As I often say, a Gin a day…well maybe not so true, but one or two occasionlly is ok:) Well at The Jekyl and Hyde pub on Steel House Lane in Birmingham City Centre, you can choose from over 90 gins, how decadent, how difficult:)

At the Jekyl and Hyde a drink is not your usual type of drink. It’s a sophisticated spot, one of those places you visit for a quick half and end up staying all night. If you like Gin then it’s the place for you.

As a pub it offers cocktails, real ale and good food in a vibrant atmosphere of decadence with a little Victorian sophistication thrown in.

It is named after author Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Victorian novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde’-double personalities run wild, split into two-the Gin parlour (Dr Jekyl) upstairs and the cosy bar (Mr Hyde) on the ground floor.

The mood of the pub/bar is quite unique in Birmingham, a contrasting space to wile away time. The gin parlour is all dark wood, with blue table cloths laid out for dinner. An atmosphere of decadence and moral ill repute is the norm here 🙂 The downstairs bar is more quirky and cosy with a long bar and an even longer cocktail list.

They have a cute beer garden designed in a themed Alice in Wonderland style that has to be seen to be believed. A really nice courtyard for that summery weather 🙂

Upstairs, in the Gin Parlour on a Thursday night through to Saturday The Jekyl and Hyde serve a gin Food fusion menu (Eat Me, Drink Me).

You can order two courses or more from a changing seasonal menu for £12.50 with vegetarian options that offers good quality food at reasonable prices.

This is why Ruth and I visited (and for the gin) to see whether the infusion is good or evil.

On walking into the parlour you notice that its a relaxed space in contrast to the bar downstairs. The taste of gin requires that, and with its huge menu one needs to be relaxed enough to work you way through it 🙂 Here cocktails and a gin tasting menu are available. As it was a week night I stuck to drinking the Langley’s gin (a local tipple that The Bureau Bar also serve). Langley’s N0 8 is very good indeed, and goes well paired with the food.

I’m looking forward to returning to try the gin tasters one non work night.

For our starter we both ordered the Smoked Mushroom and Tarragon Soup:

The soup had a good smoky mushroom flavour and colour, with the tarragon complimenting the slight gin infusion. It was a good soup, a nice size, but was perhaps not so piping warm as it should have been, that let it down slightly.

For my main course I chose a Asparagus and Savoury Frangipane Tart, which I enjoyed. The tart was well made, nice pastry, with a good flavour of the charred baby gem lettuce and asparagus that accompanied it. It was served with an extra side of boiled potatoes and had a delicate gin infusion that made it a succcesful and enjoyable tart.

Ruth enjoyed her non veggie main course, and we both decided that we would like to sample their deserts. After all a naughty pudding in the Gin Parlour..well why not.

I decided upon the wonderfully named Mr Hydes Raspberry Mess with a Ophir Gin Coulis. As messes go it was a very good one. The Raspberries blended with the cream and the gin hit the right spot and is well recommended.

Ruth chose the Sticky Toffee pudding, which she said was ok, but she’d had better.

For a different bite to eat, then The Jekyl and Hyde is the place to be. The gin parlour is a lovely space to relax after work, the menu is good, the food above average and with friendly, hospitable staff who are happy to advise and recommend gins, and cocktails it can’t be beat for quirky independent charm. In fact it is what makes independent pubs like this so charming in Birmingham.

For vegetarians, though limited in menu choice on the gin infusion menu it is good value and tailored with the gin menu is a fun night out. The pub menu has veggie burgers (which are very good) and need revisiting, veggie pies and such like.
See website for details.

So try the Jekyl and Hyde and be seduced by the gin, the hospitality, the parlour, the cocktails, and then be transported to a bygone era-The Jekyl and Hyde era of good and evil potions.

The Jekyl and Hyde
28 Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham
B4 6BT

wwww.thejekylandhyde.co.uk
@jekyl_n_hyde

Facebook The-Jekyl-Hyde

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

For more Independent bars, pubs and restaurants see The Independent Birmingham website above.

Disclaimer: We paid for our own meal and all of my opinions are usual are honest and true.