May 2012
3 posts
Jubilee Gin Fest at The Jekyll & Hyde*
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
The Jekyll & Hyde, Birmingham’s famous gin specialist, have chosen to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a Jubilee Gin Fest. The four-day festival will be devoted to the ever-so-slightly aristocratic tipple, gin. A special Gin Flight menu and a range of gin-themed prizes are planned for the Royal occasion.
When?
Wednesday 30th May – Saturday 2nd June 2012
Gin...
MY DINE BIRMINGHAM | Tara Tomes from NEC Group
We persuaded local gastrophile Tara Tomes, Consumer Media Relations Manager at the NEC Group, to share her top tips on the best restaurants in Birmingham.
Birmingham is an absolutely fantastic city to host people, be they friends, family or colleagues. The city has everything you need to satisfy your tastebuds, and that’s one of the things that makes it unique. You only have to read some of the...
Aalto Restaurant | Hotel La Tour | Central...
The talk of Birmingham should be all about Hotel La Tour. This new £24 million development comprises a four star hotel and a first class restaurant thanks to a menu inspired by Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing, and a superstar service.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
Located in a part of town waiting patiently for its own moment of regeneration glory, the hotel reception is unremarkable. But...
April 2012
4 posts
New Start for the New Inn: Harborne pub...
Birmingham’s leafy suburb of Harborne is the spot chosen for the latest dining and drinks venue from Bitters ‘n Twisted group. The people behind the popular Island Bar, Bodega and Jekyll and Hyde have teamed up with Marston’s to turn a longstanding traditional pub into a new bar and grill outside the city centre.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
The New Inn, located just off Harborne’s high street, has...
Blue Ginger | Malaysian & Singaporean | King’s...
Having gained some notoriety when it was featured as a hidden gem in Olive Magazine a few years ago, Blue Ginger in King’s Heath, Birmingham specialises in providing authentic Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine.
[by Laura Creaven | image courtesy of The Single Gourmet and Traveller]
atmosphere
Although it was mid-week when restaurants are traditionally quiet, Blue Ginger was nicely busy, with most...
Metro Bar & Grill | Colmore Business District
Metro Bar & Grill is an independent restaurant and drinks venue situated in the heart of Birmingham’s commercial and business quarter, Colmore Business District. Established in 1997, it is an excellent venue for business as well as leisure meals, with a branch open in Solihull as well.
[by Tahreen Kutub]
atmosphere
Metro Bar & Grill has a really classy, modern and stylish interior. The...
4 tags
March 2012
4 posts
5 tags
Local chef to compete in prestigious gourmet...
Ed Atwell (pictured), Sous Chef at Birmingham’s gourmet Loves Restaurant, is set to compete in a prestigious national cooking competition, going up against chefs from around the country for the chance to win a career-changing Michelin-starred experience, along with other coveted prizes.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
The Roux Scholarship was founded almost two decades ago by famed chefs Albert and Michel Roux...
5 tags
The Chameleon Restaurant & Bar | Central...
The Chameleon is renowned in Birmingham for its quality cocktails and is the ideal evening location for a spot of sophisticated fun on the dance floor. But discerning diners run the risk of overlooking the restaurant, which would be a great shame.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
With its glamorous lighting and upbeat music, the sophisticated décor at The Chameleon creates a seductive ambience at...
8 tags
Chamberlains Quality Fish & Chips Restaurant |...
Chamberlains Quality Fish and Chips is located on the outskirts of Birmingham, doing justice to its ambitious name by scooping a top prize at this year’s National Fish & Chip Awards. We think the cosy family atmosphere, and the wealth of choice beyond classic haddock and chips, makes Chamberlains the perfect choice for a Mother’s Day meal.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
atmosphere
The interior of the...
9 tags
Fairtrade Fortnight: Dancing celebrities and...
This Fairtrade Fortnight (27 Feb – 11 Mar 2012), playing on the theme of taking an ethical step, Fairtrade has come up with the idea of using dancing celebrities to promote the cause.
