REVIEW: HEALTH COUNTY: STAR CITY, FRESH, HEALTHY, TASTY, CRAZY


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I have to confess that I hadn’t been to Star City for a number of years. Partly due to where I live and partly because it didn’t appeal to me.

Star City is in the Aston area of Birmingham, a few miles out of the centre near the Spaghetti junction and M6.

Health County is a fairly new independent addition to Star City and is superb for vegetarians, vegans and anyone who is looking for the healthy option. It caters for the lunch time takeaway crowd mostly, but is also a good spot for a sit down lunch or coffee or juice break when in the area.

Health County is the healthier option serving, juices, smoothies, wraps, salads and Panini. It’s a life style cafe/kiosk that offers simple, fresh and tasty food. It has a good choice and good accesibility. It focuses on the individual which I like.

The smoothies and juices idea isn’t a new one but at Health County, they aim to make it central to their philosophy, that eating fresh and healthy ingredients that are locally sourced where possible can reap benefits in the long run.

They provide breakfasts, lunch and snacks and their smoothies are superbly fresh and fruity.

Health County in Star City is a sweet place 🙂 it’s a kiosk, that is small but, bright and cheerful , a lovely space with equally lovely service. It is quite small inside, but it has seating outside with a weatherproof canopy that is private and away from the traffic.

I met second in command Radu their and he spoke enthusiastically about the Health County concept, future expansion into Redditch and new ideas for the cafe including a suggestions voting system for new smoothie and juice flavours, and ideas from the public regarding food.

I decided to sit outside and drink a smoothie and eat a veggie wrap.

I chose a Berry Blast Smoothie.

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My smoothie was delicious, cold, fruity, and felt beautifully healthy, a blend of strawberry, banana, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries. The banana wasn’t overwhelming but added creaminess to the smoothie. I enjoyed it.

My wrap, was a mixed salad and veg wrap stuffed with my own choice from the salad deli bar. It had carrot, lettuce, sweet corn and other veg fillings (see picture) and was lovely. The bread of the wrap was fresh, soft, firm and didn’t fall apart when bitten into. I added cheese to my wrap, but you could also add salsa or any extra.

The fillings gave a lovely crunch and flavour and made for a filling and excellent lunch. The wrap complimented the smoothie well and was a filling lunch which felt fresh and healthy.

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Health County is an excellent independent cafe for vegetarians and vegans or anyone looking for that healthy option.
I Like its ethos on health and freshness. It provides plenty of choice from wraps through to jacket potatoes, to pasta, to couscous, to noodles. It radically focuses on the needs of the customer, providing a choice of ingredients and menu options. It’s good for snacks, to stay, to go, for lunch or a thirst quenching juice stop.

I will certainly return to Health County and Star City. Health County is a place to return to try something healthy and different in a sweet and tasteful bar.

Good for veggies, good for everyone.

@healthcountymag

http://www.healthcounty.net

For menus see website.

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Disclaimer: I was invited to Health County as a guest to try out their food menu and drinks. It didn’t require a positive review. My opinions and thoughts are my own.

INDEPENDENT BIRMINGHAM (Believe in Birmingham)


Birmingham is thriving as a city of independent businesses. It is quite easy to believe the opposite looking around the Bull Ring and the high street. More and more independents, shops, cafe’s and restaurants are now thriving in and around the city centre.

Independent Birmingham is the flag waving movement and website of all things independent in Birmingham.

IB as it known is dedicated to unearthing the very best of Birmingham’s hidden gems and best kept secrets with the aim of encouraging people to re-discover the city we love.

The ethos of supporting businesses with a local leaning and conscience is superb in my opinion, some of the best places to go in Birmingham City Centre and its neighbourhoods are independent and offer friendliness and a uniqueness that chains don’t provide.

Independent Birmingham provide a year long membership card for £15 or two for £20.

The card provides discounts and deals in signed up shops, bars and restaurants. It is a unique pass to a sunshine of localism and top quality places that provide an experience as well as uniqueness.

Their website http://www.independent-Birmingham.co.uk provide a directory of all outlets signed up.

Independent Birmingham announce new additions to the card frequently so keep an eye open for more.

Recent additions are The Electric Cinema in the city centre who are offering IB card holders 2-4-1 tickets on standard seats form Sunday-Thursday, Rico Libre tapas in Digbeth who are offering 10% off breakfasts and tapas excluding Saturday evening, Itihaas Restaurant, 20% off Sunday-Thursday and The Coffee Lounge on Newhall Street 10% off and 20% off for afternoon tea for 2 people.

