Vegan Twisted Barrel Ale on the move and Summer Beer festival .

Posted in Bars and Pubs, beer, Beer festivals, Coventry, Craft beer, Craftbeer, Festivals, Independent, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Vegan and Veggie friendly Twisted Barrel Ale are moving from their current premises in Coventry city centre FarGo Village. The new premises will be in nearby Far Gosford Street. Just a few doors down.

The new site is much larger with a brand new 24 keg bar. Producing roughly three times more beer than currently.

The entire bar and Brewery will be moved shortly and the Summer Beer Fest is the last opportunity in the current site to enjoy a fine list of beers.

Included are 16 keg lines and over 15 cask beers. Along with cans and bottles that can be taken home.

Gluten free beer is also available.

The Indian Lunchbox will be also offering their tantalising Vegan Indian

street food on the Saturday 26th August.

The Beer festival is running from the 25th until the 28th August from 12.00 until 20.00.

Find them at Unit 5 FarGo Village, Far Gosford Street, CV 1 5ED, Coventry.

Full beer list below:

If anyone’s trying to plan their weekend, this is the keg order for the weekend.

When each keg is gone they’ll move onto the next round for that tap. Expect most of round 1 to be gone tonight / early tomorrow afternoon.

What this list proves is there’s a tremendous amount of Vegan friendly beer locally and in the U.K, and that the move towards this is becoming more popular.

For full details of the Beer festival see the Facebook link below.

http://www.facebook.com/events/273820209730422

Thanks for reading,

Andy😊

Photos are not my own and from Twisted Barrel Ale and The Indian Lunchbox with thanks.

Apologies for the lists but the amount of Vegan friendly drinks available is testimony to a changing industry and I wanted to show how many choices are out there.

Please note the list of beers is correct at time of going to press and maybe subject to change. Thanks to the Brewery for the lists via face book.

AH

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#TastyMorsels: Veggie and Vegan happenings.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Street Food, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Beginning on the 20th August The Warehouse Cafe is introducing their Vegan Sunday Roast lunch menu. From 12-3pm every Sunday. With gluten free and kids options. The menu is below.

Get booking.

Vegetarian restaurant Bistro 1847 in the Great Western Arcade are offering 50% off in August. This offer is for up to 4 people on the A La Carte menu.

Offer available from Sunday until Friday. Only available when booked via the link and add August 50 in the comments.

http://uk.resdiary.com/go.aspx?id_message=19967&id_prov=5220&id_subscriber=110029387&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.resdiary.com%2FRestaurant%2F1847Birmingham

 

 

Vegan eatery Natural Healthy Foods have a curry, Jazz night on Sunday 27th August. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are £20. £2 of which will go to charity Animal Healing Trust and horse rescue. Jazz will be from the Mish Mash Quartet.

For menu see poster.

For tickets see below link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/curry-jazz-night-natural-healthy-foods-eatery-tickets-36774336029

As mentioned in the last tasty morsels The Vegan Grindhouse have a residency at 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter beginning on the 15th August until the 26th August. Every day apart from Sunday’s for your street food Americana.

See the menu Below:

http://1000trades.org.uk/aint-nothing-wrong-little-vegan-grind-2/

Mex It Up have a Kitchen takeover ‘Thai it up’ on Sunday 20th August at The Pie Shop in Stirchley. A set menu of delicious Thai Vegan food. From 17.30-21.00. The menu is £15.00 per person.

Starter : Mixed platter of crispy fried tofu, spring rolls and garlic n soy fried beansprouts with dipping sauces.

Main: Veg Green Curry served with rice noodles

Dessert: Sticky Coconut Rice with Mango Sorbet.

The first of a regular series of pop ups for Mex it up.

The Pie Shop is on the Pershore Road.

Digbeth Dining Club regulars The Indian Rasoi are opening up an eatery and cocktail bar in Birmingham city centre. Called The Indian Streatery it’s due to be open from Saturday 26th August.