The series of wacky videos feature a few rather famous faces shedding their dignity in public places such as the supermarket – all in the name of Fairtrade:
Viral video by ebuzzing
[words by Ahmed Ahmed]
In a...
February 2012
4 posts
6 tags
Chaophraya (formerly Chao Baby) | Thai
Chaophraya (formerly known as Chao Baby) located in Birmingham’s new Spiceal Street, has overhauled its menu to offer the Bullring customer an a la carte menu which makes for a classier, if slightly pricier, dining experience.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
Chaophraya’s Thai identity is apparent as soon as you walk in. Between the Buddhist-inspired statues and the soft blue and orange mood...
11 tags
Claire Hutchings: The MasterChef from Moseley...
Claire Hutchings from Moseley in Birmingham made it all the way to the finals of television’s MasterChef: The Professionals in 2011, gaining a reputation for creativity and culinary flair, and creating a chocolate sorbet recipe that legendary chef Michel Roux Jr himself wasn’t ashamed to swipe. With Claire back in Birmingham to host a number of guest chef evenings at the Kitchen Garden Cafe...
10 tags
Five Rivers à la Carte | North Indian
The new Five Rivers à la Carte in Walsall (just outside Birmingham) is named for the five rivers that flow through the northern Indian state of The Punjab. The restaurant’s cobbled front aspect sets it back from the street, preparing guests for an experience that is anything but middle-of-the-road.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
Once inside, expect to feel like you’ve been transported to...
11 tags
Young chef scoops regional culinary prize in...
A 16-year-old local student was yesterday awarded the prize of Springboard FutureChef West Midlands at University College Birmingham. Kieran Mole (pictured, with plate) from South Bromsgrove High School will now go on to compete at a national level with eleven other aspiring young chefs from around the UK.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
The Springboard FutureChef competition calls on culinary enthusiasts...
January 2012
5 posts
12 tags
MY DINE BIRMINGHAM | Steve Denyer from Heart FM
Steve Denyer’s Heart FM Drivetime show keeps thousands of commuters company across the West Midlands during the week, while at the weekends he broadcasts to a national audience. The famous Birmingham-dweller shares his favourite places to eat and drink around the city:
Breakfast
Having lived in central Birmingham for nearly seven years, I have been thoroughly spoilt for choice when it comes to...
9 tags
Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant | Chinese
Billing itself as the ‘original Cantonese restaurant’ in Birmingham, Chung Ying (map) has been a staple feature of the city’s Chinatown district for over two decades, this year welcoming the third Year of the Dragon since its launch in 1981. Dine Birmingham visited Chung Ying on the eve of Chinese New Year, to investigate the secret of its longevity.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
atmosphere
On entering, the...
8 tags
The Horseshoe Bar and Restaurant | indian & more
The Horseshoe Bar and Restaurant in Hall Green, Birmingham (map) is something of a culinary chimaera, made up of contrasting components just like the mythical creature. As manager Tanveer Handa explained to us, the goal is to provide high quality Indian cuisine alongside traditional gastropub fare.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
atmosphere
The venue’s interior reflects this dual ethos. Previously a traditional...
12 tags
Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill,...
Located on the 25th floor of new landmark The Cube, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill is the first restaurant in Birmingham to offer 360 degree views of the city. Dine Birmingham invited famous local lady Alison Hammond along to sample fine dining served in an Empire State Of Mind…
by Sanjeeta Bains
As I waited at the bar for my lunch date, ITV1’s This Morning...
10 tags
Dine for less in 2012 at Birmingham's top...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
The Gastro Card is a dining discount card that allows restaurant visitors access to special discounts at over 100 top-flight venues across Birmingham and the whole of the UK.
Dine Birmingham can now make the discount card available to our readers at a half-price rate. We caught up with Geoff Abbott, the founder of the Gastro Card, to bring you the details.
How does the Gastro...
