#Coffeetime: Yorks Espresso Bar Birmingham City Centre

Posted in Bakery, Cake, Coffee, Coffee hour, Coffee Time, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Veggie foodie by andydhare

I’ve watched the new Yorks Espresso Bar on the corner of the Great Western Arcade and Colmore Row (opposite Snow Hill Station) progress from an empty building to what can now be described as the most unique and trendily urban hangout selling delicious coffee in a city full of great independent coffee shops.

I visited last week, its first week of business to try it out and was rewarded with a brilliant and rewarding coffee experience.

Yorks Espresso bar, little brother of Yorks Bakery on Newhall Street 10 minutes up the road sells great coffee. It’s different. I has a vibe that’s feels very welcoming, knowledgable, and passionate about coffee and its whole experience. It’s modern and cool.

The new bar is the first of its kind in the UK to have a ‘kegorator’ serving cold coffee from a beer style keg system in the bar. I was able to sample some. It’s delicious, refreshing, and punchy in flavour, well recommended,

I also enjoyed a delicious Yorks Flat White, and single espresso. Both beautiful. The flat white like at Yorks Bakery is superb, creamy, with a touch of class, maybe the best in Birmingham City Centre. The espresso packed a punch and was excellent too.

A coffee paradise.

Yorks Espresso bar also serve the trademark Yorks cakes, sandwiches, pastries and muffins. The cakes are lovely if like at Yorks bakery, though I didn’t eat on this occasion.

The decor has a comfortable mezzanine section upstairs and downstairs where I sat bar stools to watch the passers by from. Being nosy that’s where I sat watching the rain ease.

The bar is rustic, and has a long wooden bar with tiled wall areas and menus written on glass on the walls. Very hip, very Yorks.

Yorks Espresso bar is already a favourite of mine and one of the finest independent coffee shops in Birmingham, I’m loving the vibe and urban coolness and rustic quirkiness. take yourself, take your friends, and then encourage them to take their friends too 🙂

A superb coffee treat.

Yorks Espresso Bar
Colmore Row
Great Western Arcade
16a Colmore Row

@yorkscolmorerow
Facebook/ YorksBakeryCafe

Thanks for reading.

Has anyone been to Yorks espresso bar? What did you think?

7Nov2014

Bar Opus launch for breakfast, lunch, and after 5pm fun

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Coffee, Food, Gin, Independent, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

Bar Opus is the newborn child of the Opus family of restaurants that include Opus on Cornwall Street and Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery. Both firm favourites of mine 🙂

This week Ruth and I were kindly invited by Ann and David of Opus to attend one of their pre launch evenings to sample the ‘after 5’ sharing plates and some of the drinks.

Bar Opus is at No’ 1 Snow hill, Birmingham City centre, a new complex behind Snowhill Station. That it resides in such a nice location is a positive for the bar with a clutch of through foot traffic, local businesses and the new Midland Metro tram line nearby when it’s complete.

Bar Opus has an inviting terrace area for those Alfresco lazy summer days and evenings which I can imagine will be a real sun trap and will provide the Birmingham with a continental type atmosphere.

On arrival we were greeted with two glasses of Champagne and were straight away impressed with the light and modern decor which is a mix of Cafe Opus decor and a continental inspired light openness.

The bar was busy, with a lovely atmosphere. The bar area is split into a long bar, an open kitchen, some seating in the windows around tables for eating on and some bar stools and tables.

Near the bar is an impressive Musee d’Orsay (art gallery in Paris, if you haven’t been go) clock (see photos above) which gives
Bar Opus a real iconic central image that invites the eye. A real symbol of the bar and its continental leanings.

As a vegetarian I have always loved the Opus food, whether the formal Opus restaurant or the laid back cafe in Brindley Place with its fab terrace and Meat Free Monday menu.

The ‘After 5’ sharing plates were what we had come to sample. The premise is that from the open kitchen the chefs will serve up a variety of dishes from £4.50 onto plates where the colour indicates the price. The waiter will at the end count the plates you’ve had and produce your Bill.
The plates include meat, fish and vegetarian a whole plate is £10.50.

Ruth tried the meat and fish options that were handed round and loved the complex flavours and in some cases simplicity of the dishes, they were presented in a delicious looking way.

My vegetarian options were plentiful. The ones that stand out are the confit tomato & mozzarella croquettes, which were delicious, real Italian creamy mozzarella, which complemented a complex and lovely tomato texture. The other I enjoyed was the Daylesford organic cheddar rarebit which was the best cheese on toast ever.