Their Chaat is legendary and with a plethora of veggie and vegan options it looks set to be one of the best places for meat Free options in the city centre.

It’s to be based in the original Adams restaurant building just off New Street on Hill Street.

Look out for more details on this blog when I have them on menus and a review in due course.


On 26th August Fletchers Bar in Kings Heath have a tapas tasting day. Free samples a plenty from 1-5pm. Well worth discovering.

And, Nyam Nyam, the Caribbean vegetarian and vegan street food trader will be at the Kings Heath Street Food Market this Saturday, 19th August.

Veggie heaven indeed.

That’s all for now folks.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

San Carlo announces new Fumo venue for Selfridges, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Italian restaurants, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by


Fumo, St Martin's Lane, Covent Garden, London.

Birmingham's multi-award winning Italian restaurant company, San Carlo Group has announced it’s to further expand operations in the city.
 
The Italian family owned and run group which has 17 leading UK restaurants, including the original and hugely popular San Carlo on Temple Street and the excellent Fumo (open since 2012) on Waterloo Street, is to open a second Fumo restaurant, champagne and cocktail bar at Selfridges in Birmingham this Autumn.  
 
Fumo will be located in Selfridges on the 4th floor with stunning views overlooking the iconic Bullring. With a nod to the popular and critical success of its Fumo restaurants in Birmingham, Manchester and St Martins Lane, London.

Fumo will serve delicious, seasonal Italian small plate dishes known in Venice as cicchetti made to share or eat alone and will incorporate a feature bar which will specialise in cocktails and Laurent Perrier champagne.
 
The £1m restaurant will be the third Selfridges San Carlo Group restaurant – San Carlo Bottega and Gran Café are situated within Selfridges Exchange Square, Manchester.
 
The Group’s success has been built on providing original Italian food using the freshest produce, much of which is flown in from markets in Milan and Sicily. It is this passion for food and attention to detail that has seen Fumo on Waterloo Street scoop several awards since its
launch 5 years ago including Best Italian Restaurant at the BFDH Awards and Les Routiers Restaurant of the Year.
 
A further 16 individually designed venues are located in Manchester, Cheshire, Liverpool, Leeds, Roundhay, Bristol, Leicester and London and further afield diners enjoy San Carlo restaurants in Qatar, Bahrain and Bangkok.
www.sancarlofumo.co.uk
 
Follow Fumo on social media:
Twitter:
@SanCarlo_Fumo
 
Facebook
@SanCarloFumo
 
instagram
@SanCarloGroup

I've visited Fumo numerous times on Waterloo Street and always found it a bustling and lovely restaurant with excellent food, cracking cocktails and with good veggie options the new venue is sure to be popular.

I Look forward to Fumo opening in the Autumn.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

 About San Carlo Group www.sancarlo.co.uk
Winners of 36 industry and consumer awards, San Carlo Group is renowned for great food and a star-studded clientele; from celebrities and sports stars to business leaders and high profile politicians, the multi-award winning San Carlo Group was founded in Birmingham as a family business by Carlo Distefano in 1992.


Courtesy of San Carlo group.
 

Opus leads the way in showcasing Birmingham’s independents.

Posted in Bars, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Drinks, Gastro Card, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie, Veggie foodie, Wine by

Opus one of the top fine-dining restaurants in Birmingham is leading the charge for independents, joining forces with some of the best talent in the city.

Billed as a celebration of the bespoke, Opus in Cornwall Street is keen to support local businesses that offer something different from the norm and has so far linked up with artists and an award-winning wine merchant.

Pawel Skrzypinski, general manager at Opus, said: “Birmingham is an exciting, diverse city in which to live and work and if you are willing to meander off the beaten track through our lovely city centre, you will be rewarded with shops and artists showcasing an individuality and tailored approach that makes you feel special and appreciated.

“We think it’s really important for independents – especially those who have a natural synergy – to support one another because we have a unique offering. The beauty of being an independent business is that you have the opportunity to team up with whomever you like and over the past few months alone we have found some real stunners with whom to work.”

