Yet again I write in retrospect, because of time constraints. This was just over a month ago and it's still fresh in my mind. We're had the great pleasure of visiting several restaurants since then but for now this is my recollection of a wonderful night out at...

La Trompette

You won’t notice it if you’re not looking since it’s just off the main street. From a distance you might mistake it for just another one of those dull Italian chain restaurants that are literally littered everywhere these days. You know the ones; they make pasta dishes that, whilst fairly enjoyable, you know you can do a better job of at home.

Not so La Trompette.

First, let me mention the service. Excellent. It’s not just that they are attentive and helpful but that they go out of their way to make things right.

I should give some background.

We’d booked the private room for 16 but neglected to tell the restaurant that 4 more people than we’d originally planned for were coming. Not being a restaurant owner or manager it completely slipped my mind and the table size was too small for 16.

They made it work without complaint. Wonderful aversion from potential disaster. 

On to the food.

Starter

Z: Salad of Devon crab with apple, curry leaf vinaigrette and baby gem

A: Roast French rabbit with new season borlotti beans, pine nuts and raisins

I love nicely made rabbit and this was tender and sweet as it should be. I’ve no complaints and would certainly have this dish again. Raisins are the perfect complement to the subtle succulence of the meat and it was much less rich than I’d expected, and refreshingly so.

However, I have to hand this round to Z's salad. It looks a little boring on paper and the paper lies. You can’t tell exactly what is in a crab salad mix but that only added to the experience. Fresh, creamy, lush, more than the sum of its parts.

Mains

A: Roast Anjou pigeon with cracked wheat, preserved lemon, dates and purple sprouting broccoli

Z: Roast Hampshire roe deer with hazelnut dumplings, peas, broad beans and pine

I admit it; I went over the top. Rabbit and then pigeon is wrong, ordinarily (in my opinion as I don’t like two rounds from the same stable), but I was feeling a tad gluttonous. It all worked out though since the rabbit had been lighter than expected and happily the pigeon was too. It’s hard to say this because I did enjoy this dish, but I wouldn’t have it again. There is a reason for that though; the pigeon was meaty but light and the mild gaminess was complemented well by the sharpness of the lemon and the deep sweetness of the date. It was nowhere near as exciting as Z's deer though.

Oh the deer. Again I was disarmed by the lack of power because a lot of this menu sample had potentially rich gamey meats in it. The deer had all the flavour you should expect but much less of that bloody, earthy flavour one gets in much game. Perhaps I’m fooling myself and the grass isn’t really always greener but I really think Z's choices won both of the first two rounds.

Dessert

Z: Banana soufflé with cookies and cream ice cream

A: Mille-feuille of Kent mango with passion fruit and kaffir lime

The soufflé is served with the ice cream in the middle. They make a hole in the top of the soufflé and place the ice cream directly into it. It works and it works well. Good soufflé, good job. It’s a little heavy if you’re filled but just right if you’re not. When I was writing this Z saw the picture I was posting and reminded me how much she liked it. Remember, Z is really into desserts and is fairly particular. If the texture of your macaroon isn't right Z will pick it up in a bite. 

In contrast my choice lacked the punch I was hoping for; the mango was far, far too light. Mango is a powerful and distinctive flavour and can overpower other fruit so caution is welcome. But I'm pretty sure the maître d' is South African and they should let him taste it once in a while – it needs more guts. Perhaps it’s my experience of picking fresh mango off trees in Africa that’s biasing me but I wanted to be reminded of that refreshing and unique thirst that real mango quenches. Turn it up to 11, at the moment it’s on 6.

In conclusion

The night was a success. I should mention the excellent wines we had, including a lovely dessert vine to finish. I’ve no idea what they were as a friend of ours who is well versed in winery acted as sommelier but I will say I like the white, loved the first red, was indifferent to the second red (though luckily the first made a return later) and welcomed the dessert wine that I so rarely have.

Overall the food is very good, and although it’s not spectacular (I reserve that word for the truly tremendous places we’ve eaten in France, Spain and Italy) I would just love to go back to La Trompette. It’s a perfect place to have a get together and the private room is just great. And since we’ve never eaten there on our own I might give them a ring next month, in fact. I need a treat.

A few weeks ago I had the uncommon delight of being taken somewhere for lunch out of the blue. Following a cancelled meeting, and great trip to the Imperial War Museum, I was taken, sans Z, to what appears to be a hidden gem.

The Tickell Arms 

Yes.

Situated in the tiny village of Whittlesford and rated as the number 1 restaurant in Whittlesford on Tripadvisor, The Tickell Arms is a charming place. The building is quite quant and in the summer the rear garden will be the most relaxing place to sip a beer and enjoy the sunshine. The interior matches the food which really was rather good. Note: there are only 2 restaurants in Wittlesford on Tripadvisor and I don't envy the task the other one has to try and get our of last place.


Starter

A: Crispy Lamb Shoulder, Curly Kale & Sherry Dressing

We ordered off the set menu and not a single regret was felt that day. The lamb shoulder comes in crispy cubes and once you crack open the beautifully crunchy and delicately salty outer layer you discover exquisitely most, rich and tender lamb that comes apart with ease and goes down easier. Kale is, theoretically, bland. Not here though; I could have eaten an entire bowl of this crispy accompaniment and the sherry dressing added a sharp and sweet frisson. A trifecta of excellence. When I go back, and I will, it'll be very difficult to resist a repeat.


Main

A: Sausages, Mash, Caramelised Onions & Gravy

This appears incredibly run of the mill at first glance and on the day I was offered some special sausages instead of their standard pork. I went for the pork because I feel it better if the chef sticks to what they know, especially if I'm going to be reviewing it.

