Category Archives: Veggie foodie

Restaurant Review: #VeggieMonth, Met Bar & Kitchen, Solihull. 

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

 

How refreshing is it to find an independent restaurant and bar in Solihull town centre. Amongst the same again chains and cheap and cheerful Broad Street like drink offers sits the Met Bar & Kitchen.

The Met Bar & Kitchen is located in the centre of Solihull close to Mell Square & Touchwood. It’s an independent all day bar and restaurant that offers something different in Solihull Town Centre to the dominant chains that are nearby. 

Inside It has a modern decor with some urban touches, that keeps these thankfully to a minimum and has a cosy and relaxed ambience that has a buzzy touch on the Friday night Ruth and I visited. 

With a well stocked bar of local ales, craft beer, cocktails, bubbly and a good and reasonably priced wine list it appeared a good bet for a relaxed but serious drink on a weekend without the loud music and teeny vibe of other venues locally. 

I was invited to try out the vegetarian dishes at Metro Bar & Kitchen as They had asked me to have input in their Spring menu for Veggie Month. They have introduced some new dishes to their menu and expanded their daily and weekly specials to encourage more customers to try a non meat and fish option as well as attract more vegetarian customers. 

We began in the smart and relaxed bar area with a glass of Prosecco, which is lively but unobtrusive area and we felt was a good place to begin the evening if dining at Met Bar & Kitchen. 

  

Restaurant area.
  

Once seated at the table in a smart booth section of the restaurant we ordered a Couple of cocktails: A Negroni and Margarita. I was impressed with my Negroni, it had a good Campari kick with the complimented vermouth and was an aromatic aperitif of good quality, which would have been even better with less added ice. 

Ruth’s Margarita tasted fine, but disappointed her as as the rubbed salt around the rim of the glass was omitted, could it be classed as a margarita? The flavours were good the tequila, and triple sec gave it a fresh and crisp zingyness. 

  Negroni and Margarita: A nice couple.

Ruth decided she was grazing on meat for the night. Good for her I say as she doesn’t eat it that much at home. 

I chose my starters off the specials menu. It’s with the changing specials that the bulk of the vegetarian dishes find themselves. 

So take my Roast Apple and Parsnip Soup. A soup that was full of good warming flavours, mellow, but zingy, the biggest compliment I could give it was that it reminded me of my Mums version and was a delectable starter of sweet parsnips and tangy apples, creamy and smooth. Lovely.

  Roast Apple and Parsnip Soup.

  

Usually when I find a curry on a menu outside of an Indian restaurant I wouldn’t choose it. Partly because we eat a lot of curries at home and Ruth in particular makes many superb Vegetarian curries. 

So what attracted me to this one? Well partly because it was a Goan Curry from Goa and not often found on general menus, and partly because it has a coconut spiced masala (gravy) base which gives it a unique flavour. I love coconut in curries or stews. 

  

With its gentle spices it was a very flavoursome curry, a lovely glowing but light colour, gave it an attractive depth. Spicy rather than hot, with a nice chilli hit, the curry may have benefited from steamed or basmati rice as an option as the Naan was only ok, and a bit soggy underneath. 

A lovely veggie option that wasn’t oily or fatty, but tasted healthy, comforting and light with the addition of some nice tender squash (always a winner) with the subtle hint of coconut. A taste of coastal scents and sunshine.

  Butternut Squash, Goan Curry. 

  Naan.

The desert menu at Met Bar & Kitchen has some good options so proved to be quite a lengthy process to decide what to choose.

Eventually, I chose the Steamed Orange & Poppy Seed Sponge, Clementine syrup, mascarpone ice cream. The sponge, light, airy, though could have done with more clementine intensity for me, to give it an added luxurious lift, though it did provide a lightly scented aroma, which was nice. The Mascarpone ice cream offered a smooth and grown up, creamy delight to the pudding. Excellent. 

  Stewed Orange & Poppy seed sponge, clementine syrup, mascarpone ice cream.

  
  

We also enjoyed a double espresso and Hennessy Cognac after our deserts plus two glasses of Argentinian full bodied Malbec with our main courses. 

We were both very impressed with the Met Bar & Kitchen in Solihull. The Vegetarian dishes I ate were comforting, warming and very well made. Both good value with good strong punchy flavours it shows how you can make simple vegetarian dishes attractive and Moreish with a good culinary technique. What the Met Bar are not trying to do is divide diners or confuse them by creating food that is seriously complex, but instead creating classics with a twist that can appeal to non vegetarians too. It’s better to make dishes well than overdo bold dishes badly and they do this well on the whole.

Credit is due to them for wanting to increase their Vegetarian options and I’d like to see this as been the begining of a journey not them reaching their destination in Veggie Month. What though sticks out is that the Met Bar & Kitchen is an excellent All day place to eat in Solihull town centre and been independent deserves praise for having the foresight to improve food and drink options in the area. Don’t go there expecting foraged and rare ingredients like at Nomad in Birmingham, but a place instead that delivers good solid food. 

For Vegetarians who like to eat out in Solihull, its surely long overdue.