They reminded me of the type of food that you find in Aperitivo hour in Italy which is a very relaxed thing to do with friends and family..try it with a Aperol or Campari Spritz or Negroni.

The food I tried at Bar Opus in conclusion was made with the same high quality ingredients as at the other two venues and I was impressed with the vegetarian selection on all the menus. The all day menu includes four different options which is superb.

To add I also enjoyed a lovely Negroni Cocktail which was well made and probably the best I’ve had in Birmingham.

Bar Opus has a lengthy cocktail list, a good wine menu and also stocks craft beer and their very own Opus lager. A lot of the menu has local gin makers Langley’s on it, the Negroni was made with Langley’s gin.

Bar Opus is a superb addition to Birmingham’s food and bar scene. As an all day venue from breakfast until evening it’s going to be a very popular and exciting place to go.

I can’t wait to visit properly and try out their all day menu and ‘After 5’ options in full.

Bar Opus is a bar redefined.

Thanks to Ann and David for their invites. The food and first two drinks were on the house and our glasses of wine hereafter were paid in full by me. I was not required to write a post for my blog.

All opinions are honest and my own.

Bar Opus
1 Snowhill piazza
Birmingham
B4 6GH

0121 289 3939

Open from

7am-11pm Monday to Friday
10am-11pm Saturday

@baropus

http://www.baropus.co.uk

5Nov2014

#Coffeetime: Coffee Lounge, Wake up and smell the coffee

Posted in Afternoon Tea, Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, Coffee, Coffee hour, Coffee Time, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Jewellery Quarter, St Paul's Square, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

Coffee Lounge is a newish independent coffee shop located on Newhall Street in Birmingham City centre near St Paul’s Square.

It’s tucked a bit out of the way of the main drag of the city centre, but is well worth the walk.

It was in mid week, feeling quite stressed due to moving house that I decided to find some calm and enjoy the soothing harmony ‘s of lower Newhall street and the nearby St Paul’s Square.

On entering Coffee Lounge I found a laid back and contemporary coffee shop that was quite quiet and had the peace and serenity that I required to read and relax.

Coffee Lounge has a good mix of sofas and table seating and bar stools that should suit all tastes and customers. Though it is apparent that at certain times of the day it caters for the local business sector, it’s was also popular with families and customers eating afternoon tea and stopping off after touring the Jewellery Quarter.

The decor is modern, light with a good purple and white colour scheme that is cosy whilst been spacious. It’s a relaxed space, good for work, good for catching up with friends and good for reading.

It’s not crammed full of tables so it feels a place whereby you don’t feel rushed to leave. You can take your time and relax. Perfect😊

My flat white was good, well made, a good coffee flavour and though not the best in the city it came with a nice biscuit that is quite rare to find generally in coffee houses in Birmingham. Very welcome as I didn’t feel like any cake or sandwiches, well not on this occasion.

The food on offer last looks good though, from cakes, pastries, sandwiches, afternoon tea, breakfasts such as full English, and burgers, soup and jacket potatoes, it is quite a lengthy list.

Charmain and Daphne are the owners, the service is friendly, and they have created a fun, modern and relaxed place to while away time and in my case chill for awhile.

As an independent coffee shop it’s a nice addition to the growing Birmingham scene, and has a different feel to the ones in the main part of the city.

This is good and I recommend the informality and charm this brings us coffee drinkers.

The Coffee Lounge is a place to return to, and for me to eat in and read or write.

A good detour with a nice vibe.

I used my Independent Birmingham card to obtain 10% off my drink. You can also gain 20% off afternoon tea for two people with the IB card. See website below if you wish to purchase one or two.

Twitter: @cdlounge
http://www.facebook.com/cdlounge

http://www.independent-Birmingham.co.uk

Coffee Lounge,
101 Newhall Street
Brindley House
Birmingham
B3 1LL

Thanks for reading.

Has anyone been to the Coffee Lounge?

Please feel free to leave a comment underneath or via Twitter @andydhare

23Oct2014

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 andydhare

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

22Oct2014

#TASTYMORSELS: NEW BAR AND RESTAURANT OPENINGS NOVEMBER 2014

Posted in Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Tapas, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

There are two new bars/restaurants opening in November 2014. Both of which will be superb for vegetarians and be a classy addition to Birmingham and to Worcester.

The first is Bar Opus from the Opus Team who will be opening their third venue after their Opus Restaurant on Cornwall Street and Cafe Opus in Brindley Place in Birmingham City Centre. Bar Opus will be based in a new Snow Hill complex near the railway station in the Colmore Business District and adjacent to the new Midland Metro line due to open in 2015.

