Tag Archives: Veggie Foodie

Your one stop guide to veggie dining

Is Nomad The Wilderness or just the best Vegetarian food experience in Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

What’s in a name? Does it matter what a restaurants called? Nomad was or is (until 7th May when it becomes The Wildernes and reopens on the 25th May) the best Vegetarian food experience in Birmingham. 

Ruth and I’s final experience of its current incarnation came a couple of weeks ago. We’ve enjoyed and got immersed in the food on three occasions, twice in Kings Heath and once in its new Birmingham City Centre location. Their is something immersive, something involving about eating here. You feel you become the ingredients, you can smell the earth, feel the sweat of the producers, sense the innovative ideas that come from the kitchen that lead you on your food journey, that’s your own journey, your own personal experience, a connection to the ingredients. 

Spring is abundant with renewal. Blossoming trees signal newness, freshness and fine ingredients, the dawn of asparagus season, Jerusalem artichokes, rhubarb, radish, celeriac, beetroot, the list is a vegetarians friend, a long lingering hug of the senses, the light at the end of a long winter.  

  

Dishes come thick and fast. Beautifully and sublimely presented  echoing the natural world that nourished the ingredients, and inspires the chefs of which Alex Claridge is turning into a master worker of delicate innovation.

There’s a savoury Apple and Chedder morsel of such delicacy and flavour that leaves the mouth tingling with further anticipation. 

Then the simple Baby Radish, crunchy, light paired with Seaweed Hollandaise becomes a thing of beauty within its own simplicity. Like it had just been picked from the ground with its vivid and perky peppery crispness that when dipped into the hollandaise snuggles with proof that good things come in small packages. 
  Apple and Chedder. 

  Baby Radish, seaweed hollandaise.

  

A 64 Degree Yolk, Asparagus is a dose of sunlight, crisp yet tender asparagus, so fresh it hadn’t been named yet is the perfect foil to the yolk that is a masterclass of well…yolk with a luxurious after taste. 
  

Followed by Beetroot, Apple, quail egg: Where earthy beetroot meets sweeter Apple with the delicate and runny quail egg lapping at the sides. Unusual combinations bump up against one another to create a sunny sunlight of spring. An elegant dish. 

Then a Jerusalem artichoke, vinegar gel, cauliflower is a cauliflower lovers dream, coming with the chunky artichoke with masses of flavour. A sweet surprising marriage, of textural contrasts that worked perfectly. 

  Jerusalem Artichoke, vinegar gel, cauliflower

  

A main course of sorts was the best of all Celeriac Three Ways, Dill, white sprouting broccoli: A complex dish of galactic cooking. The ingredients felt elegant and restrained with nutty slightly cheesy overtones from the celeriac presented beautifully with the unusual white sprouting broccoli. It exudes gentle charm and is a culinary garden of attention to detail. 

Then there were desserts. Buttermilk sponge, fennel, meadowsweet: Nostalgically soothing and full of gentle harmonies of flavour, beautifully comforting. 

Followed by Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, celebrated 3 ways: parfait, meringue and foam. A sharp and light dessert, delicious and full of the love of spring, and in fact food. We chased the last morsel from the plate. (So good I forgot to take a photo).

  Buttermilk Sponge, Fennel, meadowsweet. 

Maybe it’s a sign of even better things to come that Nomad is to be renamed and rebranded as The Widerness. Vegetables are placed at the centre of the dishes, and through the crucible of the imagination a journey of flavours and textures takes place. The cooking is masterful, complex and consistent as dishes flow and twinkle with playful creativity. The food stands up to its own beauty.

Yes Spring is abundant with joys for Vegetarians yet it’s the expectation of the unexpected that makes Nomad a beautifully immersing experience. With added charming and informative service its a game changer and makes you look at Spring ingredients anew.

So whatever the restaurant is called Just try it for its beauty and celebration of vegetables and then when you’ve tried it go again, tell your friends, grow your own and please if the Wilderness is this good, then take me, as I desire to be lost in its immersive culinary garden world. 

    
  

  
    
   

  

Thanks for reading,

Andy 😊

You can find Nomad/The Wilderness on Dudley Street, Birmingham City Centre. (By New Street Station/Grand Central) 

http://foodbynomad.com/

https://m.facebook.com/nomadbirmingham/

https://www.resdiary.com/Restaurant/Nomad

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

We both ate the vegetarian menu. Our food was complimentary, we paid for drinks only on the night. My opinions are honest as always. 

Look out for my future blog post about The Wilderness next month. 

  

Foodies Festival returns to Birmingham from 3-5th June. 

Posted in Food Festivals, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

   

You can get 2-1 tickets by using the code below.   

Foodies Festival the UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink, returns to Birmingham with a lipsmacking feast at Cannon Hill Park from 3-5th June. 

Always a good weekend on the foodie calender, it’s now in its second year in Birmingham after a successful weekend in 2015. With options for Vegetarians and Vegans  and friendly for Families it should be a feast of a 3 days.

There are a number of demonstrations, Cook theatres and food stalls to look at. 