Over the summer, it is collaborating with Loki Wine, the award-winning wine merchant and wine bar based in Great Western Arcade, enabling customers at both venues to take advantage of some fantastic offers.

Loki is offering 15% off the Loki Wine Tasting Card for Opus Loyalty Card holders, while Opus is offering all holders of a Loki Wine Tasting Card 25% off all bottles of wine purchased (see T&Cs online)  and £10 off the flight of five wines that accompany their weekend five-course tasting menu.

Phil Innes, of Loki Wines, said: “There’s already a natural crossover between Loki and Opus customers but the opportunity to work with the restaurant, which will benefit all our customers could not be passed up. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Opus.”

Sculptor Viv Astling, OBE, has two pieces of art being displayed at the restaurant over the next few months.

An elected member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) and a former student of the renowned sculptor John Tonks, he uses English limestones particularly from quarries in Portland, Dorset, and Ancaster, Lincolnshire. His piece Turning Point is being displayed at Opus’s reception desk, while Ariel is on display in the bar area.

Bar Opus at One Snowhill has joined forces with Jewellery Quarter-based Argentea Gallery to feature a selection of photographs by Birmingham multi-media artist Sophie Hedderwick from her critically acclaimed series Swift As A Shadow.

Argentea is a new gallery in the Jewellery Quarter launched by Jennie Anderson and is dedicated to showing the very best contemporary photography from both British and international artists.

Jennie said “We were thrilled to have Sophie exhibiting her work at the gallery and to collaborate with Bar Opus is another great way to take her work to a wider audience and engage with people who wouldn’t necessarily think of visiting an art gallery.”

Also at Bar Opus are five works by Birmingham-born innovators Key & Tam, known as LOWLFE. The pair take everyday objects, such as phones, plants, coins and dead insects, and introduces them to the world of miniature people in whimsical settings.

The new collaborations follow Opus’s inaugural art exhibition with Mark Howard of independent fashion store Disorder Boutique earlier this year, when the walls become a canvas for his creations.

Pawel added: “The past few months have been exciting as we have expanded our support network of leading independent talents and we’re looking forward to continuing our efforts to introduce other great Birmingham names to our customers. So make sure to watch this space".

Great to see such a fantastic collaboration between two of the cities best independents.

Also note that Opus are offering 50% off select wine in August. It includes a range that covers most tastes. From lighter summery whites to fruity cherry-like reds and rose wines a bargain is to be enjoyed with the new set price menu or tasting menu.

In Bar Opus news become all Italian and try a Rose Aperol Spritz with complimentary nibbles for £5 from 2-5pm. Aperol Spritz is one of the finest drinks and with added nibbles and hopefully sunshine on the Bar Opus terrace one of the must things to do this Summer in Birmingham. Go on try it!

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

All photos and information courtesy of Opus, Bar Opus and Clive Reeves PR with thanks.

#TastyMorsels: Veggie and Vegan happenings.

Posted in beer, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie, Veggie foodie by

Vegan Vybes are at Two Towers Brewery for a pop up on August  19th. 

They will also be hosting the Kings Heath Vegan Community Market on 29th July from 11am-15.00.

Wolverhampton based company Cakes and Ish will be present.

Karma Collective has announced another vegan business in its collective.

Most people will know Karma Collective through its existing tattoo studio or Purely Vegan Store & deli both located in Kings Heath.

However the latest project is based in Stirchley and is simply named The Pie Shop.

This new venture will bring something new to the ever growing vegan community and hopefully encourage more people to eat cruelty free. 

Stirchley is an up and coming area and Karma Collective hope to bring new interest to the area with a menu full of tasty pies and pizza. The idea is to engage with the local community as well as the established vegan community by opening the first 100% plant based pie shop in the West Midlands and quite possibly the UK.

