Category: review

review

REVIEW: UPSTAIRS BY CHEF TOM SHEPHERD

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 5th January 2023
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I don’t think I have ever left a restaurant feeling like this…

Early on a Friday evening in December I departed Upstairs with a full belly and the knowledge I’d just experienced something totally remarkable.

Born in Sutton Coldfield (my hometown) chef Tom Shepherd’s dream was to open his own restaurant. Working at various Michelin-starred eateries including Adams, Restaurant Sat Bains and The Latymer, Tom was more than capable of doing this. He chose Lichfield and a modest, first-floor space just above his father’s jewellery shop.

Upstairs opened in October 2021 and I was booked in to go on two occasions but sadly had to cancel. I thought I’ll leave it for a while…no biggy, I’ll get in. Well, what an absolute prat I was! Four months later Upstairs was awarded a Michelin star and became the only restaurant in Staffordshire to boast the accolade. So, of course, everyone went crazy for it and Upstairs was now booked up for most of the year. I tried each time they announced new bookings, but to no avail, until one evening when they announced on social media they had a cancellation. This was my opportunity, I went to the website and booked my spot then waited desperately for the booking confirmation email. It came – I was finally in!

Josie and I arrived for our 1pm booking and received a warm welcome, we couldn’t hold back our excitement and I think the first thing I blurted out was “I have waited a long-time for this, I’m so happy”. The restaurant is pretty neat. They have the kitchen in the round where you can watch Tom’s team work their magic, a chef’s table and bar to the side, and dining tables surrounding. We immediately felt settled and cosy.

The restaurant manager Anthony introduced himself and talked us through the food options. Anthony was fantastic, so lovely and I loved we could have a little laugh with him now and again! We decided to go for the lunchtime menu that consists of four courses plus three snack dishes (£50). We did have the choice to go for the dinner menu however, I have booked in again for May so will try that one then! The drinks menu was pretty impressive with a great selection of cocktails, wine and if you’re not a drinker; mocktails and soft drinks. The Peach Mizuwari cocktail took my fancy straight away – Peach Wine with Yuzushu Sake, London Essence Peach & Jasmine Soda with Lemon twist – light, refreshing and absolutely gorgeous – It could possibly be my go-to cocktail.

“Are you ready to start?” Absolutely yes! Service is sharp yet not overbearing, we were given enough time between each course to prepare ourselves for the next. To begin, crackers and a taramasalata-style dip which was a light and delicious introduction, too delicious as I found myself scooping every inch of that dip up, is it bad to lick a bowl clean in a Michelin starred restaurant? Sod it, I did it anyway.

If I thought that was delicious, next up was the croustade – Oh…my…CRAB. Filled with crab meat, this little tinker was incredible. The flavours were popping off in my mouth like it was the 5th November, it was a powerful morsel of culinary genius! If only, I could have a pack of 50 to take home and devour whilst watching The Real Housewives.

The last snack was the Parker House Roll served with their own cultured butters (2.5% Maldon Salt and beurre noisette butter). Now I am a complete bread snob, I get it from my Mother and the problem is…I have a yeast intolerance, so my belly blows up like a puffer fish. This was worth the aftermath because it was beautiful! Not too heavy, fluffy on the inside and I held on to a good couple of pieces to accompany the next dishes.

The first course “Cauliflower” was all kinds of smokey goodness, dressed in a gorgeous nutty yet sweet sauce with Maitake mushrooms. The second course was the plaice with a Champagne velouté sauce with leek and dill. The plaice had a gorgeous golden caramel crisp texture to it and as I cut into the fish it was gleaming white and just fell apart. Combined with the sauce it melted in my mouth like butter, it was absolutely sensational.

The third dish was the Wooley Park farm pork and for me, this was the showstopper of the evening. Pork is my least favourite meat so it’s clear that I have never had any of the good stuff before. Delicate, succulent, cut into beautifully – I was completely in awe of this dish.

Before our final dish came, Tom wanted us to try his Thai green curry pre-dessert palette cleanser that I have to admit, I wasn’t so sure about. However, one mouthful of fiery spice followed by pops of sweetness, I was hooked. A really clever dish that serves as a reminder to not knock something before you try it.

Another lovely surprise was that Tom delivered our next course, the eclair, and added an extra dessert for us to try which was the Araguani chocolate sweet dessert. Araguani chocolate, crème fraiche, pecan, caramel and sherry filling was utterly gorgeous, loved the hidden surprise in the middle! The éclair was filled with pink lady apples, covered in a rich butterscotch sauce and served alongside buttermilk ice cream, it was delightful and such a wonderful dish to end a perfect meal.

Throughout our meal we felt staff were continuously accommodating and described the dishes perfectly. We were always checked on, to see if we needed more drinks and so on. I noticed that most of the staff were quite young and it’s great to see Tom taking in and training up the next generation of chefs. I am sure many have a bright future after tasting their food.

After dinner Tom showed us his future plans for the restaurant and it was exciting to see all the work taking place behind the scenes. after all the success and media covering this restaurant, it’s great to see that Tom is just a normal guy behind it all. It’s truly inspiring and I think we owe Tom a lot of credit for playing a big part in raising the flag for the North of Birmingham and shining the light on Lichfield again.Taking on board customer feedback and continuing to adapt is a massive part of the Upstairs ethos. It was clear from my conversation with Tom every customer matters and there is always room to learn and improve. This is no doubt part of the success of the restaurant and will ensure its future stays bright.

I left feeling inspired by Tom’s story. As ever he remains humble about the Michelin star but to receive a flawless dining experience and that feeling that I can achieve anything is really remarkable after one visit to a restaurant. I loved every second of Upstairs from the build-up of excitement as I sat down, to witnessing the quality and attention to detail that goes to into each dish, as well as Tom’s passion not only for his craft but for an environment where anyone stepping through his door is treated like a family member or friend. I totally get why he has so many repeat customers and am certain I’ll be one of them.

A big thank you to Tom and the team for the memorable experience and an even bigger thank you to the table that cancelled that lunchtime.

Me not wanting to leave….

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review

REVIEW: ALIOLI SOLIHULL

Where the f*** are all the tapas restaurants?

Traditional Spanish tapas is one of my favourite cuisines. Previously my go-to was Don Diego in Sutton Coldfield but that sadly closed before the Pandemic. I enjoyed many nights in there swinging back sangria and chomping on Don’s meatballs. Before you start to think you have clicked on the wrong link, let’s quickly move on to Alioli, a new Spanish tapas restaurant that has opened up in Solihull’s Touchwood shopping centre.

I was kindly invited by Alioli to experience the gypsy culture of Andalusia through their tapas dishes. Was this the tapas restaurant I had been waiting for? Well I am not telling you yet, read on you little scamp!

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Thursday lunchtime James and I arrived and had our pick of the tables at the back of the restaurant. Alioli is decorated beautifully throughout, very traditional with splashes of red yellow and blue. I found it quite romantic in there – definitely getting those Friday night date feels. I loved the variety the menu offered but not so much the price – nearly £10 for a couple of prawns in lemon and parsley?! I wanted to find out how special these prawns were but unfortunately they never arrived! I only realised when I got home and noticed on the bill. I must have been distracted by the “Oreo Cookies” £7.50 which were grilled Murcilla de Burgos (black pudding with rice) and goats cheese, finished with paprika alioli. I am not a fan of black pudding, but it turned out to be one of my favourites of the evening.

We ordered the Chistorra al vino which is chorizo cooked in red wine £8 which was beautiful and with a piece of sourdough dipped in the sauce…It was Verdaderamente maravillosa (meaning truly wonderful in English!)

We shared the Tabla de Ibericos, a selection of cured meat which didn’t blow me away at all, to be honest some of the meat didn’t taste right to me, almost like it had been left out for too long. The dish was priced at £17 accompanied by some tiny breadsticks. I didn’t really understand what to do with them as there was no sauce that came with the selection, and my attempt to wrap a piece of ham round one failed miserably.

The Patatas Bravas were very nice, an improvement on the little tiddly ones swimming in sauce that you often find in the not so traditional tapas places. Only a little bit of brava and alioli sauce so you could really taste those crispy coated fluffy potatoes. Another dish that I enjoyed was Berenjena con Miel £6 which is crispy aubergine sticks dipped in a blob of alioli. It really took me by surprise as I am not a big fan of aubergine. Nice and crisp and wonderfully seasoned.

Service was good, I noticed a few others mentioned they received bad customer service on their visits, but I didn’t experience this at all. Very friendly, very helpful and the staff were up for a chat. We ordered mocktails: A Mediterranean Blue which was elderflower, grapefruit, Lemon verbena and cucumber, and the Flamenco Red which was raspberry, red cherry, rose and cranberries. Both were light and refreshing, great drinks to cool you down in the heat.

Overall my experience of Alioli was a pleasant one. It’s sadly not the tapas restaurant I had been praying for but it’s decent. It is quite pricey, so those on a budget may order less and leave feeling hungry. Personally, with the exception of a few dishes, I struggle to see this as good value for money. Of course Tapas can be very pricey, but I have paid around £40 at other Tapas restaurants and have felt very full and satisfied, something was missing here. My bill came to around £55 and I left feeling I could eat 2 x Stripclub burger’s from down the road. Perhaps we picked the wrong dishes and I always think new restaurants should get a second chance so Alioli will be on my “Give it another shot” list to try out in the next few months.