December 2011
4 posts
13 tags
Birmingham's Gourmet Year: New Venues in 2011
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Birmingham’s culinary offering went from strength to strength in 2011, with new restaurants, cafes and bars popping up on almost every corner. Here’s just a handful of them. If you haven’t yet had a chance to visit any, put them on your list for 2012.
Annexe | website
This stylish nook near the law courts touts itself as ‘a relaxed yet sophisticated venue for those seeking the...
11 tags
Cook up a perfect Christmas with these top chefs'...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
It’s that time of year again, just in case you hadn’t heard. It’s the season for spiced nuts, fancy appetisers, succulent roast birds and gorgeously indulgent desserts.
Whether you’re planning to feed the world or just your special loved ones this holiday season, delve into the Gastro Card’s guide to cooking a perfect Christmas, featuring tempting...
10 tags
A virtual tour of new Birmingham hotspot, Spiceal...
Viral video by ebuzzing
Words by Ahmed Ahmed
You must have been living in outer Mongolia (or somewhere far beyond Spaghetti junction) if you’ve failed to notice the crop of new Birmingham restaurants that have sprung up at Spiceal Street just outside the Bullring, in time for the Christmas shopping season.
Just in case you haven’t made it yet, have a look at the short video...
8 tags
del villaggio | italian | 0121 643 1400
Located on Birmingham Bullring’s doorstep (map), it would be easy but very foolish to dismiss Del Villaggio, an upmarket Italian restaurant, as merely a shopping centre cafe.
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
atmosphere
The slightly glitzy décor helps make for a sophisticated dining experience, yet there was also the homely ambience of a trattoria, pleasingly enhanced by the Italian voices we could hear coming...
November 2011
4 posts
12 tags
Driving home for Christmas? Soft drinks on the...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
A string of Birmingham restaurants and bars will be offering complimentary soft drinks to ease the annoyance of being the ‘designated driver’ this holiday season.
Bitters ‘n Twisted, the Birmingham restaurant group behind popular venues including Bodega, Island Bar and The Jekyll ‘n’ Hyde, are rolling out the gesture from the start of December.
Soft drinkers and designated...
10 tags
Birmingham’s Spiceal Street opens doors with a...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Birmingham’s new Spiceal Street restaurant complex was officially launched on Thursday night, with an evening of live music, drinks and delicious food samples hosted at Thai restaurant ChaoBaby, and Browns Bar and Brasserie.
After months of anticipation, the two eateries, along with handmade burger Co are now up and running, serving Thai delicacies, classic gourmet dishes...
7 tags
Joyeux Noël: Côte Brasserie Birmingham launches...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
For a touch of Gallic sparkle and sophistication this winter, you could do a lot worse than to visit Côte Brasserie in The Mailbox.
The new Christmas menu features an array of French-inspired delicacies ranging from charcuterie and the rich-flavoured smoked duck breast, to Breton chicken and fillet steaks.
After the extensive range of starters and mains, guests can choose from...
7 tags
Ort Cafe Launch: New venue unites food and...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Ort, a new cafe/bar opening its doors this Thursday (11 Nov), aims to combine the complementary ingredients of food, drink and creativity, creating a cultural and culinary space for Balsall Heath.
The new cafe, which becomes a bar by night, will serve as a gathering place for local artists, writers, musicians and thinkers as well as customers. The creators explained their...
October 2011
2 posts
17 tags
Pure Vintage: A tea party twist to Christmas in...
[by Sanjeeta Bains]
It’s official: high tea is now high fashion. And only the finest vintage china will do for an extra special brew. So with Christmas poking its sparkly head around the corner, Birmingham’s Bluu Bar has teamed up with Kiss Me Cupcakes and The Vintage Tea Cup to offer city slickers a sweet alternative to the humdrum Christmas lunch and office do: The Christmas Vintage Tea...
5 tags
cucina rustica | italian | 0121 233 2277
Cucina Rustica is a polished Italian eatery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, plating up classic delicacies just off the leafy St Paul’s Square.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
atmosphere
The interior quirkily blends Italian clichés with brightly coloured arty features; prints of masked Venetians alternate with abstract works on the walls, while the playlist features a mixture of mood-enhancing tracks...
