Tag Archives: Vegan

The Vegan Grindhouse Diner: Crowdfunding campaign launched. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, healthy, Independent, Kings Heath, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie, Warwick by

   

 Veggie Foodie favourites The Vegan Grindhouse have launched a crowdfunding campaign at Indiegogo to raise funds to open the first all vegan diner in The West Midlands. See below: 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-vegan-grindhouse-diner

After the success of their weekly Pop up at The Mockingbird in Birmingham for Meat free Monday’s showed the demand in the city for unique vegan food that captures the street food vibe inside, a retro diner to showcase their popular Americana food is a great logical step. Helping to offer more food, more often and spread the Vegan message further through quality and locally sourced and ethical healthy food. 

They currently run a Plant-Based Vegan food truck and can be seen around Birmingham and the Midlands at street food events such as Brum Yum Yum, Digbeth Diner and the monthly MAC food market. They’ve been trading for two years via the truck and are hugely popular with Vegan’s Vegetarian’s and meat eaters. 

They also want to help a local animal sanctuary – Rogue’s Place in Aldridge, West Midlands which was given notice at the end of January 2016 that they have to close down and relocate all of the animals as they don’t own the land. They have done some amazing work rescuing and housing injured, abandoned and rescued animals and The Vegan Grindhouse have been proud supporters of them over the last 12 months. They hope that a donation from the funds raised can help them to find new premises or homes for their residents during this time of crisis for them.

There is a selection of great rewards for contributing to the campaign and other goals if they do not reach their target of £25.000 to open their diner, including a vegan take away shop and new street food van and trailer. 

They plan to open 6 months after the Crowdfunding closes and when premises are identified. 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-vegan-grindhouse-diner/contributions/new

So pledge to help them, Rogue’s Place and Birmingham/West Midlands in getting its first all vegan restaurant.

Please click this link to go to their campaign and share this with everyone you know via social media.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-vegan-grindhouse-diner

It’s a good cause and helps support a local family business that is a leader in driving the Vegan and meat free message forward in the Midlands. 

The crowdfunder runs until the 27th February. 

http://www.thevegangrindhouse.co.uk

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

   
 Photos from The Vegan Grindhouse. 

Vegetarian and Vegan ChangeKitchen now serving at refurbished Stirchley Baths, Stirchley, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Breakfasts, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, Coffee, healthy, Independent, Stirchley, Tea Shops, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   
 

ChangeKitchen CIC cafe at Stirchley Baths is open Tuesday Wednesday Thursday AND Friday 10-3. 

Serving hot drinks & cake, full lunches or snacks . The food is ethical, locally sourced and organic. It is fully vegetarian and vegan (with gluten free options available) 

They do cappuccino & latte (made with organic fairtrade coffee grown by women’s cooperatives) , lots of herbal infusions – and proper tea. 

Their food is home made and fresh, and includes Homity pie, (potato pie with caramelised onions and cheese), mushroom and spinach lasagne, and includes Vegan versions. 

  Photo taken by myself at Vegan Beer Festival last year. 

Run by Birgit Kehrer and her team ChangeKitchen is an award winning event caterer and thriving social enterprise. 

They’ve catered for corporate events, weddings, community gatherings and have run hugely popular pop up cafes since 2010. They have participated at The Vegan Beer festival last year at Two Towers Brewery and at Vegan fairs. As well as the Kings Heath Food Assembly. 

ChangeKitchen Offer innovative vegetarian and vegan menus, all carefully put together using the finest local, organic and seasonal ingredients. 
The ChangeKitchen food philosophy is a simple one. They create and serve delicious, nutritious and ethical dishes that can be shared and enjoyed by all. ”

At Stirchley Baths there is free In-house WIFI too. 

The building at Stirchley Baths has recently been renovated, and is lovely to browse around and look at the beauty the new/old Stirchley Baths is/has become. 