Bab x

Tags Food, restaurant, Solihull, spanishrestaurant, tapas

Birmingham review

REVIEW: KILO ZIRO CAFE BAR AFTERNOON TEA

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 22nd August 2022
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If there is something that Birmingham is in short supply of, it’s quality afternoon teas. We sadly lost our champion “The Edgbaston Hotel” this year and there are not many I can recommend other than Hotel Du Vin and Qavali. My biggest pet hate with afternoon teas is that many businesses think it’s more important to shove a load of sweet treats on there and totally forget about the savoury options – cue the basic bitch finger sarnies! Come on, its 2022 – let’s think outside the box. I have struggled for ages to find a well-balanced afternoon tea that hits the spot…until now.

Currently hidden behind those pesky roadworks at the Custard Factory, it is easily missed and it’s a great shame because this place is a true gem. What was once the Clean Kilo, a zero-waste supermarket that focuses on reducing waste and your carbon footprint has now transformed into the “UK’s first zero waste café bar and refill taproom”. I have to say, as soon as I stepped in Kilo Ziro I was blown away at how beautifully decorated it is throughout. The 1920s aesthetic sits at odds with the grunge exterior of this corner of Digbeth. But delightfully so. Kilo Ziro is not afraid to stand out.

Kilo Ziro’s vision is to offer THE BEST Afternoon Tea in Birmingham but have they done that? Kiro Ziro’s afternoon tea is a celebration of small businesses who have thrown in their own creations to create a delicious and special offering. Contributors include private chef Artisan Epicurean, local bakery Sunshine Bakehouse, Holly & The Ivy from The Moseley Farmers Market, Hundred House Coffee and Born Wild Tea.

When the afternoon tea arrived, I nearly jumped for joy – “Is that a load of savoury I can see?!” You know when you have those moments where time slows down and everything goes really quiet like that film, Big Fish…I had one of those moments not with a man or a dog, but with a sandwich. I was just so happy to see a good balance of savoury and sweet, and deserts that I actually love the look of – I was sick of rolling up fruit cakes and chocolate brownies in tissue and binning them when getting home.

SAVOURIES

Goats cheese, shallot marmalade and pistachio tart.

Provolone piccante and roasted pepper piadinas

Applewood smoked cheese with chutney and chive scones

Vegan sausage rolls with poppy seeds

Home-made traditional quiche

SWEETS

Freshly baked scone with clotted cream and jam

Victoria cream sponge cake round

Rich chocolate, biscuit & sultana tiffin

Chocolate, salted caramel & Honeycomb tart

You get quite a generous offering here at Kilo Ziro. Any by now you’ve probably realised this is a vegetarian afternoon tea. However, I am a meat-eater and I certainly didn’t miss it. The vegan sausage roll was my favourite as well as the victoria cream sponge cake which was utterly gorgeous. All savoury options hit the spot and delivered on satisfying my savoury needs. Maybe they could hold back on the cheese if they want to cut back – I do feel they are being overly generous with their offerings. But when that is the only criticism you can think of you know you’re on to a good thing.

The traditional afternoon tea includes a choice of tea, coffee, or iced coffee which was amazing value for £25. We decided to try the afternoon tea with cocktails which is priced at £34 and comes with hot drinks too. They use local and sustainable ingredients and work with many distilleries plus craft beer and cider brewers to reduce their carbon footprint. It was nice to receive a bit of an education on this during our dining experience as I have to admit, I know very little about managing waste. We asked our server for a cocktail recommendation and boy did he deliver. I can’t remember the name of the one I had but it was one of the server’s own creations paying homage to his mother’s homemade rhubarb crumble. Light, fruity and with delicate notes of honey, it was delicious. My sister wanted to get in on the action but couldn’t drink so he made a mocktail version of the cocktail for her which was a really nice touch.

We left with full bellies, smiles on our faces and me finally at peace that I’d found a great afternoon tea in the city. Given the bargain price of this afternoon tea, the quantity of treats you get and the delightful drinks on offer, I truly believe that it is the best afternoon tea in Birmingham. Book it immediately.

Thank you Kilo Ziro for having us.

Tags Birmingham, Food, review

Birmingham review

REVIEW: NOELS BIRMINGHAM

The most confusing relationship I have ever had with a restaurant has to be with Mediterranean eatery “Noels” by The Mailbox in Birmingham. When they invited me to try out their new Summer menu, I was a bit apprehensive due to the fact my last visit was a disaster and the one before that was barely average.

I’ll admit when it first opened it had promise but two disappointing meals in a row left me feeling frustrated with the place and I had almost added it to my ‘never again’ blacklist. However, something was telling me to give them another chance so when Noel’s reached out to me a year after my last visit, I gave it a third shot.

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

I visited on a Tuesday lunchtime and it was gravely quiet. I was shown to my table and given a menu straight away. You can’t deny that Noel’s is a beautiful restaurant; chic interior throughout with pops of floral. They must get a bit frustrated with the number of guests taking photos for the ‘gram’ – I, of course, was one of them! I ordered a cocktail to start, opting for the Cherry Pop that many Instagrammers will fight over, and surprise surprise, it was pretty good!

For starter I ordered the hand-dived scallops with cauliflower purée, vin blanc sauce, caviar and salmon roe for £13.95. Cooked perfectly, fresh, and full of flavour – a great start. It took around 10 minutes for the starter to come out and the staff were pretty quick with drinks. I ordered another cocktail with my pan-fried monkfish tail in a basil and lime sauce for £23.95. I ordered the Rose Gold Gimlet which was gorgeous and very sweet! Another stunning cocktail almost too pretty to touch!

The monkfish was cooked to perfection but I could do with a bit more of a kick to the sauce! The monkfish comes on its own and for £23.95 I expected some carbs or veg but you have to order separately. I opted for the asparagus with parma ham & parmesan at £5.95 and chips at £3.95, both were great pleasant enough but when you add it up it meant the main dish was around £34 which was pretty pricey.

I was quite stuffed after my main but I was eager for a sweet fix! So, I went for the petit fours for £6 and a flat white…and if you watch my stories you’ll know what happened with me and the flat white. The petit fours were very nice, small but sweet and were just enough – I am not really a sweet fan so I could only polish off three. Perfectly fine but I feel given how much Noel’s is charging it really is lacking with that extra special quality.

Staff are polite and easy to talk to, they really made the experience for me as during my last visits the staff have been less then friendly. They always checked up on me, asked me if I needed any more drinks, they were really attentive but still gave me my space.

Overall it seems that there has been changes at Noel’s in order to improve the service and quality of food. The scallops are a must and the cocktails are fabulous here. The only negative for me is value for money. Noel’s is competing with others in the city centre that can offer the same or better-quality food for a lot less. However, I can see they are trying to improve things and this latest visit was definitely the best by far. No restaurant should be hung drawn and quartered over one sub-standard visit, or even two. I finally feel at peace with Noels and I am pretty chuffed to say that I will be going back again.

PLEASE NOTE

I recently went back to Noels due to this visit being an AD/Gifted experience I wanted to see if the experience would be the same, and it was. I recieved great customer service, food was very good and overall it was a very enjoyable dining experience. Yes Restaurants can change, they can improve! I believe in 3rd/4th chances – Call me a fool, I dont care because it was worth it.

Book your dining experience with Noels

Tags Birmingham, Food

Food review

REVIEW: THE WILDERNESS

I think I am getting the hang of this fine dining thing… I started with Adams moved on to 670 Grams and now for one of the most distinctive tasting menus in Brum (or so I thought) – The Wilderness. Located in the Jewellery Quarter, hidden away down a dark alley, you’ll wonder if you are in the right place. Entering the restaurant is like walking into Voldemort’s lair – if Voldemort liked AC/DC that is. Subtly lit, black on black and moody as fuck, I like it.

Staff are friendly enough and know what we want straight away – to be seated before time and handed the drinks menu. Good start. We didn’t go for the wine pairing, probably not the way to do it but as a 5 ft 1 lightweight who gets loud off a WKD, it’s certainly for the best. I went for the Venetian Kiss featuring salt baked peach, raspberry and elderflower. So good I ordered two more. I went for the £110 8-course dinner menu and within 10 minutes the first dishes arrived.

A plate appears with three ‘snacks’; Shrimp Doughnut, Celeriac tart – Hazelnut, and A5 Wagyu – Nori – Comte. They all hit the spot, especially the shrimp doughnut, I could order about 50 of those to go.

The fourth dish is served, and it was my favourite. The Mackerel is absolutely beautiful and was swimming in a delicious consommé that I ended up dribbling down my front. I was like a cat with a saucer of milk, I couldn’t stop lapping it up.

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The fifth dish was the Cod and Iberico, it was just perfect, the way my knife sliced into the cod and it just fell apart, it still sends shivers down my spine!

Although a rather successful start, I was somewhat confused. I’ll be honest, The Wilderness is known for its “fuck it” reputation. I knew there was an edge, but I was struggling to find it in the food. But, it was early days…

The next dish was The Carrot 2022 which started to turn the night around for me. I know, how could a carrot do that?! Well my dears, this was so much more than your bog standard chantenay. Braised carrots with nitro frozen feta crumbs in fact. The frozen feta crumbs are a bit like marmite really, you love them or hate them. I really enjoyed the combination and thought it was a match made in heaven. Another dish where I couldn’t get enough of the sauce, I should of brought a bloody bib.

Next up was Barbaray Duck in Blood Orange. Now I am not a fan of duck so this dish didn’t do anything for me and I feel it would be unfair to review it. I’ll let you in on one thing, it’s cooked well. That’s all I can say. Alex informed me he could of changed the duck to something more to my liking, so my bad.