The menu will offer a growing variety of pies based on everyday favourites to some more unusual combinations. Both savoury and sweet, as well as pizza and differing specials. All served with a choice of vegetables, potatoes or chips.

The Pie Shop aims to provide a basic need for tasty home cooking at affordable prices. The setting is a fusion of olde world meets modern world. 

Eat in or Take away is available and a local delivery service is planned for the future. 

As well as providing tasty food, The Pie Shop will also be raising money for Animal Charities currently supported by Karma Collective by donating profit from certain meals to Wonky Pets Rescue and also The Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice.

The Pie Shop will also host a number of regular evening kitchen take overs with various themes by different caterers. 

You can get all the updates on The Pie Shop by finding them in social media…just search @kcpieshop

The Gunmakers Arms are holding a Vegan cheese night on Thursday 27th July from 7.30pm.

Expect cheese and Two Towers vegan friendly beer.

Sally from the fabulous Vegan in Brum blog will be introducing and talking about the cheeses.

Find her blog here:

https://veganinbirmingham.co.uk/

The event starts at 5.30 with the talk from

Sally at 6.30.

The Beer Yeti blog will also be in attendance matching the beers to the cheese.

http://www.BeerYeti.com

Full details on the Facebook events page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/667550230108218/?ti=cl

This event is part of Birmingham Beer Week 2017.

From the 21-26th August The Vegan Grindhouse are taking over the kitchen of a 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter.

South American food and drinks independents Bodega are opening in Sutton Coldfield.

There menu is full of Vegetarian friendly dishes and has a Vegan menu too. So with cocktails a plenty and a fun filled vibe those summer nights may just go on and on.

Oh, and new Vegan cafe Fressh is due to open in Birmingham at the City Arcade in October.

I’ll have more on that soon.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

All Photos courtesy of restaurants and businesses with thanks.

Brum Vegan Beer fest returns, 20th-22nd July.

Posted in beer, Beer festivals, Birmingham, City Centre, Craft beer, Independent, Real ale, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie, Veggie foodie by

The Brum Vegan Beer and food festival returns this week from the 20th until the 22nd July at The Gunmakers Arms in the city centre.

This year it is one of the events of The Birmingham Beer week.

I've never understood the point in not making all beers, ciders etc vegan and Veggie friendly, after all in an economy that's sales driven surely by doing so you'll sell more beer and everyone will be happy. Of course others will disagree, but I'm a vegetarian so this is important to me. After all it makes perfect sense.

There are many vegan and veggie friendly beers on the market. The range gets bigger and bigger and breweries are now seeing the sense in this.

The Gunmakers Arms will host the festival. There house beer is brewed by Two Towers Brewery, who provide only vegan friendly beers.

The Gunmakers Arms has its own self contained Brewery-Two Towers Brewery.

For this it's third year it will be free entry.

However they are now offering beer tickets for £11.00 for 4 drinks. That means each pint is £2.75. Paid for in beer tokens.

Each ticket can be used on any of the festival dates.

These tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite: see below link.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brum-vegan-beer-fest-ticket-tickets-35862425480

The tickets can be brought on the day from the bar too.

There will be vegan beer in cask, keg, bottle and can formats.

Vegan food will be available on Friday from the superb Real Junk Food Project B'ham, and Saturday from Ubuntu Bakery and foods as well as Some of the food from the Gunmakers Arms.

https://www.facebook.com/TRJFPBrum/

https://www.facebook.com/ubuntubakery/

Brewery's and Beers on offer include are mostly local but include a few from further afield.

You'll find, Two Towers Brewery, Rock N Roll Brewhouse, Birmingham Brewing Company, Art Brewery and Boudicca Brewing Company Amongst others.

The full list of beers are listed below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/435382006794577??ti=ia

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brum-vegan-beer-fest-ticket-tickets-35862425480

The festival runs from 20th July to 22nd and is from noon until 11.pm.

