Tag Archives: brunch

Veggie Brunch/Lunch watch: Bloom, Kings Heath, Birmingham.

Posted in Birmingham, Birmingham Breakfast club, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Independent, Kings Heath, Lunch, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

I could live here.

That could well be the end of my review but alas that would insult my indulgence and yes your intelligence and would beg the question why? Well the plate of food I tried here at Bloom in Kings Heath is easily the best plate of food I’ve eaten anywhere this year. It could quite possibly be edging towards bern the best brunch dish I’ve ever tasted. It’s mind bogglingly good. Harmonious flavours, interesting ingredients, originality in its essence and cost, the bargain of the century. It’s informal dining at its best, though there’s nothing casual about the dishes coming out of the kitchen.

So Let me introduce you to the Vegan friendly Carrot Gnocchi, Red beets, sherry radishes, gingered swede, caraway pickled walnuts, and orange hemp seed dressing. £7.5

Complex flavours, a melt in the mouth texture. When a dish is this good it’s hard to find fault and dwelling on the superlatives is the same only rational response. The use of carrots to make gnocchi is new to me, but works in a way that is beyond words. The Sherry radishes, a delightful crunch with subtle sherry overtones, and the majestic red beets, an exotic touch. Autumn on a plate, a beautiful hug me all over and hug me again moment. I’m speechless even now. A divine treat on a plate.

Ruth was also happy (well it was her Birthday lunch) with her Bubble and Squeak, Boston Baked Beans, Poached hens egg, pea shoots, with Grilled Haloumi or streaky bacon £8. She ate it with bacon but for veggies haloumi is an option. Beautifully presented (as my dish was too) it had a good flavour, with the homemade beans hitting the spot. She felt she should have had the haloumi though instead of the bacon which she felt would have worked better to make a fuller more well rounded dish.

Our food was washed down by two excellent liquid Cuddle Beers Which Complimented the two dishes well.

Bubble and Squeak dish.

To follow we ordered two cakes from the selection which were of high standard and lovely with the coffee. Well worth having on their own.

pumpkins, pumpkins pumpkins.

The flat white (£2.50) we ordered was excellent. The perfect execution. Possibly the best in the area.

Inside this cosy buzzy place plants hang deliciously against clean white/grey walls and the wood interior makes for a Scandinavian vibe that is homely and inviting. The service is charming, friendly and informative of the food and enthusiastic for the menu. It’s refreshing and a reason to return alone.

If you want traditional brunch fare then it’s not for you. If you desire to be challenged and try top end food for a bargain price (though not cheap) then this is the place for you where innovative exciting Vegetarian dishes (there were five on the short menu.) are amended frequently and the chef cares enough to bravely mesmerise the diner.

Bloom stands out like a (good) sore thumb amongst the average curry houses in Kings Heath. A place for every occasion. It can only be good for the area. It’s what it needs.

It’s a Kitchen with ambition and it’s mine to work my way through its menu. Sharpish. Blooming lovely.

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

We paid in full.

Thanks to Alasdair for the hospitality.

You can find Bloom at 32 Poplar Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham. B14 7AD.

No reservations taken.

Served 9.30-2.30pm

Open Wednesday through to Sunday. Day times only.

< img src=”https://vegiefoodie.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/img_0189-2.jpg&#8221; height=”2448″ class=”wp-image-7582″ width=”3264″>

Advertisement

Veggie Breakfast Watch: Good Morning Muffin at Leon, Birmingham.

Posted in Breakfasts, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie foodie brunch breakfasts by

  

Leon has been in Birmingham Street Station now for a few months since Grand Central opened serving its natural fast food and always seems to have a steady flow of people visiting. It’s range of food it offers is varied and caters well for Vegetarians and Vegans.  

Set in a light and airy cafe, it’s laid back atmosphere is the perfect kill some time place for those getting a train with plenty of floor space for luggage, or a relaxed funky lunch spot for those wanting something a bit different and it’s a decent place to bring children though it may be a bit short of space at busy times. It can be popular. Leon have also added outside tables in the forecourt of the station. 

I previously reviewed them last year and found the Vegetarian Hot Box I ate to be excellent and with many other vegan and veggie dishes on the menu its a good stop off point at lunchtime. See my review below:

https://t.co/PTWPKz2ZEt

Having tried their breakfast Vegetarian Good Morning Muffin a few weeks ago before I got a train I found myself very early one Saturday morning (as it opened at 6.30am) with Ruth in Leon again and had another for good measure. 

The Good Morning Muffin is a Roasted Portabello Mushroom, Free Range Egg, Spinach and Leon made Ketchup served in a lightly toasted English Muffin. Cost £3.75.