Many have seen or heard of this next dish – The Wilderness’ signature course Ch-Ch-Changes comes in the form of a Ba-Ba-BANANA. I’ve always been curious about this one and the man himself, Alex Claridge, came over to explain it. “Like banoffee pie but in a banana”. Right okay, the thing is…I hate banana. So I wasn’t looking forward to it to be honest but it was nice to finally speak to Alex, He seemed authentic and obviously passionate about what he does. When you are so passionate about something you do of course get defensive if someone says one bad word, I get it. “Eat it however you want” he says.

I decided to scoop it up in my hands but didn’t realise how much of a slippery fucker it was, My fellow diner was having a right laugh watching and I must have looked like I belonged in a zoo shrieking while the banana danced around my hands. When I finally caught the little bugger, it was surprisingly delicious. A super cool and imaginative dish and I wanted more of the same, but sadly didn’t get it.

The next plate wasn’t for me. Rhubarb with Mascarpone and Buckwheat was my least favourite dish. Firstly, it was freezing, I mean it numbed my teeth as soon as I bit into it, and it’s bloody tricky to eat as the mascarpone is proper hard, Something just wasn’t right. The dish didn’t do anything, and I just felt the flavours didn’t compliment each other.

The last course was Hot Lips. Perfectly plump, blood red and in good proportion. I was not expecting to yell “bloody hell, it’s like a Victoria Sponge!” I felt I needed a brew with it, so I ordered one. A sweet and refreshing end to a rather tasty but confusing meal.

Would I recommend The Wilderness? That is the million-dollar question. I feel like after a pretty mad year of trying out some of Birmingham’s best tasting menus, I’m gutted to say it but this was ever so slightly disappointing. I just wanted something different to the typical dishes you would find in modern, British fine-dining restaurants and I was looking for that edge that I originally thought the Wilderness would give me. Thats not to say I wouldn’t visit The Wilderness again, I will be visiting again but maybe when theres a new menu and hopefully next time it will be more to my liking. There were a few standout dishes but with the price you pay surely every dish should make you say ‘fuck that’s good!’ What I did like was the vibe in there, it’s laid back, so laid back I wore Adidas sweat pants and felt right at home. Service is on point and the rock and roll soundtrack is a nice accompaniment. However, it’s over-shadowed by other relaxed, fine-dining spots in the city that deliver that wow factor for the same price or cheaper. The quality of the ingredients is obvious, as is Alex’s talents as a chef, but I think a few will leave thinking they could of got more for their money elsewhere.

Book your dining experience at The Wilderness here

Tags Birmingham, finedining, Food, jewelleryquarter, thewilderness, westmidlands

Birmingham review

REVIEW: OTHERWORLD BIRMINGHAM

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 17th April 2022
1 Comment on REVIEW: OTHERWORLD BIRMINGHAM

Step into an open-world, a virtual Island where you can interact with other players, choose a game and be transported to a zombie apocalypse, become a Painter in space and climb the ruins of a fallen world. The stuff you could never in your wildest imagination think would ever happen to you, Well now it can. The best VR experience in the UK “Otherworld” has finally arrived on Bennet’s Hill in Birmingham and it’s here to give you one of the coolest experiences of your life.

I wouldn’t say I am a massive gamer; I played Spyro and Crash growing up, have fond memories of playing “Abe” and making him fart all the time. Sims is a no-brainer, I feel like the whole world is addicted to The Sims, and I have spent many tireless but thrilling hours of my life, trying to turn my Sims into the next Hollyoaks soap opera. Love, Scandal, and Tragedy… boredom kicks in and you have to remove the ladder from the swimming pool enit?Now I seem to have developed a bit of a crush on Red Dead Redemption, but I wouldn’t say I am a full-time gamer, but I get why people love games. We get a massive thrill out of them and sometimes when life has been a little rough on us escaping reality for just an hour (or all day for many people) is just what we need. VR has become the next big thing in the gaming industry. I am seeing more and more of these experiences popping up and the latest VR experience to open in Birmingham is Otherworld. A futuristic VR experience, one that has a huge following and is greatly popular in London, so to choose Birmingham as their next location is a massive win for this City.

Upon arrival you will step into an episode of Black Mirror, a long room featuring spacious seating and table areas, projector walls, a departure board (very much like you see at the airport) and a self-service bar featuring beers and cocktails that you pour. We sat down and one of the staff members sat with us and explained the whole concept and how we play the games. “You won’t have ever experienced this” I was intrigued straight away; I am always looking for something new and exciting and five minutes in, I felt like Otherworld was going to give me that. We never booked online so we had to do it there and then, so it took around five minutes to do. We waited around ten minutes and then we saw our names flicker onto the departures board and were advised that it’s time to depart for Otherworld. I made a quick dash to the bathroom which was psychedelic; neon lights, robotic toilets that you can control with a remote to spray your bum and dry it, a robotic voice telling you to relax and unwind, and I couldn’t help myself, I just thought I got to have a poo in here…Most relaxing toilet experience ever.

You walk down a couple of stairs, with the flashing otherworld logo in front of you and an A.I tanoy telling you about your journey…Bloody hell, they put some effort into this I said to James. I had to admit I was a bit nervous; I didn’t know what to expect but staff are great here and reassured me that I was going to be in for a good time…

A room full of pods, no photos allowed as they want this to remain a secret, I walked to my pod (You have to be in separate pods) and staff helped me with my equipment. I was told that if we are ever in trouble (get stuck in the game) that we can press a back button and help will come, Also there are VR helpers from London who listen in and are there to help you if you get stuck.

“Enjoy Otherworld” The pod doors shut and the floor started to vibrate and the screen went black, suddenly a palette of multi-colours opened up in front of me, I opened my eyes and indeed I was transported to Otherworld on top of a hill looking down at an Island. I looked to the right and could see James as (I think he was some kind of ninja) but what made me laugh is that he’s 6 ft 6 and it captured his height perfectly as I started to get a bad neck looking up at him all the time due to me being a 5 ft 1 shortarse. Moving the controllers up and down to run, we sprinted down to the Island…Its incredible. I could feel the heat of the sun on my face, bloody hell, don’t tell me you can catch a tan as well in this experience? Then in the winter section of the Island I almost nearly lost my bloody wig didn’t I!? as the winter winds blow through you so I legged it! Can you imagine them opening the pod to that image…

The games and adventures are spread out across the Islands (in four corners) organised by difficulty, Spring being the easiest and Winter being the most difficult. We could see other players with name tags floating around, one player floated up to James raising his fists and it was an intense stand-off between each other, I couldn’t help by shouting “Fight, IT’S A REAL FIGHT!”

People were throwing bunnies off each other and there is also a giant Ferris wheel you can ride. With an hour of gaming time it was straight to the games, Arizona Sunshine (Autumn) I was advised “It’s a bit like Call of Duty Zombies” well that’s me sold so we headed there together to play.

So in this game you have to team up with your friends and survive the Zombie Apocalypse, If you like scary VR games this one is for you and I think one of the chaps from London was very amused with my Brummie screams of “OH ITS CRAWLY FUCKER AND THIS ONE IS LIKE A BLOODY CREEPING JESUS” London interrupted a few times laughing and told me I had limited bullets so there was no need to be scared. Your based in the American South-West during a Zombie Apocalypse with nothing but guns in your hands, as the time went on it got harder and harder.

The next game was Half-life: Alyx this game took 15 YEARS to be made, and when you play it, you will see why. I don’t think I will ever experience anything like this in my life, so if you’re a gamer and want to be blown away, this is the game. You are humanity’s only chance for survival, Earth has been captured by an evil alien empire known as the combine. You are Alyx Vance, member of the anti-Combine resistance, on a mission to rescue your father. When you first enter the game, you are on top of a building looking out at a futuristic skyline with what only I can describe as a War of the worlds alien shooting down buildings. Straight away I feel myself falling into the realness of the game and I am looking around for clues. Words cannot describe how amazing this game is, every detail is just incredible for example tuning a radio and turning the wheel from one station to another and picking up items and standing on a ruined building hiding from aliens – This surpassed all my expectations of VR, I honestly don’t have the words and I know you want words from me but all I can say is, You need to try this immediantly.

Within 1 hour we played two games, we got lost in Half-life, but it was worth it. Throughout the games you pick up points which are exchanged for discounts on drinks or game time, this was proper cool, and I noticed as I was just walking round the Island or throwing bunny’s I would just pick up points. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and yes, the hour went pretty fast as we were enjoying ourselves so much. Stepping out the pods we were greeted by the staff who asked how was it? James was beaming “I need this in the flat, Like I NEED IT, I can’t describe how that felt” and me, I was speechless. I just couldn’t put in to words what I just experienced but I happily told the staff “I’m coming back next week”

The Departure lounge bar is made up of 16 tap self-serve drinks featuring Peroni, Asahi, Lucky Saint and Elephant riders and cocktails from Black Lines. We cashed in our dream coins from the games for discounts for the drinks and I got a very generous £4.50 discount off my cocktail so happy days! I love the concept of self-service, it did raise a few eyebrows at first when I saw the cocktails, I decided to go for the Spicy Margarita (£7.00) which I have to admit didn’t look much but damn, it had a satisfying kick to it.

Price wise – Prices start at £13 on weekdays obviously on weekends they are more expensive, but we paid around £27 for the two of us for one hour plus had one drink so just about £20 in which I think it’s an absolute bargain. You have to download the app to go here so I would recommend downloading before as you have to scan the codes on the bar and show the staff your code to get into the pods. I have to admit; this is one of my top experiences in Birmingham and I think Otherworld are onto something showing us a little glimpse of the future. Me and James came out thinking maybe one day the internet will be like that? I don’t know. Or maybe it’s gone to our heads, but we feel like anything is possible after that and what we do know that VR in the future will become a big part in everyone’s life.