See below link for full details and events of Birmingham beer week.

https://www.birminghambeerweek.uk/

https://twitter.com/birmbeerweek?lang=en

It should be a fantastic festival.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

The Gunmakers Arms, 93 Bath Street, Birmingham, B4 6HG. (0121-236-8486)

For more information on why some beer isn't vegan and veggie friendly see here:

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/37350233

New Haig Club Scotch Bar launched at The Cube, Birmingham.

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, City Centre, Cocktails, Mailbox, whisky by

Oh whisky how much do I love thee, let me count the ways!  

Birmingham has welcomed a stunning new skyline destination with the launch of the Haig Club Bar on Level 25 at The Cube last month. 

The bar, which sits alongside the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill with views across the city, features a dedicated entrance on Level 25. It seats 36 guests, showcasing Haig Club and Haig Club Clubman through a specially crafted drinks menu and cocktail list, alongside small plates and sharing dishes. 

For Vegetarians try Halloumi and Courgette flowers and Patatas Bravas thus far. 


The interior design has taken reference from the copper and distinctive blue of the Haig Club brand, to create a stylish and contemporary space for guests to relax and enjoy the company of friends or colleagues.

With a separate entrance and exclusive feel, the Haig Club Bar on Level 25 will be open from Tuesday – Saturday, 6.00pm until 1am and will also be available for private hire.

Max Bennett, Operations Manager at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill Birmingham said: “We’re hugely excited to have unveiled the new Haig Club Bar here on Level 25. The bar has been designed to create an exclusive experience for our guests, with a dedicated and knowledgeable team to welcome them. We know that it will soon become a must-visit destination for whisky lovers and cocktail connoisseurs, in addition to offering a unique venue for business meetings and private celebrations.”

Commenting on the new Haig Club Bar, Nick Temperley, UK Head of Reserve Brands at Diageo said: “We are really excited to be working with The Cube Birmingham, creating this unique Haig Clubman experience in a city where cocktail culture continues to grow and excite.”

Only Haig Club and Haig Clubman whisky will be sold and the bar is table service only. 

Jack Spencer who was previously at Bourne and Co. in the city will be head bar man. 

For whisky lovers and cocktail connaseurs it become a must visit bar with a smart view to match. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

https://www.haigclub.com/

All photos and information courtesy of Rewired PR and The Haig Club, with thanks. 


 

Opus fixes the price not the diners options.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Food, Gastro Card, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie by

Birmingham restaurant Opus has once again reinvented the wheel with fixing the prices, but not your dining options.

Opus one of the leading fine-dining restaurants in Birmingham, has scrapped the individual prices on its à la carte menu and has instead introduced a fixed price for either two- or three-course dining.

Opus believes it is the only restaurant to have this standout offering. It will enable diners to choose any dish from its full à la carte menu, with a two-course lunch or dinner costing £27.50 or a three-course meal £32.50. 

The vegetarian menu costs £25 for two courses and £30 for three. 

The concept has been spearheaded by award-winning executive head chef Ben Ternent. He said: “Typically you find that the cheaper, fixe prix menus in restaurants offer limited options for diners, but we were keen to do something a little different from the norm.

“We decided that our diners deserved to enjoy our full à la carte options for a fixed price. It’s not something many restaurants do and I’m thrilled to introduce it here at Opus.”

Ben joined Opus, on Cornwall Street, as commis chef shortly after the restaurant launched in 2005 and worked in almost every section of its kitchen before being promoted to executive head chef in 2015, when it celebrated its tenth anniversary.
During his time at the restaurant, Ben has achieved a number of prestigious awards, including being crowned the British Culinary Federation’s Young Chef of the Year in 2006 and achieving his Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Award of Excellence in 2009.

Ann Tonks, managing director at Opus, said: “We’re renowned for doing things a little differently here and because we are independent, we are always looking for new and innovative initiatives that benefit our clientele. Ben’s idea to remove the individual à la carte prices and instead have a fixed price across the whole menu is a great idea and I’m sure our diners will agree, too.

