uk.

As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog , I’m a big fan of this informal and fun way of eating and for vegetarians and vegans it’s filled with choice and delicious indulgences.

This winter season their are many fab choices for the streetfood and Christmas Market fan.

As an alternative to the Frankfurt German Market, Birmingham has a few independent options and one of the best and most innovative and decorated this December is in Digbeth.

The Digbeth Dining Club @ Spotlight, Digbeth (just behind The Old Crown Pub)

It’s held every Friday and Saturday from the 5th December from 5.30pm, free entry (plus December 18th-21st) Yes, that’s a four day weekend From Thursday 18th-Sunday 21st December 🙂

For full details of the line up, check their website.

http://www.digbethdiningclub .co.uk
Twitter: @digbethdiner

Plus, others to look out for:

Are two this Saturday.

Winter Season Market @ The Bond, Fazeley Street, Digbeth.

Enjoy a canalside setting, a courtyard of streetfood, real ale, cocktails and independent crafty stalls of artists, artisan food producers, designers moored up on barges, and beneath a huge Victorian canapy.

-Peel and Stone bakers from the Jewellery Quarter
-Buddha Belly: Awad winning Thai street food, good veggie options
Fresh Rootz: Veggie and vegan food (award winning)
Fire and slice: Woodfired pizza
Hungry Toad: Mexican flavours

amongst others.

and craft ales from a routemaster bus.

Run by Street food traders The Bournville Waffle Company (puds from a converted caravan)

The cost is £1.50 adults, kids go free.

12-6pm Saturday 6th December

http://www.seasonalmarkets.co.uk
@seasonalmarkets

Brum Yum Yum are @ the Square Birmingham City Centre on the 6th December Free entry.

#Christmasfest

vintage bargains, Bert and Gerts, streetfood.

http://www.brumyumyum.com
@brumyumyum
@thesquare
facebook/Brumyumyum

for full details.

Finally Brum Yum are back in Kings Heath for their Christmas streetfood KingshEATh on the 13th December at The Village Square Free entry.

I will update the food vendors when I have more details.

Thanks for reading.

#TastyChristmasmorsal: Bistro 1847 Veggie Christmas menu

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Independent, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

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Bistro 1847 in Birmingham City Centre last week launched its modern vegetarian Christmas menu.

They have a two course and three course menu available from Monday to Friday over lunch and dinner, plus Saturday all day and Sunday lunch.

There is also a six course taster menu available. Contact the bistro for the menu.

The menu includes vegan options too.

To make a booking call Birmingham on 0121 236 2313.

Or email them at Christmas@bistro1847.co.uk

Booking is advised.

For the menu see

Click to access ChristmasPDF.pdf

Or at http://www.bistro1847.com under Christmas

Please note the menus may differ to the ones on the website.

Menus: 2 courses £18
3 courses £24

And a tasting menu is £40 for six courses plus coffee and petit fours.

Bistro 1847 are also running a cocktail masterclass for £29.00 for 2 courses and £36.00 for three courses including 2 cocktails which you will be shown how to make yourself.

For my review see below:

Bistro 1847
26 Great Western Arcade
Colmore Row
B2 5HU

http://www.By1847.com

@by1847

0121 236 2313

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Review:

A visit to Bistro 1847 whatever the time of year is a joyous experience of perfect harmonies and sweet choral voices, but at Christmas it’s like a sweet Christmas carol that evokes the season and makes you swoon and smile.

As always with Bistro 1847 the dishes are innovative, quirky and a pleasure to the eye. The service on the night Ruth and I visited was spot on, attentive and friendly with an enthusiasm for the seasonal menu and knowledge of the excellent cocktails which we enjoyed.

Ruth and I chose off the Christmas mini a la carte-grazing menu.

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To begin we ate:

Lemon-grass, chili, coconut, parsnip, potato crackling, wild mushroom, (2nd photo)

Ruth really enjoyed the complex flavours and the combination of textures on this dish.

I ate the

Wild herb sauce, wild sea cabbage, Brussel sprout, potato crackling and ‘parmesan’ dumpling: (1st photo)

I have to say an outstanding dish, you either love or loath sprouts, but even the most hardened sprout hater would love the textures and slightly crunchy cabbage and bitter sprout flavours of this dish which was a real twist on the Christmas tradition. Lovely.