An immersive and mind-bending VR experience, that will leave you speechless but craving for more. You don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this, Otherworld is for everyone. Transport to Otherworld for an unforgettable experience as the minutes go on you begin to forget about your everyday life and be blown away by an captivating VR experience that would only exist in your dreams but is now reality. A huge win for Birmingham.

BOOK YOUR VR EXPERIENCE NOW

Tags Birmingham, gaming, otherworld, VR, westmidlands

Birmingham review

REVIEW: THE COCONUT TREE BIRMINGHAM

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 11th April 2022
No Comments on REVIEW: THE COCONUT TREE BIRMINGHAM

Another day, another new restaurant in Brum. This time it’s Sri Lankan street food chain The Coconut Tree. It boasts a strong fan base with outlets in Cheltenham and Bournemouth and after my visit to their latest restaurant, I can see why…

You’ll find the Coconut Tree sitting comfy in a two storey building on Gas Street. As I walk up the stairs, I’m hit with Island vibes and splashes of rustic Birmingham charm featuring some enjoyable graffiti pieces. James and I sat opposite a vibrant bartender who really contributed to our Sri Lankan experience. The Coconut Tree is made up of small/large tapas-style Sri Lankan dishes with vegan and veggie options a plenty, but first… cocotails!

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

I am a sucker for a good cocktail or shall we say ‘cocotail’, especially in a cute AF elephant jug. I can hear you screaming basic bitch reading this! The Drunken Sri Lankan features Ceylon Arrack, turmeric infused Cointreau, fresh lime and ginger beer, but does it taste as good as it looks? HELL YES! All I need now is the sun and the beach to complement a fully stocked Tiki bar and our fantastic bartender. James’ Sriki-Tiki was like a bonfire night display…thank god I didn’t wear my cheap Shein wig. Sriki-Tiki is made up of Captain Morgan Gold rum, Mahiki Coconut rum, raspberry, pineapple and lime. They were both a fantastic introduction to The Coconut Tree, now we are excited.Service is sharp here and staff are attentive. The whole menu was explained to us and we were asked our preferences of spice, sweetness etc. We ordered around eight dishes and was advised that should be enough…

FAT SISTER (VG)(GF) £5.95

PINEAPPLE CURRY (VG) (GF) £6.40

CHEESY COLOMBO (V) (GF) £7.95

SALMON, SAY WHAAAT? (GF) £9.95

KOTTHU WITH CURRIED CHICKEN £9.95

EGG HOPPER (V) (GF) 4.50

PAROTTA ROTI (VG) £3.95

SEENI SAMBOL (VG) (GF) £1.50

Most of the dishes were quite small, and when we first looked at our food, we thought no way will this fill us up but actually, it did. Everything went so well together, the Pineapple Curry with the Kotthu, then scooped up in a parotta roti (which may I add maybe some of the best roti I have had). Ah it was blissful! To pick a favourite dish is seemingly impossible as I just couldn’t stop licking my lips and ignoring the groans of my stomach shouting at me to calm my tits and slow down eating, but I just couldn’t stop…I am addicted to The Coconut Tree.

If I had HAD to choose it would be The Egg Hopper, which to me was a bit of a bizarre dish at first but I had heard soo much about it, I just had to have it. Basically it’s a bowl shaped coconut milk pancake served with coconut sambol, caramelised onions with a hint of cinnamon, and Sri Lankan salsa. An absolute must-try and again, it went perfect with our other dishes. The Pineapple Curry was sweet and seductive, I couldn’t help mixing it with every dish and the Kotthu was packed full of flavour. Price wise it’s very reasonable and the quality is right up there.

Food went down a treat and we thought let’s celebrate with another round of cocktails, so this time we ordered The ST.Colombo (Tanquerary Gin, Elderflower, and Lemon Soda) and Yaka (Don Julio, 100% Blue Agave Tequila, Lemon, Mint & Honey) another triumph and after four smashing cocktails, The Coconut tree has moved into my top five places for cocktails in Birmingham. They are incredible. Please note they do 2 for £10 or 2 for £12, depending on the cocktail. Staff are great here, really hands on deck. There is just this great positive vibe throughout The Coconut Tree and that’s what I loved, we really enjoyed all the staff members singing along to the music whilst shaking their cocotails, made me want to get up and join in!

All I can say is Thank god, THANK GOD for The Coconut Tree coming to Birmingham, what a win for Birmingham and win for me especially as its just around the corner from my flat. This could be dangerous for the gut, I already made a name for myself “Bab about Belch”. I could be getting myself into some real trouble here but when the food is this good, I couldn’t care less! Bring on the gas!

Authentic, full of flavour and fun throughout, The Coconut Tree have certainly brought the spirit of Sri Lanka to Birmingham. They did it perfectly, Book now for cocktails and a good vibes meal with friends.

BOOK YOUR TABLE HERE

Tags bar, Birmingham, newrestaurant, restaurant, srilankan

Food review

REVIEW: 670 GRAMS

Pinch my nips.

The three words that I said out loud soon as I left 670 Grams. Firstly, because it was so bloody cold out and secondly because I was experiencing a mixture of emotions. Stunned, content, extremely satisfied and angry, anger connects with the Pinch my nips because I was so pissed at myself for trying 670 Grams so late in the game. Everyone was right, soon as I mentioned I was going to 670 Grams I had people all over Instagram and Twitter messaging me, really punching in that excitement of going and high praise all round for 670 Grams. I went with an open mind and left mind-fucked…in a good way.

Booked in for 7.15, 670 Grams is located in Digbeth (Gibb Street) in The Custard Factory. It’s small but surprisingly comfortable – Graffiti plastered on the wall with grunge interior, Tim Burton meets Brum. The first words that come to mind would be “What the fuck is this” especially if you’re brought here for a special occasion by your partner for a “luxury evening of 15 courses” it doesn’t look luxurious but that’s what I love. FUCK the luxury fine-dining lets blind-side you and WOW the shit out of you…I will warn you there is going to be a shit-load of swearing in this but it’s okay, I am no pro and I like food writing enit?

Service is sharp and friendly straight away, we were introduced to Zac who I have to say was perfect from start to finish, none of this false customer business, Zac is authentic and really sold the evening for us both. He was impressive throughout. We started our evening with cocktails priced at £12 – James went for the Pineapple Express and I went for the Eye Candy. Pineapple Express was presented in a Pineapple glass – tangy, sweet, and satisfactory. The Eye Candy was my kind of cocktail that included my three favourite ingredients – strawberry, tequila and Champagne. It took us 10 minutes to settle in with our drinks and soon after the tasting menu began.

HOT & SOUR AND PINEAPPLE

A course made from all the leftovers they have in the kitchen from herb spices added to chicken stock served alongside the pineapple that is marinated in soy sauce and ketchup Manis. Both make a punchy introduction to 670 Grams, I could of had about 10 shots of that soup – We are off to a good start.

SCALLOP & LANGOUSTINE

Served with raw seasoning with aloe Vera and chilli with a dressing made 38-year-old soy sauce! Topped with a raw scallop that’s lightly torched over fire and caviar – A truly fantastic dish that is beautifully presented and the sauce was just incredible, we couldn’t help but use our fingers to wipe up all the access sauce.

MACKEREL

This course was the only course I wasn’t crazy about like the others but that’s maybe because I am not a big fan of mackerel so this may be a bit unfair to review. The mackerel is served with fresh Japanese Wasabi and frozen apple.

BHAJI

Rice Bhaji served with coriander mayonnaise and mango jelly, one delightful bite and it was all gone. Love the little tangy kick from the mango jelly.

TURBOT

Another beautifully presented dish, the pan-fried turbot with a sauce made from all the shells and heads of the fish finished with white wine and burnet lemon then topped with caviar. What a sensational dish and I remember this was the dish where a lightbulb suddenly went off in my head…MICHELIN ALERT. The excitement flowed through out and we decided to order two glasses of the Domaine Drouhin morgan red wine blend that complimented our next dishes perfectly especially with the lamb!

LOBSTER

The next dish (in which many people messaged me about to look forward to) was delicious but I wouldn’t say it was the stand out dish of the night that many praised it to be. Not your typical loaf of bread, it’s a Langoustines bread that is cooked directly on the barbecue with a home-made cheese spread and spring onion oil. The cheese spread reminded me of Dairylea but of course, at a totally different and much higher standard. The bread was baked perfectly – again, another great dish.

SWEETHEART CABBAGE

This dish was a total surprise, a dark horse that completely opened my eyes to be more open with cabbage as well, come on…it’s pretty bland as fuck, but no, 670 Grams whipped up something incredible yet again and made cabbage…SEXY. Cooked in burnt butter with a mussel sauce with wild garlic oil and crispy seaweed – OOF! Gorgeous.

CELERIAC

The perfect consistency – confit celeriac roasted on a barbecue in beef fat with black truffle puree pickled red cabbage and fresh English truffle – I bloody love truffle and I bloody loved this dish. We let Zac decide our next drink in which he said he was going to give us a glass of his favourite drink which was the Mullineux old vines white blend 2020 – An unusual dessert wine that I really enjoyed, it was like liquid gold!