It has taken many months to convert the old baths into the new community centre. They’ve managed to pair modern facilities with the heritage of the building to preserve memories but in a space that enables them and you to also create new ones. 

These baths are a grade ii listed building. Open initially in 1911 (Edwardian) the site has been derelict for three decades and cost £4 million to restore. 

  

   
 There are regular clubs, activities and rooms to hire (see website for details) with plans to develop a community cinema over the next few months. 

On the 20th February Stirchley Baths will be the site for the first Stirchley Vegan Fair. 

And ChangeKitchen will be selling its tasty ware in the cafe and the hall alongside tasty other vegan food. 

  
http://www.changekitchen.co.uk/

https://m.facebook.com/ChangeKitchen/

Home

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

http://stirchleybaths.org/heritage-culture-and-arts/heritage-2/the-project/

You can find Stirchley Baths at 

2-4 Bournville Lane, Birmingham B30 2JT. 

0121-464 9072.

  
   
 

Photos courtesy of ChangeKitchen and Stirchley Baths. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

This Sunday 1st November: World Vegan Day Pop Up with ChangeKitchen at Cherry Reds, Birmingham City Centre. 

Posted in Birmingham, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

ChangeKitchen CIC provide Mouthwatering event catering for all occasions, be it business or training lunch, wedding or birthday party, canapé event or conference catering, specialising in tasty, healthy vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free food, inspired by cuisines from around the world.

Cherry Reds Brum Centre ChangeKitchen Take Over happening this Sunday 4 – late!

ChangeKitchen CIC are working with Cherry Reds in Town to deliver a World Vegan Day Special from 4pm till late with a special menu during that time … fully vegan, fully tasty, fully vibrantly flavourful and colourful, fully ChangeKitchen!

The menu will include the following at a minimum:

Starters / Snacks

– Pumpkin Soup

– Samosas

– Pakora

– Sausage Rolls

– Roast Vegetable Wraps

– Raw Lasagne

Mains

– Vegan Homity Pie (potatoe pie with caramalized onions and our own version of vegan cheese).

– Thai Curry

– Moussaka

– Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

Desserts / Afters

– Lemon Drizzle Cake

– Carrot Cake

– Apple & Plum Crumble

– Chocolate Mousse.

Bookings can be made via Facebook if you want to book a table! 

https://www.facebook.com/ChangeKitchen

https://www.twitter.com/changekitchen/

Or via Cherry Reds on John Bright Street. 0121-441-3155.

Home

  Vegan Homity Pie 

ChangeKitchen food is now also available via Kings Heath Food Assembly!

The Kings Heath Food Assembly Is a consumer lead initiative for directly buying food from local suppliers – with an now added Vegetarian/Vegan dimension.

Currently they are supplying dips (hummus and much more), cakes (lemon drizzle cake, carrot cake & others), chocolate mousse and take away food (currently Thai Veg Curry, Mediterranean Bake and Tarka Dhal).

Soon their repertoire will expand! So do check it out, its a lovely event. anyway with fellow suppliers selling   bread, wonderful local veg & more. 

Here is a link about it and shows you how to join (for free!): 

 https://thefoodassembly.com/en/assemblies/7362

My previous post on The KingsHeath Food Assembly.

http://t.co/ZYtMSurfrS

   
  

  

ChangeKitchen CIC are also appearing at the above event on Halloween Saturday 31st October in Kings Heath with Food Birmingham, who provide a discount card for many deals in restaurants and cafes in Birmingham. 

http://www.foodbirmingham.co.uk/news/halloween-food-festival-updates/
http://www.foodbirmingham.co.uk/news/fb-members-halloween-discounts/

https://www.facebook.com/ChangeKitchen

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

New Meat free Monday’s at The Church and Peel and Stone Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Food, healthy, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Jewellery Quarter, Real ale, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

From Monday 1st June Soul Food Kitchen have launched their very own Meat Free Monday. 