Every aspect of this main was, once more, delightful. The sausage choice was the correct choice; lovely, meaty and flavoursome without being too rich like some specialist sausages are wont to be. The mash was creamy but firm. the onions succulent and sweet with that mild savoury background that caramelised onion should have. I'd have liked more gravy but what was there was just right; pungent, rich, not runny and not separating. A triumph of a plate.


The service was top quality, the surroundings lovely and the food fabulous. Unfortunately we'd had a fried breakfast in the morning and the starter and main didn't leave any space for dessert.

Next time I'll be starved in preparation. What a wonderful treat.

We had the great pleasure of seeing Derren Brown live on stage this week, and beforehand popped into what is ranked at the 11th best restaurant in Dartford by Tripadvisor.

Le Tre Sorelle

Billed as an authentic Italian and being number 11 in Dartford Le Tre Sorelle appears very appealing. At first glance it looks okay, though it was very quite (and I'd booked a table just in case).

Starters

Z: Soup of the day - Turkey Soup

A: Sautee di Cozze - Mussels in Cream Sauce with Homemade Bread

The soup was adequate, being a tomato base with rather large chunks of turkey and little other flavouring. This isn't fine dining and there was nothing in the either starter that can't easily be made at home. Z didn't finish it because the portion was quite large.

My mussels arrived with a tiny pot for the shells but the portion was, again, large. This was the best thing about this dish as the cream sauce was uninspired lacking any real hint of flavour apart from... cream. It's lucky I really like mussels. The bread was rather plain and again, apart from the the bread (I cannot bake) this would be very easy to make at home. If I did though, I consider it a failure.

Mains

A: Linguine Prawn Rosa - Prawns, mascarpone and chilli oil

Z: Tagliatelle Quattro Formaggi - gorgonzola, mascarpone, parmesan, mozzarella and walnuts

My linguine was disappointing. The pasta itself was alright but a little overcooked for my taste as were the prawns which I'm sure hadn't been fresh, but frozen for a very long time. You'll never have prawns so cooked to death in Italy but that wasn't the worst part of this dish. There was too much sauce and it had it was both under seasoned (this was one of the few times I've used the table salt in a restaurant) and the mascarpone was too overpowering. Where was the chilli? AWOL it seems. My favourite part of this may have been the parmesan the waiter sprinkled over the top. I can't say I can do better at this particular dish but I can certainly make a superior linguine with sauce than this.

Z's tagliatelle was much better. The pasta wasn't overcooked and the sauce was delightfully cheesy and far stronger than I think most people would expect. It was the dish I would have ordered if Z hadn't and I regretted my selection upon tasting it. Even so, it was also (amazingly) under seasoned. I'd get this again though.

The portions were huge which meant when it came to dessert we only ordered one to share. Thank goodness we did!

Dessert

A & Z: Tiramisu

This is difficult to get wrong. They didn't get it wrong. This was far and away the best course and belongs in another restaurant. However, the potion was huge and a struggle for us both to finish.


I'd summarise Le Tre Sorelle as serviceable. It's not expensive and the food isn't bad. I'd be pleased to get this at home, and pleased with the tiramisu anywhere, but we won't be going back intentionally.

Hello Berkshire :)

It's been a long week with the move and we had an occasion to celebrate. Trip Advisor has served us well in the past and I found what looked to be a promising eatery. It turned out to be quite the surprise.

L'Ortolan

Getting here involved a long drive through what seemed like several small villages. The GPS was a bit out but we got there. This is what we found.

L'Ortolan located in a listed building it seems. It's some sort of large country house or manor and certainly looks impressive from the outside. A bit of guidance to the front would have been nice as I don't make it a habit to open large manor doors without signs on them. Oh, it's listed as being a French restaurant.

The decor is pleasant enough, though I did notice that, oddly, the carpet needs cleaning or changing. I shan't bore you with the wine choice as I neither know enough about wine to really comment,  nor think the selection to be the measure of an eatery. Suffice to say at £49 a bottle it wasn't cheap but I did enjoy it.

Pre-Starters

Yes, this is the type of place that gives an amuse-bouche. Or two 

The first course was a selection of house canepes, small fingers of breaded fish, peanuts in a chilli crust. This was a pleasant surprise and whet the appetite nicely. We then had a selection of small homemade breads which mostly fresh and excellent. After this it was the amuse-bouche, or Chef's appetiser; either pumpkin or butternut squash broth. Delicious. 

Starters

Z: Roast scallops, cauliflower & caraway purée, caramelised white chocolate, lime emulsion

A: Hen egg & herb ravioli, braised celery & salsify, Wiltshire truffles

This is "fine dining" so every part of every portion has to be tiny. Z's cauliflower was so thin I mistook it for some sort of exotic mushroom. The scallops were sweet, tender and complemented the white chocolate in a most interesting and tantalising fashion. This was a superior starter and I recommend it highly.

My ravioli was very good, but it was the best part of my dish by far. The celery was at least not offensive, as I usually dislike it if its not part of the base for a Tuscan pasta sauce. You can't go wrong with truffles but really all these accompaniments paled in comparison to the ravioli, which was indeed good and deserved better.

Mains

A: Tasting plate of suckling pig, cipollini onion, black pudding purée, sage jus

Z: Roasted breast and confit leg of grouse, savoy cabbage, cider fondant, honey roasted parsnips, blackberry & roasting jus

The pig was well cooked; just done and the crackling on the piece of belly was just right. The onion and black pudding puree were full and flavoursome but the sage jus was a little weak for me and if I'm honest the best bit of the pig really was that small cube of belly. I shouldn't say I was disappointed as it was all lovely. It just wasn't inspirational. 