  
    
  

 
Met Bar & Kitchen have a happy hour from 12-7  every day with  2 for one cocktails.

Met Bar & Kitchen, 680-684 Warwick Road, Solihull town centre, B91 3DX. 0121-705-9495.

http://www.themetbar.com 

https://m.facebook.com/MetroBarGrillSolihull/

You can find The Met Bar & Kitchen on the Gastro Card: for details and offer. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/restaurants/met-bar-solihull/

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Ruth and I were invited to the Met Bar, our food and prosecco were complimentary. Other drinks were paid for. This doesn’t affect my honest opinion as a fair and honest review was required. 

Kinome Kitchen: new Japanese pop up at The Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, and tasting evening review.

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

     

Japanese food is something quite rare in Birmingham, but is becoming more popular. For Vegetarians it has plenty of options, Nobu in London (Japanese and former Michelin Starred) a few years ago had a meat free cook book out, and its development into veggie friendly dishes has increased as people have become keen to eat less meat and fish. Traditionally there is a lot of vegetarian food in Japan, much of it from Buddhism. Tofu is an example as is Tempura (fried vegetables or herbaceous plants). 

In January Kinome chef Sachiko Saeki did an evening at Vegetatian The Warehouse Cafe for Guardian newspaper members, which went down well, but good Japanese food is still quite hard to find in our city. 

Things are begining to change though as Kinome Kitchen (aka Sachiko Saeki) is about to launch a Japanese Food culture pop up restaurant at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath. Begining on Saturday 2nd April and then on select dates through to June 30th, it gives an opportunity to try out something different with a chef who has worked in a Japanese Michelin Starred restaurant in Mayfair, London and with Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall where she featured in River Cottage Heroes. 

In 2011 Sachiko’s trip to Koya-San, a Buddhist Temple complex in Japan, led to Shajan Ryari- vegetarian Buddhist Monk Food. It was these experiences that created the ideas for vegetarian dishes and attracted the production team of River Cottage and Hugh Fernley Whitingstall. 

Kinome simply means spring buds. It is also a herb from the Sansho tree with a strong distinctive aroma. The Sansho tree is one of the traditional spice trees in Japan and every single part can be used for cooking in different ways. This use of the whole is typical of Japanese cooking methods.

Kinome Kitchen have a Spring Vegetarian menu for April and May that will be run alongside the meat and fish menu. 

For £40 you can get 7 Courses of vegetarian Japanese food: Shajan-Ryari. 

Shojin Starter-Smoked tofu, homa tofu and Namsu.

Chawan Mushi-Steamed savoury eggpot with gingko nuts and yam.

Tempura-Seasonal vegetable tempura with Maccha Salt.

Sea Vegetable.

Tofu Balls with Kuzu sauce and crispy vegetables.

Box pressed vegetable sushi with miso soup. 

Fruits Yose Kanten. 

£40 per person. 

For full menus including non veggie see below: 

http://www.kinomekitchen.co.uk/#!menu/fcuwz

http://www.kinomekitchen.co.uk/

For bookings contact Kinomejapanesecooking@gmail.com or 07504327840. 

For full dates see the poster below. 

Expect to see Japanese Craft Beers on the menu too.

Be introduced to Japanese Food Culture. 

  
  

Kinome tasting evening launch night review.

 

I recently attended the launch of the Kinome Pop up at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath. Photos below.  
  

The food was informally presented, but constituted three different dishes. The first Vegetarian dish was the Aubergine and Miso Bao. 

Served in a bao or bun (which was home made) the gently fried aubergine had the sweet and earthy flavour of the miso paste which gave it a delicious flavour. Beautiful. This came with Spicy Edamame (Soy beans in a pod) which had a contrasting salty flavour to the soy like miso.

  

This was followed by two Vegetarian skewers which like tempura were fried vegetables and came with a Tonkatsu sauce which is a vegetable and fruit based sauce often served with fried food. Both weed lively and whetted the appetite for more. 
    

The third dish was a desert. The Strawberry Daifuku. 

A traditional Springtime sweet sold by confectioners in Japan. 

A soft, sweet whole strawberry encased by a soft and sweet paste was a match made in heaven. Exquisite.

The desert was Served with Maccha Green Tea (stoneground green tea) which was handmade in front of us, and tasted refreshing and full of lovely warming and healing flavours. 

The tea ceremony centres on the prepetation, serving and drinking of Maccha. 
    
   

Maccha green tea and the tea ceremony. 

The Kinome pop up launch night was a major success and fully booked out. The food was beautifully made, presented and served with pride. The pop up is sure to be a culinary journey of Japanese food and I for one am very happy to return and continue my vegetarian Japanese food Culture journey. 

Kinome Pop up restaurant is at The Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, 17 York Road, B14 7SA.

Opening times: 6.30pm-10.30pm

Last orders 8.30pm.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Dawn breaks/ drizzle of white rain/ on sprouting buds- Sojon Hina.

The spring arrives with the sent of moss, suspended in the drizzle of rain is a sense of anticipation. In the Japanese traditional short poem called Haiku, Konome (the same character but pronounced differently) is the seasonal word for spring time. I see the English spring in there too. 