 Across both Soul Food Project sites The Church in the Jewellery Quarter and Peel and Stone there will be special offers on a selection of our Vegetarian and Vegan food offerings!

At The Church they’re offering 50% off all vegetarian and vegan main meals (excluding the Shia NoBeouf)

At Peel and Stone bakery you will get a free selected cake with any selected vegetarian or vegan sandwich. 

The bakery will also put emphasis on using less meat on a Monday in general too.

Showcasing how great food is without relying on the meat!

For details keep an eye on both Twitter and facebook accounts and websites. 

I’m sure to making a journey down to them soon to check them out. 

  
Blueberry & Goats Cheese Salad available at The Church.

Photography by Jack Adams.

http://www.churchjq.co.uk/

http://www.peelandstone.co.uk/

https://mobile.twitter.com/churchjq

https://mobile.twitter.com/peelandstone

For details on Meat Free Monday see below: 

https://mobile.twitter.com/meatfreemonday

http://www.meatfreemondays.com/recipes/

The Church, 22 Great Hampton Street, JQ, Birmingham, B18 6AQ. 

Peel and Stone, 33 Water Street, Birmingham B3 1HL. 

Spring is here, long live Spring: The Spring Market @ The Bond, Digbeth, Birmingham 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, Cake, Catering, Cocktails, Craft beer, Digbeth, Events, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, pizza, Real ale, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  This Saturday 18th April, The Bond in Fazeley Street Digbeth will be home to a fun packed Spring Seasonal market. 

Jam packed with Street Food, DJ’s, music,  artisan food producers, local arts and artists, a cocktail caravan and the Routemaster bus bar there will be more going on than any one person can manage without the aid of good grub and top drinks. 

Street traders already confirmed include a few Digbeth Dining Club regulars. It should be a feast and yes even for vegetarians, and vegans there is enough food to fill us up for a coue of days at least. 

On the podium are:

Award winning Top veggie dogs, Fresh Rootz, bringing there veggie, vegan world street food (Pakoras anyone)  

 from their converted caravan. British root vegetables turned into contemporary world fusion dishes, inspired by travelling and yes the sunshine. 

Also good for veggies are Delize Italiane, arancini balls, and tiramisu, (not at the same time mind) 

Buddha Belly- Thai heaven with plenty of veggie and vegan options. 

Fire and Slice: pizza including both veggie and vegan. 

Pietanic: pies and pies, including veggie. Try Sweet Potato, Goats cheese and Spinach. 

Cake Doctor: cakes by the cake load and yes good for your health, a doctor no less, gluten free and vegan cakes too. 

Bournville Waffle Company: waffles of loveliness. 

Plus original patty men, Gamekeeper, and Hungry Toad. 

Regulars on the street food scene in Brum. 

I’m sure there is more, so I will add when I’ve found them or they’ve told me they are veggie friendly. 

Artisan Food producers will include Pips Hot Sauce. 

For a standard entry of £1.50, children go free. 

Plus if you are Independent Birmingham card holders you get 50p off entry. 

So that’s a whole solid £1 entry. 

The Bond is on Fazeley Street off Heath Mill Lane near the Custard Factory. 

Be there or be stuck…well in Winter. 

   

      Marino Adrift, above creates beautiful and unique alternatives to the standard house plant, will have a stall at the Spring Market. @marimoadrift

The Cake Doctor (below) 

      

The Bond 180 Fazeley Street, Digbeth, B5 5SE. 

Seasonalmarkets.co.uk

@seasonalmarkets

Facebook: birminghamspringmarket

Freshrootz.co.uk

Fresh Rootz, also have a cafe at Ryton Organic Gardens near Coventry open from Wednesday- Sunday serving veggie and vegan food. 

 

#CoffeeTime: Cherry Reds-Kings Heath &Birmingham City Centre

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, Cocktails, Coffee, Coffee Time, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Japanese food, Kings Heath, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie by

Cherry Reds have two independent cafe bars in Birmingham. One in Kings Heath near my house on York Road just off the high street and one in Birmingham City Centre on John Bright Street near New Street Station and opposite Brew Dog craft beer bar.

