Tag Archives: vegetarian

The Ethical Chef and The Green Gathering Festival 2014

Posted in Events, Festivals, Food Festivals, Pop up's, Supper Clubs, Wales by

I encountered The Ethical Chef only a few weeks via Twitter and then through his superb website http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk

The Ethical Chef was created in 2010 by Deri Reed. A chef specialising in vegetarian cuisine and one extremely passionate about food, health and the environment.

Born in Carmarthen near Cardiff, Deri Specialises in organic veggie cuisine, he is the ‘chef du jour’ and creates ingenious Welsh recipes from the ingredients on his doorstep in Cardiff. He was trained at Veggie restaurant Cafe Paradiso in Cork, Ireland, and offers a Supper Club for £17.50 for three courses which is available at select venues throughout the year in Cardiff and at Festivals and featured at Cradiff’s street food festival and Abergavenny food festival.

He can also be booked for weddings, events, food festivals and can be seen at Cardiff’s riverside market Sundays 10-2pm.

The Ethical Chef use compostable and biogradable packaging and plant starch cutlery which minimalises our impact on the environment. Deri sees the reduction of food waste as imperitive to a balanced environment and vegetarianism is key to this.

For his recipes and supper clubs he uses seasonal, organic and local where possible ingredients to create sumptious vegetarian and vegan food.

The Ethical Chef appeared at Glastonbury 2014 and created dishes such as foraged fruit in an elderflower syrup on yogurt and museli and an organic smoked chilli on a bed of herbed bulgar wheat, Glastonbury chedder and Yeo Valley yogurt with fresh corriander.

These dishes won The Ethical Chef the peoples choice Green Traders of Glastonbury 2014 award, a major achievement via Twitter.

They will be there again next year to cook up a storm.

RECIPES

The best part of The Ethical Chef website in my opinion is the directory of recipes that make up the Vegetarian ethos of Dewi Reed.

These recipes are available on http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/recipes or many of them are available on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEthicalchef

Some of my favourites are

1. Vegan Carrot Cake recipe: http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/recipe/carrotcake-vegan

2. Vegan Courgette Cake: http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/tagged/vegan courgette cake

3. Butter Bean Cassolet: http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/recipe/embassy-cafe-butter-bean-cassolet

4. Glastonbury Chilli: http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/recipe/glastonbury-chilli

There are many others on the website and online.

THE GREEN GATHERING FESTIVAL 2014

The Ethical Chef will be appearing at the forthcoming
Green Gathering Festival from the 31st July-3rd August 2014 in Chepstow, Monmouthshire. Wales.

http://www.greengathering.org.uk

The Green Gathering are a charity that promotes education for sustainability powered by wind-sun-people.

It’s a small festival focusing around all the things that The Ethical Chef stand for. They will be feeding all the hungry people with a supper club throughout the festival. It’s an award winning family friendly festival

For ticketing information and pricing see the website http://www.greengathering.org.uk

For the line up and what’s on see also the website or see twitter for the latest news.

The supper club will be vegetarian and vegan three courses for £17.50.

They will also be serving up CoalTown coffee roasters fair trade organic single origin coffee.

http://www.coaltowncoffee.co.uk

http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/about/why-were-ethical
http://www.ethicalchef.uk/blog
http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk/about

The work of the Ethical Chef is in my opinion to be applauded in our society today. The ethos and attitude, to all things green and to vegetarianism and veganism is singled out in the lovely recipes and awards that Dewi and his team have received.

It would be great to see one of The Ethical Chef’s supperclubs come to The Midlands and maybe Birmingham, well hopefully one day that will happen:)

For further details of the work of The Ethical Chef see the website http://www.ethicalchef.co.uk or twitter @TheEthicalChef

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEthicalChef

http://www.TheEthicalChef.co.uk/recipes
http://www.facebook.com/public/Ethicalchef

http://www.greengathering.org.uk
@greengathering

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Tasty Morsels: New Pop Up’s.