Sachiko Saeki. 

Cookery School: 

Sushi with Sachiko Saeki at Leith’s School of food and wine, London, 16th April 

Shojin Ryori with Sachiko Saeki at Demuths Cookery School, Bath, 12 June. 

She has also Worked with the Harborne Food school in Birmingham. 

Restaurant review: Purnells Bistro, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Colmore business district, Food, Gastro Card, Independent, Lunch, Lunch deals, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
If the way to get to a good restaurant is to go through a good bar, then Purnells Bistro is quite probably top of the hit parade. 

Ginger’s Bar embraces the relaxed vibes of Manhattan, inspired by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, the decor and ambience is cool and collected with smart re-mastered classic cocktails. Ruth and I have visited numerous times, The Negroni is superb, the Old fashioned glitters. The Gin Martini possibly the best in Birmingham. 

Purnells Bistro offers a menu inspired by rustic British fare. It is very much ‘rustic home cooking with an eclectic twist’ where dainty traditional food meets more exotic ingredients. Founded by Michelin Starred chef Glynn Purnell (his wonderful restaurant Purnells restaurant is around the corner) it shows his passion to good food in slick and chilled surroundings. 

The Bistro decor has a relaxed and pleasant feel with soft moody lighting which felt quite chilled and modern on a quiet Monday lunchtime. It’s semi fine dining, nice pared down tables, smart cutlery, it felt like a place to celebrate in, which was a good thing as it was Ruth’s Birthday in the lovely company of her Mum. 

On this occasion we went straight to the table rather than have a drink in the bar.    

    Old fashioned.

  Cocktails at Gingers.

  
  Purnells Bistro

  Ginger’s Bar

 

We ate off the Extended Weekend menu. Which is on offer only on a Monday where all items on the menu (including bar food menu) have discounts up to 50% off, which I think is a great deal.    Having settled in the Bistro, which wasn’t surprisingly quiet for a Monday lunch time, we were given some pleasant rather than spectacular bread to have as we looked at the menu. 

 
The starter I ordered Potato and Gruyere terrine, poached egg, Autumn Purée, potato crisp, bursting with flavour of the assertive Gruyere cheese, into an earthy noted and Moreish terrine, with a runny egg to give the depth of luxury into what mounted to a lovely brunch like dish. The purée adding a seasonal harmony or just simply shouting I am lunch. A real starter of note. 

    Potato and Gruyere terrine, poached egg, Autumn Green purée, potato crisp.  £3.00

Pumpkin Risotto, Goats Cheese, Watercress. £7.25.  

So onto the main course. Risotto’s fall into three camps for me. The not good at all, bland, grainy, why? The ok, (so many Italian restaurants in Birmingham do it this way) and the wow risotto, I’ve had two in my life. One in Florence (of course) deep earthy mushrooms, in season, outside in the evening sun. Then the best of all at Raymond Blanc’s gastranomic temple that is Le Manoir Aux Saison another Wild mushroom and Alba Truffle concoction (again in season) that blew me away and remains to this day the best I’ll probably ever eat. I vowed to not eat another risotto again, this lasted for only six months until the Asparagus season began, but still I feel Risotto desire when I think about it.

So began the journey to another temptress the (Pumpkin, goats cheese and watercress Risotto.)

The discovery pleased me, as it proved to be the second most enjoyable Risotto I’ve ever had in the UK. 

The best Risottos  are the simple ones, less is more. Pumpkins slap bang in the Autumn/Winter season, with harmonious gentle goats cheese. Soothing, comforting, satisfying, with plenty of deep seasonal flavour . A well executed risotto that surprised me. A triumph of simple things done simply well and with the confidence to lavish love on a plate. A stylish plate of food.

We also ordered some excellent seasonal vegetables that were a welcome addition. 

  Pumpkin Risotto, goats cheese, watercress. A bargain.

  Seasonal vegetables. £1.37.

By this time I was glowing like a glow worm on a sunny day, and felt impassioned to dive into a gooey pudding. So I ordered the most gooey and chocolatey pudding on the menu, the Dark Chocolate cheesecake, ‘Cafe Liegeois’, Amaretti crumble. An elegant and refined desert without been fussy. Deep, dark chocolate, with a swish of coffee flavour from the cafe Liegeois, beautifully presented on a black slate, the amaretti crumble deconstructed and adding the desired crunch against the soft cheesecake. 

A lovely elegant desert, again like my starter, rustic refined. 

Suffice to say Ruth had a good Birthday lunch. She had the meaty type of food. Enough said. 

    Dark Chocolate Cheesecake ‘Cafe Liegeois’ amaretti crumble. £4.86 Warm Ginger Sponge-rum and raisin ice cream. £4.76, went down well also, with plenty of ginger flavour. 

We also enjoyed a bottle of Chardonnay, Blue Ridge wine from Bulgaria. 