Both branches are intimate and quirky, with friendly staff, good alternative music and lots of charm. Try vintage furniture, comfy sofas, mismatched of course, vintage signage and a keen and developing craft beer range at the bar.

Cherry Reds are fantastic for vegetarians and vegans, they do gluten free cakes and all their food is made on the premises. From breakfasts, both veggie and vegan. Veg sausage sandwiches, Halloumi and mushroom sandwiches, jackets, salads, falafel burgers, and a falafel, Halloumi, and roast veg burger that I haven’t yet tried Cherry Reds has a bounty of veggie snacks and bites. They do pop ups, both Pika Pika (Japanese) on the second Monday of the month in Kings Heath and Taco Tuesday’s (soon to be relaunched) are fantastic nights, and great for veggies.

In the last few weeks I’ve been to both for coffee. I’ve eaten in Cherry Reds in Kings Heath before, both for Pika Pika Pop up (back in February) and Taco Tuesday, as well as lunch with Ruth.

During the course of the day in Kings Heath as on John Bright Street, Cherry Reds caters for differing food needs from all day breakfasts to burgers and craft beer.

The Kings Heath cafe bar is smaller, more homely, more intimate. This can be good and bad depending on how busy the bar is. Tables are rarer to find at busy times, but in the day it’s quieter especially in the afternoon after lunch the time that I enjoyed a Flat White and lovely chocolate brownie.

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The Flat white was well made, creamy and very enjoyable, but the brownie which I’ve eaten before is gorgeous, soft, rich, home made. A lovely chocolate flavour and a lovely balance to the flat white coffee and chocolate. Can’t go wrong.

I’ve also eaten lunch at Cherry Reds on York Road and shared a lovely and generous vegetarian sharer platter with falafel, olives, Humous, salsa, red pepper, and Halloumi, crudités, bread and delicious home made chips.

I recommend this dish for a lovely relaxing lunch or evening out with a couple of craft beers, ideal for sharing in a very chilled cafe bar.

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The Cherry Reds on John Bright Street is the larger and younger brother of the Kings Heath cafe bar. Set over two floors it sits on the corner proud and welcoming.

Exposed brickwork, mismatched vintage furniture, the themes and tones are the same but it’s less intimate, more spacious with more tables and room for an evening food and drinks fest. It has the same menu,

I enjoyed a delicious cappuccino creamy, warming, with chocolate on the top, no cake on this occasion but I do recommend their cupcakes. Veggie and vegan friendly. A delight.

Every last Monday of the month John Bright Street house a different food pop up, sometimes street food.

Delize Italian gave just completed a night with good veggie options and hopefully will do more in the future.

Both Cherry Reds do cocktails, again recommended, and wine. Look out on their website for cocktail nights, blues nights and food pop ups.

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Cherry Reds are independent and their aim is to provide great food and drink in a relaxed and cosy space. The atmosphere is laid back, snug, with friendly genuine service.

From 4-7pm Cherry Reds offer 2 4 1 cocktails every day, draught Beers, ciders, lagers, all very eclectic, all in a laid back way. Both are popular for different reasons, my local Kings Heath cafe bar almost feels like my long lost back room.

Cherry Reds also offer Independent Birmingham Membership card holders a free pint of ale, lager, cider or draught soft drink with every main meal ordered. (Including burgers and breakfasts)

Try them, they are brilliant for vegetarians and vegans, some of the best range of food in Birmingham.

All food and drink consumed at Cherry Reds has been paid for by me, enjoyed by me and thus my opinions are honest, and by me as always.

Cherry Reds
16 York Road,
Kings Heath,
Birmingham,
B14 7RZ

0121 441 3155

Facebook: CherryReds

Twitter: @Ilovecherryreds

Cherry Reds cafe bar
92 John Bright Street
Birmingham,
01216435716

Thanks for reading

@andydhare

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Vegetarian sharing platter and Pika Pika Pop up.