Vegetarians can enjoy dishes such as creamy goats cheese mousse, roasted English tomato and red pepper soup plus Leicestershire wild mushroom and truffle Wellington, Evesham beetroot risotto and tian of Pershore vegetables followed by a warm dark chocolate fondant or raspberry and blueberry iced parfait and a strawberry pudding, the choice is truly yours. 

Diners can, of course, choose one course only if they prefer and those dishes are individually priced.”

The menu is available for lunch Monday to Friday and dinner Monday to Saturday.

Click to access Vegetarian-Menu.pdf

For full menu information, visit: 

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

Goats cheese tart 

Beetroot risotto

Strawberry pudding

Ben Ternent.


Opus Restaurant Vegetarian Source Dinner with Worcester Produce is also on Friday July 16th at 7pm.

The Source Dinner series includes this Veggie extravaganza. Enjoy 5 courses with wine pairing in conjunction with Worcester Produce. The fruit, vegetables and salad are grown in their nurseries and farms in the Vale of Evesham, picked on day one and are in the Opus kitchen on day two. It’s always an evening to savour.

Look out for my review soon. 

 Price £65 pp. 

Call 0121-200-2323 for booking. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Thanks to Opus and Clive Reeves PR for the photos. 

Restaurant Review: Zindiya, Moseley. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, curry, Curry restaurants, Independent, Moseley, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by


Close your eyes And you can well imagine a perfect restaurant. Service tick, ambience tick, food tick, atmosphere tick, drinks tick.

Then tuck into the written word of those in the know, or whom think they do and then you’d feel well what’s the point in visiting it sounds so perfect. 

Me included have waxed lyrical about this place (at the time without trying it, lesson learnt) and from my point of perspective well it’s based entirely on the perceived menu and it’s very veggie friendly leanings. 

The written word, the gospel according to Birmingham is not always entirely accurate. 

It’s not that Zindiya is poor it’s just on the night Ruth and I visited, shall I say underwhelming and disapointing.

The hype suggested get your chops round this, and you’ll be reborn, but then when those chops get chewing and ready to rock and roll we found a game of two halves Saint.  It’s a game of two halves. 

I wanted zip and zing but didn’t find it sadly. 

Specialising in Indian street food dishes the menu is full of Vegetarian options which should make it essential and full of taste explosion and colour. 


Now Imagine you are in India, smell the air, the food, the atmosphere. Now let’s get our hands dirty and snack our lips with the intoxication of flavours. 

Unfortunately we aren’t in India. 

The good bits: Well we had two more than decent Dishes. 

An excellent traditional fast food dish Papri (Papdi) Chaat, which melted in the mouth and was very comforting that warmed the palate and an indulgent Idli Sambar, tifin dish. Idli’s are a traditional breakfast dish a savoury cake (for dipping) which came with a flavoursome Sambar, a touch of hot lentil soup with some nice textures of vegetables running through it. A Very enjoyable dish. 

Plus we ate An ok Hara Bhara Kebab, which was different. A snack like a cutlet that had subtle veg flavours with slightly bland spicing that made it not very binge worthy sadly and a bit dry. The dip alongside was also underwhelming. 

We also ate the Chilli Paneer which was not to my taste, and left me stunned with disappointment to its bland sweetness, and didn’t lift the paneer to any heights.

The masala chips, we ate were sadly disappointing with very little flavour (apart from a resemblance to a McDonalds fry without the salt) and if they were homemade chips then I’ll be Greavsie to the aforementioned Saint and then a unremarkable desert of chocolate balls filled with strawberries, served with chilli ice cream. (Chocolate Gol Gappe). 

Ruth ordered an ok Alphonso Mango Sorbet. 

I also drank a nice Massala Chai. 

As an aside I would have liked some Poppadoms to nibble on with thecmenu and maybe some Pani Puri on the menu. 