  

Take a runny egg, chunky roasted portabello mushrooms, delicate spinach and a tangy, and subtly spiced ketchup and you have a substantial early morning wake me up, or filling sustenance on the train. The Good Morning Muffin, felt light, not oily or fatty but a healthier alternative to some of the other places nearby. The portabello mushrooms were firm and are the meatier of the mushrooms with an earthier texture  and worked well with the tangy ketchup and oozy runny egg which was pitch perfect. Taken with a smooth flat white (even at 6.30am) it proved to be very enjoyable. 

  

 

Leon is well worth a visit and though its a chain, (arriving in London a little later discovered they are taking over our capital, but not the rest of the UK just yet) it’s ethos and menu selection for Vegetarians and Vegans is well worth discovering and for a quick breakfast, it’s recommended. 

     Cookbooks in Leon

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Click to access 18.PAPER_MENU_2016_JANUARY_V4.pdf

You can find Leon at Unit 25, New Street Station, B2 4QA.

http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/birmingham/

   
   

#Veggiebreakfast&brunchwatch: Loco Lounge Kings Heath. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Coffee, Food, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie Foodie Guide to by

One of my favourite meals of the day has always been breakfast or brunch on a weekend. Especially the lingering kind, with the papers, Sunday Morning listening to Cerys Matthews on BBC 6 Music, bliss. Or in a hotel, when it’s cooked for you, and always appears more exciting without the washing up. I can still remember being impressed at L’Enclume in Cartmel, Le Manoir, or Northcote’s delicious cheese soufflé or just simple a croissant in Paris or on garden terrace in Rome. Magnificent. 

Both simple or extravagant, either eating too many pastries at Hotel Du Vin or just a good cooked vegetarian breakfast, eggs and veggie sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, you get the picture. Good produce cooked well. 

So it was on a Sunday brunch time the other week that Ruth and I wandered into The Loco Lounge in Kings Heath, well known for their brunch menu and sensitivity to veggies and vegans. The Loco Lounge is an all day cafe and bar that is community driven and always busy whatever time of day. It’s my favourite place in Kings Heath to work in on my blog, free wifi and friendly staff and large so easy to get a good comfy seat. On this day it again was busy, a weekend crowd, jolly, relaxed, happy. 

The Loco Lounge do a substantial Vegetarian breakfast, and also it’s vegan equivalent. 

Sweetcorn fritters, hash browns, grilled tomato, baked beans, mushrooms, spinach, roasted red peppers, fried egg, and toast for £6.95. Good value, but alas no Veggie Sausage. Why? How?. 😉

Please remedy that👍 and put some on the extras. 

Though liked the veg aspect a lot and that’s so refreshing to see. 

   

   

I enjoyed the Sweetcorn fritters, crispy, a nice texture, filling, I liked the addition of spinach and roasted red peppers, different, again adding a different texture, and flavour. Also the egg was runny, the hash browns nice, so all in all a good breakfast that was plentiful and filling, but no veggie sausage option. You can’t win them all. I enjoyed it. 

Loco Lounge also serve a veggie kedgeree with Halloumi and of course the vegan breakfast with fried potatoes. 

There is a list of extras so if you feel like more as we did with the toast then order away. 

  

   

       

Kings Heath has a good choice of breakfast/brunch hang outs. Notably Cherry Reds, both vegan and veggie breakfasts, including sausage.

 Also Cherry Reds in Birmingham City Centre.

  

Kitchen Garden cafe, veggie breakfast and potato hash, which is yummy. 

Veg out Cafe, of course vegetarian breakfast, 

Maison Mayci do a Sunday brunch. 

As this is the first of an occasional blog post I’m sure to review all of these in the future. Also on my radar, Ju Ju’s in the city centre by the canal, Yumm cafe at the Custard Factory, Boston Tea party, Harborne and City centre and later this year Moseley Village. Yorks bakery in the city and The Plough in Harborne, who are introducing a new brunch menu including a divine sounding sweet potato and okra hash and Leverton and Halls in Bournville who have a vegetarian breakfast. 

All offer vegetarian choices. 

If anyone has any other recommendations or favourites. Then please let me know. 😊 via the comments below or Twitter @andydhare. 

Thanks for reading. 

We paid for our breakfasts at Loco Lounge. All opinions are honest and my own as always. 

Andy 😊

The Loco Lounge is part of The Lounges cafe bar chain who also have cafes in Harborne, Shirley, Wylde Green and elsewhere in Birmingham, see website for details, and soon the Cosy Club in Birmingham City Centre. 

   

 

Loco Lounge, High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 

Open 9am-11pm every day. 

0121 444-1296

Vegan menu see below. 

http://thelounges.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/LO_Winter_Vegan_Menu.pdf

Main menu see below. 

http://thelounges.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/LO_Food_Menu_Winter_2014.pdf