1. Cook– Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre: 

This year’s festival sees Birmingham’s culinary elite and Bake-Off winner Nadiya Hussein cooking live in the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre, 

The full list of chefs showcasing their culinary skills, sharing insight into 2016’s food trends and answering questions from the audience. Chefs taking part include:

– Nadiya Hussain – Great British Bake Off winner, 

– Aktar Islam – Lasan Group & Great British Menu 

– Richard Turner – Turners (Michelin starred)

– Brad Carter – Carters (Michelin starred)

– Nathan Eades – Simpsons (Michelin starred)

– Ryan Swift

– Tony Rodd – MasterChef Finalist 2015

– Andy Waters – Waters Restaurant

– Ben Tennent – Opus Restaurant 

– Katy Beskow – Little Miss Meat Free (vegan and veggie delights) 

– James Wong – Chung Ying

– Nigel Brown – Celebrity Chef

– Dhruv Baker – MasterChef Winner 2010

– Jackie Kearney – The Hungry Gecko and MasterChef Finalist 2011
Discover – Feel Good and Superfoods

Visitors can enjoy a new ‘Feel Good Foods’ theme at Foodies Festival this summer, with healthy living chefs and food writers joining the line-up to cook with superfoods including kefir, lucuma, freekeh, kelp and banana flour, and sirt rich foods such as blueberries, kale, celery, buckwheat, turmeric, chilli and red onion. 
Festival-goers can also discover the advantages of eating ‘Feel Good Foods’ such as cheese (a source of phenylethylamie – the love drug) and dark chocolate and seaweed (both sources of serotonin – the happy drug) as experts promote their nutritional and emotional benefits with energy, happiness and calm boosting recipes available to take home.

2. Indulge– Cake, Bake & Tasting Theatre and Vintage Tea Room

Bake-Off winner Nadiya joins baking extraordinaire Charlotte White and master chocolatier Fiona Sciolti on the Cake & Bake stage, working their baking wizardry to inspire visitors to reach for their whips and spatulas at home and create show-stopping cakes and delicious summer bakes. 

A neighbouring Chocolate, Cake and Bake Village sells freshly baked breads, sponges, tarts, jellies and trifles to enjoy with a bubble tea or fresh juice. 
Afternoon tea can be enjoyed in the beautifully decorated Vintage Tea Room, where teas, handmade cakes and scones with clotted cream and jam are served on china from a tea trolley by vintage styled tea ladies and gentlemen, and vintage music for ambience.

3. Feast- Street Food Avenue

With flavours from all corners of the world available on the Street Food Avenue, hunger will be banished and taste buds tingled with the huge array of cuisines on offer. Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Argentinian, Turkish, Indian, Korean, Mexican, French and African are just some of the flavours to feast on this summer.

There’s a special focus on Brazilian street food (but not great for veggies) this year to celebrate the Olympic host’s cuisine, including traditional Brazilian BBQ and Rio’s favourite dish Feijoada made from black beans, salted pork, trimmings, smoked sausage and jerk beef, which is cooked in a traditional clay pot. Brazil’s national cocktail Caipirinha, a mix of lime, sugar and Cachaça (made from sugarcane juice with an ABV of 48%), and Brazilian coffees will be available. 

4. Shop– Artisan Producers Market

A glittering array of Great Taste Award winners are available to shop and sample from this year, each being hailed as a producer of ‘Exquisite, Outstanding and Simply Delicious’ food and drink – a fantastic opportunity for visitors to meet artisan producers from the local area and across the country, learn their story and stock up on award winning produce. 

With over 120 stalls to peruse at each festival, selling everything from Seaweed Seasoning to Champagne Infused Fudge, visitors will be spoilt for choice for what to eat at the festival and take home to enjoy. 

5. Sip– Drinks Theatre

Expert mixologists and sommeliers, including Neil Phillips and Charles Metcalfe, host champagne and wine masterclasses, and beer connoisseur and writer Melissa Cole is on-hand with craft beer tutorials. 

Visitors can test their taste buds with blindfolded whisky challenges, where they will have to taste and smell to try and identify ingredients and country of origin. These classes are also a great opportunity for novices to learn about whisky and its history.

6. Explore-Childrens Cookery School

The Olympic theme continues into the Childrens Cookery School, where little foodies can decorate their very own gold medal with coloured icing, glitter and edible ribbon. Pizza and cupcake making classes also allow kids to explore their taste buds and learn basic cookery skills to practice at home.

7. Spice it up– Chilli-Eating Challenge

The famous Chilli-Eating Challenge continues in 2016, inviting fans of spice to beat an eye-watering 16 million scoville record set by Shahina Waseem last year. Participants start at the low end of the chilli spectrum by eating bell peppers, but things quickly get a lot hotter with Habanero, Scotch and Carolina Reaper (world’s hottest chilli) chillies being added to the menu. Those still standing are then inflicted to pure chilli extract, increasing in strength, until a winner is crowned.
8. Relax– Live Music and Pop-Up Bars

After a day of feasting and fun, visitors can relax and soak in the atmosphere with live music from the Entertainment Stage and a glass of bubbly or refreshing cocktail from the Giant Pimm’s Teapot or double-decker BarBus.