Papri Chaat

Hara Bhara Kebab

Idli SambaarChilli paneer 


Maybe we just chose badly on the food front and we missed a jewel from a long menu, but it wasn’t just the food but the whole experience that felt underwhelming and a tad dull, forced and lacking energy which for a street food cafe which promises authenticity and a buzz was surprising. 

The atmosphere felt stilted, more restaurant than cafe, not at all lively and bustling like I imagined an Indian street food gaff to be.

It was a Saturday night so that’s unusual in Moseley, right? 

Staff are friendly and helpful to a degree,  a bit chatty but didn’t inform us about their so called amazing cocktails or beers that I keep reading about or about any beer, cocktail matching with the food. Shame! 

Small bites careering from good to not so. Some a bit dreary (masala chips) some unforgettable (chilli paneer) An evening of what ifs and why nots. 

It’s a most peculiar place. 

When the food’s good my it’s good but then at times the place feels confused, unsure of itself, and it’s concept. But then I suppose  we aren’t in the hot aired and noisy streets of India, but hipster Moseley with its drip fed trendiness and right on smiles and why not there’s a lot to smile about in this part of South Birmingham. Stand up Cheval Blanc, Kababish, Sabai Sabai and Carters. 

So it should be more authentic right? After all Moseley can cope with this can’t it? 

Pluses. There’s lots of veggie choice. Which is fantastic. More than anywhere I know outside a veggie restaurant. Which I guess makes it more disappointing to me. This alone should get me a season ticket and get me dancing Bollywood style. A sight to behold! 

I liked the decor, the outside is bright, cheery, but gives the impression you are entering a lively eatery which sadly wasn’t our experience. Inside touches of Bollywood, bright and airy. 

It’s quite large too which I think doesn’t help the street food vibe, unlike Raja Monkey or Indian Brewery maybe it didn’t feel cool and intimate. 

There are places in Birmingham that do this better with more panache, better cooking, more simplistic style. More authenticity and self confidence, more cafe than restaurant. 

More crafty.

Zindiya didn’t feel anything special and a muddle of ideas served in a muddled way. I feel sad writing this. It’s a shame. I so wanted to love this place. 

It undermined the decent dishes. 

There’s some work needed on pulling the whole thing together, making the experience more seamless, explaining the dishes, exploring the tastes of the diners more, (both food and drinks)  making the whole experience more authentic. Bringing the street element more into focus. 

It felt like a restaurant not street food cafe. 

And yes, please remember to promote your cocktails and craft beer to me. Aren’t they supposed to be special. To be shouted about. 

Or at least as good as the chaat.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Disclaimer: We paid for our food and drinks in full. All opinions are my own and an honest reflection of the experience we had on the evening. 

Zindiya, 21 Woodbridge Road, Birmingham, B13 8EJ. 

0121-439-0593.

http://www.zindiya.co.uk/

Veggie Foodie tip: 

Do try Cheval Blanc in Moseley for cocktails and wine before and after a meal. The food is also raved about with veggie options on the menu.

I’m up for a food visit soon.

Also Carters of Moseley is outstanding for a special night of vegetarian seasonal decadence. 

The Kababish for curry. Delightful veggie dishes in nice surroundings. Tarka Daal anyone? 

Visit Sabai Sabai for sumptuous Thai food. 

AH.

Charity Evening with Belinda Carlisle at The High Field, Edgbaston: Saturday 15th July 2017.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Charities, Events, Midlands, Music, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

It was 1987 when Belinda’s Carlisle’s album ‘Heaven on Earth’ came out, proceeded by the number one single ‘Heaven is a place on Earth’ which catapulted her into stardom in the U.K and heralded a clutch of successful singles and two majorly successful albums. The follow up ‘Runaway Horses’ even included an icon of mine in George Harrison. If you remember ‘Circle in the Sand,’ Leave a Light on’and ‘Summer Rain’ and one of my favourites ‘World Without You’ like I do then this may be for you? 

On Saturday 15th July 2017, The High Field will be hosting a very special evening in aid of charity when Belinda Carlisle one of the biggest selling female global artists of all time, makes a one-off appearance at the Edgbaston venue.