NEW YORK DELI

I don’t think I have ever called a dish “A Sneaky little fucker” but hey, there is a first time for everything and this dish is exactly that. This dish doesn’t look much, it looks like a burnt truffle to be honest so when I threw it down my gob, I was incredibly surprised to all of a sudden I could taste a Big Mac in my mouth. Zac said it’s a New York Deli sarnie or a Big Mac, you choose. How? What? Why? Oh bugger it, I had too many questions to ask but I knew Kray is on some next level culinary-wizardry shit after that dish. Those are the kind of surprises I want to encounter and 670 is plenty of them.

LAMB

Now, this was just sensational – Neck of lamb braised in curry powder with a jerk chicken gravy, it was astounding, taste buds going into overload with incredible bangs of flavour and that lamb just crumbling away in my mouth was just sublime, stuff you could only imagine/feel in your dreams.

FOIE GRAS

This was one of James’s favourite courses – a dish dedicated to a great independent in Kings Heath: The Early Bird Bakery that made the perfect introduction to the desserts of the evening. White chocolate pepper ganache with blackberry and soy compote with grated foie gras.I am more of a savoury dessert kind of girl, I don’t like overly sweet puds or a pool of ice-cream on my plate, so this simple dish was just quintessential and exciting to eat especially for James, I have never seen a grown man get so excited over a little pastry…

POPPADOM

A bloody poppadum for pudding EH?! How’s that supposed to work I whinged but my god, it worked. Tomato masala chutney masala mango yoghurt ice cream cucumber and lime Espuma cucumber rice cracker. Reading this, I would just simply skim past soon as I got to the yoghurt part as I’m not a fan but to my surprise, this is one of my favourite dishes along with the lamb and New York deli. Like fireworks of Punchy and zesty flavours in your mouth, clever throughout and a real treat!

IT’S NOT TERRYS, IT’S OURS

It’s not Terry’s it’s ours, Terry fucking who? This dessert was just beautiful. Sweet, seductive and love the combination of sweet flavours and the crunchy texture from the pork scratchings…Pork scratchings and chocolate? Bloody genius trust me babs.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

Unfortunately, I am one of those basic bitches that loves a pumpkin spice latte from Autumn to Winter, it’s basic but I don’t care. So, when I heard this was on the menu I was very intrigued. It had quite a thick texture, it does stay on the back of your throat for a bit. Silky, salty, and sweet – Yet another winning dish.

To finish we ended on sweets and chatted to a lovely couple who sat next to us exchanging restaurant recommendations. After a two-hour tasting menu with fantastic beverages, I sat back in my chair and reflected. The experience was just impressive and imaginative throughout. 670 Grams felt like no other fine-dining experience I had encountered before, it was chilled throughout, none of this poshy-noshy bullshit or pretentious aesthetic, I could chill in there with my Nike trainers listen to a bit of Snoop Dog eat great food and not feel judged. That’s my vibe, I don’t want to go to these fine-dining restaurants and feel like I’m judged by the whole room. Kray and the staff were great, Kray introduced some of the meals and was up for a chat afterwards, nothing pretentious at all, he is very likeable.

670 Grams provide the best-valued tasting menu in Birmingham, it’s a fact – 15 courses, 15 incredible courses for £70 like wherein the actual fuck do you find a bargain like that?! it’s also a fact that it’s a complete steal and that Kray was robbed of a Michelin star which is mind-boggling to me as mostly every dish was of a Michelin star level. After the news of Tom Shepard’s restaurant receiving a Michelin star and booked up until June, I could consider it a godsend for 670 Grams, as I don’t want it to get too popular that I can’t book in every month as I believe this is just the start of beautiful dining friendship between us. I think where it’s a bit pricey is the drinks as they do bump up the price, I think we spent around £130 on cocktails and wine.

Look, its bold, daring, unique and unpretentious, and I am a complete tit for just finding that out. I’m fairly confident that it is one of the top dining experiences in Birmingham and 670 grams is definitely not one to ignore. Don’t a be a tit, book it.

BOOK 670 GRAMS

BAB.

Tags 670grams, Birmingham, digbeth, Food, tastingmenu, westmidlands

Food review

REVIEW: CHAKANA MOSELEY

If you haven’t heard of ‘that Peruvian restaurant in Moseley’, Chakana, then where have you been for the past two and a half years bab? Everybody’s talking about it.

Chakana made OpenTable’s list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK last year, the only Birmingham restaurant to be included. Critic Jay Rayner gave it rave reviews stating “it’s all kinds of fabulous”, and after my recent visit I threatened Twitter followers that if they didn’t book a table I would eat my beret. Thank you friends for saving me from dry mouth, indigestion and regret.

On a Friday evening in January, I booked their Peruvian 9-course tasting menu priced at £60 PP. Located in an old bank on the Alcester Road in Moseley and run by Michelin-starred chef Robert Ortiz, Chakana is stylish and underrated. Stark white walls dressed only with pops of vibrant artwork, Chakana is a sleek and modern salute to traditional Peruvian fare. As I take my seat, I feel comfortable right away thanks to the friendly welcome from our server. Within five minutes,
our Peruvian experience began with a pre-dinner cocktail priced at £8.50. James had the Chakana Pisco Sour and I opted for the Melon Pisco Punch, the perfect little taster of what was to come. Our spirits were certainly lifted!

The first dish was the Peruvian quinoa corn bread with rocoto chilli tigers milk yoghurt which was a great introduction to Peruvian cuisine.Combined with the yoghurt it was light but tickled the taste buds perfectly. Now I want more.

Next up was the Tuna Quinoa Nigiri served on quinoa instead of rice, one mouthful and it was gone, just like that but was incredibly satisfying. The tuna was zesty fresh and the quinoa a perfect replacement for the traditional sticky rice.

The course that many people rave about is the Sea Bass Ceviche with tigers milk, sweet potato and canchita corn. I had a bit of a Ratatouille moment, one bite and the whole room fell silent, I zoned out, all that mattered was that dish. I don’t think I have ever had an experience like that, it was incredible and possibly the best fish dish I will ever have.

Service is sharp if perhaps a little speedy as they rarely give you a break in-between courses. I didn’t mind this, I don’t like waiting for food but a word of warning for those who get full up easily and like a break. After the Ceviche which is a tough dish to top, we were served the hand-dived orkeny scallop tiradito with Andean chillies and it was well up for the challenge set by the ceviche. It was sweet and punchy, a dish that doesn’t look like much but my god, it packs some phenomenal flavours. It’s just a shame there wasn’t more of it.

After the scallop dish, we noticed that the time between courses seemed to be getting longer as the room started to fill up. From a 5-minute wait between courses it became a 20-minute wait and a bit of a pain in the arse to try and grab someone for a drink. I could see there were only three staff members on that night with a full house of diners, so we understood and carried on with our night but made sure to two order two drinks instead of one!

Next course was the Asparagus Causa which was a nice refreshing dish with an organic egg, It was a bit of an unusual dish and not my favourite but was pleasant enough. The Pisco poached red mullet was packed full of flavour and I found myself constantly moaning “Mmm!” for the whole minute it took me to finish it. So far, the dishes were pretty quick to eat and with the waiting time getting longer I couldn’t help but feel very hungry in-between courses.

Up next, the 24 hour confit suckling pig (the only meat dish on the menu) was cooked to perfection. The meat fell apart easily and each mouthful was like a box of fireworks going off in my mouth. It was a definite second favourite and I was thankful they offered a bigger portion of this dish.

Now I am not a dessert person at all. Although I am partial to a pack of Lidl’s chocolate pretzels time to time. But Chakana reminds me to treat myself and explore variety. A chocolate bomb is not exactly adventurous as M&S seem to be flogging them every Christmas, but Chakana’s 75% Amazonian Domm with blue potato jam was a clever and dramatic way to end a tasting menu and the Petit Fours were the cherry on top of a delightful evening.

Service was great at the start, within 10 minutes we were served a cocktail and our first course however as the evening progressed the waiting times got longer but is understandable as the restaurant was packed and I could only see three staff members serving. Can dishes get Michelin stars? Because Chakana’s Ceviche should definitely have one. One thing that may not be everyone’s cup of tea was 80% of the dishes were swimming in sauce. Now for me, I didn’t mind it as long as it’s full of flavour I don’t really care, but some people may end up desperate for something crunchy and crispy.

Exciting, vibrant and plentiful, Chakana is compelling throughout and is worthy of all the praise it gets.

Book your experience here

Tags Birmingham, finedining, Food, moseley

review

REVIEW: CHAPTER EDGBASTON

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 13th February 2022
No Comments on REVIEW: CHAPTER EDGBASTON

A new Chapter has begun in Edgbaston.

Introducing the latest addition to the home of foodie delights such as Laghi’s Deli and The Highfield, Chapter is an independent kitchen and bar brought to you by local restaurateurs Ann Tonks, Irene Allan and Ben Ternent (the team behind the brilliant OPUS which sadly closed during the pandemic). Their new venture prides itself on its seasonality and fresh, homegrown ingredients. Chapter serve breakfast and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday, as well as Sunday lunch.

Upon arriving we received a warm welcome from staff – so far so good. What surprised me was how big the venue is, plenty of seating on offer with a nice spacious bar area for drinks or a morning coffee. We arrived around 5pm on a Friday and it wasn’t busy, however, towards the end of our visit it started to fill up.

The drinks menu is impressive with two pages of cocktails from the classic to the quirky. I fancied a gin cocktail but a fruity gin cocktail (I was mad on strawberries that day), so the waitress suggested an adapted Tom Collins. It was refreshing and perfect – just what I needed. James had the Old Fashioned and said it was stunning. Staff are attentive throughout, they are happy to explain dishes and always make sure your drink is topped up.