They have recently announced places such as, Vintage Hideaway, Fletchers Bar and The Sun at the Station and Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath and the Dark Horse pub, Cafephillia, and The Java Lounge in Moseley.

Plus Michelin starred restaurant Adams in the city centre, Ju Ju’s cafe by Brindley Place have joined along with the Jekyll and Hyde pub are offering 20% from Monday to Thursday off food. See website for full offers.

Keep on eye on their twitter and Facebook accounts for further details, new additions and discounts.

Others already signed up include:

Stirling’s bar and lounge, Loki wine, The Victoria bar, The Bureau, Brewsmith’s coffee and tea, 6/8 Kaffe, Cherry Reds, Alfie Birds, Rose Villa Tavern, The Church inn in the Jewellery Quarter, Urban Coffee Shop, Home is where..cafe and deli, Island Bar, Twist, The Sun on The Hill in the city centre.

For more see the website directory on
http://www.independent-Birmingham.co.uk.

Or you can sign up for the Independent Birmingham blog via their website and sign up for the card on the website too.

If anyone has any personal favourites and wants to recommend places please feel free to leave a comment below at,

Twitter @independentB’ham
Facebook independent Birmingham community
Hello@independent-Birmingham.co.uk

Or at Twitter @andydhare or on the comments section below.

Thanks for reading Veggie Foodie.

BYZANTIUM MEDITERRANEAN TAPAS KINGS HEATH


Living in the food mecca of Kings Heath and Moseley is hard work. The choice of where to dine and drink is tough on the decsion making process. Where do you go and savour top vegetarian delights.

Byzantium in Kings Heath on York Road in South Birmingham is a favourite of my wife Ruth and myself.

It seems wrong though to not start the night at Fletchers Bar next door, for cool cocktails, and a good Saturday evening Kings Heath vibe. Fletchers is all wood and has a good cocktail and drinks menu and also serves food from lunch to dinner. It is owned by The Kitchen Garden Cafe near by and thus like them promotes organic and well sourced food.

After a couple of good martinis we were off to Byzantium. It is a lovely restaurant, it has a warming and localised feel that is generous in its welcome and one that will get you talking. It is a small resturant, but big in heart. We began with a Fino sherry (what else) The restaurant has a good selection of drinks, from cocktails to a good selection of wines from the mediterranean and numerous sherries. Many by the glass.

We ordered the Middle Eastern flat bread, slightly griddled and so very aromatic. Superb. With this the smoky aubergine dip, the zaaluk which was also very good.

I also ordered to follow the Aubergine Parmiagiana, Patatas Bravas,
championes rellonos, and from a large special menu the Cheese and spinich Croquetas and
roasted root vegetables with honey and rosemary. Byzantium has a regular specials menu that has numerous vegetarian options on it.

We both finished it off with a Baklava which we enjoyed. We also enjoyed a glass of red and white wine and two coffee’s.

Byzantium is very good choice for vegetarians and meat eaters alike due to its superb choice of on its menu.

The service is informal, friendly but attentive.

Byzantium is very good value and if you don’t order too much.

It will have you returning again and again.

The restaurant was buzzing on a Saturday evening and had a good vibe. I advise you too book a table.

We were having such a good night we returned to Fletchers for a whisky and brandy.

Byzantium certainly glitters gold.

0121 444 5444

Facebook.com/byzantiumtapas

Info@byzantiumtapas.co.uk

Byzantium Mediterranean Tapas Restaurant
11 York Road
Kings Heath
Birmingham
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About Veggie Foodie


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Hi, and welcome to my blog,

I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years and I love eating out from street food to fine dining.

My mission is to share my favorite dining and food experiences, and to show that vegetarian options on the menu are not always boring and predictable. When I can I will highlight vegan dishes too.

My favorite experiences have often been where there has been no vegetarian menu, or few veggie options on the existing menu, but with some forward planning I have still had a great night out. Veggie foodie will help you to share these experiences too!

I love eating the best seasonal produce around and will highlight this whenever I can.

I will also promote and occasionally review events, food markets, street food events and restaurant pop ups that include vegetarian and vegan dishes on their menus.

My blog will also highlight the best independent coffee shops to visit for a good all round experience.

My blog will not post recipes as a norm, but may feature occasional mentions from time to time of Cook books and recipes of interest I’ve found.

All the views on this site are my personal opinion and honest.

I hope that I will be able to help you with your veggie journey and make eating out for you more fun and enticing.

Thanks for reading.

Andy