To follow we both chose the same dish:

Spiced squash and nut praline filo, real ale gravy, seasonal vegetables.

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Probably the most traditional Christmas dish on the menu. Deliberately chosen for this reason. It ticked all the boxes for us, a real warming, filling comfort food dish, with lovely notes of squash and real ale gravy. The filo was delicious, firm, but soft, beautifully presented, a real winner.

For desert Ruth chose and enjoyed the Christmassy toffee flavours of the Sticky toffee, chestnut, smoked ice cream

I chose the sorrel, white chocolate, Apple, Douglasfir.

Very Bistro 1847, a lovely combination of flavours with the white chocolate running through the dish, really nice.

We finished off with two coffee liqueurs, which were a coffee hit, almost espresso like, lovely.

The Christmas mini a la carte menu is a lovely festive menu. Innovative, thoughtful with a delicate leaning to the season, tradition and most definately jolly and different.

On the night the Bistro was full, which was lovely to see and why we booked and wished to visit on a Friday night.

For a different Christmas type experience with good veggie and vegan dishes Bistro 1847 is a restaurant worth checking out.

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Our two meals and cocktails were kindly complimentary, we also purchased ourselves two glasses of organic wine and a side of fresh bread. All opinions expressed are my own and honest as always. A favourable review was not required.

I would like to personally thank all the staff at Bistro 1847, chef Alex, and Damien for all their kind support of my blog this year.

Thanks guys and have a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Here’s to the New Year’s dishes. 😊 and further visits in 2015.

Thanks for reading

Andy 🙂

#VeggieBurgerWatch: Loco Lounge, Kings Heath

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Independent, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

The Loco Lounge is a French inspired cafe bar in Kings Heath South Birmingham, and is part of the Lounges group of cafe’s. As well as the Kings Heath bar they have one in Harborne and one in Shirley in Solihull.

As a neighbourhood cafe bar, it showers you with quirky cosiness and is open all day from breakfast, brunch to evening lounging and cocktails. Its a cool place and is popular in Kings Heath for its welcome charm and friendlyness.

At different times of day it caters for differing customers, from parents with small children to students and after work date nights. It provides a softer surburban air to the bustling High Street outside and even has its own terrace area for alfresco drinks in decent weather.

The Loco Lounge is housed in a former bed shop. It has a good food menu and caters with a large Vegan menu and good options for snacks, burgers, full meals and tapas options.

It is the Vegan Menu which makes it unique in Birmingham and a welcome sight to see.

Good for vegans thus good for veggies.

As a local to the cafe, its the kind of place I will return too again and again to try food, coffee and cocktails at different times of day, so look out for more small reviews.

On this occasion Ruth and I chose to try the burgers. I chose the Falafal burger.

A butternut squash and nutmeg burger, grilled halloumi, red pepper, tomato chutney, wood roasted peppers, red onion and rocket in a brioche bun with house slaw and skin on fries.

I really enjoyed the burger, it had a good flavour, with a hint of nutmeg and grilled halloumi providing a contrasting texture. I love falafals, and this burger was well made and with good skin on fries on the side was plentiful and satisfying.

We ordered some onion rings too, which were very cripsy and well made.

Ruth enjoyed her lounge beef burger, and with a couple of glasses of wine and couple of ales was good very good value.

On the night the bar was quite busy for a Wednesday evening, and had a steady in and out of people, from couples, friends, and small groups. The service was attentive, you order your food and drink at the bar and then it is brought to your table.

We didn’t try the cocktails on this occasion, but the menu looked good and varied.

Also the Tapas menu which has an incentive of tapas Tuesday where you can order three tapas for £9.75 plus a glass of house wine.

The Veggie options on the menu are numerous and include a vegan breakfast (their is a veggie one too), paninis, the falafal burger and sandwiches, plus some specials and the afore mentioned tapas menu. For veggies, their is also a veggie kedgeree, pancakes, a risotto, a curry, and a Mac and cheese, plus the above vegan options.

The Loco Lounge is a fun place. Their a board games to play, bookshelves with books to read, vintage furniture, rustic wooden tables, and large front windows that allow a good view of passers by and the busy High Street.

They also do a lot of special events, full details on their website.