The grouse, on the other hand, was fabulous. The breast is served quite rare and I didn't try it, but Z enjoyed it all and the portion of leg I sampled was just delicious. Z especially like the roasting jus and the parsnips, which I tried, were nice too. But then I like parsnips and it's hard to spoil them. I had initially chosen the grouse and when we go back (which we will) I may have to choose it.

Dessert

This was quite the odyssey, which isn't to say it was fraught with hardships but, well...

Z: Apple soufflé 

A: Salted caramel parfait, chocolate aero, honeycomb, hazelnut 

Before dessert there is the Chef's pre-dessert. This was a delightful touch of cheesecake in a glass. The chef was unhappy with the soufflé so our dessert was delayed. To make up for the delay we were served a caramel panna cotta with caramel crumble and honeycombs. This was a little sweet for me but it was certainly nice of them to "compensate" us for the delay. 

All of these "pre-desserts" made me a bit full and I thought I wouldn't manage the salted caramel. 

The apple soufflé, when it arrived, was competent. Light, apple-y, nice. Again, this wasn't bad just not inspiring. It was another dish I had initially though of ordering, but I relented to allow Z her first choice. In truth I don't like salted caramel; it's usually over salted or over sweet to compensate. Not here - my dessert was wonderful, and the stand out of the night. I finished it all and would have it again. It's not the caramel pancakes of Fiesta Del Asado but it's up there on my List Of Good Desserts.

L'Ortolan isn't cheap and you get the service and the surrounding you pay for. We didn't know it has a Michelin star until I looked it up again when we got home. I'm sure it deserves it as the chef clearly knows how to work some magic. I'm not entirely sure it's worth the price though because at over £100 a head (including wine) I expect to be wowed with every part of every plate. We've paid a lot less for a lot more, especially in Italy and France, but you'll have to read my other entries for details of that. We haven't fully made our minds up about L'Ortolan yet but it was a very enjoyable evening. 

We will certainly go again, and it in fact are planning on taking a party for the 10 course surprise, after which, I'll make a definitive judgement. 

Oh, and the jellies that came with the coffee were perfect. The toffee was far too chewy for me though. 

Bye Bye Birmingham

We've left Birmingham and before we left we had to try Lasan at least once, being that it's allied with Fiesta Del Asado in some way.

So try we did.

Lasan wasn't easy to find, being off a small street and having a "For Rent" on another building hiding the "Lasan" sign from one end of it. Which probably won't be the case if you go there of course.

First impressions were good; the surroundings are nice and the multilevelled layout makes it look bigger than it is. We were the first people to arrive, which never feels great, but it slowly filled up until every tablet was taken.

The service was very good, almost too good - our waiter was around all the time and had a good knowledge of the menu. I chose based on his recommendation, and I wasn't disappointed.

Starter

A & Z: Mixed vegetarian starter.

This was calculated so we'd have a range of samples. Overall it was competent but not fantastic. In fact the dips the popadoms came with were better, being themselves that impressive that they probably contributed to the disappointment with the actual starter.

If you go, get the popadoms just for the dips. Superior.

A (extra): Konkan Kekada (Soft Shell Crab)

Disappointing. I love nice crispy soft shell crab and that's why I had to sample this as an extra. It sounds so good on the menu too. I wouldn't get this again; it wasn't crispy, was a little cool and lacked flavour.

At this point Lasan wasn't living up to it's hype. In fact we'd been warned by a friend that it was all show and no action, but I refused to believe this one dissenting voice. Before our mains I thought I was wrong.

Main

A: Sikharandi Raan

Redemption in the form of lamb. I've eaten my share of lamb at various Asian restaurants all over Birmingham and this undoubtably the best dish out of all of them. It was oddly out of place, far exceeding the all of the starters and perhaps only approved in quality by the superb popadom dips. The meat was tender, subtly flavoured and had three different textures to it. Hearty stuff with a delicious lentil accompaniment.

I wish we'd had the chance to go back because based on this Lasan's kitchen has real potential. I'd love to try some of the chicken dishes - if they can do this to lamb who knows what wonders the chicken holds.

Z: Monkfish

Z actually wanted something else but they replaced the fish with monkfish, as they had run out. Monkfish is always nice, but the accompaniments were forgettable.

Dessert

A & Z: I had some sort of chocolate torte. Z can't remember what she had. Suffice to say, it was so-so.

Our conclusion was this; Lasan's clearly has some good ideas, and that lamb was tremendous. On that basis we'll go again if we get the chance. However, they sorely need consistency to capitalise on their strengths.

For our leaving meal we went back to Fiesta Del Asado. It was perfect, as always, and we'll miss it.

A 

Disappointed? Skewered! 

We decided to try out another Birmingham establishment that we'd been recommended because in theory this is right up my street.

Rodizio Rico, a Brazilian grill/steakhouse.

The premise is simple; pay a set price per person (£25 + 10% gratuity) and eat as much as want. You have access to the salad bar/buffet and periodically a meat carver brings around a meat skewer with flame grilled meat on it and slices off a portion (or two) for you.

The meat is randomly rotated. We had

• Chicken
• Pork
• Lamb
• More pork, with fat and skin
• Steak
• Herb sausages
• More Steak
• More Lamb

So, unlike our usual outing, we just had a bit of everything. Z only liked the lamb and chicken and I was just disappointed overall. It was... okay. I can't complain about all of the meat but there wasn't anything that, if I'm honest, was really good. It's grilled meat and thats all there is to it. Perhaps I should have expected that but it didn't appear to be high quality meat and it wasn't flavoured or marinated in anything of note, especially for the price.

The most interesting parts of the meal were the sausage, because it was different, and the rice and beans from the buffet but mostly because it reminded me of the wonderful cassoulet I had in Toulouse last month.