   

Purnells Bistro serve the bistro classics well. In fact on this occasion with excellence. The food is simpler more rustic than Purnells Restaurant, less experimental, but it’s joy to eat such flavoursome and hearty Vegetarian dishes where ingredients are seasonal and treated the right way and presented beautifully. Made by a kitchen that takes pride in their dishes.

Maybe it’s the pedantic and greedy veggie nature in me, but it would be nice to have more options across the menu, (maybe specials) as vegetarian cooking this good shouldn’t be hid under a bushell, but should be delivered with aplomb, ambition, enthusiasm, and dare I say a bit more added variation to the standard (but well made) vegetarian  pasta and risotto model. 

Though this is only an opinion, I add that Purnells Bistro is a lovely restaurant, where service is excellent and a classy bar meets a clever bistro that shows talent and a sure touch, excellent for celebrations or an informal meal, but i can’t help thinking it could do much more with those seasonal simple (vegetable) ingredients. 

Now that would be a Bistro that’s not feeding only the darkness of the  Vegetarian past, but the authentic magic of new bistro vegetarian dining. But, that risotto…Mmm, was a joy to behold.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy😊

We paid for our meal and drinks in full. All thoughts and opinions are my honest opinion as always. 

Purnells Bistro and Gingers Bar, 11 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3NY.

0121-200-1588.

http://purnellsbistro-gingers.com/

https://m.facebook.com/PurnellsBistroAndGingersBar/

https://twitter.com/purnellsbistro?lang=en-gb

New Purnell’s Bistro Spring Menu.   

New Spring menu at Purnells Bistro With a lovely sounding Aubergine Rotolo and an interesting cream of onion Risotto. Two solid and nice looking options. 

  

Free food for workers at Amantia…Muchas gracias!

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

  

How often do you get offered a free lunch? 

One local Birmingham restaurant looks set to change that this month, with the launch of a new initiative for city centre workers.

Amantia, authentic Spanish restaurant which opened its doors on Bennetts Hill 12 months ago, is launching ‘Free Food Friday’ every third Friday of the month, to offer one team of up to ten Brummie workers a free lunchtime feast.

Aimed at any business operating within reach of its location, the restaurant will provide two tapas dishes per person for the winning team, to either eat in the restaurant or take the dishes away to enjoy at their place of work.

Marta Retenaga, owner of Amantia, said: “Birmingham has given us such a warm welcome in our first year of opening and we wanted to give a little something back. Everyone deserves a treat once in a while and as the third Friday – the week before payday – is often the tightest on our pockets, we thought this would be the ideal time to share a little Spanish spirit.”

With plenty of Vegetarian options on the menu, Veggies are well catered for too, and who can resist the Blue Cheese and Spinach croquetas, probably the best in Birmingham or the Tortilla Patata. 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/#!tapas/ccw7

  
  

The first Free Food Friday will take place on Friday 18th March.

Those who wish to try their luck at winning a free lunch for their team can visit Amantia’s website 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/  

and enter their contact details on the Free Food Friday page.

Winners will be announced via social media and direct contact on the Thursday before to arrange their free meal.

If you love Spanish food you’ll love Amantia. See my review: 

http://t.co/bTPHI9j2RH



  

Croquetas at Amantia. 

 

  
For more information visit Amantia’s website or social media pages: 

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

@RestAmantia: Twitter.

Amantia-Restaurant: Facebook.

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/#!freefoodfriday/csab

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

BrewDog beers to now carry Vegan Society Trademark. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

BrewDog is set to name 23 of its beers, including flagship beers Punk IPA and Five AM Red, Vegan Friendly and will carry The Vegan Society’s Trademark from This month (March).

BrewDog who brew their Beer in Scotland has rejected the use of isinglass, (or fish guts) a product derived from dried fish bladders and traditionally used as part of the fining of beer. (That amazingly Brewers still use) 

So dictating that dietary requirements won’t keep people out of its bars and allows Vegans and Vegetarians that space to relax and not have to ask the bartender that awkward question that they can never answer with conviction. ‘Is this beer suitable for vegetarians  or vegans?’ 

In place of isinglass, Brewdog use a “rock and roll centrifuge” (look it up, I had too) to clarify their beer, thereby making it suitable for Vegans and heavy metal fans who will be hoping this is not another rock and roll suicide to BrewDog. 

(End of Puns) 

Also, all tap handles will be clearly labelled ‘vegan friendly’ too. 

Also available will be a wider range of gluten free and alcohol free Beers.

The Vegan Trademark is the internationally renowned standard for products that are free of all animal use, seen on products since 1990.

BrewDog opened its first bar in 2010 and now has 30 bars across the UK. 

Hopefully this will be a trend that others may follow. 

One of my veggie foodie wishes would be for clearer labelling on bottles and for beers sold on tap in bars and pubs. It’s time to progress in this area. 

Birmingham’s BrewDog is located at 81-87 John Bright Street, near New Street Station next to Turtle Bay restaurant and almost opposite the fab and top bottled beer bods Cherry Reds. 

https://www.brewdog.com/bars/uk/birmingham

https://twitter.com/BrewDogBirm?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.facebook.com/BrewDogOfficial

Read about BrewDog vegan friendly labelling here:

https://www.brewdog.com/lowdown/blog/brewed-for-vegans

  
   

Thanks for reading, and happy drinking.