The Loco Lounge is everything it aims to be. A French inspired neighbourhood cafe bar which aims to please everyone. For this it is a success, and absorbing place and well recommended.

Now, to make my way through the rest of the menu. 🙂

The Loco Lounge,
32-34 High Street,
Kings Heath
B14 7JT

0121 444-1296
http://www.thelounges.co.uk (for menus)

@locolounge: Twitter

Twitter: @andydhare

Thanks for reading.

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

Has anyone been to The Loco Lounge? What did you think?

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#ScoFarGo: Scoff Street Food is coming 29/11

Posted in Events, Festivals, Food, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, pizza, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Sharpen your spoons, Dinner is coming

The Midlands first #Streetfood collective Scoff Street Food have organised a big street food event for the
29th November 2014 at Fargo Village in Coventry. #ScoFarGo will have free entry , street food, real ale, live music, a vinatage market, workshops, magic, and cooking demos.

With lots of food for veggies and vegans.

Traders announced are:

Big Daddies (hot dogs)
The Hungry Toad ( soul food)
Spectacular Goat (Pizza) with veggie options
Meat Shack ( Burgers)
Fresh Rootz (Vegetarian and vegan food)
Canoodle (Pan Asian) Veggie options
Bournville Waffles
Jabberwocky ( Gourmet toasties) Veggie options

Scoff Street Food is run by traders for foodies and aims to give a better deal all round to everone whether trader or customer.

Every weekend they hold a #Streetfood day at
Fargo Village in Coventry from 11am-5pm (Saturdays) See website for traders.

http://www.scoffstreetfood.co.uk

Scoff was formed by a group of street food traders from the Midlands putting on events. It serves great food, combined with a sensible pitch fee, a collective that includes Flic Luxmore from food vendor Jabberwocky, Big Daddies Diner, Hungry Toad, Spectacular Goat and Flic’s other half Barny.

#ScoFarGo is just one example of where the street food scene is growing in the Midlands. Customers love great food at affordable prices, served informally and outdoors.

For veggies and vegans its superb, plenty of choice, quality dishes, and where else can you have pudding before lunch or dinner, followed by more cake. 🙂

What with Digbeth Dining Club, Brum Yum Yum and now Scoff Street Food there is plenty of choice.

So for a pre Christmas feed and enetertainment visit
#ScoFarGo at Fargo in Coventry on the 29th November. 11am-5pm, Free entertainment, and good food.

Its a collective you know 🙂

It’s Street Food baby.

@scoffFood
07870 422 617

@FargoVillage

http://www.fargovillage.co.uk

Fargo Village is Coventry’s creative quarter, specialist shops, markets, studios, music and arts. Plus Street Food.

http://www.scoffstreetfood.co.uk

What do you think of Street Food? Do you think it offers vegetarians and vegans a good choice of food?

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Pika Pika Pop up @Cherry Reds Kings Heath

Posted in Bars, Cafés and Restaurants, Catering, Cocktails, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Sometimes the best meals you eat are the ones that are not planned, but are spontaneous. Ruth and I hadn’t planned to eat at Cherry Reds in Kings Heath, but at Fletchers bar, but because they had chef problems we found ourselves there instead.

We wanted to escape the cardboard boxes that were sitting in our new house, having moved in on that day and feeling tired and hungry we chose well. That’s the thing with Kings Heath, you can eat well 🙂

On arriving at Cherry Reds we were told that they had the Pika Pika pop up on tonight and they had a free table..Hurray!

I’d wanted to visit the pop up for awhile, as they seemed to have very good and varied vegetarian options , but hadn’t got round to it. So it was a good opportunity.

Cherry Reds in Kings Heath is a very inviting place with a cool, chilled vibe and atmosphere, alternative, and cosy. It’s well known for its pop ups, and Pika Pika is one that has a good reputation. The service in Cherry Reds is friendly, and they do excellent food, both day and evenings, from breakfasts to dinner and superb cocktails and world beers and ale.

Pika Pika are a Japanese catering company and they run a Japanese food pop up restaurant every 2nd Monday at Cherry Reds in Kings Heath. The food consists of Home made Japanese starters, snacks, and sides and main courses. Some of the food is to share. A full desert menu is available from Cherry Reds on the night. There is as i’ve said a wide choice of vegetarian options, both main course and smaller sharing tapas like dishes. Menus change every month.