Tickets are on sale now at http://www.foodiesfestival.com 

or by calling 0844 995 1111

Ticket prices:
Friday adult ticket £10.00/£8.00 concession

Saturday/Sunday adult ticket £14.00/£11.00 concession

Three day adult ticket £20.00/£16.00 concession
VIP day ticket £38.00/£35.00 Friday – includes a welcome glass of bubbly, use of the VIP area with private bar and refreshment, priority entry to food and drink masterclasses, showguide, and goody bag to take home.

Children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.
Open times:

Please visit http://www.foodiesfestival.com/ for opening times.

Sponsors: 

Aga Rangemaster, Wines of Germany, The Mary Berry Collection, Chang Beer, Chaophraya, Cau and Broil King.

Social Media:

Facebook – @foodiesfestival

Twitter – @foodiesfestival

Instagram – @foodiesfestival

About Foodies Festival:

Foodies Festival launched in 2005 with a single event at an Edinburgh hotel after founder Sue Hitchen noticed a gap in the Edinburgh market for a food festival. Over the last 11 years Foodies Festival has expanded across the UK, and in 2015 celebrated its 10th anniversary with 13 festivals (10 summer and 3 winter events). To date Foodies has welcomed over 2.5 million visitors and helped launch hundreds of new businesses and supported thousands of small producers. Founder Sue runs the family business from Edinburgh with her four daughters, husband and team of 10.

You can get 2-1 tickets by using the code below: 

   

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊
   

All tickets to be purchased via The Foodies Festival and not via Veggie Foodie. 

Spring has sprung, Bistro 1847 launches new Spring menu. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Food, Gastro Card, Independent, Lunch deals, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

Birmingham Vegetarian restaurant Bistro 1847 has just launched its new Spring menu. 

Dishes are created around and are inspired by local seasonal ingredients, which means every three months their menus change so the freshest plant-based fare possible can be introduced.  

The newest menu includes dishes that reflect the abundance of produce that’s on offer during Spring in the UK. 

You’ll find starters such as:

Marinated and Chargrilled Aubergine stuffed with Roasted Buckwheat, soya yoghurt, parsley and Sorrel (Vegan) 

and 

Lightly Dusted Goats Cheese with Black Olives, Apples, Celery and Melba Toast.

Mains such as:

Herb Breadcrumb Oyster Mushrooms with Asparagus, Quinoa, and Roasted Garlic Sauce 

and

Aubergine Steak, Seaweed Butter, Kohl Rabi Coleslaw, and Jersey Royal Potatoes. (Vegan)

For Deserts:

1847 Warm Dark Chocolate Brownie, Chilli Brittle, Pistachio Soil and Basil Syrup (Vegan) 

and

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Jelly, Strawberries and Caraway Jam, custard, meringue. 

2 courses are £19.50 and 3 courses are £25.00.

A bargain I feel for the quality of cooking and ingredients. 

For the full menus see link below: 

 http://by1847.com/menus/SummerMenu2016.pdf

Click to access SummerMenuDesserts2016.pdf

Most dishes can be made Vegan or Gluten Free. 

     

    
 The above 5 photos of the new menu courtesy of Bistro 1847 with thanks. 

A Veggie Spring has certainly sprung.

Welcome to Nature. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy😊

For my previous review of the Winter menu see link below:

https://t.co/p2wLZcZfFg

Photos from Winter Menu. 
   

  
Bistro 1847 also do a Sunday Lunch menu for £17.00 for 3 courses, plus a Express Lunch from Monday-Friday, which is a main course and drink for £10.00. 

   

 

The new Spring menus are available in 1847 restaurants in Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton and Bristol. 

Restaurant Review: #VeggieMonth, Met Bar & Kitchen, Solihull. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Cocktails, Independent, Solihull, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

 

How refreshing is it to find an independent restaurant and bar in Solihull town centre. Amongst the same again chains and cheap and cheerful Broad Street like drink offers sits the Met Bar & Kitchen.

The Met Bar & Kitchen is located in the centre of Solihull close to Mell Square & Touchwood. It’s an independent all day bar and restaurant that offers something different in Solihull Town Centre to the dominant chains that are nearby. 

Inside It has a modern decor with some urban touches, that keeps these thankfully to a minimum and has a cosy and relaxed ambience that has a buzzy touch on the Friday night Ruth and I visited. 

With a well stocked bar of local ales, craft beer, cocktails, bubbly and a good and reasonably priced wine list it appeared a good bet for a relaxed but serious drink on a weekend without the loud music and teeny vibe of other venues locally. 

I was invited to try out the vegetarian dishes at Metro Bar & Kitchen as They had asked me to have input in their Spring menu for Veggie Month. They have introduced some new dishes to their menu and expanded their daily and weekly specials to encourage more customers to try a non meat and fish option as well as attract more vegetarian customers. 

We began in the smart and relaxed bar area with a glass of Prosecco, which is lively but unobtrusive area and we felt was a good place to begin the evening if dining at Met Bar & Kitchen. 

  

Restaurant area.
  