Posted in Catering, Events, Pop up's by

There are a few pop up’s on top of the ones at Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath doing the rounds at the moment. The one’s I like the look of are the ones that give different types of food a chance.

Over the next few weeks sees two such pop up’s.

1. 63 Islands Caribbean are a new caterer cooking dishes influenced by the Spanish, French, Dutch and Indian settlers to the Caribbean. They have a pop up at Cherry Reds on John Bright Street in the city centre near the Alex Theatre and Turtle Bay serving their food on the 28th July from 6.30pm. They do have a veggie and vegan options.

There is:

1 starter a Spicy Pumpkin Soup
1 main a dish called Channa (spiced chick peas) served with coconut, infused rice and peas or flatbread (roti).

Plus a few side orders including plaintain and spicy pickled coleslaw and flatbread (roti) which are all vegan as are the chickpeas.

Contact 0121 643 5716 for details and reservations.
@63_Islands for menus.
@Ilovecherryreds

2. Pika Pika (whom I’ve mentioned as being at The Hare and Hounds Kings Heath foodie nights on the 24th July see previous post) are a Japanese Catering group who specialise in serving Oriental Fusion Cuisine.

Pika Pika have another pop up evening on Wednesday 30th July 2014 at The Ort Cafe in Balsall Heath/Moseley area. They will be providing an authentic Japanese pop up dinner experience which again includes veggie and vegan options on the menu. This takes place on the 30th July from 6-9pm.

Reservations are recommended email josie@ortcafe.co.uk or call 07845 083 322.

wwww.ortcafe.co.uk/pika-pika-pop-up
@wearepikapika
http://www.wearepikapika.tumblr.com

If I have more information at any point on menus for Pika Pika I will update the post.

Pika Pika will also be testing their culinary skills at a pop up at Cherry Reds in Kings Heath on 11th August 2014. I will keep an eye and post the menu in due course.

Finally, Cherry Reds again (busy people :)) have a pop up kitchen in their John Bright Street cafe on the last Monday of the month. This will be a different street food vendor every month. Watch this space for updates and check on their website http://www.cherryreds.com for details.

Plus, every Wednesday Cherry Reds in John Bright Street are offering a bottle of house wine with every purchase from the menu. Sounds a bargain. 🙂

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Tasty Morsels: Le Monde opening Brindley Place

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, Tasty Morsels by

After much talking about and rumours Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill is due to open next week to the public WB 28th July 2014.

Now I hear you ask and shout why are you mentioning a fish bar and grill as a veggie on a veggie food blog. Well, partly because they have excellent vegetarian and vegan options on their menu which is great if you like me know fish loving friends who like to try new places when they open.

Le Monde is located above Cafe Rouge on the corner of Central Square and the Waters Edge at Brindley Place.

Le Monde has been open in Cardiff for thirty years and according to their Cardiff part of the website has 6 starters, 4 Entrees (mains) and many side dishes that a veggie or vegan can enjoy.

Check website http://www.lemonde.co.uk for details or http://www.lemondebirmingham.co.uk for menus.

Starters include:

-Asparagus with hollandaise sauce
-Soup of the Day
-Goats cheese tartlet
-Garlic Mushrooms

Mains include:

-Cassoulet
-Crepe
-Gnocchi au gratin
-Nut Roast

Le Monde will cater for 150 covers, it will have a bar area and private area for events.

Twitter @lemondeBP

Digbeth Dining Club at Spotlight July 2014.

Posted in Coffee, Independent, Street Food by

As the Summer evenings stretch on and on and July is surely going to bring fab weather, then if you are at a loose end on a Friday evening from 5.30pm then consider a visit to the Digbeth Dining Club in Digbeth near Birmingham City Centre. For the best in the regions Street Food look no further.

Winner of the Best Street Food event in the UK in 2013 at the British Street Food awards and The Design My Night award for the Best Experience in 2014.

July brings with it a brand new menu. The dates are 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th.