I started with scallops – I was flapping around for a while about the price (£15) and whether it would be worth it. I’m used to paying around £10-£15 for scallops but am always miffed when two farty-sized morsels arrive in a bland sauce. However, Chapters scallops are worth every penny. Chunky and seasoned perfectly with apple, hazelnut and herbs, biting into one of these the flavour just oozes out.

For my main I ordered the lamb and wow, the showstopper of the evening and by far one of the best lamb dishes I have had in a long time. Herb crusted and seasoned with spicy squash, quinoa, cranberry and pecans – no one should leave Chapter without ordering this dish, it truly is exquisite. I nearly clawed James to death because he wouldn’t stop picking at it. The lamb was so tender, if sliced beautifully and I would really recommend pairing it with the honey roast carrots and beetroot. I feel the lamb was a pretty sizeable portion for £25. James had the fillet steak (rare) and again, cooked beautifully and so succulent. Two winning courses each but unfortunately we couldn’t make it three as we were stuffed.

We ended on coffees and Jesus, even the coffee is perfect here. Overall, it was a beautiful evening filled with beautiful food. Chapter is certainly creating a buzz in Edgbaston and I can see why. A flawless dining experience throughout and a prime example of why supporting Birmingham’s independents is so important. Tonks & Co’s last Chapter sadly ended but we should all be thankful this one has started.

Book your table at Chapter here

Tags Birmingham, edgbaston, Food, lifestyle, westmidlands

review

REVIEW: HENGATA HARBORNE

I don’t venture out to Harborne that often, probably because I was living in Sutton Coldfield until a few months ago and one disastrous bus ride into Birmingham was enough to put me off. Since I moved to the city centre I promised myself I would make the effort with Birmingham’s trendy neighbourhoods and so, here we are.

Hengata opened in December with high hopes of a COVID free Christmas but was sadly met with the recent uplift in cases. I came across this Harborne newcomer in January but there hadn’t been much noise about its arrival at all. I managed to book in for breakfast to try this mystic venue out. You will find Hengata on Harborne high street, sandwiched between Holy Moly and Boston Tea Party. The venue is beautifully decorated, simplicity at its finest. There are plenty of tables on offer that are accessorised with candles, classic cutlery and cushy cushions. The open kitchen is a nice touch, watching the chefs cook food whilst you sip on a glass of red is quite pleasing, you can see the effort and the attentiveness of putting a dish together.

I was greeted by Liv who I believe is the Manager, very easygoing and was full of knowledge and suggestions. I was doing Veganuary and Liv informed me that many of the brunch dishes can be made vegan. I decided to go for The Millennial (£8.75) – avocado, served with tomato and onion relish, poached eggs (removed), house lime pickle and hot buttered sourdough.Service was sharp, I waited around 10 minutes for my food. I arrived at 10.30am and it started to fill up quite quickly by 11. When my food arrived, I noticed instantly that the food was beautifully presented, so much colour and it looked incredibly fresh. The sourdough was perfect, I feel that many places make sourdough incredibly hard, like biting into a brick! On this occasion, I didn’t have to worry. The sourdough was soft with a tiny bit of crunch that blended wonderfully with the avocado, relish and pickle. At first, I thought it wouldn’t fill me up but by the last mouthful, I was satisfied. I paired my brunch with a non-alcoholic beverage – Hengata’s Garden which was so refreshing and the ideal brunch beverage choice!

Overall, I was impressed. The price seemed very reasonable for the quality of food you are receiving. I found the menu so intriguing and I wanted to explore more options to give an overall review and so, I vowed to return to try out dinner. A week later and I found myself returning on a Saturday evening at 8.30pm with James, hoping to top the first experience.

DINNER AT HENGATA
Same as the first visit, we received a friendly welcome. A warm atmosphere flowed throughout with mood lighting from the lit candles on every table, it was extremely cosy and was quite an intimate setting. We both decided to have a night off vegan. I know! We are naughty BUT we have both been doing so well and we just wanted a little break from it for just a couple of hours.

To start, I ordered A Winter Spritiz – Sauvignon Blanc, Elderflower, Cucumber and soda. Rejuvenating yet risky – as it tastes like good pop that you could have about 10 glasses of! When flicking through the menu, it was so lovely to see Hengata support other Independent breweries and wineries within The Midlands such as Attic Brew Co and Wine Freedom, Birmingham does this best!

For starters, I ordered the bone marrow and James ordered the home-smoked mackerel pate. I have never tried bone marrow so it took me a bit of time to work out how to get the filling out of the bone, but with one crack on the plate, I was able to get to the good stuff. It was quite rich, and I found it quite buttery which I enjoyed. Spooned together with a compote of red onion and cranberries, it was very appetizing. The cranberries gave the dish a hint of sweetness which was much needed. The mackerel pate was refreshing and light, James found the portion a bit small BUT when the next course arrived, he was glad it was.

For mains, I ordered megrim sole with deep-fried sage, and caper butter. James ordered the black bream fillet with 2 x side of fries and side of leeks, peas and pancetta. The sole was stunning. Fried beautifully and married perfectly with the leeks, peas and pancetta. The caper butter melts perfectly and creates a delightful combination of flavours. The chips were crisp and fluffy inside, as proper chips should be. James was impressed with his black bream and I managed to sneak a bite and understood his unwillingness to share. Yes, portions are not incredibly big but I felt they were just right.

We ordered a couple of cocktails in between courses, the Harborne Sling – Burning Barn rum, cherry, lime, cranberry and strawberry – Liv’s very own creation and a worthy choice for anyone with a sweet tooth! We decided not to finish on desserts as we were both stuffed, but we were persuaded by Liv to order two Espresso Martinis and thank god she did because they were possibly the best Espresso Martinis we have ever had.With two staff members off, I believe that Hengata did well to accommodate us and the other tables of couples and groups in there. I believe one table complained to the manager about the wait however we also overheard them talking about trying to get a discount…Yes, people will try anything these days to get a discount even for a fifteen-minute wait for mains…
James and I did not experience this. The staff were very attentive, and we never found ourselves questioning where our food was. Service was sharp as the first time.

All in all, Hengata is a lovely addition to Harborne, one that I am sure will become a much-loved brunch/dinner spot for locals. I would also like to point out that their coffee is fantastic, really good coffee so Hengata would make a great spot in the mornings if you are on your way to work to pick up coffee. Hengata has created a chilled space with Scandinavian-Chic vibes where people can relax with a glass of wine, meet up with friends or take a working lunch. It’s already become one of my favourite brunch spots and has proven to be also a great place in the afternoon with its charismatic interior, seasonal menus, and charming customer service. Definitely, one to keep an eye on in 2022 and as good an excuse to visit Harborne as any.

Book your table with Hengata here

BAB.

Tags Birmingham, Harborne, restaurant, review, westmidlands

Food review Sutton Coldfield

REVIEW: GIGGLING SQUID MERE GREEN

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 6th September 2021
1 Comment on REVIEW: GIGGLING SQUID MERE GREEN

2022: THERE IS AN UPDATE ON THIS REVIEW.

As a resident of Sutton Coldfield, I am often frustrated with the lack of Independent’s and exciting restaurant chains – no, I am not talking about Nandos and please don’t ever mention Nandos to me because I will most likely roll my eyes and scream. Recently there has been a flutter of new openings in the Sutton area in which I am delighted about, but I am greedy – I want more. Giggling Squid is one of the latest additions to the area, a restaurant that specialises in Thai Cuisine with restaurants in Harborne, Leamington Spa and so on. As soon as the announcement was made and bookings were opened, most of Sutton flooded to try it out and I am one of many, that is delighted about this opening.

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

I was invited to experience Giggling Squid and decided I needed a second opinion so I brought my lovely friend (and fellow blogger) Small House Big Trips. As we walked in together for our booking at 6.30 pm, we could see that it was very busy. The restaurant is decorated beautifully, very floral, bright and just generally very appealing to the eye. I had seen some bizarre comments about uneven photos on the walls ruining peoples experiences at Giggling Squid this didn’t bother me at all and quite frankly I’m not here to review the decor or give you a course in how to straighten a photo correctly.

We sat down for our meal under a beautifully decorated arch covered in flora. We noticed that it was very echoey and it was quite loud, but what did we expect? The whole of Sutton Coldfield was dining here tonight. We browsed through the drinks menu and I opted for the Silky Pink Cocktail which is a Lychee Martini with a mouth-watering mix of Fair Quinoa Vodka, Kwai Feh lychee Liqueur, Peach and Jasmine Green Tea. Very refreshing, and something different to the usual Strawberry Daiquiri that I have murdered to death in many restaurants. Kelly went for the Lychee Angel cocktail in which she really liked and found it very refreshing.

We both found the service quick. Our Waitress “Anjali” who is also a fellow food blogger (Anjeatsss) was full of knowledge and very helpful when it came down to ordering. She was able to explain each dish and pick dishes that best suited our taste buds! So to start, we ordered the Sharing Platter which came with hand-cut pork grilled skewers, salt and pepper squid, Thai chicken wings, vegetable spring rolls. A very generous portion for £16.50 offering a great variety of flavours and was a great introduction to Giggling Squid.

For mains we went a little crazy, we ordered; Giant Butterfly King Prawn Pad Thai, Lamb Shank Massamann, Sticky Chicken, Morning Glory greens, Roti, Sticky rice, and coconut rice. One mouthful after the other was a constant punch of flavour that was just irresistible. The lamb shank was my favourite, the meat was cooked perfectly, falling off the bone and into the rich base of coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise. The sticky chicken was sticky, moist and sweet, exactly what it says on the tin with an almighty crunch of crisp, just the way I like it. Sticky and coconut rice both blending beautifully with the lamb shank, scooped up with the roti flatbread helping both to blend perfectly. I grabbed a bite of Kellys Pad Thai that was also perfectly cooked and full of flavour.