The main course dish we both ate on the night was called Vegetarian Nikujaga: which is mixed vegetables with a shirataki noodles, cooked in a pot with special soya sauce, served with boiled rice and Pika Pika salad.

We both really enjoyed the dish, deliciously flavoured and with a contrasting noodle and vegetable flavours with a lovely soya sauce biting through it. The rice was also delicious served round, a lovely main course and introduction to Pika Pika’s food.

We followed this up with a beautiful Cherry Reds Chocolate brownie, sorry no photo, but it was very good indeed.

I also enjoyed a couple of English Staffordshire lagers and Ruth had a couple of glasses of white wine.

We both enjoyed our first visit to the Pika Pika pop up. The vegetarian options on the menu change monthly to keep them fresh and to entice vegetarians to eat their every month, and certainly a return visit is very likely, as the food we ate was well made and of good value and in the cool and chilled atmosphere of Cherry Reds is a good way of spending a Monday evening.

For bookings contact Cherry Reds on contact number below.

We paid for our meal in full. My opinions are my own and honest.

wearepikapika.tumblr.com

@wearepikapika

Cherry Reds Kings Heath
16 York Road,
Kings Heath
Birmingham
B14 7RZ

0121 441 3155

@ilovecherryreds

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MAC FOOD MARKET: 10-30-3.30pm SUNDAY 26TH OCTOBER

Posted in Edgbaston, Events, Food, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Moseley, Street Food, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Indulge your culinary desires at The MAC, Edgbaston, Birmingham this Sunday 26th October 2014.

The MAC in Cannon Hill Park, is an excellent place to visit in the Autumn. The park lovely to stoll around, kicking leaves, feeding the ducks…

The food market is a monthly event (last Sunday of the month except in December) and features a host of local artisan producers, artisan bakers, and specialist food producers and street food vendors.

There will be loads for veggies to enjoy such as:

Kneals: Handmade chocolates
Hibiscus Grove: Authentic southeast Asian food
Hintons pies: including vegetarian pies.
Kuskus Foods: Middle Eastern Veggie and vegan food (see previous post)
The Vegan Grindhouse: 100% plant based vegan burgers and hot dogs, chillis and mobile with their new van 🙂

Buddha Belly: Home made Thai Street food
Vegetropolis: Local seasonal, organic, vegetables and fruit, plus bread, eggs and honey.

For a full list of vendors/stalls take a look at

http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/food-market

The MAC Food Market takes place on the last Sunday of the month apart from in December when it is on the 21st.

Dates are: 26th October 2014
30th November 2014
21st December 2014

keep and eye on the MAC website for vendors, as month by month they can change.

http://www.macbirmingham.co.uk

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VEGGIEFOODIE GUIDE TO: CURRY RESTAURANTS

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Curry restaurants, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Moseley, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie Foodie Guide to by

Today I’m introducing a new guide to my blog Veggie Foodie. This will be an occasional listing and musings on a different foodie topic. The list and guide isn’t a definitive but some of my favourites and recommendations to look out for.

To kick off, I’ve decided to look at Curry Restaurants in Birmingham, with a few from outside the area that i’ve come accross or visited.

Curry in its various guises is for many vegetarians and vegans their go to food. It is for me and often the first meal I have when I come back from a holiday abroad for instance.

For vegetarians, it seems it is the cuisine that we have the most options on the menu.

There are a number of pure vegetarian curry restaurants, sweet shops, and cafe’s in Birmingham

Deepalis: An Indian vegetarian restaurant in the Jewellery Quarter which is smart and offers a good range of dishes. Comes well recommended.

16 Hall Street, Jewellery Quarter, B18 6BS

0121 265 4726

http://www.deepalisrestaurant.co.uk

They also have a smaller cafe in Sparkbrook:

1A Alfred Road, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, B11 4PB

Sangam A vegetearian Cafe/sweet centre. Authentic curries, samosas, Pakoras, bhajis, to eat in and take away. Highly recommended.

334 Soho Road, Handsworth B21 9NA

Milan Sweet Centre: Vegetarian sweet centre, cafe and resturant. Good choices and always busy.