Bar Opus will be open for breakfasts, and lunch, but it is the after 5pm hours where the bar will come into its own. Its inspiration will be Barcelona and Copenhagen, offering shared plates of food created from an open kitchen. There will be good vegetarian options. The ethos will be the same as the other restaurants, well sourced local produce, creatively delivered with a twist. Bar Opus will also have a terrace on the piazza of the new One Snowhill building which should enhance the continental idea, ableit in the Summer months. 🙂 a full wine, cocktail and drinks menu will be available.

It’s a city bar redefined.

Bar Opus is due to open its doors on the 6th November 2014.

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk
@baropus

http://www.baropus.co.uk

The second #TastyMorsel is in nearby Worcester where the fantastic Bodega Cantina will be opening in November. Bodega owned by the Bitter N’ Twisted group already have a very successful and veggie friendly bar/restaurant in Birmingham City Centre which is superb.

Bodega are known for their hand crafted cocktails and delicious food in equal measure, will be offering their authentic South American food-Burritos, nachos, and tacos with a large vegetarian selection. It will be right next door to Foregate Street train Station. They are not taking bookings as yet, but keep an eye on their website, facebook page and twitter page for details, or you can sign up for their mailing list on their website.

Bodega will also be offering their Go Go Burrito take away service.

All being well Bodega will be opening in Worcester at the end of November.

I will keep you posted.

Two great openings:)

@bodegaWorc
@bodegaBirm

http://www.bodegacantina.co.uk/locations/worcester

14 Foregate Street Worcester WR1 1DB (near the train station)
01905 22200

20Oct2014

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 andydhare

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.

Lasan Restaurant

Pushkar Restaurant

Pop up Dosa

15Oct2014

THE WEST MIDLANDS VEGAN FESTIVAL 25th OCTOBER 2014 @ WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL

Posted in Events, Festivals, Food, Food Festivals, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

The next West Midlands Vegan Festival 2014 will be held on Saturday 25th October from 10am-6pm at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Everyone is welcome, whether veggie, vegan, or neither. There is plenty to interest all foodies and eco friendly browsers. Admission is only £1 and the festival will have stalls promoting healthy, cruelty free and eco friendly products and food.

In 2013 the festival held over 100 stalls, and 2000 visitors attended. half of them non vegans.

Vegan Midlands campaigns and details about veganism and the festival can be found at http://www.veganmidlands.org.uk

The festival is sponsored by Moo free Chocolate and Animal Aid.

http://www.animalaid.org.uk
http://www.moofreechocolates.com

The 2014 festival will include over 100 stalls from clothing, footwear, cosmetics, books, campaign organisations and lots of food.

Caterers present will include Tall Poppy Foods and Shambhus

http://www.Tallpoppyfoods.co.uk
http://www.shambhus.co.uk

For a full list of food, cosmetics, and drink, see the
Vegan West Midlands website under stall holders.

http://www.veganwestmidlands.org.uk/festival/stalls.html

The festival is organised by a Midland Vegan campaigns a small group of volunteers, committed to promoting healthy cruelty free eco friendly plant based diets/life style accross the West Midlands region.

There will also be cookery demo’s, talks and workshops.

See http://www.veganwestmidlands.org.uk/festival/talks.html

including Lizzy Hughes, http://www.ourlizzy.com
and ChangeKitchen http://www.changekitchen.co.uk with Birgit Kehrer.

12-12.45 Vegan Brunch Session with Lizzy Hughes
1.15-2pm Healthy Lunch Ideas with ChangeKitchen/Birgit Kehrer

2.30-3.15 Vegan Vitality with Lizzy Hughes
3.45-4.30 Vegan Chocolate Mousse with ChangeKitchen/Birgit Kehrer.

The festival is held at The Wolverhampton Civic Hall, North Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RQ.

http://www.wolvescivic.co.uk

http://www.veganwestmidlands.org.uk

http://www.veganwestmidlands.org.uk/links.html

http://www.vegfest.co.uk

http://www.vegsoc.org/groups

http://www.vegsoc.org

@VMVeganFestival

http://www.vegansociety.com

13Oct2014

#TASTY MORSEL: EDIBLE EASTSIDE A CONTEMPORARY URBAN GARDEN AND ALLOTMENT

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Catering, Food, Independent, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

Edible Eastside in Digbeth, Birmingham is run by Urban Grain Social Enterprise partnership C.I.C is a unique, vibrant and contemporary urban garden covering a quarter of an acre of canal side land. A former gas filling station converted into a pop up garden ‘edible park’ using temporary containers and raised beds.

http://www.edibleeastside.net

Edible Eastside supply businesses and educational institutions a space in the city to master the art of horticulture. They rent out raised beds to local people, city workers, and dwellers to grow produce and to develop their horticlture skills.