September 2011
3 posts
5 tags
Oktoberfest at Birmingham’s The Jekyll & Hyde
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Birmingham pub and bar The Jekyll & Hyde is no stranger to pushing out the boat. Known for its quirky, tongue in cheek Victorian decor, this October the venue is tapping into German jollity with a two week-long celebration of the annual beer gala, Oktoberfest.
Carl Hawkins, general manager of The Jekyll & Hyde, explains: “We have handpicked a selection of beers we think...
7 tags
Pushkar's Indian street food for Birmingham Food...
Birmingham Food Fest 2011 (14 – 23 October) will see polished Indian restaurant Pushkar return to more earthy roots, with a specially created menu offering dhaba – Indian street food – to food lovers with a taste for adventure.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
These original recipes, authentic and unaltered, recall the rough and ready cuisine that can be bought at any roadside in India. The range focuses on...
5 tags
the warehouse café | vegetarian | 0121 633 0261
The Warehouse Café is one of Birmingham’s best kept secrets, serving creative and meat-free cuisine in a cosy bohemian space on the edge of Digbeth.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
atmosphere
In a word: relaxed. In two: relaxed and friendly. The upstairs dining room is unassuming and comfortable, with a slightly funky decor that perfectly complements the menu.
food
You might turn up with a common prejudgement...
August 2011
2 posts
7 tags
Thai restaurant Chao Baby comes to Birmingham’s...
Bullring Birmingham has revealed that the third new restaurant at the Spiceal Street development in St Martin’s Square will be Thai-banquet style venue, Chao Baby.
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Chao Baby is owned by restaurant group Chaophraya. When Spiceal Street development (see artist’s impression above) is complete later this year, Birmingham will be home to the group’s first Midlands venue.
Set to...
7 tags
Birmingham Food Fest: new celebration of city’s...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Birmingham is set to flex its gastronomic muscles this October with the first Birmingham Food Fest (14-23 October). The newly launched festival will bring together the city’s finest chefs, restaurants and venues for ten days of food-filled events.
The event will feature award-winning Birmingham restaurants including Simpsons, Purnell’s, Opus, Edmunds and Loves. Rising culinary...
July 2011
3 posts
9 tags
Fifth time's a charm: Bitters ‘n’ Twisted Cocktail...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
A new scheme running throughout August will see Birmingham’s Bodega, The Jekyll & Hyde, Island Bar, The Victoria and The Rose Villa Tavern serving a complimentary cocktail to anyone who has already enjoyed four mixed drinks at any of the other venues.
Those embarking on the Cocktail Trail will be issued with a card, to be stamped each time they order one of a range of...
8 tags
Global Grind: Café Blend has a coffee for every...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Sophie Highfield is a bird of passage who last year came back to roost in Birmingham. Half a minute’s walk from The Mailbox brings you to the prime corner spot where she has given flight to a long-held fancy: a coffee shop inspired by her global travels. Café Blend (map) now offers some 150 internationally-themed coffees, recalling destinations from Belgium to Hawaii.
A...
7 tags
Independence Day marks invasion of American beers...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
A trio of Birmingham pubs proudly lifted the standard of United States breweries on the 4th of July, dedicating a fortnight to craft ales from the New World.
The Victoria, Island Bar and The Jekyll ‘n’ Hyde have launched a campaign to bring Birmingham punters “a range of star-spangled beers from all across the United States of America.”
This courageous battle cry risks meeting...
June 2011
6 posts
8 tags
A new bloom for Birmingham: Rose Villa Tavern...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
A new look pub-restaurant opened its doors to Birmingham at midday on Wednesday 29th June, ready to serve up traditional cuisine, gourmet lunches and a range of drinks including cocktails, handpicked wines and international beers.
The Rose Villa Tavern (map) is housed in a grade II listed building, and the interiors have been carefully designed to combine characteristic period...
