Food Review: Aluna Birmingham New Menu

Whilst there's plenty of choices when it comes to eating and drinking in The Mailbox, Aluna is one of my favourites for the inventive cocktails, great service and smart but chilled vibe.

Many of you will know Aluna as a cocktail bar, and whilst they've always offered food, they've upped their game big time with the arrival of the new food menu.

Designed by London consultancy Kinkou, the new menu features Asian fusion dishes inspired by the teams travels and training in London, New York and Shanghai. 

Tempted to try more? I was treated to a first look at the new menu.

Arriving at the Canalside bar and restaurant, I headed straight to the bar and ordered a Flaming Ginberries (Beefeater, Hayman's Sloe, Blueberry, Cranberry and Lime) cocktail to get things started. Aluna is well known for it's expansive cocktail menu, so picking a drink is harder than you think.

I was then seated in a booth style table with a host of Birmingham's finest media stars. The staff came straight over to explain the menu, the difference between the small plates and large plates and how many to order of each. In the end, we decided to share many of the plates within smaller groups so we could all see and taste the new menu.

The new menu is split into appetisers; plates to share, small dishes, salads and sides meaning you have the option to either share or order individually.

Some of the plates to share we ordered were the Red Scallop Curry, Mitsuba Fillet Steak and Wasabi Lamb Chops.

We also ordered some small dishes including the Chilli Salt Squid, Pan Roasted Scallops, Spicy Chicken Wings and Tiger Prawn Cookies (not GF).

Sides included Skinny Fries, Sweet Potato Fries and Steamed Seasonal Vegetables (I ordered these in the interests of being healthy!)

The staff were really helpful when it came to checking what was gluten free, and although the menu is not marked, our server checked with the chef what I could and couldn't eat. Please bear in mind that I can eat soy sauce though!

My favourite dish from the above has got to be the Red Scallop Curry. Rich, creamy and full of balanced flavours including sweet and sour, this was an absolute showstopper. Everyone who tried it agreed it was delicious, so definitely try this if you do come in.

Next, the Mitsuba Fillet Steak and Wasabi Lamb Chops. Great quality meat, a little spicy seasoning and great cooking just the way I like it (pink please).

I also tried the Pan Roasted Scallops, which were perfectly translucent, plump and chargrilled to bring out the flavour, and Chilli Salt Squid, which had quite a kick.

Onto the desserts, the rest of the table ordered the Praline Mi-Cut and Lemon Ginger Cheesecake. The Praline looked incredible, with an oozing rich chocolatey nutty centre.

I ordered a French Martini for dessert, as you do.

Overall, I was really impressed with the new menu. I haven't eaten at Aluna before so although I can't compare, the new menu is exactly right for the venue. As stylish as their signature cocktails, these dishes are picture perfect, light enough or filling enough to be eaten with or without a drink and more importantly full of flavour.

I would happily come back to eat here and order a few meat and fish dishes, although I'd probably admit defeat on the vegetables next time!

Aluna has seriously upped its game on the food front, offering not just tempting cocktails, but food that wouldn't be out of place in the trendiest of London bars.

*With thanks to Aluna for the complimentary meal

Food Review: Malmaison Birmingham Spring Menu Launch

Spring is in the air, and with it the new menu from Malmaison Birmingham. I was lucky enough to join some of the city's finest foodies to try out the new Spring Menu.

Meeting at the bar, we were treated to a welcome drink from the Spring Cocktail menu. With plenty to choose from including the Spring Fizz, a mixture of Rinquinquin a la Peche, Aperol, grapefruit, sugar and Prosecco to the Pina Caipirinha, featuring Germana cachaca, lime, pineapple and coconut.

I opted for the Gimlet, a mix of King of Soho gin, lime cordial, sugar and lime.

Sipping on this refreshing and sweet drink at the bar on a bright summer's day, it was easy to feel at home in the smart and sexy Malmaison bar.

We were soon led into the private dining area, where the table was laid out ready for a taste of the new menu.

The Spring Fixed menu offers two courses for £19.95 or three courses for £24.95. The menu to me felt fresh and unexpected, so although there was a lamb dish for example, this was a starter portion of Spring Lamb Benedict, a slow braised Dorset lamb shoulder on brioche with mint Bearnaise. Again, although a Spring menu would typically feature a vegetable soup, instead the Malmaison twist is a Cauliflower veloute.

With plenty of choices for dietary requirements of all kinds including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free, I was spoilt for choice.

Tucking into olives and bread whilst we chose from the menu, I did enjoy the olives but unfortunately couldn't partake of the bread. No matter, at least I could avoid the carbs!