Digbeth Dining Club started in 2012, providing food and entertainment where creativity and food meet. With the aim to strip back the frills and expense of restaurant eating by providing a platform for ‘Street food’ artisans to concentrate on the quality and flavour of the dishes, prefering to let the food do the talking.

With the introduction of locally sourced ‘Street Food’ and a trendy artistic hub Digbeth Dining club provided a place for for the finest artisans to produce incredible food in front of customers at affordable prices. Food is cooked fresh in front of customers as theatre using innovative techniques.

The food and vendors on offer varies from week to week, that’s the joy of The Digbeth Dining Club.

For veggies and vegans there are many options:

To name a few.

The Vegan Grindhouse-gourmet street food, vegan burgers & hot dogs.
Buddha Belly- Thai Street food
Jabberwocky Foods- Gourmet toasties
The Mexican Bean- Mexican street food, burritios, nachos, Guacamole.
Canoodle- Pan Asian Street Food.
Habanero cafe- Mexican street food
Bournville Waffle club- Traditional Belgian waffles

All have twitter accounts and some websites.

For meat eating friends the choice is superb too.

Check out the website and facebook and twitter for details of who will be ‘performing’ on each friday.

It is a well held belief that some of the best food cooked in Birmingham is available on the streets. The succes of Brum Yum Yum in Kings Heath and now the City Centre (see previous blog entries) demonstrates this.

The dishes on offer will range from £5 upwards.

The aim of The Digbeth Dining Club is to bridge a gap between post work drinking and night time revelry in a unique atmosphere.

As well as a feast of food delights, there will be beer, cocktails and the like on offer. Also The Bean Stall will be on hand for roasted coffee.

The Digbeth Dining Club, for the food and the atmosphere and if we are lucky that lovely Summer evening sunshine.

Whatever the weather it is well worth the walk or ride to Digbeth.

Digbeth Dining Club

Unit 2

Lower Trinity Street

Digbeth

B9 4AG

@digbethdiner

http://www.digbethdiningclub.co.uk

Moseley Mini Vegan Fair 5th July 10.30-4pm Moseley Village @ the Moseley festival.

Posted in Uncategorised by

This Saturday the 5th July 2014 from 10.30am-4pm to coincide with the Moseley Festival there will be a mini vegan fair in Moseley Village. Free Entry. All Welcome.

This will be held at St Columba United Reformed Church which is on the corner of Chantry Road and Alcester Road B13 8DD.

This is aimed at meat reducers, veggies, vegans, and the vegan curious or anyone who wants to seek out ethically minded people and products, food, recipes and contacts.

West Midlands Vegan Fest organise a variety of events to promote veganism in the West Midlands, including free food fairs and the annual West Midlands Vegan Festival in Wolverhampton.

For a full list of vendors and stalls see their facebook page and twitter.

The mini vegan fair is to be held as part of the bigger Moseley Festival which is running from the 4th July-13th July.

This is an annual community festival with local arts, music and culture with a lively atmosphere.

See http://www.moseleyfestival.org.uk for full details of events and participents.

or Twitter @moseleyfestival

http://www.westmidlandsveganfestival.org.uk

@WMVeganFestival

 

The Victoria: A seriously superb pub

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants, Independent by

For a spontaneous ‘let’s eat out’ moment, nothing is better than a good old pub- one that does good food- one that does good drink!

In Birmingham we are lucky we have a few. One that I hadn’t eaten at though is The Victoria on John Bright Street in the city centre near the Alexandra theatre. Now John Bright street is becoming a cool place. Not only does The Victoria sit comfortably there, but new Caribbean restaurant and bar Turtle Bay, Brew Dog craft beer bar, and Cherry Reds also line up in harmony on an up and coming street. A feast of good food and good drinks.

The Victoria is a theatre pub, dating back to the end of the 19 Century. It has plenty of character and according to its website its own ghost.

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Well let’s just say there are no ghosts In their food or drink when we visited on a mid week evening.