This exclusive event, which is limited to just 250 guests, will feature a short acoustic set of songs from Belinda as well as drinks and dinner in a glorious garden setting. 

It will raise money for Belinda’s own co-founded charity ’Animal People Alliance:

http://www.animalpeoplealliance.com/

https://www.herfuturecoalition.org/

Tickets for this special event are now on sale and include fizz and canapés on arrival, followed by a three course Vegetarian or Vegan dinner with a menu created for the night by The High Field’s head chef Ian Meek.

After enjoying good food and drink in the stylish surroundings of The High Field, which was named the Best Gastro Pub in Birmingham at the inaugural Birmingham Food Drink & Hospitality Awards, guests will enjoy a short acoustic performance of Belinda’s songs. There will also be a silent auction with some brilliant prizes to be won, special guests and even the opportunity to win breakfast with Belinda herself at a secret location the next morning.

All the proceeds from ticket sales will be given to the two charities close to Belinda’s heart to support the vital work they undertake. 

Animal People Alliance’s mission is to offer high quality care to street animals in need, alongside robust employment opportunities to survivors of human rights abuses and other vulnerable populations in South Asia. 

 

Her Future UK provides shelter, education and high-wage employment to survivors of human trafficking and extreme abuse so that they may remain forever free; since 2005, the charity has helped thousands of women and children to build a bright and independent future.

Launching the evening, Sarah Robinson, General Manager of The High Field, says, “This is a fantastic opportunity to support these two amazing charities whilst enjoying good food and drink in a unique venue. “We are thrilled to be joined by Belinda Carlisle and to have this unmissable opportunity to listen to her music in such an intimate setting,” says Sarah. “As lead singer of the Go-Go’s, the most successful female band of all time, and one of the world’s biggest selling female artists, she is a true pop icon, and we are honoured that she will be performing here in support of these two great charities.

“It’s going to be a wonderful evening full of excitement and surprises, and we hope that as many existing and new guests will join us to help raise as much money as possible for charity,” she says.

Belinda Carlisle, says, “Animal People Alliance is a charity, based in Kolkata India, I co-founded with Paul Suit in 2014. Whilst still in the early days, we are starting to have a real impact, with our mission to provide quality care for India’s street animals, employment for survivors of human rights abuses and other vulnerable populations. We want to change the future generation’s consciousness towards animals, and raise awareness of the need to treat animals humanely.

“I’ve always dreamed of having an animal sanctuary and I have such a love of India. I had an idea on how great it would be to combine both with the invaluable help of Her Future, of which I’ve seen first-hand the work they do, and I’m humbled even to be in the same room as Sarah Symons (the co-founder of Her Future Coalition and inspiration of Her Future UK), as she does the work of angels.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the charity evening at The High Field, and grateful to all the generous people and businesses who are making this event happen. I will be performing a short acoustic set of my hits as music is still a big part of my life, as is Animal People Alliance,” she says.

There are just 100 tickets for this special evening costing £150 each, to include fizz and canapés followed by a three-course Vegetarian or Vegan meal, and a further 150 tickets at £75 each for those not wishing to dine, with a silent auction and some amazing raffle prices from sponsors.

To book, please email event@animalpeoplealliance.co.uk to request tickets. 

For updates on Animal People Alliance follow them on Facebook @animalpeoplealliance

The charity evening at The High Field with Belinda Carlisle takes place on Saturday 15th July 2017 from 5pm until midnight.

The High Field is at 22 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, B15 3DP. Tel: 0121 227 7068. 

In the UK alone, Belinda Carlisle has had 19 Top 40 Singles, and 7 Top 20 Albums. A lifetime animal rights activist and New York Times List Best Selling Author, Belinda Carlisle has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the Go-Go’s. 

Thanks for reading. 

Just leave a light on for me! 

Andy 😊

Her Future UK 

All photos courtesy of The High Field and Animal People Alliance, with thanks.