For starters, I opted for the grilled masala spiced mackerel with sweet potato and lime pickle and a cumin raita, followed by the pan fried river trout with pea and broad bean puree, Anya potatoes and truffle vinaigrette.

The spiced mackerel arrived on a large square dish, presented on a bed of cubed sweet potato and topped with the raita. The presentation was good and the balance of different elements to the dish was also strong. A light but filling starter, the mackerel was perfectly cooked and the sweet potato was balanced out with the tangy yoghurt. Although the masala spices didn't really come through, and I would have liked to see a true pickle on the plate to really set off the fish, I thoroughly enjoyed the starter.

Next, the sea trout. Firstly, I adored the plate that this was served on, as it was a real earthy handmade piece. Secondly, the trout itself was a substantial portion, which I feel is needed when it comes to the fruit of the sea or else you can find yourself snacking soon after.

Nicely pan fried on a pea and broad bean puree, this was again, filling but light and not at all stodgy. Overall, that's exactly what I would hope for from a Spring dish. We were also able to try some of the sides at the table including the mixed spring greens, Anya potatoes and pan roasted artichokes.  If you're ordering the fish dishes, then do make sure you have a side too. My favourite was the artichokes which were just delicious! Crispy and full of earthy flavours, I sadly couldn't get a picture before everyone had tucked in!

Lastly, to the dessert. I opted for the seasonal fromage slate with fruit chutney, quince and crackers. The crackers were very kindly substituted for gluten free bread in my case, and the chutney came later on, but the cheese selection itself was very good and included a Shropshire Blue, goat's cheese and french cheese.

I really enjoyed the new Spring Menu at Malmaison. The menu is not just great value, but great tasting and also great quality. The venue itself is such a sophisticated option for food and drinks, with a great hotel ambiance.

I'd definitely recommend the new menu to anyone after a meal away from the crowds. The service we received on the night was outstanding and for me, I felt the quality of the food really came through. Overall, a great option for friends and families alike for a meal that's special without breaking the bank.

*With thanks to Malmaison and EV for the invitation

Food Review: Gas Street Social, Mailbox Birmingham

The launch of Gas Street Social has been eagerly anticipated by Birmingham ladies and gentleman for many a month. One of the new names to join The Mailbox is Gas Street Social, a social eating ad drinking house with a real focus on social.

Raspberry & Rhubarb Cocktail

With a number of openings taking place, I was invited along to the press dinner along with a number of familiar faces to the Birmingham food scene.

The evening was an opportunity to try the food and drink on offer, explore the venue and also meet managing director, Adam Freeth.

Negrogie

Starting off at the bar, where many a good meal begins, I took it easy with a Raspberry & Rhubarb, a temperance cocktail before making my way over to the gorgeous long, wooden table.

A sidenote here on the interior design; it's all very industrial chic. Inspired by the city's industrial heritage, think rose gold metals, exposed wood, long tables for easy sharing and snug booths for intimate meals. Along with sharing platters, hence the social element of the venue, there are also sharing drinks on offer.

Charcuterie Board

I digress. To whet our appetites we started off with mixed olives the size of walnuts and beautiful charcuterie sharing boards of wild boar, truffled salami, lomo and chorizo sourced from The Forest Pig, served alongside bread from local bakery Peel & Stone and two chutneys (apple and onion). Coupled with a Negrogie cocktail, their take on the classic Negroni, the our tastebuds were truly beggining to tingle.

We managed to squeeze in a glass of Albarino next, with a delicate poached pear flavour and hints of vanilla and cinnamon.

Seared Scallops

Onto starters, I opted for Seared Scallops ahead of the other options of Beetroot Tart, Slow Cooked Ox Cheek, Wood Smoked Loch Duart Salmon Skewers, Crispy Chicken Vol au Vents and Crispy Arancini Balls.

Duck Breast

The scallops were full of flavour, crisped on the top and bottom and rich and buttery. In a classic garlic and lemon sauce and topped off with salty capers, this was a nice little dish.

Rib Eye Steak

Next came the Rib Eye Steak, which I chose instead of the Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Duck Breast, Seabass Fillet and Mushroom Gnocchi. A hefty 10oz portion served with a choice of sauces (herb butter for me), this was very tender. The sides here deserve a very special mention. We shared the triple cooked chips which were good sized, extremely crispy and by far the best I've ever eaten as well as root veg and creamed kale which was divine! Please do try the sides because trust me, they are delicious.

Slow Cooked Pork Belly

Finally, we rounded off the meal with dessert, which for me was Poached Pear to cater to my gluten free diet. This was an absolute delight, perfectly cooked, not too hard and not boiled away to oblivion either with some fantastic cinammon and vanilla flavours. I would heartily recommend this dessert, and it's fruit too which means it's allowed. For my fellow diners, the Pistachio Creme Brulee went down very well.

