Tag Archives: Blue Ginger

In Praise of: Blue Ginger, Kings Heath, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Independent, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie, Veggie foodie by

Sad news reached me last week that the excellent Kings Heath based restaurant Blue Ginger is closing down after Christmas.

Blue Ginger has been one of my favourite restaurants ever since Ruth and I first visited when we first met, roughly eight years ago. We’ve enjoyed such great nights and meals together and I can’t remember how many times we’ve visited this small neighbourhood gem in Birmingham.

Dishes such as the outstanding Carrot Cake (savoury not sweet, a majestic dish and one of the best in the whole city, captures the simplicity of the restaurant dishes combining carrots, mooly, rice flour and spices). Possibly my favourite dish in Birmingham. Then there’s the curries Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Yellow Curry, a mild but exotic delight of vegetables. A delicious flavour. The jackfruit and Rabutan Red Curry, sweet and savoury together, with the Jackfruit the star combined with aubergines and mushrooms.

Both dishes are Vegan friendly.

Blue Ginger also became known locally for its Vegan night on a Monday. 7 main course dishes to choose from and numerous starters. Some going and if the truth be told it’s one of the best places for Vegans and Veggies to eat in Birmingham. It’s comfortable easy going service combined with deftly constructed Malaysian and Singaporean dishes packed with flavour made it popular and a relaxing and warm venue to visit. The atmosphere often buzzy and the space just the right side of intimate lent itself to a solid informal date night venue.

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Yellow Curry

Carrot Cake Jackfruit and Rabutan red curry.

Mixed veg platter: for the undecided. Including the divine carrot cake. Kang Kon leaf side dish.

Roti Prata and rice. Essential to mop up the curry.

Pandan crepe: for afters. Good neighbourhood Restaurants like Blue Ginger are few and far between in Birmingham which seems to favouring the more glitzy venues these days and although the food at Blue Piano is the same as Blue Ginger the ambience and intimate space isn’t. In saying that I’ve enjoyed Blue Piano on the two occasions I’ve visited so will be visiting again in the new year for my Carrot cake fix.

Just to say that Ruth and I feel sad that Blue Ginger’s leaving us, gone but not forgotten, let’s just hope that the space is used by another independent restaurant and hopefully not another curry house or kebab shop. It’s a good space and deserves a new favourite to develop in Kings Heath.

Thanks for all the meals and good times from us both.

All the above dishes are available at the excellent Edgbaston based Blue Piano. Well worth a visit.

For my review of Blue Piano see here:

https://vegiefoodie.com/2014/05/11/the-blue-piano-restaurant-and-bar/

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

Blue Piano,  26 Harborne Road, Birmingham, B15.

The Blue Piano guesthouse, restaurant and bar

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Vegetarian dish of the day: Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Yellow Curry: Blue Ginger, Kngs Heath. 

Posted in Independent, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Vegetarian dish of the day, Veggie foodie by

  
Blue Ginger specialises in Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine. Based on Poplar Road, Kings Heath its a relaxed and friendly, small restaurant with good service and a chilled chatty atmosphere. With Batik runs on the table, it’s a pretty room with a South East Asian decor, and its a gem for vegetarians and Vegans in Birmingham. 

   

A stalwart of the main menu and a Vegan friendly dish the Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Yellow curry is an exotic dish. Take beautiful delicate cauliflower combined with the sweetest orange sweet potato and add extra Oriental veg and the brightest looking dish in Kings Heath is good to go. Add a touch of mild spice with just enough kick to fire a curry fanatic leaves a beautifully balanced dish that is a favourite of mine. Add an extra fragrant Jasmine Rice and the mopping up the sauce quality of the Roti Parata (bread) and you have a curry that’s simple street food indoors, made with skill with a sunny disposition that will have you smiling all season long. The future is yellow. 

   
 Cauliflower and sweet potato yellow curry. 
 

Find it at Blue Ginger’s, 32 Poplar Road, Kings Heath, B14 7AD. 

0121-444-0999.

Blue Ginger do a vegan only meat free menu every Monday. 

VEG OUT CAFE: A VEGETARIAN LUNCH IN KINGS HEATH BIRMINGHAM

Posted in Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, Coffee, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Kings Heath has numerous good eating options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the vegetarian diner. In fact there are so many options its hard to choose. It is the same for Moseley, but that is for another day 🙂

Veg Out Cafe, sits just off the main High Street on Poplar Road amongst such foodie jewels as Blue Ginger and Maison Maici. It is completely vegetarian and vegan, which is pure joy to myself and many others that love the relaxed, friendly vibe of this enticing cafe.

I had only eaten their once before, see previous review.

The food served is tasty and wholesome and has a simplicity that is endearing and welcome. At lunch time this sits perfectly with Ruth and myself’s requirements, and our appetites. 🙂

We visited on a Saturday lunch time. Veg Out Cafe is a light and smart looking cafe, descorated in pastel colours and with art work adorning the walls, is a bright cheeerful place to spend an hour or so.

It is very community based, people know each other, gather, and chat, its chirpy, service is friendly and welcoming.