Edible Eastside also provide a cookery school and cafe and provide support to community groups who are growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and are interesetd in horticulture.

Edible Eastside also promote urban food production in the city and aim to create a spontaneous landscape and raise the profile of food and urban agriculture in Birmingham.

Edible Eastside also sell produce to restaurants in the city such as vegetarian Bistro 1847 whose development chef Alex visits every week to pick flowers, herbs and garnish for the beautiful vegetarian dishes created every day.

See my previous review on Bistro 1847’s new grazing, sharing exploring menu.

I was fortunate to visit Edible Eastside with Alex of Bistro 1847, and as a keen grower of vegetables (with some success) and lots of un-success 🙂 finding a peaceful and creative space that is like an oasis near the canal amongst factories and creative businesses and is the inspiration behind the beautiful dishes created by Alex.

It was very inspirational and gave me lots of ideas on how to use raised beds and containers and how plants can grow compatabily together in a small urban space.

In September this year Edible Eastside began an exciting partnership with Hotel La Tour nearby in Birmingham City Centre to provide a roof top garden where the restaurant of the hotel, Grill La Tour will grow their own fruit and vegetables for use in their kitchen.

It’s an exciting opportunity to develop a space that can bring the source of the food closer to the kitchen and respond to seasonality and to their guests requests more directly. Good for vegetarians 🙂

Visitors to the hotel will also be able to visit the roof top garden. The garden will be maintained by Hotel La Tour in house. Offering a unique experience to staff who work in the kitchen who will experience a from the ground to the plate philosophy.

Next year Edible Eastside will be merging with Kitchen School http://www.kitchenschool.co.uk to form one organisation offering a range of culinary services and food spaces.

Edible Eastside is a unique social enterprise C.I.C a place to grow, cook, and eat your very own food an asset to any city, but certainly one to Birmingham and its community.

Edible Eastside
122 Fazeley Street,
Digbeth,
B5 5RS

07970 730 646

http://www.facebook.com/edible-eastside

Twitter @edibleeastside

Last three photos taken in Bistro 1847.

8Oct2014

BISTRO 1847: VEGGIE GRAZING, SHARING AND EXPLORING AND PICKING FLOWERS

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

Bistro 1847 is a vegetarian restaurant in the Great Western Arcade in Birmingham City Centre near Snow Hill Station.

It is just over a year since it opened its doors in Birmingham after the success of its Manchester bistro. In that time it has taken vegetarian dining to a whole new level in Birmingham. A success with veggies and non veggies alike.

Bistro1847 is named after the year the Vegetarian Society was formed. This year it has been the winner of the best vegetarian restaurant outside London at the Cook Vegetarian Awards.

The emphasis is on creating modern innovative dishes using the finest ingredients sourced from local suppliers. With an emphasis on foraging, dishes are complex and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Bistro 1847 also provide a full range of cocktails, spirits, wine and beers.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Bistro 1847 Development chef Alex Claridge to visit with him the
Edible Eastside garden and urban allotment on Fazeley Street Digbeth. As a keen gardener this was very exciting for me.

Edible Eastside is where some of the most delicate ingredients that are found on the plate in Bistro 1847 are grown. The flowers, herbs and some of the vegetables come from this beautifully tranquil spot in Birmingham by the canal. This is the place that inspires the food that Alex creates.

The passion show by Alex to the delicate ingredients and to the food that he has created for the restaurant gave me a unique feeling for the dishes I had eaten just three days before.
See pictures to follow.

Alex works tirelessly on new food concepts, flavours and ways to improve dishes even further. It is a lovely partnership between Edible Eastside and Bistro 1847 that works because both the growers and Alex are committed to the best quality and the product. I was lucky to be able to pick my own flowered and herbs and try them in the allotment myself, a real joy in the Birmingham sunshine. Thanks Alex.

The ‘Grazing, Sharing and Exploring’ menu is is a modern approach to dining, allowing you to sample a number of smaller, mezze style plates that are perfect for sharing.

This is the menu Ruth and I chose to sample invited by Bistro 1847.