Once seated at the table in a smart booth section of the restaurant we ordered a Couple of cocktails: A Negroni and Margarita. I was impressed with my Negroni, it had a good Campari kick with the complimented vermouth and was an aromatic aperitif of good quality, which would have been even better with less added ice. 

Ruth’s Margarita tasted fine, but disappointed her as as the rubbed salt around the rim of the glass was omitted, could it be classed as a margarita? The flavours were good the tequila, and triple sec gave it a fresh and crisp zingyness. 

  Negroni and Margarita: A nice couple.

Ruth decided she was grazing on meat for the night. Good for her I say as she doesn’t eat it that much at home. 

I chose my starters off the specials menu. It’s with the changing specials that the bulk of the vegetarian dishes find themselves. 

So take my Roast Apple and Parsnip Soup. A soup that was full of good warming flavours, mellow, but zingy, the biggest compliment I could give it was that it reminded me of my Mums version and was a delectable starter of sweet parsnips and tangy apples, creamy and smooth. Lovely.

  Roast Apple and Parsnip Soup.

  

Usually when I find a curry on a menu outside of an Indian restaurant I wouldn’t choose it. Partly because we eat a lot of curries at home and Ruth in particular makes many superb Vegetarian curries. 

So what attracted me to this one? Well partly because it was a Goan Curry from Goa and not often found on general menus, and partly because it has a coconut spiced masala (gravy) base which gives it a unique flavour. I love coconut in curries or stews. 

  

With its gentle spices it was a very flavoursome curry, a lovely glowing but light colour, gave it an attractive depth. Spicy rather than hot, with a nice chilli hit, the curry may have benefited from steamed or basmati rice as an option as the Naan was only ok, and a bit soggy underneath. 

A lovely veggie option that wasn’t oily or fatty, but tasted healthy, comforting and light with the addition of some nice tender squash (always a winner) with the subtle hint of coconut. A taste of coastal scents and sunshine.

  Butternut Squash, Goan Curry. 

  Naan.

The desert menu at Met Bar & Kitchen has some good options so proved to be quite a lengthy process to decide what to choose.

Eventually, I chose the Steamed Orange & Poppy Seed Sponge, Clementine syrup, mascarpone ice cream. The sponge, light, airy, though could have done with more clementine intensity for me, to give it an added luxurious lift, though it did provide a lightly scented aroma, which was nice. The Mascarpone ice cream offered a smooth and grown up, creamy delight to the pudding. Excellent. 

  Stewed Orange & Poppy seed sponge, clementine syrup, mascarpone ice cream.

  
  

We also enjoyed a double espresso and Hennessy Cognac after our deserts plus two glasses of Argentinian full bodied Malbec with our main courses. 

We were both very impressed with the Met Bar & Kitchen in Solihull. The Vegetarian dishes I ate were comforting, warming and very well made. Both good value with good strong punchy flavours it shows how you can make simple vegetarian dishes attractive and Moreish with a good culinary technique. What the Met Bar are not trying to do is divide diners or confuse them by creating food that is seriously complex, but instead creating classics with a twist that can appeal to non vegetarians too. It’s better to make dishes well than overdo bold dishes badly and they do this well on the whole.

Credit is due to them for wanting to increase their Vegetarian options and I’d like to see this as been the begining of a journey not them reaching their destination in Veggie Month. What though sticks out is that the Met Bar & Kitchen is an excellent All day place to eat in Solihull town centre and been independent deserves praise for having the foresight to improve food and drink options in the area. Don’t go there expecting foraged and rare ingredients like at Nomad in Birmingham, but a place instead that delivers good solid food. 

For Vegetarians who like to eat out in Solihull, its surely long overdue.

  
    
  

 
Met Bar & Kitchen have a happy hour from 12-7  every day with  2 for one cocktails.

Met Bar & Kitchen, 680-684 Warwick Road, Solihull town centre, B91 3DX. 0121-705-9495.

http://www.themetbar.com 

https://m.facebook.com/MetroBarGrillSolihull/

You can find The Met Bar & Kitchen on the Gastro Card: for details and offer. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/restaurants/met-bar-solihull/

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Ruth and I were invited to the Met Bar, our food and prosecco were complimentary. Other drinks were paid for. This doesn’t affect my honest opinion as a fair and honest review was required. 

Kinome Kitchen: new Japanese pop up at The Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, and tasting evening review.

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Japanese, Kings Heath, Pop up's, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

     

Japanese food is something quite rare in Birmingham, but is becoming more popular. For Vegetarians it has plenty of options, Nobu in London (Japanese and former Michelin Starred) a few years ago had a meat free cook book out, and its development into veggie friendly dishes has increased as people have become keen to eat less meat and fish. Traditionally there is a lot of vegetarian food in Japan, much of it from Buddhism. Tofu is an example as is Tempura (fried vegetables or herbaceous plants). 

In January Kinome chef Sachiko Saeki did an evening at Vegetatian The Warehouse Cafe for Guardian newspaper members, which went down well, but good Japanese food is still quite hard to find in our city. 