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#TastyChristmasmorsal: Bistro 1847 Veggie Christmas menu

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Independent, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

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Bistro 1847 in Birmingham City Centre last week launched its modern vegetarian Christmas menu.

They have a two course and three course menu available from Monday to Friday over lunch and dinner, plus Saturday all day and Sunday lunch.

There is also a six course taster menu available. Contact the bistro for the menu.

The menu includes vegan options too.

To make a booking call Birmingham on 0121 236 2313.

Or email them at Christmas@bistro1847.co.uk

Booking is advised.

For the menu see

Click to access ChristmasPDF.pdf

Or at http://www.bistro1847.com under Christmas

Please note the menus may differ to the ones on the website.

Menus: 2 courses £18
3 courses £24

And a tasting menu is £40 for six courses plus coffee and petit fours.

Bistro 1847 are also running a cocktail masterclass for £29.00 for 2 courses and £36.00 for three courses including 2 cocktails which you will be shown how to make yourself.

For my review see below:

Bistro 1847
26 Great Western Arcade
Colmore Row
B2 5HU

http://www.By1847.com

@by1847

0121 236 2313

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Review:

A visit to Bistro 1847 whatever the time of year is a joyous experience of perfect harmonies and sweet choral voices, but at Christmas it’s like a sweet Christmas carol that evokes the season and makes you swoon and smile.

As always with Bistro 1847 the dishes are innovative, quirky and a pleasure to the eye. The service on the night Ruth and I visited was spot on, attentive and friendly with an enthusiasm for the seasonal menu and knowledge of the excellent cocktails which we enjoyed.

Ruth and I chose off the Christmas mini a la carte-grazing menu.

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To begin we ate:

Lemon-grass, chili, coconut, parsnip, potato crackling, wild mushroom, (2nd photo)

Ruth really enjoyed the complex flavours and the combination of textures on this dish.

I ate the

Wild herb sauce, wild sea cabbage, Brussel sprout, potato crackling and ‘parmesan’ dumpling: (1st photo)

I have to say an outstanding dish, you either love or loath sprouts, but even the most hardened sprout hater would love the textures and slightly crunchy cabbage and bitter sprout flavours of this dish which was a real twist on the Christmas tradition. Lovely.

To follow we both chose the same dish:

Spiced squash and nut praline filo, real ale gravy, seasonal vegetables.

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Probably the most traditional Christmas dish on the menu. Deliberately chosen for this reason. It ticked all the boxes for us, a real warming, filling comfort food dish, with lovely notes of squash and real ale gravy. The filo was delicious, firm, but soft, beautifully presented, a real winner.

For desert Ruth chose and enjoyed the Christmassy toffee flavours of the Sticky toffee, chestnut, smoked ice cream

I chose the sorrel, white chocolate, Apple, Douglasfir.

Very Bistro 1847, a lovely combination of flavours with the white chocolate running through the dish, really nice.

We finished off with two coffee liqueurs, which were a coffee hit, almost espresso like, lovely.

The Christmas mini a la carte menu is a lovely festive menu. Innovative, thoughtful with a delicate leaning to the season, tradition and most definately jolly and different.

On the night the Bistro was full, which was lovely to see and why we booked and wished to visit on a Friday night.

For a different Christmas type experience with good veggie and vegan dishes Bistro 1847 is a restaurant worth checking out.

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Our two meals and cocktails were kindly complimentary, we also purchased ourselves two glasses of organic wine and a side of fresh bread. All opinions expressed are my own and honest as always. A favourable review was not required.

I would like to personally thank all the staff at Bistro 1847, chef Alex, and Damien for all their kind support of my blog this year.

Thanks guys and have a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Here’s to the New Year’s dishes. 😊 and further visits in 2015.