191 Stoney Lane, Sparkbrook, Birmingham B12 8HB. 0121 449 1617

Jyoti restaurant together with sweet centre is one of my favourites, offering 72 main courses and 15 starters, with an autthentic sweet centre to take away or eat in. Highly recommended. A favourite of Jamie Oliver. A personal favourite.

1045 Stratford Road, Hall Green, B28 8AS.

0121 778 5501. Booking can be made online at http://www.jyotis.co.uk

Pop Up Dosa: Making vegetarian dosa at home, at markets, at cafe. Offering cooking classes, and pop ups. See them at Ort Cafe in Moseley/Balsall Heath. See previous review on my blog. Superb.

@popupdosa

http://www.popupdosablogspot.co.uk

My favourite curry restaurants that are superb for veggies are:

Lasan Restaurant: Contemporary, stylish and delicious, high end curry that packs a punch in lovely classy surroundings near St Pauls Square. A treat at any time. See previous review.

Lasan, 3-4 Dakota Buildings, James Street, St Pauls Square, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1SO 0121 212 3664

http://www.lasan.co.uk

Pushkar Restaurant: beautiful Cocktails, great curries, superb service on Broad Street. Highly recommended for that touch of class and sophistication.

Pushkar, 245 Broad street, Birmingham b1 2HQ

http://www.pushkardining.com

0121 643 7978

Ashas delicious curries, good veggie choices, consistent service, good lunch time deal and cocktails. Lovely restaurant, in central Birmingham off Colmore Row.

Ashas Restaurant: Edmund House, 12-22 Newhall Street B3 3LX

http://www.ashasrestaurant.com

0121 200-2767

Itihaas restaurant Exquisite, Indian food, lovely colonial style environment with superb attentive service. Excellent vegetarian options. Recommended.

Itihaas also have a cafe in Selfridges Food Hall. Eat in or take away.

18 Fleet Street, Birmingham, B3 1JL

0121 212-3383.

http://www.itihaas.co.uk

Also to be recommended are:

Punjabi Rasoi:Authentic Cooking and attentive service in Acocks Green Birmingham.

Kababish: Long standing curry house in Moseley, excellent curries, consistent with good service. Next to the Patrick Kavanagh pub. Recommended.

Maharaja: Long standing and consistent. Old style service, and authentic curries. The saag paneer is superb. Next door to the Hippodrome on Hurst Street.

Raja Monkey cafe superb dosas, talis and curries. A lovely take away too. Owned by the Lasan Group.

Also on my radar are:

EastZEast new curry restaurant on Broad Street. Had good and tasty reviews. Good veggie options. ‘The home of Punjabi cooking’

Horseshoe: Refurbished old pub in Hall Green. Recommended by Paul Fulford of the Birmingham Mail.

Sylhet Spice on York Road, Kings Heath. Has a good reputation locally and also does takeaways. Always busy. Loyal regulars.

Imlees in Moseley, on the Alcester Road also has a good reputation and a bring your own bottle policy. Always busy.

Al Frash: On LadyPool Road, perenial favourite, balti dishes and bring your own.

Delhi 6: Sutton Coldfield favourite: Good reviews and recommendations. Good veggie options.

Street Food:

Becky’s Bhajis: Onion bhajis sold at food markets and street food days. Vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Outside Birmingham:

Mendhi Vegetarian Indian Restaurant in Droitwich Worcestershire. Comes recomended. Pure vegetarian curries.

Prashad vegetarian restaurant near Bradford Yorkshire: Gordon Ramsey favourite With a Superb cookbook. Always popular and run the Veggie hour on Twitter once a month.
One to visit.

Also in Yorkshire, North to be precise and Leeds to be exact, is an Indian vegetarian restaurant called Hansa. Which is Gujarati and run by all women. I have heard good reports. They have won
Cobra good curry awards, and also have a vegetarian Indian cook book like Prashad.

Bernares Berkeley Square London: A superb Indian Restaurant. High end and Michelin Starred. One of the best curries i’ve ever had in glam Mafair.

As I’ve said it isn’t a definitive list and I will add to it as I go along.

If anybody has any favourites that serve good veggie dishes please let me know either in the comment box below or via twitter @andydhare

Thanks for reading.

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Lasan Restaurant

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Pushkar Restaurant

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Pop up Dosa