Things are begining to change though as Kinome Kitchen (aka Sachiko Saeki) is about to launch a Japanese Food culture pop up restaurant at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath. Begining on Saturday 2nd April and then on select dates through to June 30th, it gives an opportunity to try out something different with a chef who has worked in a Japanese Michelin Starred restaurant in Mayfair, London and with Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall where she featured in River Cottage Heroes. 

In 2011 Sachiko’s trip to Koya-San, a Buddhist Temple complex in Japan, led to Shajan Ryari- vegetarian Buddhist Monk Food. It was these experiences that created the ideas for vegetarian dishes and attracted the production team of River Cottage and Hugh Fernley Whitingstall. 

Kinome simply means spring buds. It is also a herb from the Sansho tree with a strong distinctive aroma. The Sansho tree is one of the traditional spice trees in Japan and every single part can be used for cooking in different ways. This use of the whole is typical of Japanese cooking methods.

Kinome Kitchen have a Spring Vegetarian menu for April and May that will be run alongside the meat and fish menu. 

For £40 you can get 7 Courses of vegetarian Japanese food: Shajan-Ryari. 

Shojin Starter-Smoked tofu, homa tofu and Namsu.

Chawan Mushi-Steamed savoury eggpot with gingko nuts and yam.

Tempura-Seasonal vegetable tempura with Maccha Salt.

Sea Vegetable.

Tofu Balls with Kuzu sauce and crispy vegetables.

Box pressed vegetable sushi with miso soup. 

Fruits Yose Kanten. 

£40 per person. 

For full menus including non veggie see below: 

http://www.kinomekitchen.co.uk/#!menu/fcuwz

http://www.kinomekitchen.co.uk/

For bookings contact Kinomejapanesecooking@gmail.com or 07504327840. 

For full dates see the poster below. 

Expect to see Japanese Craft Beers on the menu too.

Be introduced to Japanese Food Culture. 

  
  

Kinome tasting evening launch night review.

 

I recently attended the launch of the Kinome Pop up at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath. Photos below.  
  

The food was informally presented, but constituted three different dishes. The first Vegetarian dish was the Aubergine and Miso Bao. 

Served in a bao or bun (which was home made) the gently fried aubergine had the sweet and earthy flavour of the miso paste which gave it a delicious flavour. Beautiful. This came with Spicy Edamame (Soy beans in a pod) which had a contrasting salty flavour to the soy like miso.

  

This was followed by two Vegetarian skewers which like tempura were fried vegetables and came with a Tonkatsu sauce which is a vegetable and fruit based sauce often served with fried food. Both weed lively and whetted the appetite for more. 
    

The third dish was a desert. The Strawberry Daifuku. 

A traditional Springtime sweet sold by confectioners in Japan. 

A soft, sweet whole strawberry encased by a soft and sweet paste was a match made in heaven. Exquisite.

The desert was Served with Maccha Green Tea (stoneground green tea) which was handmade in front of us, and tasted refreshing and full of lovely warming and healing flavours. 

The tea ceremony centres on the prepetation, serving and drinking of Maccha. 
    
   

Maccha green tea and the tea ceremony. 

The Kinome pop up launch night was a major success and fully booked out. The food was beautifully made, presented and served with pride. The pop up is sure to be a culinary journey of Japanese food and I for one am very happy to return and continue my vegetarian Japanese food Culture journey. 

Kinome Pop up restaurant is at The Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, 17 York Road, B14 7SA.

Opening times: 6.30pm-10.30pm

Last orders 8.30pm.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Dawn breaks/ drizzle of white rain/ on sprouting buds- Sojon Hina.

The spring arrives with the sent of moss, suspended in the drizzle of rain is a sense of anticipation. In the Japanese traditional short poem called Haiku, Konome (the same character but pronounced differently) is the seasonal word for spring time. I see the English spring in there too. 

Sachiko Saeki. 

Cookery School: 

Sushi with Sachiko Saeki at Leith’s School of food and wine, London, 16th April 

Shojin Ryori with Sachiko Saeki at Demuths Cookery School, Bath, 12 June. 

She has also Worked with the Harborne Food school in Birmingham. 

Free food for workers at Amantia…Muchas gracias!

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Lunch, Lunch deals, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

How often do you get offered a free lunch? 

One local Birmingham restaurant looks set to change that this month, with the launch of a new initiative for city centre workers.

Amantia, authentic Spanish restaurant which opened its doors on Bennetts Hill 12 months ago, is launching ‘Free Food Friday’ every third Friday of the month, to offer one team of up to ten Brummie workers a free lunchtime feast.

Aimed at any business operating within reach of its location, the restaurant will provide two tapas dishes per person for the winning team, to either eat in the restaurant or take the dishes away to enjoy at their place of work.

Marta Retenaga, owner of Amantia, said: “Birmingham has given us such a warm welcome in our first year of opening and we wanted to give a little something back. Everyone deserves a treat once in a while and as the third Friday – the week before payday – is often the tightest on our pockets, we thought this would be the ideal time to share a little Spanish spirit.”

With plenty of Vegetarian options on the menu, Veggies are well catered for too, and who can resist the Blue Cheese and Spinach croquetas, probably the best in Birmingham or the Tortilla Patata. 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/#!tapas/ccw7

  
  

The first Free Food Friday will take place on Friday 18th March.