Thanks for reading

Andy 🙂

MAC FOOD MARKET: 10-30-3.30pm SUNDAY 26TH OCTOBER

Posted in Edgbaston, Events, Food, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Moseley, Street Food, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Indulge your culinary desires at The MAC, Edgbaston, Birmingham this Sunday 26th October 2014.

The MAC in Cannon Hill Park, is an excellent place to visit in the Autumn. The park lovely to stoll around, kicking leaves, feeding the ducks…

The food market is a monthly event (last Sunday of the month except in December) and features a host of local artisan producers, artisan bakers, and specialist food producers and street food vendors.

There will be loads for veggies to enjoy such as:

Kneals: Handmade chocolates
Hibiscus Grove: Authentic southeast Asian food
Hintons pies: including vegetarian pies.
Kuskus Foods: Middle Eastern Veggie and vegan food (see previous post)
The Vegan Grindhouse: 100% plant based vegan burgers and hot dogs, chillis and mobile with their new van 🙂

Buddha Belly: Home made Thai Street food
Vegetropolis: Local seasonal, organic, vegetables and fruit, plus bread, eggs and honey.

For a full list of vendors/stalls take a look at

http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/food-market

The MAC Food Market takes place on the last Sunday of the month apart from in December when it is on the 21st.

Dates are: 26th October 2014
30th November 2014
21st December 2014

keep and eye on the MAC website for vendors, as month by month they can change.

http://www.macbirmingham.co.uk

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VEGGIEFOODIE GUIDE TO: CURRY RESTAURANTS

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Curry restaurants, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Moseley, Pop up's, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie Foodie Guide to by

Today I’m introducing a new guide to my blog Veggie Foodie. This will be an occasional listing and musings on a different foodie topic. The list and guide isn’t a definitive but some of my favourites and recommendations to look out for.

To kick off, I’ve decided to look at Curry Restaurants in Birmingham, with a few from outside the area that i’ve come accross or visited.

Curry in its various guises is for many vegetarians and vegans their go to food. It is for me and often the first meal I have when I come back from a holiday abroad for instance.

For vegetarians, it seems it is the cuisine that we have the most options on the menu.

There are a number of pure vegetarian curry restaurants, sweet shops, and cafe’s in Birmingham

Deepalis: An Indian vegetarian restaurant in the Jewellery Quarter which is smart and offers a good range of dishes. Comes well recommended.

16 Hall Street, Jewellery Quarter, B18 6BS

0121 265 4726

http://www.deepalisrestaurant.co.uk

They also have a smaller cafe in Sparkbrook:

1A Alfred Road, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, B11 4PB

Sangam A vegetearian Cafe/sweet centre. Authentic curries, samosas, Pakoras, bhajis, to eat in and take away. Highly recommended.

334 Soho Road, Handsworth B21 9NA

Milan Sweet Centre: Vegetarian sweet centre, cafe and resturant. Good choices and always busy.

191 Stoney Lane, Sparkbrook, Birmingham B12 8HB. 0121 449 1617

Jyoti restaurant together with sweet centre is one of my favourites, offering 72 main courses and 15 starters, with an autthentic sweet centre to take away or eat in. Highly recommended. A favourite of Jamie Oliver. A personal favourite.

1045 Stratford Road, Hall Green, B28 8AS.

0121 778 5501. Booking can be made online at http://www.jyotis.co.uk

Pop Up Dosa: Making vegetarian dosa at home, at markets, at cafe. Offering cooking classes, and pop ups. See them at Ort Cafe in Moseley/Balsall Heath. See previous review on my blog. Superb.

@popupdosa

http://www.popupdosablogspot.co.uk

My favourite curry restaurants that are superb for veggies are:

Lasan Restaurant: Contemporary, stylish and delicious, high end curry that packs a punch in lovely classy surroundings near St Pauls Square. A treat at any time. See previous review.