We opted to share a small plate of pure corn nachos for a starter. A mixture of tortilla chips, served with corriander, sour cream, tomato chilli salsa, fresh avocado with a lovely smothering of English Chedder cheese. Its an excellent dish, very tasty, with good contrasting flavours with the crunch of the tortilla chips. Delicious. A great plate to share. £5.95 small plate.

To follow I chose the Middle Eastern Falafal. a wrap stuffed with falafal balls, served with humous, red onion, and tomato salsa with a salad, olives, sour cream and mint. I love falafals, and can recommend this dish, its generous in size and with the lovely flavours and textures works well in a wrap. The falafals were well made and for £7.95 good value.

Ruth had the Lebanese Flat Bread which was smothered with goats cheese and topped with griddled mushrooms, garlic and parsley. Ruth thought there was too much goats cheese on the bread and that this overwhelmed the dish, though she said this maybe personal taste, and that is was enjoyable all the same. Cost £7.95.

For lunch Veg Out also offer griddled sandwiches, omelettes, and salads. All the food is freshly prepared and looks excellent from the other tables around us.

In the evening on Friday’s and Saturday’s Veg Out offer a full menu with BYO wine. A good value meal, one for me to try next:) They also offer a brunch/breakfast menu on a Sunday from 10am.

Veg Out also do a full vegan night once a month.

This sounds good.

Keep and eye on facebook and twitter for menus and details.

There are good vegan options on the menu too:)

Veg Out Cafe is a delightful cafe in Kings Heath. For a relaxed lunch, in a bustling buzzy setting it can’t be beaten. The food is lovely, and for any vegetarian or vegan it would be foolish not to visit.

It’s a place to come back too over and over. A place for everyone.

Veg Out Cafe
46 Poplar Road
Kings Heath
Birmingham
B14 7AG

Twitter.com/CafeVegOut

Facebook.com/CafeVegOut

http://www.enjoykingsheath.com

We paid for our meal in full. All opinions are my own and honest of the experience.

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Tasty Morsels: bite size foodie happenings

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Events, Independent, Pop up's, Pubs, Tasty Morsels by

Kings Heath in South Birmingham, is currently a hot bed of foodie delights. There are a number of exciting tasty morsels happening as we speak:)

1. Hare and Hounds pub Five Week restaurant project. With a different pop up project every week taking over their recently refurbished upstairs bar area and kitchen.

Week 1 Thursday 17th July 2014 sees City centre rustic Mexican street food pioneers Habaneros take centre stage offering 3 courses for £17.50. Begins at 7.30pm.

Please note this event was cancelled. There are full refunds available.

Week 2: Japanese caterers Pika Pika pop up on Thursday 24th July to provide 3 courses of authentic Japanese food including a veggie set menu for £15.

Week3: Esteeemed pop up due Clarke and Lee of CANeat fame take over the bar with their twist on Asian soul food. See Clarke and Lee in the Heath plus cocktails from the Hare and Hounds on the 31st July at 6.45pm. Price £22.50.

Please note that this pop up isn’t suitable for veggies and vegans:(

Week 4: veggie Pop up Dosa offer their fab dosas (like crepes) from the southern Indian region of Kerala. Starts at 7.30pm for 3 courses costing £12, bargain. 🙂 on the 7th August. Dosa’s can be made vegan by request.

5: August 14th: Fingys Take Over. Alan ‘Fingy’ Thomson brings an evening of Peruvian and Latin food of the highest order. Three courses for £15.

Tickets available for all on website.

Hare and Hounds is on York Road on the corner of the High Street.

See http://www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/events-listings for details and reservations/bookings/tickets.

2. The Blue Rabbit & Co are operating out of The Kitchen Garden Cafe on York Road every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night offering 2 courses for £15 and 3 courses for £18.

Led by chef Dominic Simmonds @Dominicsimmonds, they offer high quality simple food at reasonabl prices for the quality of the sourcing and ingredients. a great independent bistro idea:) There are good veggie options. Contact 0121 443 4725 for reservations.

3. Taco Tuesday’s continue at Cherry Reds in Kings Heath on the last Tuesday of the month. Cherry Reds is in Kings Heath on York Road near The Kitchen Garden Cafe. Veggie options are always on the menu, dates to come 29th July and 26th August. Beautiful soft shell taco’s and killer Margaritas will be on offer. http://www.cherryreds.com for details.

4. Blue Ginger at 72 Poplar Road Kings Heath, serve authentic Singaporian and Malaysian Foood, Its the sister restaurant of my recently reviewed Blue Piano bar and restaurant in Edgbastion. Every Monday night they hold a vegan night, serving vegan dishes. On the menu I’ve counted 5 starters, 7 Mains, 6 sides, and 2 deserts. See webiste http://www.bluegingerrestaurant.co.uk for menu. Contact 0121 444 0999 for reservations.

If you order before 6.30pm Monday-friday you get 20% off the food bill.

Hoping myself to get to some of those at some point.

If anyone knows of any items that maybe considered ‘Tasty morsels’ in your area, and are food and drink related please get in touch or leave a comment on my blog under this post.

Until the next ‘Tasty morsel’. 🙂

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