I'll have to write about the trip to Provence because everything we had there was superior to the mediocre fare at Ridizo Rico. I wanted to like it but next time we feel like South American meat we'll be going to Feista Del Asado.

Rolling hills, valleys and sheep

A last minute getaway to Wales started with a gentle drive across the Midlands, out to where the road signs are in English and Welsh and ended with a trip along winding roads, across beautiful hills and past more sheep and lambs than I've ever seen. We'd settled on staying near the coast so we could get to the sea and the Snowdonia National Park for some walking in nature. 

One shouldn't forget to look up dining spots even before a drop-of-the-hat trip and so I booked a table at Bistro Bermo as soon as we'd booked accommodation. 

After an afternoon walking in some of the most beautifully wild country south of Hadrian's Wall you fancy something filling to recharge the batteries and if its good quality, well prepared and tastes divine you'd feel pretty please I'm sure.

We were pretty pleased.

Bistro Bermo is an unassuming establishment and very small. Don't be fooled. I don't know what the other restaurants in Barmouth are like but if they're like this there are some very spoilt Welshmen there. Service was excellent and friendly and it was a warm and intimate evening that started with a respectable pre-starter of fruited bread, olives and vinegar in olive oil, which I've always liked.


Starter

Z: Peppered goats cheese with mango sorbet
A: Duck pate with damson chutney

Its fair to say the options sounded good anyway, but you know that feeling when what looks like a good thing turns out to be better than good? That's what we got. The warm goats cheese was a fairly light cheesy goo (as it should be) with a delicious picante crispy crust. Having a cold mango sorbet as a counterpoint was marvelous and Z enjoyed it that much I now the task of attempting a replication at home. There's no higher praise than that. The pate was rich and smooth and perfectly juxtaposed with a delightfully tart damson chutney. I just wished the bread had been a little more adventurous; something seeded perhaps.

I'm quibbling. The starter made us eager for the mains and we were not disappointed.

Main

A: Supreme of cod with king prawns, mussels and a lobster sauce, and smashed garlic potatoes.
B: Fillet of Bream with cockles in a cream sauce and new potatoes.

Oh where to start?! The cod was so tender it was fluffy. The cod, mussels and sauce combination was just so; tender and sweet, which may seem an odd description for seafood but trust me when I say it was all a delicate wonder. The real star here the prawns though, and it was a great sadness to have so few. I stated in my mini-review of Rivera in Venice that the scampi was "was so, so good every scampi dish I have from now on is bound to be a disappointment."

I take my hat off to the chef at Bistro Bermo - this was no disappointment. Z tried one, on my insistence, and I asked what it reminded her of. "Venice" she said, with a large smile.

There was, in truth, too much cod and potatoes for me, as nice as it all was. I still finished it all though :)

Z's bream was, naturally, very different being a much more "fishy" meat with a more powerful flavour. Beautifully prepared and delicious and perfectly complemented by the cockle sauce (which is so much nicer to the taste buds than the eyes) I was almost jealous that I hadn't chosen it. With two excellent courses we just had to try the desserts.

Dessert

A: Sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream
Z: Mille feuille with fresh fruit and cream

Z is the dessert eater, not I, and be both agreed that the toffee pudding and butterscotch sauce was marvelous. The pudding was a slice from what seemed like a genuine homemade toffee pudding loaf and I could have had double. The trick to it was despite its description it wasn't too sweet. A lesser establishment would have made it sickly. I'd love another one tonight but alas we're back home.

The only disappointment of the evening was the mille feuille. The pastry was nice enough, the cream and fresh fruit all fine, fresh and tasty. But it had no crème pâtissière. One shouldn't call a thing a mille feuille if it has no crème pâtissière. Well perhaps it's not that bad as they are made without it sometimes, but Z loves traditional mille feuille and was a little crestfallen at this lack.

This small blip was just that though, a blip. It's a shame that Bistro Bermo is so far away as I can't say when we'll visit again. Its that kind of place that would draw me to it if I were to stay nearby again, simply for the fact that I cannot fathom how anywhere else close could hope to be anything but a disappointment. My biggest regret was that we didn't have enough cash on us to leave a decent tip - so we left all the cash we had. If the staff happen to read this - we're sorry, it was no reflection on you; far from it! Anywhere that does seafood that well (and those prawns!) with such simply inventive and scrumptious starters deserves a second, and third, visit. If I'm passing, lay me a place.

2014 in Birmingham

We've not been anywhere new in Birmingham since last year; it's all been re-treads of places we like here.

So, to Pushkar. Being close to us means Pushkar was on the radar for takeaways which have always been good, if quite expensive. So when we were invited by some friends to go for a meal there I was keen.

Pushkar is a relatively up-market place on Broad Street billing itself as a Punjabi and North Indian restaurant. It's right where the action is and passing it on an evening will show its popularity on any day - its always busy. Part of this is due to the location, part of is due to the cocktail bar they've shoehorned in and part of it is the quality of the food.

Service is good, the cocktails we ordered whilst waiting for the entire party arrive were very satisfying and its a nice place, if a little noisy for my tastes. The service is good. I know I've said that but really our waiter seemed to be on hand all the time despite the restaurant being very busy during our visit. 

So, to the food. I shan't be going through dish by dish like I usually do because it was too long ago and not memorable enough. Which isn't to say it was bad; far from it - the food here is very nice. Our party ordered popadoms with condiments and starters, all of which were fresh and good quality. A special mention goes to the popadom condiments which are of a much higher quality than the usual fair in Birmingham.

Main

A: Lamb biryani.