Andy 😊

For more details on the vegan society trademark see here: 

https://www.vegansociety.com/your-business/vegan-trademark-standards

All photos courtesy of BrewDog and The Vegan Society. 

Met Bar & Kitchen, Solihull supports veggie month this month. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Gastro Card, Solihull, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Met Bar and Kitchen in Solihull for my input into their new menu. They wanted to explore with me their vegetarian dishes and ways in which they could improve the scope and variation on the menu in order to launch their new dishes and menu during Veggie Month which falls this month (March). 

I have to be honest and say that i’d never eaten at The Met Bar & Kitchen before though I’d seen them on Twitter and walked past numerous times when in Solihull, but knew for vegetarians the menu was limited and felt more of an add on rather than interesting enough to attract vegetarians into the bar, as well as impress meat eaters to try them out. 

The Met Bar Press Release says: 

‘Solihull’s Met Bar & Kitchen is marking Veggie Month by launching a range of daily changing vegetarian specials which will run throughout March. 

Created by Head Chef Zeke Agrios with ideas and input from Midlands-based vegetarian food blogger Andy Hare, the meat free dishes have been developed to tempt both vegetarians and meat eaters, with fresh seasonal and colourful ingredients expertly combined to make flavoursome and satisfying meals. 

Veggie Month specials include Coconut and Sweetcorn Fritters with spicy avocado, cherry tomato and Corriander salsa: Chargrilled Aubergine, sundried tomato and mozzarella wrap with marina a sauce and pine nut crunch and Ricotta and Spinach filo parcel served with puttanesca sauce. 

Met Bar and Kitchen Owner Alistair Tyson said: “We were conscious that vegetarian dishes are very often put together by meat eating chefs so we invited Andy to come up with some opinions he’d like to see on menus when dining out.

“Andy’s suggestions are a refreshing change and, with some chef development, they sit well alongside our new seasonal menu which will also launch in March. 

Andy Hare said: “A vegetarian meal when dining out can often mean a pasta or mushroom based dish. 

“We have some great vegetarian menus in Midlands restaurants and I’m delighted to add Met Bar and Kitchen to that list. My wife is a meat-eater and I know these are dishes she would order and enjoy too.”

The new menu also includes Butternut Squash, new potato and spinach Goan curry with Corriander Naan bread and Mac’ and cheese with forest mushrooms, spinach, blue cheese crumb and truffle oil. 

 Mac’ and cheese with forest mushrooms, spinach, blue cheese crumb and truffle oil.   Coconut and Sweetcorn Fritters with spicy avocado, cherry tomato and Corriander salsa. 

The dishes that I suggested will also be on the menu as specials, over the course of the month. 

Met Bar & Kitchen also have a Delicious Spiced chick pea and roasted pepper burrito with sour cream. Served with mixed leaves and frites For £6.25 Monday-Saturday to 6pm.  

Animal Aid’s Veggie Month provides an opportunity to emphasis the positive benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle and diet. 
It runs from March 1st-31st. 

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/veggiemonth/index.htm

  
The Met Bar & Kitchen is owned by Solihull Businessman and residents Chris Kelly and Alistair Tyson. They are also proprietors of The White Horse at Balsall Common and are involved in The Sun on The Hill in Birmingham. 

Met Bar & Kitchen, 680 Warwick Road, Solihull (town centre) B91 3DX. 

0121-705 9495. 

http://www.themetbar.co.uk

https://m.facebook.com/MetroBarGrillSolihull/

@mbksolihull 

Thanks to Lucie Ray-Barrett on behalf of Met Bar and Kichen, Solihull for my involvement. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

The Gastro Card: Buy yours at a discount price here. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Gastro Card, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Recently I’ve teamed up with The Gastro Card to be their Vegetarian blogger/reviewer. You’ll see on my blog a few reviews of their restaurants from time to time that they’ll share with their members, their website and on social media. 

  
Via this blog post I’ve got a Discount Offer on The Gastro Card, so read on to the end of the post. 

I’ve already written a review for Marco’s New York Italian at The Holiday inn, see here: 

https://t.co/AMwyOyzFwL

If like me you like to eat out and feel sometimes that it’s too expensive to do on a regular basis, then maybe just maybe The Gastro Card is for you. 
What is The Gastro Card? 

The Gastro Card is the Midlands leading independent dining card. It provides Gastro Card members with 12 months unlimited access to exclusive dining offers at more than 200+ hand picked restaurants. 

These offers are not available to the general public and the offers range from 10% to 50% off the food bill to a free glass of wine or champagne for each diner to complimentary bottles of wine, 50% off wine when dining A La Carte etc. Gastro Card members can save up to £500 a year if they use their card once a week. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/

Where can I eat? 

The Gastro Card has partner restaurants in Birmingham, Black Country, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Cotswolds, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, Solihull, Rutland, Stratford Upon Avon, Henley in Arden, Worstershire, Coventry, Leamington. 