The Victoria offers quality hand picked wines, cask ales and some superb sounding cocktails. It is listed on Birmingham’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) website and for a real ale fan like myself it’s a superb place to try out new cask beers. The ‘Sleepless’ ale that I tried along with their Otley ale were superb. Both different but both superb for drinking alone or in my case with food. Both hoppy, both with a superb character. Ruth chose a couple of glasses of excellent Chenin Blanc which she enjoyed.

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The food at The Victoria has recently been taken over by Vicky’s Kitchen, with a range of authentic gourmet sourdough based pizzas (2 vegetarian options) burgers (1 option) and salads and numerous bar snacks.

The food is made fresh in house with a quality rarely seen in pubs I find. After all it’s all in the ingredients and fine dining doesn’t just mean white table cloths and linen. Vicky’s Kitchen at The Victoria certainly executes food well and it’s hearty and generous in portion size too. Good hearty pub food. Perfect!

I ordered a burger called ‘Animal Friendly’ which was a salted courgette and beetroot, carrot, toasted almonds, mixed herbs, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo with sweet potato fries and a side of onion rings to share with Ruth.

The veggie burger was superb, served in a brioche bun, with fennel coleslaw. The flavours of the beetroot and courgette complimented each other well and gave a lovely contrasting flavour with the beautiful mayo and fennel coleslaw, which was lovely spread in the bun on the lettuce. It was one of the best burgers I have had anywhere, made more delicious by the brioche bun which was firm and fresh and didn’t fall apart and held the burger to the end. Bonus! The fries were crispy and tasted subtly of sweet potato they were ok. The onion rings were delicious, a good idea to order them as a side. They are handmade, crispy and soul foodie.

It was the burgers though we had come to taste, so the pizza will have to wait for another day:).

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At The Victoria you can’t fail to be seduced and impressed by the Victorian decor. It’s colourful and arty, with a quirky feel. It’s traditional in feel, but search deeper then you will find a twist with quirky furniture and art which is very bohemian with a wooden hand designed arty feel.

The bar staff are warm and friendly. They are very knowledgable offering advice and samples of the beer before you buy. I have been told the bar staff make superb cocktails which we will have to try out at another time. See website for details on drinks and menus.

The Victoria may be tucked away slightly, but its a memorable place to wile away a few hours or get a quick lunch. It’s a great independent, very bohemian and friendly with a young and cool crowd, a local to re visit.

With such a good food and drinks menu it would be foolish not to.

Next stop pizza and cocktails 🙂

The Victoria
48 John Bright Street
Birmingham
B1 1BN

0121 633 9439

http://www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk

@thevictoria

http://www.independent-Birmingham.co.uk/the-Victoria/

For entertainment and events at The Victoria see their website for details or Facebook or twitter.

You can get 20% off with the independent Birmingham card from Sunday to Thursday.

The Victoria is part of the Bitters ‘n’ Twisted venues which also include Bodega, Island Bar, the Jekyl and Hyde, and the Rose Villa Tavern.

You can obtain a loyalty card for these venues on the website of the venues. This gives you top deals on food and drinks across the six venues.

http://www.bitterstwisted.co.uk

VANILLA BLACK: A SLICE OF VEGGIE HEAVEN IN LONDON

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants, London, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Vanilla Black In London is the kind of restaurant that gives vegetarian food a good name, no not a bad one, but a good one! It’s an upmarket treat- its a bargain lunch- it’s incredibly enjoyable. Its a Vegetarian Restaurant.

Vanilla Black started life in York. It then moved to East London a few years ago. It is in
Tooks Court– the legal area- it’s smart therefore- but not too smart- it’s sophisticated and relaxed, it has a mellow tone, it’s a charming place for lunch or dinner.

My wife Ruth and I visited for lunch, the restaurant was busy on a Friday. We had been before for my birthday in January, and were in London for the day, so why not do lunch at Vanilla Black too. 🙂

The decor is white and grey, subtle, understated and with a contemporary feel.