The dishes we enjoyed in no particular order were:

Tarragon polenta crisp, pickled wild mushroom, goats’ curd, baby aubergine, tahini and petals

Crispy potato & old Winchester dumpling, herbed sauce, toffee apple, mead reduction, caramelised celery & foraged herbs.

Pickled candy beet, spiced honey, & smoked yogurt, salt baked beetroot, rose hip, beet falafel.

Heritage tomato, & preserved lemon, pearl barley, Yorkshire fettle.

Beer-battered Halloumi, seashore herbs, mushy pea emulsion, smoked lemon curd, gin pickled shallots.

Garden Pea mousse, black sesame crisps, broad bean, Yorkshire fettle.

All of the dishes are were excellent, but our favourites were the Pickled candy beet, the Tarragon polenta crisp, the heritage tomato and the crispy potato dishes.

We also sampled two deserts and a chefs pre desert.

Chefs pre desert

Peanut brittle, slow-roast pineapple, Hoxton gin snow, white chocolate creme fraiche.

‘Allotment Aero’

The chefs desert and the Allotment aero were especially good and demonstrated the use of flowers perfectly.

The textures and flavours on each dish were varied and showed a great deal of understanding of the ingredients, and the importance of good sourcing.

The dishes are quirky, adventurous and make you smile and in done cases such as the aero desert reflect childhood memories. The execution of each dish was spot on.

The new menus show a highly innovative and creative touch. The food is more intricate, more advanced in thought and artistic construction than before, its a quiet joy.

Bistro 1847 is a must for veggies, vegans and non veggies alike. It’s changed the way vegetarian food is perceived in Birmingham.

Seasonal, fun, foraged and quirky.

Bistro 1847 Birmingham
26 Great Western Arcade
B2 5 HU

http://www.bistro1847 (for menus)

tasting menu available. See my previous post for more details.

@Bistro1847

Facebook/ Bistro-1847-Birmingham

Has anybody been to Bistro 1847 and tried their new menu? What did you think.

Let me know on the comments page below or via twitter @andydhare or Facebook at Andy Hare or Veggie Foodie.

Disclaimer: we were invited as guests of Bistro 1847 and thus our meal and drinks were complimentary. No review was required. All my opinions are my own and honest as always.

Thanks for reading

Andy 🙂

Edible Eastside

122 Fazeley Street,
Digbeth
Birmingham
B5 5RS

http://www.edibleeastside.net

Edible Eastside Digbeth Birmingham

7Oct2014

#VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN FOOD HERO: CHANGEKITCHEN CIC. AWARD WINNING VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN EVENT CATERING

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Catering, Events, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by andydhare

I came accross ChangeKitchen CIC Community Interest company via Twitter when I began my Vegetarian Food blog six months ago.

ChangeKitchen are an award winning vegetarian and vegan catering company and social enterprise based in Birmingham and to me is a real vegetarian and vegan food hero in the city.

http://www.changekitchen.co.uk

ChangeKitchen cater for corporate events, weddings, civil partnerships, and community gatherings and run a monthly pop up cafe.

ChangeKitchen offer innovative vegetarian and vegan menus, using local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. The idea is to provide, create and serve dleicious and healthy, nuritious and ethical dishes that can be shared and enjoyed by all.

A sound philosophy 🙂

Birgit Kehrer is the individual behind the enterprise. She is a passionate vegetarian and entrepreneur who has developed the idea of the business through her love of growing vegetables as a child (see website for her story)

She plays a key hands on role in all that Change Kitchen do. She is the lead cook, trainer, and business manager and currently runs a programme of community workshops and training (See website) and can be contacted on 07828 825 850.

ChangeKitchen are proud to cook for disadvantaged and socailly excluded people and have worked with SIFA (who work with the homeless).

They also provide a 5 a day budget cookery class( see website for details)

Their food philosophy is about sharing a meal. The food is fully vegetarian (always with vegan and gluten-free options) and everyone shares food from the table, bringing people together, celebrating diversity through good healthy dishes and the community. Food from all over the world is served.

Their cafe is now permanently at Stirchley Baths in Stirchley.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/vegiefoodie.com/2016/02/01/vegetarian-change-kitchen-now-serving-at-stirchley-baths-birmingham/amp/?client=safari

ChangeKitchen are a real vegetarian and vegan food hero providing innovative, healthy and nutritious food which supports a healthy life style and healthy community.

Has anyone been to a ChangeKitchen? What did you think?

ChangeKitchen CIC

2-4 Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham,B30 2JT

http://www.facebook/changekitchen

@changekitchen

Birgit.Kehrer@changekitchen.co.uk

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