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.