Tuesday 27 October 2015

Event: Chi Kitchen Launch Debenhams Birmingham

Chi Kitchen is a Pan Asian dining concept that has recently opened in Debenhams, Birmingham. Created by Eddie Lim, the man behind Mango Tree in Belgravia, Eddie even made a special trip to Birmingham to open his latest venture.


Tucked away in a corner on the beauty floor, Chi Kitchen is a breath of fresh air. The swanky yet Asian inspired interior has a distinctly cosmpolitan feel to it, and the sweeping bar is so inviting that myself and Ahmed from Dine Birmingham pulled up a chair later in the evening to watch the chefs at work; mesmerising.


We were welcomed with cocktails and beers at the bar before moving further into the party. Dishes from chicken satay to spring rolls and pomello cups were generously dished out, as well as sushi on steaming platters of dry ice, but we were lucky enough to have a few platters made up especially for us.


The first was a mix of Pomello cups, chicken satay, wasabi prawns, wagyu beef and chicken puffs.



The teriyaki Wagyu beef was a revelation. A sweet, salty and BBQ flavoured sauce over a delectable piece of melt in the mouth beef, this is first on my list of things to try next time I come.

Later on, when we were joined by Ting and Chloe, we were also treated to a huge plate of sushi just for photography purposes.



Eddie Lim gave a speech, and I did clamour my way forward as I'm kind of a big fan... However, I only managed to get a few shots, sorry they're not so good! He talked about the location (Birmingham is great!) and the food (halal, MSG free).


I spent quite a while staring at the chefs. It was almost like therapy watching them work quickly and swiftly, expertly slicing, dicing, grilling and flaming dishes.

I also noticed the authentic grill in the kitchen, perfect for BBQ style Korean dishes.



This is where you'll find me next time; at the kitchen bar. It's honestly more interesting than watching Eastenders.

The chefs also treated us to desserts including mango cheesecake, coconut filled pandan pancakes, a Thai speciality, and apple pie gyoza.



Chi Kitchen is a stylish, contemporary venue for Pan Asian cuisine. Expect no unneccessary frills, beautiful presentation and no gimmicks. I can't wait to visit again.

*With thanks to Chi Kitchen for inviting me to the launch party


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