This is the only dish I distinctly remember and it was well prepared, the meat was tender and tasty and there was nothing at all to complain about apart from the portion size. The biryani comes in its own pot and it has a sort of baked skin, like a bread or fine pastry, that you have to break to get to the meat and rice. 

I'd say we had a nice meal at Pushkar and, apart from that meagre portion, for flavour you can't go wrong here. I don't remember what Z ordered but I know we all enjoyed our meals. 

I have a reservation though, which you might have thought was coming. The price. Simply put; Pushkar is overpriced. There isn't a main that is under £10 here and the seafood dishes are all over £15. With a larger portion I'd have no issue with this but a few prawns for £16 is not reasonable, unless you're talking Venice quality concotions. We all liked the food but it's not worth this and I feel Pushkar is making the most of its prime position in a slightly unsavoury manner.

Return to an old favourite

Between Pushkar and the present day we went back, again(!), to Fiesta Del Asado.  A trip there is never disappointing and it had been a while since I'd had the pancake dessert. 

Starter

Z: Spinach and provone cheese empanada.

A: Chicken and sweetcorn empanada.

We'd had the spinach empanada before (and the beef) so knew what to expect. The chicken was an adventure and to my pleasant surprise is beyond good; its now my favourite of the three empanada options.

Main

A: Estofado de ternera 

Z:  Pollo guisado

I'd had the chicken before and Z thoroughly enjoyed it. Naturally I sneaked a few bites and it was every bit as delicious as I recalled. The Estofado de ternera was another adventure for me and I'm so happy that I went on it. This is the difference between good food and really good food. This dish is £18 but you don't feel like its overpriced by the time you finish it. It isn't a huge portion and it isn't very rich; the satisfaction comes from it being the right sized portion and a culinary delight. The meat just melts and is both subtle and surprisingly deep in flavour. I'm not ashamed to say I wished for some more of the dense and moist bread they serve as a pre-starter to soak up the leftover juices.

Dessert

Pancakes all around. This is still my favourite restaurant dessert, despite some bits to quality establishments in London in the past few months. Try it - you won't be disappointed. The ability to replicate this at home is not something I'd wish on anyone; the temptation would be irresistible. 

Birmingham restaurants - pre-Christmas dinners

We had the good fortune to visit two restaurants in Birmingham that are well regarded if you believe the cumulative reviews on Trip Advisor, which, based on previous experiences, we do. This was a back-to-back experience, Loves on Friday and then Ju-Ju's Cafe on Saturday and the contrast between them was pretty interesting.

Loves

Loves and Michelin Stars have been mentioned together a few times at least so we were both looking forward to it and unsurprised when it proved hard to get a table. Admittedly we left it late to book the table (and it was for 8!) and thankfully got a late Friday table at 9.30pm.

This was the first issue with Loves - the booking rules. You have to give your credit card details and there is a £45 penalty, per person(!), if you cancel without giving 24hrs notice. I understand that a late cancellation cost them but they have another rule - if you're more than 15 minutes late you lose your booking altogether.

This is all fine actually. It's a high end place, it's in high demand and they have seats to fill. What isn't fine is having all these rules and then making us wait 30 minutes before seating us.

Starter

Z: Loch Duart Salmon
A: I can't remember!

Z's salmon was tasty but under seasoned in her opinion. I found it to be well done with a nice firmness. It was strong in flavour and really for someone who likes salmon more than I do.

I can't remember what I had, despite looking at the menu online (I'm convinced it's not on there, whatever it was), though I can say that I enjoyed my starter. But the real reason for this lapse of memory, I think, is the overwhelming memory of my main.

Main

A: Pig's Head and Tiger Prawns
Z: Cornish Hake

I was the only person at the table who chose the Pig's Head and I admit I was just diving in without really knowing whether what I'd get or whether I'd like it. I had couple of congratulations for being brave and adventurous from around the table but there was nothing to have any trepidation about - this was a great choice.

This dish is a selection of pig parts, as detailed on the menu. Each part was better than the last and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I think the prawn was an unnecessary afterthought. This isn't for the fainthearted, I'll admit, but it most certainly is different. The different components have vastly different textures as well as tastes. You should try this at least once in your life.

Z's Hake was not for me. Z though it wasn't much better than good home cooking, but you can't really complain about good home cooking.

Dessert

Z: Coffee Panacotta
A: Apple Cheesecake

The Coffee Panacotta wasn't lacking in flavour and both Z and I really liked it. It's flavour was delicate but just right; where it fell down was the texture. The panacotta was just a bit... watery. If it had been firmer it would have been very good, but it was little bit too soft.

My cheesecake was less apple-y than I'd have liked, but at this point I wasn't sure if this is Loves' desert MO because the rosemary ice cream was very lightly flavoured, to it's benefit. I can't really complain because I think it was made exactly as intended but for me a little bit more oomph in my desserts would be welcome.

The In-betweens

I should mention the pre-course courses. Loves provides an amuse bouche that was fabulous. Similarly there is a pre-dessert which was also great, especially as both of these pre-courses were unexpected. And for that reason I won't say what they were. Suffice to say that the amuse bouche was good enough that Z still mentions it from time to time and I far preferred it to the amuse bouche I had at Simpsons some time ago (pumpkin soup with bacon froth).

We'll be going back to Loves soon. It may seem that we weren't overly impressed and being totally honest we weren't because of an number of small issues. But my main was so interesting that it erased any memory of my starter and that's what I've taken away from the experience.


So, to Saturday...


Ju-Ju's Cafe

I'll be honest; we wanted to go to Fiesta Del Asado but due to some unforeseen circumstances it was closed. We've bee to Ju-Ju's before and had nice memories of it so it was an easy choice, especially considering we'd seen it the night before - it's opposite Loves.