   Bistro 1847

Henry Wong   Asha’s

Some of my favourites are on the list, including Vegetarian Bistro 1847 in Birmingham where you can get 50% off Monday- Thursday and 25% off on Friday’s and Saturdays.

Plus Henry Wong, Adams, Purnells Bistro, Peels restaurant at Hampton Manor, Ashas, Itihaas, Edmunds, Jyoti’s vegetarian, Kababish-Moseley, Hotel Du Vin, Chung Ying Central, Gas Street Social, Opus, Amantia, And many more. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/restaurants/

What’s the deal? 

To buy a Gastro Card it will usually cost you £30 a year. 

For Veggie Foodie readers I have a special code that will get you £5 off a full 12 month card. 

That’s £25 for a full year of restaurant discounts. 

Just click on the link below to take you to the Gastro Card website and put the code VeggieFoodie in the promo code box for a 12 month Gastro Card it will deduct £5 from the total.

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/buy-the-gastro-card/

Disclosure: The code gives you £5 off the standard price of the Gastro Card . By using the code I make a few pence too at no extra cost to yourselves. 

Enjoy the card and foodie treats.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊
 Marco’s New York Italian at Birmingham Airport.

   Marco’s New York Italian.

  Opus Reataurant 

  Bistro 1847.

   Amantia Restaurant

 Purnells Bistro
   Asha’s 

 Peels Restaurant at Hampton Manor. 

  Met Bar and Kitchen, Solihull.

New menu launched at Cafe Opus At Ikon with Vegetarian options. 

Posted in Afternoon Tea, Birmingham, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Cafe Opus is a lovely light flooded restaurant for a relaxing brunch or lunch. Part of the Opus family, with Well regarded Opus Restaurant and Bar Opus, the cafe sits comfortably and temptingly in the Beautiful building that is the internationally acclaimed contemporary Ikon Gallery, which is surely one of the best places to visit in Birmingham. 

Again like its other siblings, the cafe focuses on local seasonal produce, ethically sourced and informally put together to make a high quality cafe in its own right.

   

Ikon Gallery
  
 

Cafe Opus have now launched a new seasonal menu (See above) that has a number of tempting Vegetarian and Some vegan dishes on it. 

Try Slow Baked Aubergine, rich tomato and Quorn ragu. (Not vegan) 

Penne Pasta tossed in basil pesto, Wilted rocket and sun blushed tomatoes (vegan) see photo below.

Photo courtesy of Cafe Opus/Clive Reeves PR.  

Spaghetti with homemade rich tomato and Quorn bolognaise sauce. (Not vegan) 

Note: for vegans the menu says vegan friendly for a number of dishes, but only certain quorn products are vegan friendly. This after discussion with Opus is under review. 

Plus light bites: 

Buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil pesto salad

Homemade Soup (Vegan soup option available daily).

Goats Cheese, roasted beetroot salad dressed leaves, red onion marmalade. 

Cafe Opus also serve a daily all day Brunch menu that includes mushrooms on toast, and fluffy pancakes- maple syrup and banana. 

And for £10.50 you can enjoy soup and another dish off the menu. 

Cafe open Tuesday-Sunday 10-5. 

Cafe Opus also serve Afternoon Tea every day for £10 per person. This includes finger sandwiches, fancy cakes, scones, clotted cream, fresh fruit conserves and tea. (See photo below) 

Spoil Mum this #MothersDay with their  #AfternoonTea package. Afternoon Tea with prosecco for two, just £30. 

Call 0121 200 2323 for a gift card – the perfect present!
   
 2 Photos above courtesy of Cafe Opus. 

Janet Mendelsohn: Varna Road exhibition: 

At the moment until April 3rd The Ikon Gallery hosts the largest exhibition to date of photographs by American academic and documentary filmmaker Janet Mendelsohn. 

Part of a ‘photo-essay’ Mendelsohn made as a student at the University of Birmingham during 1967–69, the photographs depict everyday life in the inner-city district of Balsall Heath, focusing in particular on a young woman referred to as Kathleen, with whom Mendelsohn formed a close relationship.

Balsall Heath during the 1960’s was Birmingham largest Red light district. A place of work for 200 prostitutes. This included Varna Road which the exhibition is named after. 

Mendelsohn photographs show a working class distinct in flux prior to the so called slum clearance that followed within 2 years. 

This challenging exhibition of photographs is on until the 3rd April 2016.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

  Summer at Cafe Opus. 

Cafe Opus, 1 Oozells Street, Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HS.

http://www.cafeopus.co.uk/

https://ikon-gallery.org/event/janet-mendelsohn/

https://ikon-gallery.org/


Restaurant review: Marco’s New York Italian at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport. 

Posted in American, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Food, Hotels, Italian restaurants, Solihull, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  
Airports, love them or hate them, they are not necessarily the place you go for good food. That arrives when you get to your destination, that far flung land of foodie decadence and if like me over indulgence. 

Though Marco’s New York Italian isn’t in the forecourt like some other ‘foodie faves’, it sits quite perfectly in the Holiday Inn that is within a short distance of the terminals and forms part of Birmingham Airports hotels. In fact a shuttle link takes you to the dreaded check in (my thoughts!) and that far flung land. 