The food is creative, beautifully made and presented, and is so very exciting! Vanilla Black appeals to veggies and non veggies alike, on our lunch time visit there were many non veggies enjoying and praising the food and the theatre of the dishes.

Why? Because its exciting, thoughtful, it shows a touch so precise, so intricate, so refined, its just good, so very good.

We settled on the three course lunch menu for £24.50. A bargain we thought! You can have two courses for £19.50 and is a good place for a lunch meeting or lunch break if you work in London.

Having been before we had sampled the style of foraged veggie food before. One of the first heaps if praise is for the fresh bread and butter that appears, beautifully fresh and sets the tone for what’s to follow.

Ruth isn’t vegetarian, but rates Vanilla Black as one of the best restaurants she has ever been to. She loves it. It ticks every box.

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We both chose to begin with the intriguingly named

Brie Ice Cream and blackberries with quinoa and pickled spring onions.

It was stunning, very refreshing, with a subtle Brie flavour running through, gently iced and given that extra fruity kick by the blackberries. The presentation was beautiful, a very summery dish, beautifully crafted.

To follow we chose different dishes.
Ruth chose the Double baked Ribblesdale pudding and smoked croquettes with a poached hens egg and pineapple pickle.

She thought it looked stunning again, with a lovely combination of flavours and textures, the hens egg was beautiful, runny, and with the pudding had the right flavours to heighten the dish. It also looked a work of art.

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I chose the seared seaweed and cabbage with pickled potatoes, soda bread sauce, pickled mustard seeds, and foraged seaside vegetables.

When it arrived at the table it most definitely had the wow factor, a beautiful looking dish. I had never had seaweed seared before and the flavours and textures were spellbinding! The pickled potatoes were superb. The seaweed gave the dish the right textures and the sauce and veg gave it the luxurious topping to make for a perfect dish. As a whole it was again art on a plate.

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For our third course, well after food this refined and enticing it would be rude not to, we both chose the
Smoked paprika fudge, malt loaf and builders ice cream, with crispy pearcr, and smoky pear.ispy It sounded lovely.

It was, it looked beautiful again, a deceptively sweet dish on first taste turned as you took the ice crewman with the fudge into a delicately matched dish that had a lovely combination of flavours with the tea flavour of the ice cream proving to be a real joy. A lovely pudding. All the dishes matched perfectly.

The lunch menu is a superbly thoughtful menu that takes you on a taste journey. It’s such superb value for London.

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The service throughout was superb. It’s informative, friendly, and attentive and never feels rushed or charming. They charm you through the dishes and guide those that are unsure as too the ingredients textures and descriptions.

Vanilla Black is so very satisfying, a restaurant that cares and a restaurant that believes that vegetarians do care about food. The chef understands ingredients and creates combinations that are works if art on a plate. The textures and flavours are memorably challenging, but do so with the charm that makes you happy, that makes you smile and compliment.

Each flavour works singularly and together, each mouthful better than the previous. By the end you get it, the dish and the ethos.

Vanilla Black do clever things with veg, elegant cooking. It’s the colours, the shapes on the plate, the construction of the dish.

Vanilla Black is for veggies, but not for veggies alone. It’s for everyone.

London and the Uk is most certainly a better place for it.

Vanilla Black
17-18 Took’s Court
Near chancery lane tube
London
EC 4a 1LB

020 7242 2622

@vanillablack1
http://www.vanillablack.co.uk

e: info@ vanillablack.co.uk

Lasan Restaurant-teasing the senses-review

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants by

Let’s get this out of the way from the begining 🙂 I think Lasan is one of the best restaurants in Birmingham. I have been there many times over the years since it opened and I think it is one of the best places for vegetarians to eat in and around Birmingham City Centre.

Lasan is located in the Jewellery Quarter area of the city just off St Paul’s Square. It is in a tidy location, one that is smart and discerning, with many good eats and drinks.