Those who wish to try their luck at winning a free lunch for their team can visit Amantia’s website 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/  

and enter their contact details on the Free Food Friday page.

Winners will be announced via social media and direct contact on the Thursday before to arrange their free meal.

If you love Spanish food you’ll love Amantia. See my review: 

http://t.co/bTPHI9j2RH



  

Croquetas at Amantia. 

 

  
For more information visit Amantia’s website or social media pages: 

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/

@RestAmantia: Twitter.

Amantia-Restaurant: Facebook.

http://www.amantiarestaurant.co.uk/#!freefoodfriday/csab

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

Met Bar & Kitchen, Solihull supports veggie month this month. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Gastro Card, Solihull, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Met Bar and Kitchen in Solihull for my input into their new menu. They wanted to explore with me their vegetarian dishes and ways in which they could improve the scope and variation on the menu in order to launch their new dishes and menu during Veggie Month which falls this month (March). 

I have to be honest and say that i’d never eaten at The Met Bar & Kitchen before though I’d seen them on Twitter and walked past numerous times when in Solihull, but knew for vegetarians the menu was limited and felt more of an add on rather than interesting enough to attract vegetarians into the bar, as well as impress meat eaters to try them out. 

The Met Bar Press Release says: 

‘Solihull’s Met Bar & Kitchen is marking Veggie Month by launching a range of daily changing vegetarian specials which will run throughout March. 

Created by Head Chef Zeke Agrios with ideas and input from Midlands-based vegetarian food blogger Andy Hare, the meat free dishes have been developed to tempt both vegetarians and meat eaters, with fresh seasonal and colourful ingredients expertly combined to make flavoursome and satisfying meals. 

Veggie Month specials include Coconut and Sweetcorn Fritters with spicy avocado, cherry tomato and Corriander salsa: Chargrilled Aubergine, sundried tomato and mozzarella wrap with marina a sauce and pine nut crunch and Ricotta and Spinach filo parcel served with puttanesca sauce. 

Met Bar and Kitchen Owner Alistair Tyson said: “We were conscious that vegetarian dishes are very often put together by meat eating chefs so we invited Andy to come up with some opinions he’d like to see on menus when dining out.

“Andy’s suggestions are a refreshing change and, with some chef development, they sit well alongside our new seasonal menu which will also launch in March. 

Andy Hare said: “A vegetarian meal when dining out can often mean a pasta or mushroom based dish. 

“We have some great vegetarian menus in Midlands restaurants and I’m delighted to add Met Bar and Kitchen to that list. My wife is a meat-eater and I know these are dishes she would order and enjoy too.”

The new menu also includes Butternut Squash, new potato and spinach Goan curry with Corriander Naan bread and Mac’ and cheese with forest mushrooms, spinach, blue cheese crumb and truffle oil. 

 Mac’ and cheese with forest mushrooms, spinach, blue cheese crumb and truffle oil.   Coconut and Sweetcorn Fritters with spicy avocado, cherry tomato and Corriander salsa. 

The dishes that I suggested will also be on the menu as specials, over the course of the month. 

Met Bar & Kitchen also have a Delicious Spiced chick pea and roasted pepper burrito with sour cream. Served with mixed leaves and frites For £6.25 Monday-Saturday to 6pm.  

Animal Aid’s Veggie Month provides an opportunity to emphasis the positive benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle and diet. 
It runs from March 1st-31st. 

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/veggiemonth/index.htm

  
The Met Bar & Kitchen is owned by Solihull Businessman and residents Chris Kelly and Alistair Tyson. They are also proprietors of The White Horse at Balsall Common and are involved in The Sun on The Hill in Birmingham. 

Met Bar & Kitchen, 680 Warwick Road, Solihull (town centre) B91 3DX. 

0121-705 9495. 

http://www.themetbar.co.uk

https://m.facebook.com/MetroBarGrillSolihull/

@mbksolihull 

Thanks to Lucie Ray-Barrett on behalf of Met Bar and Kichen, Solihull for my involvement. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

The Gastro Card: Buy yours at a discount price here. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, Gastro Card, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Recently I’ve teamed up with The Gastro Card to be their Vegetarian blogger/reviewer. You’ll see on my blog a few reviews of their restaurants from time to time that they’ll share with their members, their website and on social media. 

  
Via this blog post I’ve got a Discount Offer on The Gastro Card, so read on to the end of the post. 

I’ve already written a review for Marco’s New York Italian at The Holiday inn, see here: 

https://t.co/AMwyOyzFwL

If like me you like to eat out and feel sometimes that it’s too expensive to do on a regular basis, then maybe just maybe The Gastro Card is for you. 
What is The Gastro Card? 

The Gastro Card is the Midlands leading independent dining card. It provides Gastro Card members with 12 months unlimited access to exclusive dining offers at more than 200+ hand picked restaurants. 

These offers are not available to the general public and the offers range from 10% to 50% off the food bill to a free glass of wine or champagne for each diner to complimentary bottles of wine, 50% off wine when dining A La Carte etc. Gastro Card members can save up to £500 a year if they use their card once a week. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/

Where can I eat? 