Lasan, 3-4 Dakota Buildings, James Street, St Pauls Square, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1SO 0121 212 3664

http://www.lasan.co.uk

Pushkar Restaurant: beautiful Cocktails, great curries, superb service on Broad Street. Highly recommended for that touch of class and sophistication.

Pushkar, 245 Broad street, Birmingham b1 2HQ

http://www.pushkardining.com

0121 643 7978

Ashas delicious curries, good veggie choices, consistent service, good lunch time deal and cocktails. Lovely restaurant, in central Birmingham off Colmore Row.

Ashas Restaurant: Edmund House, 12-22 Newhall Street B3 3LX

http://www.ashasrestaurant.com

0121 200-2767

Itihaas restaurant Exquisite, Indian food, lovely colonial style environment with superb attentive service. Excellent vegetarian options. Recommended.

Itihaas also have a cafe in Selfridges Food Hall. Eat in or take away.

18 Fleet Street, Birmingham, B3 1JL

0121 212-3383.

http://www.itihaas.co.uk

Also to be recommended are:

Punjabi Rasoi:Authentic Cooking and attentive service in Acocks Green Birmingham.

Kababish: Long standing curry house in Moseley, excellent curries, consistent with good service. Next to the Patrick Kavanagh pub. Recommended.

Maharaja: Long standing and consistent. Old style service, and authentic curries. The saag paneer is superb. Next door to the Hippodrome on Hurst Street.

Raja Monkey cafe superb dosas, talis and curries. A lovely take away too. Owned by the Lasan Group.

Also on my radar are:

EastZEast new curry restaurant on Broad Street. Had good and tasty reviews. Good veggie options. ‘The home of Punjabi cooking’

Horseshoe: Refurbished old pub in Hall Green. Recommended by Paul Fulford of the Birmingham Mail.

Sylhet Spice on York Road, Kings Heath. Has a good reputation locally and also does takeaways. Always busy. Loyal regulars.

Imlees in Moseley, on the Alcester Road also has a good reputation and a bring your own bottle policy. Always busy.

Al Frash: On LadyPool Road, perenial favourite, balti dishes and bring your own.

Delhi 6: Sutton Coldfield favourite: Good reviews and recommendations. Good veggie options.

Street Food:

Becky’s Bhajis: Onion bhajis sold at food markets and street food days. Vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Outside Birmingham:

Mendhi Vegetarian Indian Restaurant in Droitwich Worcestershire. Comes recomended. Pure vegetarian curries.

Prashad vegetarian restaurant near Bradford Yorkshire: Gordon Ramsey favourite With a Superb cookbook. Always popular and run the Veggie hour on Twitter once a month.
One to visit.

Also in Yorkshire, North to be precise and Leeds to be exact, is an Indian vegetarian restaurant called Hansa. Which is Gujarati and run by all women. I have heard good reports. They have won
Cobra good curry awards, and also have a vegetarian Indian cook book like Prashad.

Bernares Berkeley Square London: A superb Indian Restaurant. High end and Michelin Starred. One of the best curries i’ve ever had in glam Mafair.

As I’ve said it isn’t a definitive list and I will add to it as I go along.

If anybody has any favourites that serve good veggie dishes please let me know either in the comment box below or via twitter @andydhare

Thanks for reading.

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Lasan Restaurant

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Pushkar Restaurant

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Pop up Dosa

BISTRO 1847: VEGGIE GRAZING, SHARING AND EXPLORING AND PICKING FLOWERS

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Food, Independent, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

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Bistro 1847 is a vegetarian restaurant in the Great Western Arcade in Birmingham City Centre near Snow Hill Station.

It is just over a year since it opened its doors in Birmingham after the success of its Manchester bistro. In that time it has taken vegetarian dining to a whole new level in Birmingham. A success with veggies and non veggies alike.

Bistro1847 is named after the year the Vegetarian Society was formed. This year it has been the winner of the best vegetarian restaurant outside London at the Cook Vegetarian Awards.