I have to say, honestly that eating in a Holiday inn wasn’t my idea of a fun Friday night, but I’d seen photos of the restaurant and felt reassured that it is a place in its own right to visit. Sitting on the Coventry Road not far from Solihull town centre it has a nice comfortable inviting feel about it, and is spacious with booth seating (which we liked) and tables for couples and fours etc. 

The last time Ruth and I ate at a hotel restaurant at an airport it was I recollect a dodgy Beefeater type place that had a a la cardboard as its main course for vegetarians, made exotic by serving it with new potatoes. So on walking into Marco’s We were pleasantly surprised to find a smart modern decor and more upscale feel. 

The restaurant felt intimate and good for couples with its plush monochrome design. 

   

Marco’s New York Italian at Birmingham Airport is open all day and blends American and Italian dining, think pastas, steaks, burgers, pizzas, cocktails and salads. 

It has numerous vegetarian dishes on the menu so I was well covered. 
    

Ruth and I jumped straight in and ordered a couple of cocktails whilst we looked at the menu. Ruth ordered a Gin Martini and myself a Negroni, a classic of Italian cocktails, (aperitif) which shouted Italy as soon as started drinking it. Mmm Florence!

Ruth enjoyed her Martini which she said had a nice gin kick to it. 

    Olives, grissini sticks, croccante with warm baked sourdough bread, olive oil and balsamic. (Below) 

  

We grazed on the above table sharing plates. The olives, garlicky, salty, were good and along with the breadsticks and croccante crackers a highlight and plentiful for 2 or even 4. Though the sourdough?Mmm, not so good, and certainly not the sourdough I’m used to from Maison Mayci in Kings Heath. Not very airy or light, very disappointing. 

  Salad of beetroot, goats cheese and walnuts.

  

For a Vegetarian starter (though the sharer was like one) I chose the salad of beetroot and goats cheese with walnut dressing. I really enjoyed this dish. It looked pretty, the beetroot thinly sliced but not overpowering the salad and with the right quantity of goats cheese and walnuts ( scattered over) was the right type of starter (with hindsight) to enjoy at Marco’s New York Italian. Not too large and lights a feather. A lovely Vegetarian dish. 

Ruth chose the Caeser Salad, with avocado and though this was came with anchovies they said it could be made without. 

For my main course I ordered Macaroni di funghi, wild mushrooms with a poached egg and we shared a side dishes of Onion Rings and Sweet Potato fries (though I think I ate greedily most of the fries).  

Surprisingly, I am pleased to admit this was a lovely dish. The mushrooms, deeply flavoured with a runny poached egg providing a lovely rich and deep flavour to the well cooked and lightly coated macaroni and a contrast to the earthy delicate mushrooms interspersed within the pasta. 

The egg making the dish feel more substantial and though a decent and generous sized plate of food it didn’t feel heavy or repetitive. The flavours held well together to make another excellent vegetarian dish which you can have as a starter also (smaller portion). 

The sweet potato fries were very good though the Onion Rings were not so and became soggy at the bottom of the dish they came in. 

Ruth ordered a 10oz ribeye steak (which I knew she would) with garlic and rosemary, fries and tomatoes and said it was good and I believe her! Well what else can I do. 

  
  Side dishes: Sweet Potato Fries and Onion Rings. 

  Macaroni di Funghi with poached egg.

  

For desert we were persuaded to sample a number of dishes, a trio in fact. I insisted on trying the Hot Italian Donuts with Chocolate sauce and Ruth chose the Classic Affogato with Amaretti biscuits, vanilla ice cream with espresso. (Forgot to take a photo)

We also chose the temptingly sounding and recommended by the restaurant Sicilian lemon sorbet with Frozen Limoncello. 
  

    

The Italian Donuts were very impressive. Hot rich Gooey Chocolate for dunking the lightest donuts I’ve tasted for a long time. A perfect desert with a coffee and an outstanding choice when at Marco’s.

The Sicilian lemon sorbet was a total contrast. Zingy, refreshing, with a good limoncello liquor flavour coming through. They both  worked well together, lovely. 

The Classic Affogato, was also to be recommended. A full espresso flavour, made well. Good flavours with a whopping three scoops of vanilla ice cream. 

We also ordered two large glasses of wine with our main courses both recommended by our server Jason.

Ruth ordered a deep and recommended red wine, a Shiraz (Short mile bay) from Australia with her steak and I ordered a white wine, A Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. 

A so called ‘Marco Recommends’ wine, right? Written as MR on the menu. Got it! They were both good. A nice recommendation. Thanks Jason! Not Marco. 

I was very impressed by Marco’s New York Italian at Birmingham Airport. Not once did it feel like a second rate restaurant in a hotel. It had a quality feel, felt relaxed, modern and in our case romantic. The service was attentive and friendly throughout, helpful when asked for recommendations which were frequently made during the evening. The food we ate was very good, tasty, substantial and had the balance between New York and Italy just right with a good range of dishes. The Vegetarian side of the menu has numerous choices, and for that it is a recommended place to dine for veggies. 