To finish we ordered Black Sesame ice cream, however as I am not a big fan of ice cream, it just wasn’t for me. I felt the flavour was very peculiar and unfortunately I am a basic bitch in the ice cream department that opts for just vanilla, so it’s a no from me.

I read some iffy reviews of Giggling Squid (mostly all of them coming from Harborne) which left me feeling a little confused. My experience of Giggling Squid was exceptional, the food was fantastic and so was the service. We loved it so much it has quickly become one of our favourite restaurants in Sutton Coldfield. Is it the best Thai restaurant I have been to? No, but the team have surely put a lot of work into this restaurant for it to work, and it does. I enjoyed it so much that I visited again 3 weeks later (Non-gifted) Yes that’s right ladies and gentlemen, I DO PAY. I had the exact same experience again but service was a little bit slower but it’s early days, new restaurants need time to find their feet and find a structure that works. The food was exactly the same, fresh and full of flavour – no complaints.

A great addition to Sutton Coldfield/Mere Green, one that you will most definitely need to book before as it’s super busy. As a new opening, I was expecting a few hiccups here and there but I didn’t experience any of this. Kelly and I couldn’t stop praising our experience at Giggling Squid. I feel Giggling Squid is a wonderful addition to our town, which I hope now will give the Sutton area a bit of a boost and attract more appealing chains and most importantly Independents.

Book your table at Giggling Squid Mere Green here

BAB.

UPDATE: Sadly, we have to give an update or more so, replace this “positive” review with a negative review as my last two trips to Giggling Squid in Mere Green have been not so good. I hate it when this happens, but my last two visits have not matched the above review. I dont know what’s happened, where its all gone wrong from dirty tables to uncooked food, surely this is not the same restarant? Sadly, I can no longer recommend this restaurant as it seems to have slipped and gone downhill since opening. Its a real shame.

Tags Food, gigglingsquid, meregreen, review, suttoncoldfield

Birmingham review

REVIEW: PULPERIA BIRMINGHAM

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 22nd August 2021
No Comments on REVIEW: PULPERIA BIRMINGHAM

There are some dining experiences that will stick with you for a long time and then there are those that you’d rather sleep off and forget. My first meal at Pulperia has been on my mind constantly since I dined there last month.

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Located in the heart of Brindley Place, Pulperia is an Argentinian restaurant owned by Michelin starred chef Aktar Islam. Walking through the doors of Pulperia is almost like walking into another dimension – one where it is always Autumn. I was welcomed by warm interiors and beautiful botanical decor. Right away I knew I would have a great dining experience. We sat down at our table in one of the dining rooms at the back surrounded by wine bottles and rustic sculptures, which we couldn’t stop admiring.

Steak is a no brainer here, and I haven’t had a good steak in a long time so I had my fingers and toes crossed that Pulperia would deliver the steak of dreams. Jumping straight into the food menu it all sounded so appealing that I completely forget to order a drink. I flipped back to the cocktail menu to order a negroni and my chap James ordered a beer. I forgot how strong negroni was, and how I am not very good with most spirits! I am one of those terrible drunks that feels fuzzy-headed after one alcho pop. The negroni was not for me but it was my fault for picking something I knew I couldn’t handle. So then I opted for a Tomero, Carbernet Franc red wine which was just the ticket.

For starter, I ordered the gambas – wild argentine prawns stuffed with tomato confit and aji Molleda. It was perfect. Usually ripping prawns apart makes me squirm and I get a bit frustrated but there was plenty of prawns to eat so I was pretty satisfied. James ordered ceviche with bass, citrus, shallots avocado and radish. A refreshing dish, not exactly a go-to starter for me but definitely one that impressed.

For our mains, our eyes lit up at the 400g Herefordshire Chateaubriand steak. I ordered it rare and it was quite possibly the best steak I have ever tasted. The conversation between me and James suddenly went silent. The only sounds escaping our mouths were “Mmm” and “Oh my god”. James suddenly started bopping his head and rolling his eyes back. I should have felt uncomfortable, especially in a packed restaurant, but I understood. That was the best steak orgasm ever. Costing £45 and coming with a very generous portion of chips, when you see the size and taste the steak it’s worth the price and more. Juicy, bursting with flavour and partnered perfectly with chimichurri – could this be the best steak in Birmingham?

For dessert we were torn between the cheese board and the panqueues (pancakes) so we decided to get both. Not the biggest cheese board I have had, however, don’t let the size fool you. The selection of flavours was a first for me and we were both all for it. The panqueues were gorgeous, orange and hesperidina caramel with dulce ice cream, it was to die for.

The service was flawless, our waitress was fantastic and she went that extra mile to help us by explaining each of the dishes. Everyone was friendly and the staff really made our experience at Pulperia memorable. We finished with tea and coffee and leaned back in our seats sulking, we did not want to leave.

From experiencing some of the best customer service ever to tasting the best steak in Birmingham, Pulperia was a dream. The steak was just unbelievable and I waved goodbye to my dreadful dates with steaks over the past few months – I have finally found the one.
From start to finish, it was perfection, a dining experience that must be experienced. Whatever you do this coming September, make sure you book Pulperia.

BAB.

Tags Birmingham, Food, pulperia, review, Steak, westmidlands

review

REVIEW: ESTADO DA INDIA HARBORNE

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 9th August 2021
3 Comments on REVIEW: ESTADO DA INDIA HARBORNE

I don’t venture out to Harborne that often as I’m on the other side of Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) but it has always intrigued me. The amount of independents flooding to Harborne like it’s some sort of DisneyWorld for foodies had me a tad jealous the past few months and so I vowed to go there one day in July. Of course, it neared the end of July and I had totally forgotten about it until I visited The Botanical Gardens and searched for places to eat nearby. Sat at the top of my Google search was Estado da India, it was finally time.

Please note that this experience was NOT gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Located on a busy road it the centre of Harborne, Estado Da India is a Portuguese-Indian restaurant brought to you by the highly successful Lasan Group. Celebrating a union of two cultures, they sell a variety of tapas-style sharing plates bursting with flavour, colour and spices. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and super cosy, my partner and I both admired the artwork and the many dedications to the Portuguese and Indian cultures. Our server was lovely and very helpful, although she was new and couldn’t answer all of our questions, she tried her best to give us as much information and as many recommendations as possible.

James and I opted for the following dishes: Iberian lamb ribs, Morcela Potato, Lemon rice, Chicken Espetada, Duroc Pork Belly, Tomate Naan and Masala Fries. We waited around 10-15 minutes and all dishes came out at the same time. My first impression was that the dishes were a little on the small size, even for tapas. I looked up at my 6 ft 6 chap and thought, he’s going to be starving after this! I was wrong – the dishes are very filling. I struggled in the end to finish the last of the naan but my god, was the food delicious. Like fireworks going off in my mouth. Rich and punchy flavours and waves of spice, and everything just worked so well together.

The lamb ribs were my favourite, garnished with tangy tamarind chutney and the meat was so succulent it just melted in the mouth.Masala fries were crunchy and full of spice. The lemon rice was a refreshing partner to all the spices kicking off in my mouth and the pork belly was also sensational. The chicken espetada was very nice but would have preferred to have two portions instead of just one for £5.25. Now we all have different appetites, some bigger than others so of course, the portion sizes are not going to work well with everyone and especially big groups. As a couple, we didn’t experience this but I can see some diners raising this as an issue as they may not want to spend more money on buying more small dishes. I would suggest around five dishes each, we went for less and it worked but for those who are feeling very hungry, I would recommend five.

The bill came to £41, £20.50 each for dinner is not bad, actually it’s very good! Usually, for tapas I pay around £40-£50 for less than satisfying food so really, Estado Da India was an absolute bargain. Estado Da India ticked all the boxes for me, so much variety on offer here that of course, we will have to go back for a second visit. Many will be spoilt for choice and there were plenty of vegetarian and vegan options which was great to see! When eating out I want a menu to enrapture me and Estado Da India’s menu certainly did that. It’s worth the journey from Sutton Coldfield and it’s worth many more journeys. Estado Da India delivers on so many levels and is one restaurant that should be on everyone’s list to try out this Summer.

Book your table here

BAB

Tags Birmingham, Food, Harborne, Indiantapas, photography, review, westmidlands

review

REVIEW: ALOFT EASTSIDE BIRMINGHAM

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 26th July 2021
1 Comment on REVIEW: ALOFT EASTSIDE BIRMINGHAM

A new vibrant boutique hotel has opened up in Birmingham and it’s rather fabulous babs. Introducing Aloft Birmingham Eastside hotel brought to by the Marriott brand, located on the Eastside just by Millennium Point in the business district of Birmingham and offering the best of what Birmingham has to offer from just a short walk away. A modern and urban-inspired hotel where music is key and technology is seamless, keeping you connected and inspired throughout your stay. Aloft moves to its own beat and creates bold, open and vibrant spaces for guests to come together and relax. My partner and I was invited down to review my experience with Aloft and to say I was pleasantly surprised is rather an understatement on what’s to come in this review…

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Located on Woodcock Street just next to Millennium Point, the hotel is not exactly City Central however soon as we arrived we realised how quiet and peaceful the area is, it was nice to be away from car horns, mouthy party-goers and Sweet Caroline that’s been on constant repeat throughout the City for the last two months. The hotel is only a short walk away from the iconic Bullring, the vibrant underground world we like to call Digbeth and let’s not forget the world’s largest Primark! Unfortunately, the hotel does not have a car park, however we were told to park in the Millennium Point car park (just over the road) it costs us £9.95 for 24 hours which was rather cheap as other times we have stayed over in Birmingham we have had to park at The Mailbox and that costs us over £20.