Ju-Ju's in an odd place. It's called a cafe yet it's ranked in the top 10 Birmingham restaurants on Trip Advisor. It is a bit cafe like in it's set up but the food is anything but standard cafe fare.

As Z has pointed out, a number of times since I started typing this, it's not really fair to compare Loves and Ju-Ju's as they are, theoretically, completely different types of restaurant. Nevertheless, we had the chance and I think it's an interesting comparison to make.


Starter

A: Chicken and pork terrine
Z: Goat's cheese fritters

The terrine is essentially a pate with bread and chutney. Don't let this fool you - it's a rich and tasty delight of a starter. Z's goat's cheese fritters were delicious too, soft and light - a "yummy" crust with a lovely warm centre.

Mains

A: Ale battered fillet of British Cod
Z: Winter Risotto

Z had the cod the last time we went and I got a taste for it then. This is simply high-end fish and chips, done right and done well. The bread and butter is a bit over the top but it's a fun addition if you do indeed turn it into a chip butty. I don't like fish and chips from anywhere south of The Humber if I'm honest. Even Hull's fish'n'chips offerings have declined in recent years and you have to go north to the coast for a good set. Ju-Ju's cod isn't in competition with chip shop fish'n'chips, I know that. But if I want fish'n'chips in Birmingham this is where I'd go.

I didn't have any of Z's risotto because my main was so big but I'm told was a little bit heavy despite being less creamy than Z would have liked. Otherwise it was good, which is more than Z can say for the risotto at Jamies (which we both tried and were so disappointed with we shan't be going back).

Dessert

A: Pancake
Z: Nothing!

Okay, Z and I shared one of the complementary mini-mince pies. It was nice. The pancake is a serious size and I couldn't finish it. It's a thick American style pancake smothered in syrup, ice cream and berries; if you weren't full before it you will be after. I really enjoyed what I could manage of this dessert but really the cod shouldn't be paired with it simply because of the size.

The service is friendly and personal here. We'll be back because of it and the quality of the food.

I can't say that Ju-Ju's is better than Loves and we'll be making a return trip to both. But service is a funny thing and I can say that we enjoyed Ju-Ju's a lot more. Thank goodness it's only around the corner.

The Second City

If you live in Birmingham and happen to enjoy international cuisine you'll notice that the options, despite what you might think you'd find in the Second City, are more limited than expected. For example; the nearest Korean restaurant is in Manchester. That's not to say that the food here is bad - but when you find a gem you learn to cherish it.

Fiesta del Asado

Billed as Birmingham's first Argentinian restaurant this is now our go-to place when we feel like a casual evening out for some guaranteed good food and rather excellent service.

We'd never had Argentinian food before we visited Fiesta del Asado but I can't tell you how glad I am  that we did. This is a restaurant for people with healthy appetites. There are no tiny artisan portions here, but don't think big means done without class - it's satisfying in quantity and quality.

I can't do a dish run-down because we've been so often. What I can do is talk about our favourites.

Starter

Z: Morrones asados - Roasted pequillo peppers stuffed with black olives and feta cheese.
A: Morcilla curada - Traditionally-smoked black sausage flavoured with paprika & sweet caramelised onion.

The roasted peppers are a very light starter that are surprisingly delicate for a dish so packed with flavour. Z usually gets this, else it's the prawns. 

I've tried some other starters, including one of the other sausages, but I go back to the black sausage every time. This is my number one starter, worldwide. I recently went to Marche de Provence in Vilnius and their oxtail in marrowbone starter was real contender, but upon my return to the UK and Feista del Asado the black sausage proved to be the number one. 

What is so good about it? Well the sausage itself is rather heavy, almost like black pudding, and highly flavoured with spices and succulence. It comes with a small contrasting sharp salad that sets it off perfectly. I cannot image lovers of good meat disliking this. It's divine. 

Mains

Z likes the spaghetti, cod or prawns and although I'll venture into the Desde la cocina section of the menu now and then the real meat (pun absolutely intended) is in the De la parrilla section.

Let's not beat around the bush - Argentinian food has a reputation for good steak and you'll not be disappointed here. If the waitress tells you the meat will be tender it will be tender. And juicy and delicious. It's an indulgence, no doubt about it, but beware - these are not small portions. If you're following a black sausage with the Bife de Angosto, and plan on a desert (which you should), you need to know your own limits and be confident about it. 

I'm not actually a fan of beef and I cook with it rarely and order it rarely. I do like a good steak but it has to be a good steak. The beef at Fiesta del Asado is some of the finest I've had. 

Deserts

We always get the pancakes. That's all you need to know. 

Okay, the churros are good too. But we always get the pancakes.

Venice We Still Miss You

Having been to many places in the intervening weeks I still found myself drawn back to comment on this experience. We've since been to Majorca and naturally I intend to talk about that. In the meantime I must get this down now. 

Although it's unlikely that I'll ever forget.

Like I said previously we tried to get a reservation at Osteria alle Testiere for dinner but as it was fully booked we had settle for the next day. After the wonderful experience at Bistrot de Venise I was both hopeful, because I now knew that the food here could be wonderful, and cautious, because I thought there can't be any way that our experiences could be matched. I should have been more optimistic.

Osteria alle Testiere

This small seafood restaurant isn't fancy or luxurious, but it has an air of quality that I've encountered before; at dell'Omo.

Imagine my eager anticipation.

Well it's been too long to remember exactly what we had and the website menu is unavailable to jog my memory so this is an approximation. The names don't really matter...

Starter

We can't remember! It was nice though.