The emphasis is on creating modern innovative dishes using the finest ingredients sourced from local suppliers. With an emphasis on foraging, dishes are complex and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Bistro 1847 also provide a full range of cocktails, spirits, wine and beers.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Bistro 1847 Development chef Alex Claridge to visit with him the
Edible Eastside garden and urban allotment on Fazeley Street Digbeth. As a keen gardener this was very exciting for me.

Edible Eastside is where some of the most delicate ingredients that are found on the plate in Bistro 1847 are grown. The flowers, herbs and some of the vegetables come from this beautifully tranquil spot in Birmingham by the canal. This is the place that inspires the food that Alex creates.

The passion show by Alex to the delicate ingredients and to the food that he has created for the restaurant gave me a unique feeling for the dishes I had eaten just three days before.
See pictures to follow.

Alex works tirelessly on new food concepts, flavours and ways to improve dishes even further. It is a lovely partnership between Edible Eastside and Bistro 1847 that works because both the growers and Alex are committed to the best quality and the product. I was lucky to be able to pick my own flowered and herbs and try them in the allotment myself, a real joy in the Birmingham sunshine. Thanks Alex.

The ‘Grazing, Sharing and Exploring’ menu is is a modern approach to dining, allowing you to sample a number of smaller, mezze style plates that are perfect for sharing.

This is the menu Ruth and I chose to sample invited by Bistro 1847.

The dishes we enjoyed in no particular order were:

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Tarragon polenta crisp, pickled wild mushroom, goats’ curd, baby aubergine, tahini and petals

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Crispy potato & old Winchester dumpling, herbed sauce, toffee apple, mead reduction, caramelised celery & foraged herbs.

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Pickled candy beet, spiced honey, & smoked yogurt, salt baked beetroot, rose hip, beet falafel.

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Heritage tomato, & preserved lemon, pearl barley, Yorkshire fettle.

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Beer-battered Halloumi, seashore herbs, mushy pea emulsion, smoked lemon curd, gin pickled shallots.

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Garden Pea mousse, black sesame crisps, broad bean, Yorkshire fettle.

All of the dishes are were excellent, but our favourites were the Pickled candy beet, the Tarragon polenta crisp, the heritage tomato and the crispy potato dishes.

We also sampled two deserts and a chefs pre desert.

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Chefs pre desert

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Peanut brittle, slow-roast pineapple, Hoxton gin snow, white chocolate creme fraiche.

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‘Allotment Aero’

The chefs desert and the Allotment aero were especially good and demonstrated the use of flowers perfectly.

The textures and flavours on each dish were varied and showed a great deal of understanding of the ingredients, and the importance of good sourcing.

The dishes are quirky, adventurous and make you smile and in done cases such as the aero desert reflect childhood memories. The execution of each dish was spot on.

The new menus show a highly innovative and creative touch. The food is more intricate, more advanced in thought and artistic construction than before, its a quiet joy.

Bistro 1847 is a must for veggies, vegans and non veggies alike. It’s changed the way vegetarian food is perceived in Birmingham.

Seasonal, fun, foraged and quirky.

Bistro 1847 Birmingham
26 Great Western Arcade
B2 5 HU

http://www.bistro1847 (for menus)

tasting menu available. See my previous post for more details.

@Bistro1847

Facebook/ Bistro-1847-Birmingham

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Has anybody been to Bistro 1847 and tried their new menu? What did you think.

Let me know on the comments page below or via twitter @andydhare or Facebook at Andy Hare or Veggie Foodie.

Disclaimer: we were invited as guests of Bistro 1847 and thus our meal and drinks were complimentary. No review was required. All my opinions are my own and honest as always.

Thanks for reading

Andy 🙂

Edible Eastside

122 Fazeley Street,
Digbeth
Birmingham
B5 5RS

http://www.edibleeastside.net

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Edible Eastside Digbeth Birmingham