Walking through the front entrance of Aloft you are hit with an almost futuristic design throughout with loud colours, sleek designed furniture and mouth-watering textures, many Instagram addicts will be lunging into their pockets for their phones, I was one of them. Your eyes are constantly diverted from one area to another, The hotel is visually yummy and by the look at how many guests were there, very popular. One section that will stand out to you is the 24/7 Re-Fuel Snack bar which is great after a night out in Birmingham and you are feeling a bit peckish! The reception is open-planned and very spacious, plenty of seating if you just want to get out your room and relax. Upon checking in at reception we were greeted with smiles instantly, staff are lovely here and very down to earth. Once we checked in, we was then greeted by Catherine who agreed to take us on a tour of the hotel and the Eastside room’s.

The Eastside Rooms is located just next door to Aloft, its Birmingham’s newest conference venue that brings you amazing substantial blank canvases that are perfect for any kind of event. Eastside Rooms caters to big events such as weddings and award ceremonies to small events such as Business meetings or offer rooms that offer a quiet space for you to work, Eastside has you covered with a room fit for all kinds of occasions. There is also a light, airy gym which can be used by guests with great views of Birmingham. After our tour we finished in The WXYZ bar with a bespoke Bab about town cocktail made just for me! What do you like? Strawberries! POOF! It was done just like that…These guys are good. WXYZ offers a chilled space for you to relax in with a cocktail and you can also dine in the bar and play pool.

When we first entered the room, we only admired it for about a minute as we decided to do the tour first and didn’t want to keep Catherine waiting. Upon our second visit to the room we realised how lovely it really was and it deserved our immediate attention. Clean, spacious and cosy, a decent sized bathroom with a more then decent walk in shower that could fit the Kardashians family in there and a huge tv that kind of transported our room at night to our very own home cinema. We were booked into The Urban king Room, it has everything you need from ironing boards to hairdryers to your very own coffee machine plus a great view of Birmingham, we weren’t short of anything. What I really loved about the room is that it featured local artists art work in there which was a lovely touch to the City and something I would like to see more hospitality businesses doing. What really lit our eyes up was the gorgeous “Naughty and Nice” platter made just for me and my partner by the Chefs at Aloft. A stand full of luxurious sweets and desserts from cupcakes to trifles, it was very impressive and a lovely touch to our room, we instantly felt very special. Aloft’s tech-forward approach to hospitality comes to life at the bedroom door as you can’t enter your room via your smartphone! – there’s no key card. There’s also fast, free WiFi throughout the hotel.

In the evening we were booked into Alofts restaurant Tempo! for a three-course meal. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, music-related art work hanging on the walls and a few splashes of neon that was very Bab about town! Looking at the menu, they have a great selection of burgers, pizzas and more, the only thing lacking is the vegan options however. Luckily my partner and I are meat-eaters and we really enjoyed our three-course meal. Ham hock and pea timbale to start followed by pan fried rump steak and classic lemon tart to finish, it was very tasty, and we left feeling very impressed with our Teletubbie bellies.

After our meal we decided to go up to our room and watch a couple of films in our very own movie theatre which features cable tv, three movies later and we were fast asleep with popcorn crawling out of our mouths. We both slept through the night, I woke up with no back pain and feeling very refreshed. The bed was very comfy, I didn’t wake up ONCE which was something, I thought I might struggle with as the hotel seemed to have guests more from the 20-30 age group, so I was quite surprised that we heard no party goers shenanigans throughout the night.

Aloft serve breakfast in the Tempo! Restaurant from 6am to 10am, They usually offer a buffet breakfast however due to CO-VID they put on a set menu for guests to choose from. They offered a variety from meat/vegan fry ups to lighter options such as cereal and yogurt. I went for the English breakfast tea then the vegan fry up which I was very impressed with. I have to say it’s not the most appealing breakfast (I have a thing with skin on sausages pealing) but I was pleasantly pleased with the taste and proves the point of don’t judge a book by its cover, it was delicious. My partner went for the buttermilk pancakes and said they were the tastiest pancakes he has ever had, another successful meal at Aloft and a great finish to our stay.

Aloft Eastside is a fantastic contender to Birmingham’s booming hospitality sector, a great night’s sleep that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket and a more than satisfactory service is something that really stands out here, the room was priced at £85 for the Urban King Room and breakfast which I feel is fantastic value for money as I have paid £100 for other Birmingham hotels for just the room. Let’s not forget about the quirky perks now when you stay at this hotel such as having the luxury of renting polaroid cameras and making your stay as fun as possible especially with your furry friends as the hotel is proud of its pet friendly policy. Aloft Eastside has quickly become one of my top 5 hotels to stay in Birmingham, the staff here are fantastic and really went to great lengths to make sure our stay was positive and memorable. Aloft is bold, eccentric and dares to be different. We need more hotels like that in Birmingham.

To book your stay please click here and to see more of the hotel please check out my reel of the Hotel here

BAB x

Tags Alofthotel, Birmingham, boutiquehotel, hotel, lifestyle, travel, westmidlands

lifestyle review

BOTTOMLESS AT GREENS SOLIHULL

Post author By bababouttownx
Post date 28th June 2021
No Comments on BOTTOMLESS AT GREENS SOLIHULL

Green’s is a chic cocktail bar based in Mell Square Centre in Solihull. They have just launched their new ‘Bottomless’ experience and I was kindly invited to be one of the first to try it out. Now I am partial to a boozy brunch but there is so much more to this experience then just getting punters trolleyed. The details, the effort and the thought that is behind this experience puts it right at the top of the best bottomless experiences I have ever had…Intrigued? Let’s do this…

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Green’s latest boozy experience Bottomless gives you 90 minutes of unlimited drinks alongside a choice of grazing board and daiquiri soaked strawberries and cream for just £36. First impressions upon entering the cocktail bar is that it’s gorgeous. Insta-addicts will be scrambling for their phones as soon as they step in due to the eye-catching Blossom tree centrepiece. Suede seating, marble tables, an art-deco inspired bar and lots of botanical vibes; oh yes Green’s likes to make a dazzling first impression.

Your 90 minutes start soon as your order is processed. My cousin and I sat down and a waiter was over in seconds to take our order. We decided to go for cocktails. The menu is very impressive, possibly the best bottomless options I have ever come across. Usually with these sort of affairs you’re either limited to Prosecco or overly sweet porn star martinis. So it was a nice surprise to see options such as gin, vodka, rum and mixers, wine, Corona on draught as well as the standard ‘bottomless’ faves.

The first cocktail I ordered was a “Whoopsy Daisy” – a rhubarb and raspberry gin number. Vibrant, fruity and a winning first cocktail, no complaints here. Soon after our cocktails were served, we were asked what grazing board we wanted, we both leapt at the same time for the meat and cheese board. The board is for two people to share however I can see a group of four easily sharing it. The cheeses and meats are locally sourced and the portions are perfect, maybe even a bit generous or perhaps it’s just that a couple of places I have visited recently have been stingy on the food offering for bottomless brunches.

What’s included in the grazing board:

Cheeses: Black bomber cheddar, Sparkenhoe red leicester, Oxford blue, Godminster black truffle, Waterloo, Baron bigod, and Nettle Yarg.

Meats: Venison salami, Smoked venison salami, Wagyu beef salami, Salt and pepper salami, and Rosemary salami.

Halkidiki and kalamata olives in rose harissa

Debs of Harborne chilli jam

This is possibly the best meat and cheese board I have ever had. The variety was incredible and it was great to see a local independent such as Debs of Harborne making an appearance, especially as I have been wanting to get my hands on Deb’s jam for ages. Independents supporting independents, I’m all for it. The board really complimented the cocktail and as it was plentiful we enjoyed having something to pick at while drinking our cocktails.

The Daiquiri soaked strawberries and cream followed after (not straight away but perfectly timed to give us a breather). Sweet and satisfying. We were both full and very satisfied, but the cocktail show must go on…

We experimented and tried cocktails we wouldn’t usually go for and we asked the manager for suggestions who was very happy to help out. Every single cocktail I had, I liked. Attention! Clean up on aisle eight. We have a drunken Bab. Terry’s Dark Horse was one of my favourites, an orange twist on an Espresso Martini. Velvet Society was another favourite – cocktail meets pudding I would say. Passionfruit, champagne and vanilla ice cream – delish!

As I said before the variety of cocktails that are on offer is remarkable, is this really all for £36?! Each cocktail costs between £8-10 – we managed five each and I woke up the next morning with no regrets and no hangover. What Green’s has done is completely changed bottomless brunch in my eyes. I know it’s not a ‘brunch’ per se but I’ll take pudding cocktails and a black bomber any day over shrivelled eggs with no yolk pop and an insane amount of avocado. I like to pick, I like to graze, and I like to take my time. I know we were on a time limit, but we didn’t feel rushed at all. After our bottomless experience we enjoyed live music from Esther Turner, it was the perfect ending to a perfect night. Do me a favour? Don’t go here. Just let me have Green’s all to myself, please?

Book your Bottomless experience now

BAB

Tags Birmingham, bottomlessbrunch, cocktails, foodblogger, Solihull, westmidlands