Main

Z: Prawns in sweet and sour sauce
A: Sea bass

I have to say - I'm not a fan of sweet and sour in the West. It's just not done right in my opinion and I wouldn't have chosen sweet and sour in Venice of all places. Despite this it was quite nice. A little too vinegary for my taste but Z enjoyed it and the prawns were, of course, cooked just right.

My bass on the other hand was fantastic. I chose it because I'm more often than not disappointed with it in the UK but I should have known that the Italians know what they are doing and in particular; this restaurant knows what it's doing. So I have to be careful here; this was the best bass I have have ever had, hands down. But it's not the best meal I've ever had. Perhaps it's my lack of experience with bass but this was just wonderful. Juicy and moist but not wet, tender but not disintegrating, fresh and tasty and utterly disarming. 

It's a shame the wine we had here wasn't really up to much.

Dessert

A:
Z: Tiramisu

I had to convince Z to have a tiramisu because when Bistrot de Venise turned out not to have any Z was very disappointed. Yet here, where they have it, Z initially didn't want to try it. I was right and it was pretty much perfect and it was alcohol free. 


Riviera


The prize for best location goes to Riviera. It's not on the Grand Canal, which would be gauche. No, it's on the even bigger canal at the north of Venice and half of the outside tables are right on the water's edge.

It's impressive and you might think that it's all show and no action. You'd be wrong and you'd soon know it - before you order a trolley of fresh seafood is brought for you to choose from with fish, shellfish, the odd lobster. We ordered off the menu and this one is bookmarked for going back to and doing it properly. There was only time for a one course lunch by the water and what a shame that was.

Main (and only course)

A: Black (squid ink) gnocchi and scampi.
Z: Ricotta and spinach ravioli

The menu changes so you likely won't find these on there all year around.

Nevermind.

The gnocchi was good, the accompaniments were good. The scampi was perfection and it's only flaw was that it was so, so good every scampi dish I have from now on is bound to be a disappointment. I don't know how they do this but it's kitchen wizardry and no doubt about it. Just cooked and delightfully sweet by virtue of this, the scampi was otherworldly. I didn't know it could be so tender, so soft and flavoursome. I'm afraid to attempt this for fear of undercooking but the chef here is clearly a master and this is one of the reasons I want to go back.

Z's ravioli was also wonderful but I didn't care for anything at that point; I ate my scampi so slowly Z thought I was being silly. I wasn't. It had to be savoured with care. This won't happen to me again anytime soon.

Venice, we salute you. The food was, and this is no exaggeration, amazing.

An Italian in England

Following our Venice experience, which I'll reminisce more about later, we decided to try another Italian restaurant in Birmingham. We already quite like Cucina Rustica but as it's nowhere near the Gold Standard we thought we'd try somewhere else.

So, to Piccolino.

This is a bar/restaurant in Birmingham's Brindley Place, which sports a few 'nicer' restaurants and bars. These include Thai Edge that is all show and no action, much like all of the Thai places I've been to in Birmingham including Kinnaree and Sabai Sabai.

If you want good Thai food, forget Birmingham. Go to Kaosarn in Clapham. Note the reviews on Tripadvisor; a lot of complaints about service. Now note the reviews from people comparing the food to food in Thailand. That's the ticket here - the food is amazing. If you try the Larb here and then go back to Birmingham and try it in any Thai restaurant you'll understand.

I digress. Piccolino. It's a large place with very good service (although that's not what we really care about), and is very busy. This is a little too busy for us but we were there for the food, and despite the noise this is one of the better places in the UK we've been to.

Starters

Z: Barbabietola. Beetroot, buffalo ricotta, chicory.
A: Caprino. Goats cheese, artichoke, mint, asparagus.

These starter salads were both of very good quality but not amazing. In my dish the asparagus was of higher than usual standard but everything else was just what you'd expect. Z's beetroot was, however, very good. There appeared to be more than one type of preparation used and it really was very delicate and quite expertly done. Of the whole meal this was the most surprising aspect and got four thumbs up.

Mains

A: Anatra. Crispy duck, honey glazed apples.
Z: Pollo ai funghi. Chicken breast, mushrooms, gnocchi.

My duck wasn't crispy and, disappointingly, had too much five spice on it. This dish was almost entirely redeemed because it only had just a touch too much five spice (and I think it didn't actually need it) and the apples were lovely; sweet, just tender enough and somehow complimented the Patate all’aglio (roast potatoes, garlic, rosemary) side very well.

The real surprise here though was the duck. Despite my misgivings about the five spice this was the best cooked duck I've had in the UK. It was succulent, tender and soft enough to pull of the bone with ease. So good was it that I didn't mind that it wasn't crispy. The spice choice here is a real shame as without it both the duck and the rather tasty sweet and savoury sauce it came with would have been far superior.

Z's gnocchi and sauce was close to Italian in Italy quality. If anything it was too rich but this kitchen really has potential. The chicken looked a little dry but that was an unfortunate illusion as it was much juicier than it's looks belied. If we go here again I'd be tempted to choose this dish, or one like it. They know mushroom sauce here, that's for sure.

The house white Z had was basically vinegar, so I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio to replace it. Upon noticing that Z had hardly touched it they replaced it with the Pinot Grigio and we weren't charged for the house white, which was nice. My Montelpulciano d’Abruzzo was a pleasant if uninspiring fruity complement to the duck, but it cost much less than the wonderful reds I had in Venice so I'm not really criticising.

Feeling a little full we opted not to get dessert or coffee so I cannot comment on the sweets. Apart from the noise and the oddly paradoxical disappointment of that melt in the mouth duck, that was so close to being rather excellent, this was a superior meal experience for Birmingham.

