Food Review: Lasan, Jewellery Quarter Birmingham

There have got to be very few restaurants in Birmingham that I haven't dined at; so when the invitation came through to experience Lasan I was pretty excited.

Lasan has always had a reputation as one of the finest Indian restaurants in the city, cemented by winning "Britain's Best Local Restaurant" on The F Word in 2010. 

Now, the eatery has come a long way with a whole new look and a whole new menu; one that's world's away from what you might expect.

Located just off Saint Paul's Square in the Jewellery Quarter, Lasan is hidden from the main square where you might find revellers enjoying a drink or two at the weekend. 

Inside, the restaurant has been renovated to create a bigger bar area, enabling guests to enjoy a drink at the bar, pre or post meal in a space that's quite separate from the main dining area. The restaurant itself is beautiful; light, bright and airy with giant mirrors and an air of grandeur (press pictures, not my own).

Settling on a bar stool, myself, Paul Fulford and Brummie Gourmand sat and enjoyed a drink before heading to the table. This space is great not just for drinking, but for waiting for your guests to assemble before being seated. On this occasion, I was last to arrive (sorry guys!) having driven into the city, but it's worth noting that there is street parking available close by. 

I did however have one drink here, a classic gin and tonic made with Hendricks pink gin and slimline tonic water. Served in a goblet, just how I like it, I sipped this slowly so as to savour the light, refreshing flavours.

At the table, which was laid out with crisp white cloths and napkins, we took a look at the new menu. Although I had never eaten at Lasan before, I got the feeling that this menu was simplified and easier to use.

I had been recommended the paneer to start, so I ordered the Ananas Paneer first of all followed by the Murgh Kari. Brummie Gourmand ordered the Haleem and Punjabi Makhan Chicken whilst Paul picked the Shakarkand Kofta for mains.

Before we began our meal in earnest, Pani Puri was brought to the table along with some poppadoms whilst my dining companions were able to enjoy on my behalf!

When my paneer starter arrived, it was love at first sight. Three large flat squares of paneer, grilled enough to see the colour changing on the corners and add a smoky flavour, served with a fresh pineapple relish and beetroot to boot. If the presentation hadn't already won me over, then the flavours would have; grilled tangy paneer served with fresh pineapple, this dish was a delight and could have happily been served as a delicious vegetarian main course.

Onto the main course, my Punjabi Makhan Chicken and the Murgh Kari arrived looking very similar, with the most visible difference being that the Murgh was served on the bone whilst the Makhan was served in enormous chunks.

Thankfully, the flavours of the two dishes were completely different, as the Makhan had a sweeter, nuttier flavour and creamier texture whilst mine (pictured second) was more tangy and flavoured with curry leaf and mustard seed.

I also tried a little of the sweet potato kofta, a light, smooth, vegetarian kofta that was equally delicious, and we also shared the cauliflower side which I highly recommend.

Onto dessert, there was far too much to tempt me. In the end, I was able to order the Beetroot Halva and have this adapted to be gluten free. Described as "slow cooked beetroot with caramelised nuts, apple crisps and dreamy pistachio ice cream", this for me was the star of the show and worth a visit alone. It is rare to find an unusual Indian dessert, with most restaurants treating dessert as something of an afterthought. At Lasan, I was overjoyed to see that finally, someone has taken the humble Indian dessert and put the time into developing something that is innovative whilst maintaining integrity.

Presented like a work of art, there was everything to play for on this plate, from the sweet dehydrated apple crisps to the contrasting soft and crunchy sweet caramelised cashews.

Lasan is a restaurant that you'll want to save for a special occasion and find yourself going back to just because. A great location, wonderful service and delightful food that's raised more than a few notches by the presentation makes this a must visit for any curry lover. This is no ordinary Indian restaurant, so don't expect dated decor and one choice of gin.

I adore the interior, with it's refined feel and minimal but warm styling; it makes the food stand out against the palate cleansing white background.

Need another reason to visit? The picture perfect dishes make it a must visit for any foodie photographer!

*With thanks to Lasan for the complimentary meal and drinks.

Event: Gateway to India, Birmingham

Birmingham is famed for it's curry, and never one to disappoint, we Brummies have another option for dining Indian style.

Located just behind Broad Street on Regency Wharf, Gateway to India is named after a monument built in the 20th Century, known as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai.

Serving traditional Indian street food, tandoori and mixed grills, the decor is very traditional, with plenty of artwork, dark wood and pictures of ancient Maharajas.

The space itself is quite small, with around 80 covers, with a bar to the left and a view of the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.

For the launch, the restaurant was packed with guests enjoying prosecco and beers before we took a seat at our tables for an Indian feast.

To start, we sampled Malai Papri Chaat (Crunchy mini wheat crisps, spiced potato, onion, chickpeas, dash of malai yoghurt drizzled with hot sweet chutney), Vada Pav (Popular Maharashtra street food - deep fried seasoned potato patty served in a roll. Indian version of a chip butty), Pani Puri Gol Gappa (Crispy thin hollow pastry balls filled with chaat masala, chilled mint flavoured water and seasoned potatoes) and Daal Kachori (A delicacy from north India. Spicy puffed pastry filled with urid lentil, coriander, chilli flakes, fennel seeds and mango powder. Served with chefs special chutney).

Served canteen style in a metal tray, the presentation was in keeping with the street food theme. The Vada Pav had quite a few guests stumped as it's quite unusual to find on a menu, but these dishes were all well received.

Sadly, none of these were gluten free which meant more for my gluten eating dining companions! However, the mixed grill that came next was much more up my street.

What came next was a huge portion of mixed grill meats including chicken wings, lamb seekh kebab, chicken tikka and fish pakora. The flavours in this dish were full and rich, with the chicken tikka in particular deserving a mention for delivering unexpectedly big flavours alongside a tasty, juicy texture.  Not even the onions underneath were left untouched and we managed to devour this platter between four. This was served with a variety of chutneys for added flavour and texture.

For our mains, these were served again in metal bowls, alongside rice and yoghurt. These included Saag Paneer (a Punjabi dish of chunked Indian cottage cheese, simmered in a creamed spinach purée with, green chilli, ginger and finally garnished with a small dash of makhan or butter),  Tarka Daal (lentils with garlic, onions, tomato and exotic spices finishing with a sizzling tarka), Tari Wala Murgh (chicken breast slowly simmered in a refreshing and enticing soup of onions, tomatoes and spices) and Mughlai Kadhai Gosht (lamb delicately cooked in a rich curry, infused with whole spices, chilli, peppers, ginger, kala jeera, tomato and onions).

Of these, my favourites were the chicken and tarka daal. The Tarka Daal was creamy and again, flavoursome without being too heavy. The chicken was served in a much lighter sauce, unusually for a chicken curry, but the chicken pieces were a good size.

Luckily for me, all of the curry dishes on offer were gluten free, so I was able to enjoy all of these dishes.

Finally, there was Gulab Jamun on offer but unfortunately I couldn't eat this as it isn't gluten free. Fear not, there were plenty of takers who were more than happy to devour my share.

Thanks for the great night Gateway to India!

*My meal at Gateway to India was complimentary.