Inside Lasan is smart (again), with a contemporary style and old world charm that feels comfortable and spacious, with its ornate mirrors and its F Word trophy 🙂 It feels busy, it feels popular, the food aromas are good, it ‘teases the senses and stirs the soul’. I like it. I really do 🙂

Lasan restaurant has won numerous awards winning Gordon Ramsay’s the F Word a few years ago. Chef Director Aktar Islam has graced our TV screens on the Great British Menu with aplomb cementing his and Lasan’s reputation as a culinary go to destinaion.

My wife Ruth and I were visiting to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary, its a special place for us, one of the first places we went together, its friendly charm and service along with the glorious food makes us feel that its a restaurant deserving of a celebration.

So to the food.

There are many good vegetarian options on the menu. Ruth and I decided to share a vegetarian platter for two which includes a assiette of traditional vegetarian bites, caraway spiced paneer, which is a subtle blend of mild cheese and tasty spices that coated enhances the flavour, spinich and potato tiki, onion and palak pakora,, south indian potato cakes and sweetcorn and onion bhonda, all served with a tamarind and mint sauce. It is superb, the flavours and variations of scents are magnificent. It is without doubt the dish to have for vegetarians for the full flavour of Lasan. For me the Panner is perfect, the best I have had anywhere, and the potato cakes an all round taste sensation.

To follow (Ruth ate non veggie, because she is) 🙂 I ate the sweet potato kofta, a particular favourite. This is sweet potato roundels flavoured with crusted corriander and cumin seeds, rolled in toasted cashew crumbs resting in a rich onion and tomato sauce. This main course is superb. The rich tomato and onion sauce is subtly creamy, its spice resting around the sweet potato with a punch that is not to overpowering but richly compliments the toasted cashews and onions of the kofta. A taste sensation that when accompanied by one of the many side dishes that are all vegetarian makes for a hearty main course with many tempting flavours.

On this occasion I chose the Gobhi Angara, a tandori roasted cauliflower which is coated in a beautifully scented onion masala. A lovely dish, that compliments the silky rich tomato sauce of the kofta perfectly.

There are many good veggie options on the menu.

We ordered two puddings to follow. Ruth ordered the spiced apple macaroon, which was a warm cinamon scented apple macaroon that she said was delicious. A good flavour of spiced apple against a well made macaroon. Superb.

I ordered a the Gajar halver Samosa, which was a sweet carrot and ground pudding with pistachio in a traditional samosa pastry, served with kulfi. It was lovely. The pastry was delicious, not too thick, the cinamon gave it a subtle flavour that proved to be a superb surprise, and a good desert to order if you have the room. Well we were celebrating 🙂

The service throughout was friendly, and as always with Lasan is spot on.

The lasting impression of Lasan Restaurant is one of confidence. A confidence in their dishes, their flavours and their hospitality. Those are all the things to applaud with Lasan, and the feeling you have the diner when you leave is when can I return.

This is a testament to the hard work that goes into making the Lasan experience whole and complete.

One that teases the senses and stirs the soul.

Thanks Lasan for that last line 🙂

Disclosure: we paid for our meal and all the opinions are honest and my own,

Lasan Restaurant

3,4 Dakota Buildings

James Street

St Paul’s Square

Birmingham

B3 1SD

0121 212 3664

http://www.lasan.co.uk

@lasan

@aktarislam

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Great British Menu Finals week. Go Aktar!

Posted in Uncategorised by

If like me you have been following the Great British Menu on BBC 2 in recent weeks, you will know that the finals of the competition for 2014  are starting on Monday 2nd June and continuing all week until Friday 6th June when the banquet will be held.

Birmingham’s own Aktar Islam, Chef Director of acclaimed Lasan Restaurant in Birmingham’s St Paul’s Square area (apt) is competing against 7 other chefs. Only 4 of them will get the honour to go to St Paul’s Cathedral to cook a very special banquet to honour the men and women who gave so much for our country. The banquet itself will be televised on Friday 6th June, the 70th Anniversary of D Day.

I have always loved Aktar’s food and Lasan restaurant is one of the jewels in Birmingham’s fine food scene. As a veggie I have enjoyed some superb food over the years. See my review to come shortly of Lasan Restaurant.