Venice We Miss You Already

I was busy in the run up to our trip to Venice and Z got together a list of things and places to see and do and, unsurprisingly there were eateries of some sort on the list. We made it to four of them over the course of the week and to say I'm becoming a rapid convert to Italian food, after years of resistance due to what I now see as UK restaurant mediocrity, is potentially an understatement.

I plan to post about nice places we've been in the UK but really, no matter how much we've enjoyed eating in the UK, nothing comes close to this.

First up was Anitco Forno a small pizza place right in the center near Ponte di Rialto.

This is an unassuming walk-in, buy and eat place that does a range of pizza to be eaten by the slice and it is the most pleasant surprise. Flavours were rich and fresh, the dough is amazingly light for its thickness. I remember the good pizza I had in Venice years ago, and similar in Rome last year, but after tasting how good quality pizza can be I'll not be buying pizza in the UK again in the foreseeable future.

So that was the lunch snack. We went there twice during the holiday and so sampled four different types of pizza. In all honesty it doesn't matter what you choose; it's all good.


We tried to get a reservation at Osteria alle Testiere for dinner but it was fully booked. We managed to get one for the following night but in the meantime got a place at:

Bistrot de Venise 

This is a fancy place, no doubt about it. We could have sat outside but opted to go in and were glad we did.. Service was excellent, the wine was expensive but worth every glass.

The food. Well, we weren't disappointed; 5 courses, not including coffee, of delight.


A plump and tender piece of grilled octopus in saffron sauce made up the amuse-bouche. 


The sauce was light and musky but the octopus didn't need it; neither of us had had octopus so tender and meaty before. Naturally, we hadn't ordered this - it came as part of service.

One of the quirks of this place is it's old recipes and since we were there it would have been rude not partake.

Starters

A: Scampi & sole in “Saor” with sweet and sour onions, almonds, Turkish raisins and spices...14th-century.
Z: Sautéd scallops with peach sauce, citrus cream.

I don't like sole. Or plaice. There are some fish I just find too... fishy. I loved this. There was nothing wrong with it. The onions were just tart enough, the spices floated in the background, the fish and scampi were cooked and marinated for 48 hours and accompanied the onion and sauce well. I'll try sole again after that.

Z's scallops were just done, just how we like them. I enjoyed the citrus cream, which had a subtle zestiness to it, but less so the peach sauce which I found a little too sweet. Z likes sweet whereas I favour savoury and her starter got two thumbs up. I think she closed her eyes after a mouthful at one point.

Mains

Z: Homemade ravioli stuffed with cheese, aromatic herbs and a sweet spice sauce. Unknown Venetian Chef 14th-century
A: Old-fashioned duck "Sauce Pevarada" with wild apple & red onion pudding. Recipe Bartolomeo Scappi, 16th century Chef

Let me say this, at the risk of sounding obvious; Italians really know how to cook ravioli. It was al dente, it was spot on al dente, the cheese was gentle and relaxing, the herbs only hinted at and the sauce balanced and just mmmmmm. Z likes ravioli anyway and just nodded and chewed when I asked if it was good. 


This Scappi fellow knew a thing or two about duck. It was a little better done than I'd expected but still two good chunks of pink succulence that are amongst the best I've had. I had onion again but I like onion, and I really liked this.

Dessert 

We just had to and we got pre-desserts with it; small blocks of dense and luxurious chocolate pudding. Z doesn't ordinarily like chocolate (perversely, for a dessert lover) and I'm a savoury man. This was rich and satisfying and didn't spoil our appetites for the "main" dessert.


A: Traditional orange Crème Brulée (Rosada) with rosemary sherbet.
Z: Chocolate fondant

Between this Crème Brulée and the orange caramel sauce from Fiesta del Asado I'm a convert to orange in desserts. Even Z, connoisseur and consumer grande of desserts, was taken aback by it. It was light and creamy without being too wet or runny and melted in ones mouth releasing a sweet mix of richness and a light orange. This was the dessert of the trip, no doubt, and I highly recommend it.
Z's doesn't usually go for chocolate. The fondant was as rich as you'd expect and came with some nice ice cream. It didn't compare for a moment to the  Crème Brulée though.


We finished up with an espresso which was smoother and less bitter than the usual and left a hefty tip. This wasn't Gold Standard fare but by God it was almost there. 

The Gold Standard

Z and I have done a little travelling around Europe in the past 18 months. Spain, Italy, Canary Islands, Canary Islands, Spain again, Italy again. We plan to get to France ASAP, I promise. 

One of our "missions" wherever we go is to find some really good food and we've been lucky and managed quite well. It doesn't matter where you go in Europe imho; there is good food and very good food to be found. This is a quality of food that we seem to lack in the UK in general. The number of times we've been to a recommended restaurant here and been thoroughly disappointed is a little bit depressing.

It's true that there IS good food to be found in the UK, but you have to be picky, or lucky, or spend a lot of money. I welcome recommendations. They will be judged though, and boy do they have a tough standard to meet.

dell'Omo 

This. This is the Gold Standard from now until it's toppled. We can't remember exactly what we had but I know this - I had stuffed zucchini which, despite me not liking zucchini and only getting it because the stuffed peppers had run out, was fabulous. I had a fettuccine for my main that was so simple yet so perfect that I was baffled as to how it could be so good with seemingly hardly anything to it. Z had large ravioli which by her account was "very nice" and indeed my sampling confirmed the fact.

There is a simplicity and homeliness about this place that just worked for us. It's not fancy, the service is very relaxed (but our opinion is when in Europe just chill out a little - all these Tripadvisor moaners re: waiting for drinks or service really bore us) but it's just so perfect for a calm and drawn out meal of no nonsense wonderful. Trattoria dell'Omo is and has been our Gold Standard since then. We want to find something that surpasses it and this is our journey.