In fact what the restaurant does is provide those living in the area a nice venue for special occasions that is affordable and doesn’t involve a curry or sitting in a pub. 

It’s a hub for the community as well as guests to the hotel and for those guests it’s not A La Cardboard but A la LA (or New York) good, tasty food and good service that ticks many boxes. 

You can feel refreshed taking off (or getting up at home) the next morning, full and satisfied and that can’t be a bad thing. Now that for me is a recommendation, Marco! 

 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

I’ve teamed up with the Gastro Card  who Invited me to try out the new vegetarian dishes and menu at Marco’s New York Italian at Birmingham Airport. Our food and drinks were complimentary, but a positive review wasn’t required, just an honest one of our experience which I’ve duly delivered by aeroplane. 

Marco’s, Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport, Coventry Road, B26 3QW.

http://www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/birmingham-airport

For details on the Gastro Card see

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/restaurants/

Thanks in particular to Jason and his team for the service on the night and recommendations. 

Also note that if you drive to the restaurant/hotel then you can claim back your car parking fee.

   
 The last two photos courtesy of Marco’s New York Italian and Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport. 

Veggie lunch watch: Asha’s restaurant, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Curry restaurants, Lunch, Lunch deals, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Some restaurants will always hold a special place in your heart. The type of place that you go back to because it conjures those memories that make us who we are. 

That is certainly the role that Asha’s in Birmingham City Centre fills. It was here that Ruth and I ate on our first proper date, where we talked and ate for what felt like ages. On that night I can remember talking about singer Nick Drake and the place his music fills in both our lives, laughing and feeling happy that I’d met someone like Ruth who I could talk to at length and who shared my love of food. 

Then on another occasion I remember celebrating our engagement here with friends, of eating there with my brother a few weeks before I got married to Ruth, a little celebration, a toast to the future.

So for my Birthday lunch on this occasion it seemed the right place to go. 

What is it about some places that have this resonance, have this pull? Is it the food, the atmosphere, or does the memory fuel the desire to revisit? In Asha’s case it’s all of those. 

     
  

Asha’s is located on Newhall Street, in what is known as the Colmore Business District of the City Centre. Approximately 5 minutes from the shops, the restaurant offers a large bar area that serves cocktails (recommended) and is a good venue for private parties and celebrations. 

Rated in the Michelin Guide, Asha’s has a stylish, but cosy and warm feel about it with a sophisticated note that stems from the clientele and delicious cocktails that it serves. Decor is exotic (a bit Bollywood) and the menu is extensive with good and varied choices for vegetarians.

  

Asha’s offer an Executive Lunch. 

For £16.95 you get 2 courses, with pulao rice, vegetable raita, Popadoms and a selection of bread. The price also includes either a glass of red or white wine, beer, soft drink or mineral water. There is one Vegetarian choice on the starters and main courses (which may deter some) with four non vegetarian main courses including a fish curry. 

The vegetarian options were a Vegetarian Kebab Platter (Paneer Ka Soola, Aloo Tikka, Papdi Chat) and the main course of Kadhai Paneer. 

  
  Crisp Popadoms with varied dips, some of the best I’ve eaten. 

  
    
  Starter: Comprised of Paneer Ka Soola: A delicious marinated, firm paneer piece, juicy, served with a green pepper that had a nice deep spice flavour. This contrasted the Aloo tikka or spiced potato patties. The perfect Northern indian street food. Asha’s were hot, spicy, with a crisp outside and soft inside with a good savoury flavour. and perfect with the creamy Papdi Chaat. 

For me one of the best dishes in Birmingham. A lovely street food dish. With a Creamy and crunchy texture, a melt in the mouth fusion of chick peas, potatoes and yogurt. Sweet, sour, tangy and spicy flavours. This dish had me in Mumbai. A Delicious and varied vegetarian starter platter.

  Rice and breads with a glass of Red wine.

 

   Kadhai Paneer:

My main course was the Kadhai Paneer and came with the pulao rice, vegetable raita and selection of breads, including Naan and Roti.

A mouthwatering dish, delicious gravy like consistency, paneer  blended with tomatoes onion, with a good spicy lift that served with the Naan made for an exotic taste. Lovely. 

   Nice vegetable raita.

  
  

Kadhai paneer served in a nice bowl.

 

Asha’s is stylish and exotic with a keen eye on the business surroundings outside. The vegetarian options on the Executive Lunch Menu are cooked with aplomb and are plentiful.  Asha’s is a sophisticated spot, with a warm feel and atmosphere especially on the weekend. 

Birmingham has many curry houses but if you want a superior meal in Birmingham City Centre then you won’t go far wrong with Asha’s. For value and quality the Asha’s Executive Lunch is a steal and a lovely way of spending that hour of the day which is so precious and for a celebration it’s well worth revisiting. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

We paid for our lunch in full. All opinions expressed are mine and honest as always. 

Ruth enjoyed a glass of house white with her meaty curry and myself a glass of house red with our lunch. Both went well with the dishes.