The Gastro Card has partner restaurants in Birmingham, Black Country, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Cotswolds, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, Solihull, Rutland, Stratford Upon Avon, Henley in Arden, Worstershire, Coventry, Leamington. 

   Bistro 1847

Henry Wong   Asha’s

Some of my favourites are on the list, including Vegetarian Bistro 1847 in Birmingham where you can get 50% off Monday- Thursday and 25% off on Friday’s and Saturdays.

Plus Henry Wong, Adams, Purnells Bistro, Peels restaurant at Hampton Manor, Ashas, Itihaas, Edmunds, Jyoti’s vegetarian, Kababish-Moseley, Hotel Du Vin, Chung Ying Central, Gas Street Social, Opus, Amantia, And many more. 

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/restaurants/

What’s the deal? 

To buy a Gastro Card it will usually cost you £30 a year. 

For Veggie Foodie readers I have a special code that will get you £5 off a full 12 month card. 

That’s £25 for a full year of restaurant discounts. 

Just click on the link below to take you to the Gastro Card website and put the code VeggieFoodie in the promo code box for a 12 month Gastro Card it will deduct £5 from the total.

http://www.gastrocard.co.uk/buy-the-gastro-card/

Disclosure: The code gives you £5 off the standard price of the Gastro Card . By using the code I make a few pence too at no extra cost to yourselves. 

Enjoy the card and foodie treats.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊
 Marco’s New York Italian at Birmingham Airport.

   Marco’s New York Italian.

  Opus Reataurant 

  Bistro 1847.

   Amantia Restaurant

 Purnells Bistro
   Asha’s 

 Peels Restaurant at Hampton Manor. 

  Met Bar and Kitchen, Solihull.

New menu launched at Cafe Opus At Ikon with Vegetarian options. 

Posted in Afternoon Tea, Birmingham, Brunch, Cafés and Restaurants, Cake, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

Cafe Opus is a lovely light flooded restaurant for a relaxing brunch or lunch. Part of the Opus family, with Well regarded Opus Restaurant and Bar Opus, the cafe sits comfortably and temptingly in the Beautiful building that is the internationally acclaimed contemporary Ikon Gallery, which is surely one of the best places to visit in Birmingham. 

Again like its other siblings, the cafe focuses on local seasonal produce, ethically sourced and informally put together to make a high quality cafe in its own right.

   

Ikon Gallery
  
 

Cafe Opus have now launched a new seasonal menu (See above) that has a number of tempting Vegetarian and Some vegan dishes on it. 

Try Slow Baked Aubergine, rich tomato and Quorn ragu. (Not vegan) 

Penne Pasta tossed in basil pesto, Wilted rocket and sun blushed tomatoes (vegan) see photo below.

Photo courtesy of Cafe Opus/Clive Reeves PR.  

Spaghetti with homemade rich tomato and Quorn bolognaise sauce. (Not vegan) 

Note: for vegans the menu says vegan friendly for a number of dishes, but only certain quorn products are vegan friendly. This after discussion with Opus is under review. 

Plus light bites: 

Buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil pesto salad

Homemade Soup (Vegan soup option available daily).

Goats Cheese, roasted beetroot salad dressed leaves, red onion marmalade. 

Cafe Opus also serve a daily all day Brunch menu that includes mushrooms on toast, and fluffy pancakes- maple syrup and banana. 

And for £10.50 you can enjoy soup and another dish off the menu. 

Cafe open Tuesday-Sunday 10-5. 

Cafe Opus also serve Afternoon Tea every day for £10 per person. This includes finger sandwiches, fancy cakes, scones, clotted cream, fresh fruit conserves and tea. (See photo below) 

Spoil Mum this #MothersDay with their  #AfternoonTea package. Afternoon Tea with prosecco for two, just £30. 

Call 0121 200 2323 for a gift card – the perfect present!
   
 2 Photos above courtesy of Cafe Opus. 

Janet Mendelsohn: Varna Road exhibition: 

At the moment until April 3rd The Ikon Gallery hosts the largest exhibition to date of photographs by American academic and documentary filmmaker Janet Mendelsohn. 

Part of a ‘photo-essay’ Mendelsohn made as a student at the University of Birmingham during 1967–69, the photographs depict everyday life in the inner-city district of Balsall Heath, focusing in particular on a young woman referred to as Kathleen, with whom Mendelsohn formed a close relationship.

Balsall Heath during the 1960’s was Birmingham largest Red light district. A place of work for 200 prostitutes. This included Varna Road which the exhibition is named after. 

Mendelsohn photographs show a working class distinct in flux prior to the so called slum clearance that followed within 2 years. 

This challenging exhibition of photographs is on until the 3rd April 2016.

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

  Summer at Cafe Opus. 

Cafe Opus, 1 Oozells Street, Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HS.

http://www.cafeopus.co.uk/

https://ikon-gallery.org/event/janet-mendelsohn/

https://ikon-gallery.org/


Review: Vegetarian menu at Opus Restaurant, Birmingham. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Colmore business district, Farm producers, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

   

It seems quite an obvious thing to have. A Vegetarian menu can demonstrate your commitment to vegetarians, but also to the produce you use and to the producers. You’re giving them a helping hand and saying here you go this is your time to showcase your wares. Little things help, not that I’m particular about restaurants of a certain Ilk not having a menu for me to peruse. Some of the best meals I’ve had have come off the cuff or from a limited menu of veggie goodness. 