6 tags
Local Produce Market returns to Brindleyplace
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Friday 24th June sees the relaunch of the monthly Local Produce Market in Brindleyplace’s Central Square, where visitors will be able to browse and buy an array of locally sourced food and drink, including fresh fruit and vegetables.
Andy Waters, Chef Patron of the acclaimed Edmunds restaurant, is to hold a cooking demonstration in the square, demonstrating creative dishes...
9 tags
A refreshing approach to summer drinks
urban coffee co | 30 church st, birmingham b3 2np | 0121 236 0207
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Visitors to Urban Coffee Company this summer can now choose from a new range of freshly-made iced coffee drinks designed to combine refreshment and refinement.
The menu includes the Vietnamese iced coffee, iced latte and americano, chilled varieties of traditional coffee options enjoyed by the café’s...
4 tags
Made with love: Kiss Me Cupcakes
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Maz and Dali are true confectionery enthusiasts. Together, they run Kiss Me Cupcakes, supplying their freshly made, artfully topped wares to private parties and corporate events in the West Midlands. Dine Birmingham met with them to find out more about their love affair with the cupcake.
the story
During an 18 month-long trip that took them across Asia, South America and...
4 tags
Breakfast at Manton’s
café | 1 newhall street, Birmingham b3 3nh
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
If the phrase Breakfast at Tiffany’s conjures up an ideal of unattainable luxury and elegance in New York, our own big city has its treasures in the form of unique cafés and delis, where you can enjoy a similarly upmarket early morning experience. One such diamond is Manton’s, where Birmingham’s downtown professionals take a break...
2 tags
Ciderfest at The Victoria and The Jekyll & Hyde
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
A pair of central Birmingham pubs is launching a fortnight-long festival dedicated to two of the nation’s favourite summer drinks: cider and perry.
Ciderfest (6 – 19 June 2011) will take place simultaneously at The Victoria on John Bright St (map) and The Jekyll & Hyde on Steelhouse Lane (map). Both venues will offer a range of ciders and perries hand-chosen by the staff...
May 2011
5 posts
9 tags
Six Eight Kafé
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
6/8 temple row, birmingham b2 5hg
There seems to be something of a café renaissance going on in Birmingham of late. Independent coffee shops are springing up across town, all with the common mission of luring punters away from the generic high street offering in favour of something more original. One such establishment is Six Eight Kafé. Blending carefully sourced coffee and...
9 tags
Browns is coming to town: Birmingham's Spiceal...
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Bullring Birmingham announced last week that the swanky Browns Bar & Brasserie is set to feature in its ambitious new project at Spiceal Street, which will see a swathe of new dining and drinks establishments coming to the area currently under construction by St Martin’s Church.
Visitors to other parts of the country may already be familiar with the elegant and contemporary...
11 tags
soul food project @ hare and hounds
cajun/british | 106 high street, king’s heath, birmingham b14 7jz
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Let’s face it: Sundays can be a bit of a chore. The traditional day of rest often turns into a day of regret that you didn’t make the most of your weekend. Last week, however, we shook off the blues with a generous serving of Southern hospitality in South Birmingham. The Soul Food Project puts a Cajun twist on...
8 tags
veneto select @ the chameleon | italian
1 victoria square | birmingham b1 1bd | 0121 643 2233
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
For many Birminghamians, The Chameleon will need no introduction as a bar. Pleasantly parked a stone’s throw from the fountains of the Council House, this established drinking hole is now launching a new range of Northern Italian foods sourced by gastronomer Neil Walker, one half of Veneto Select. The...
5 tags
bodega | south american
12 bennett’s hill, Birmingham b2 5 | 0121 448 4267
[by Ahmed Ahmed]
Few Brits tend to go in for El Cinco de Mayo, unlike the Americans, who cheerfully join in with their Mexican neighbours’ fiesta every year on the 5th of May. Unwilling to miss the party, however, I dragged a friend along to Bodega, which describes itself as ‘a contemporary cantina bringing fresh South American...