On watching the Central region’s heat I loved and admired Aktar’s desert choice, (always a good section of the programme for veggies) called ‘Victory is Sweet’ which proved sweet for the judges in the heat. Aktar’s take on the queen of puddings featured  a Winston Churchill cigar filled with ganache, plus crumble, meringue, a quinelle of raspberry sorbet and spun sugar crowns. The judges said it was ‘the perfect pudding’ giving it a perfect score of 10 all round, making 40 points of sweet indulgence!. Fantastic!

The competition will be tough as there are some great chefs and competitors on show.

It should be a great week on the Great British Menu (GBM).

I wish Aktar a great week, we are rooting for you. Go Aktar! Go Birmingham!

 

Lasan Restaurant

3,4 Dakota Buildings

James Street

St Paul’s Square

Birmingham

West Midlands

B3 1SD

0121 212 3664

http://www.lasan.co.uk

@lasan

@aktarislam

@gbmofficial

@gbchefs

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com

 

 

Cafe Opus ‘Meat Free Monday’s

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants by

Oh how I love Opus Restaurant in the
Colmore Business District part of Birmingham City Centre. I’ve always felt that this superb restaurant is a vegetarian’s friend. They delight in their ingredients and are serious about sourcing their fruit and vegetables locally. Market fresh, the humble vegetable becomes exalted with the respect and balanced flavours they deserve. How lucky we are!

So, to be invited by Opus Restaurant’s little sister Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery in Brindley Place to sample their ‘Meat Free Monday weekly changing supper menu was a delight myself and my wife couldn’t turn down.

Now that’s an idea I like, no meat on a Monday, even a Tuesday or a Wednesday, well you get my drift! Meat Free Monday’s are a superb idea (see previous posting) to encourage people to reduce their meat intake for one day a week, a Monday no less, a good start to the week!

Cafe Opus in Brindley Place is on the ground floor of the Ikon Gallery and they seem to creatively meet perfectly. The cafe has a south facing terrace which has a heated terrace and is superbly Mediterranean in the sunshine. The cafe features unfussy dishes sourced from high quality producers throughout the British Isles, local farms and local fruit and vegetables.

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The food we are on the night from the Meat Free Monday supper club menu may not be the same every week as the menu changes weekly.

On the evening we began with the Tomato Soup, which was lovely my wife says, tasty fresh, with a quality robust tomato flavour.

I enjoyed to start the onion bhaji with a lovely mint raita, they were lovely, handmade with a good fresh flavour with a cooling raita.

To follow my wife chose a wild mushroom and leek risotto which she found to be lovely, creamy and well made with a real mushroomy flavour that lifted the dish perfectly. Superb she said.

I loved my main course, the spinach, blue cheese, walnut quiche new potatoes and a spring salad. This dish tasted of spring, with a good blue cheese flavour that complimented the spinach. Beneath I was impressed by a lovely buttery short cyst pastry, lovely.

To follow for desert I chose off the specials board a pineapple upside down cake with pouring cream which was well made and finished the meal off well.

Our meal at Cafe Opus was superb. Each dish was well flavoured simple vegetarian food made with good balanced ingredients and showing a care and respect for the source and the environment.

The service was lovely throughout, efficient and friendly and came over as been passionate about the cafe and its food.

The

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We found the decor to be lovely, the cafe is very relaxed and works well particularly with the sun streaming in a light room. The terrace is a bonus for happy days- whether Monday, Tuesday, happy days, Meat Free Monday's have arrived in Birmingham and its a bonus that its at Cafe Opus.

www.opusrestaurant.co.uk
Cafeopus@outlook.com
0121 248 3226

Disclosure: our meal was complimentary all opinions expressed are my honest and own opinion.

Cafe Opus serves an all day menu from Monday to Saturday and brunch on a Sunday.
It also serves coffee, cake, Teas and carafes of wine.

It also serves afternoon tea and has an extensive children's menu.

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