For Opus Restaurant on Cornwall Street I  guess it makes sense to have a vegetarian menu, it allows their producers Worcester Produce scope to be given a platform to grow and perform and the chefs an opportunity to create menus that reflect seasonality like it should. 

That’s an excellent philosophy from the field to the plate. Its one they own and do if you’ll allow me the indulgence, oh so well. 

The Vegetarian menu was launced in January, initially to be changed every month, this has now been amended to a change every season. There is a market menu that changes more frequently also available. 

  

Ruth and i visited on a Saturday evening, and from experience Opus tends to be busier on a Friday and Saturday evening and had a nice chatty atmosphere throughout the evening. Opus is an excellent choice for a celebration, but is relaxed enough for a chilled lunch or evening out. 

We began in the large bar area at the rear of the restaurant in order to have a cocktail and look through the menus. We ordered an exemplary Dry Gin Martini, classily made by Thomas the bar manager with Hereford Chase Gin, who deserves a special mention for his hospitality and cocktail. 

Dry and soothingly beautiful it was a mighty fine thing. 

We both chose to eat from the Vegetarian menu which offers two Vegan dishes also. 

  

Both Ruth and I chose to order the Roasted Butternut Squash Tortellini, Squash velouté, Toasted Seeds.  Dish Before the velouté was poured over the tortellini. 

  

We both thought the dish was stunning. A real taste of the winter season, where a gentle natural heat came through and demonstrated the versatility of the squash with Perfectly cooked tortellini, a luxurious dish of real quality and elegance. 
    

We also both tried a second starter off the menu, as a pre-main course dish. The Asiette of Beetroot, textures of goats cheese. 

This was a fine starter, that though wasn’t as stunning as the velouté before was full of the earthyness of the beetroot which woked well against the creamy goats cheese. An impressive starter which used the fantastic thinly sliced and striped sweet candy beet (from Worcester Produce) against the creamy soft goats cheese. 

For her main course Ruth chose the wintry sounding Porcini mushroom risotto, crispy hens egg, sherry vinegar reduction.

  

A twist on the traditional Northern Italian dish was certainly a winner with Ruth. She loved the earthy intense nuttyness of the porcini (piglets).

She said it was perfectly executed, the risotto the right texture and the strong depth of flavour showed off the so called king of mushrooms well. The added hens egg on top gave it a creamy addition when broken into. A delicious rich dish, which on trying i concurred with. The ruling class of risottos.

I chose the beautifully sounding Celeriac, red onion and feta pithivier, baby spinach confit tomato and pearl barley sauce.

  
  

A pithivier is a classic French savoury pastry dish (I love pastry dishes) with a distinctive round shape and sunbeam pattern scored on top.

Beautifully presented, the contrasting ingredients worked well  with the feta holding it all together to make a stunning winter pie that though large in size wasn’t heavy but had a light finish.

A real centrepiece dish which showed off the subtle but slightly nutty celeriac and confit tomatoes well.

A special mention to the Pearl barley sauce which gave the dish an extra wow factor.

We also ate some top notch chips as a side extra. Naturally they went perfectly with the pithivier.

  

We chose not to have a desert (but recommended) as we had enjoyed a pre main course, but chose to have two excellent double espressos and petit fours. These were ok, though not the best we’d had and were slightly underwhelming considering they were on the desert menu as a dish to buy. Could be improved. 
  

After visiting Opus last year for their Vegetarian Source dinner with Worcester Produce i noted how much more the kitchen were becoming in creating interestingly different and creative Vegetarian dishes. How by using the great fresh seasonal produce you are able to get the best extracted from the season.

 The chefs now seem more adept and positive in creating a menu that gives a permanent showcase for this produce and vegetarians a better and richer dining experience. The vegetarian menu at Opus is a natural progression from the Source dinner and one that makes Opus one of the best dining experiences in Birmingham for Vegetarians, and with a couple of Vegan options (though could be more) a restaurant for them to visit too. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Spring will bring to the plate and long may we enjoy the fruits of the producers such as Worcester Produce and Caroll’s Heritage Potatoes in Northumberland. 

Opus is indeed a special restaurant in Birmingham and now for vegetarians maybe just essential dining. 

  
    
   

Thanks for reading,

Andy😊

Disclaimer: our meal at Opus was complimentary. This does not affect my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/menus/

http://www.opusrestaurant.co.uk/dinner-series/

Opus Restaurant, 54 Cornwall Street, Bitmingham,  B3 2DE.

0121 200 2323

The next Vegetarian Source Dinner is on Friday 19th August 7pm with Worcester Produce. For my previous  review, see the below link:

http://t.co/WkopBcpQ9P

   
 

Previous reviews of Opus from Veggie Foodie: 

http://t.co/WkopBcpQ9P

https://t.co/3tmU7L7Y2V