Poached Pear

Popping Berry Parfait

Pistachio Creme Brulee

This was all rounded off beautifully with an Old Fashioned, just to ensure we'd been given a taste of the fabulous drinks available too, served from a casket at the table. How very social.

The menu is a great combination of small plates for one or for sharing, as well as larger plates just for you. I have a feeling the sharing plates are going to be a huge hit, and the charcuterie board in particular is just a world away from wasabi peanuts.

The guys behind Gas Street Social are encouraging visitors to share their moments on Twitter and Instagram using #iamsocial and it's already becoming quite a well used hashtag in our fair city. At the next available opportunity I will be back to carry on what I've started and work my way around the cocktail menu and try out the Cheese Baord, Fish Board and Seabass.

Thank you for having us Gas Street Social - we will be back! You can take a look at the menu here and the website can be found here.

*With thanks to Adam, Vicky and Natalie for inviting me to the meal.

Food review: Gourmet Burger Kitchen - GBK Mailbox Grill Warming

Interior

Birmingham is an exciting place to be in 2015. There is a host of new places to eat, drink and shop opening up later on this year, with The Mailbox being one of them. Expected to open in Spring, the destination for food, drink, shopping and staying is now home to the recently opened Everyman Cinema and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), which opened its doors last week.

Nuts

I was super lucky and received an invite to the grill warming on Thursday 12th March, the day before the official opening. The grill warming is an opportunity for the staff to try out the new systems, tills and grills before the official opening, but the evening ran smoothly and the atmosphere was electric!

Following a four-week closure, the Mailbox restaurant has had a £350,000 makeover both inside and out, and now boasts design features such as dark oak panelling and industrial elements.

Drink

Chocolate Milkshake

Between myself and my two companions we ordered Elderflower Fizz (£2.35), Chocolate Milkshake and a Diet Coke (£2.40). My friend was incredibly happy with her Chocolate Milkshake (£4.10) and enjoyed every mouthful of the cold, thick shake with big chocolate pieces. There is also a good selection of beer and wine on the menu but we were good :)

Food

Camembert and Cranberry The Bunless Burger

The three burgers we ordered were: Avocado Bacon (£9.15), The Don (£9.75) and Camembert and Cranberry Chicken (£9.55). We tried nearly every variation of fries available and ordered the Skinny Fries (£1.65/£2.95), Chunky Skin On Fries (£3.25) and Sweet Potato Fries with Baconnaise(£3.95). Next time we will be sure to try the Rosemary fries too!

The Don with Extra Bacon - Gluten Free Bun

Myself and another friend are both gluten free and this is where I was super-impressed. GBK actually gives gluten-free diners a choice of either going for "The Bunless Burger"for an extra 50p and having the homeslaw and either salad or chargrilled corn on the side, or going for a gluten free bun!

Avocado Bacon

I had the Camembert and Cranberry burger and asked for grilled rather than breaded chicken and went bunless to make it gluten free. The chicken was really soft topped off with a generous portion of melting gooey camembert cheese and cranberry sauce. I opted for the Skinny Fries which were super thin but incredibly moreish. The homeslaw is also a winner for me, made with lots of veg such as cabbage, carrot and celeriac and vinaigrette instead of mayo. This makes for much lighter slaw with a tang rather than a creamy taste, but I love how fresh it tastes against the burgers.

Gluten Free Menu

My other gluten free friend went for The Don in the Gluten Free Brioche Bun with extra bacon. This was again, a very tasty burger with plenty of cheese, onion and sauces including baconnaise and onion jam, making it bursting with flavour. The brioche bun was an absolute winner too. This was not a soggy ode to gluten free bread, but an actual, fresh, bouncy brioche bun! The sweet potato fries were exactly that, sweet and crunchy.

Ice Cream

Finally, the Avacado Bacon burger was quite simple in comparison, offering a juicy patty, topped with plenty of creamy avocado and a crispy piece of bacon. The Chunky Skin On Fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Espresso

To follow, I ordered an Espresso (£1.95) and Greek Yoghurt and Honey Ice Cream (£2.50). The espresso came in a very stylish glass cup and the ice cream was tasty, but came out in a carton so could have been better presented.

Service

The staff here are so friendly and we made sure to enter our feedback on the night as no request was too big. Extra bacon? You've got it! Take out the onion in your burger? That's ok too!

The restaurant was full to the brim and yet all the staff remained calm, friendly and efficient, getting everyone's orders out as quickly as possible.

Atmosphere

The restaurant was packed and very lively and this is a great venue for dinner with friends.

Value

Burger, fries and a soft drink comes in at around £15 which includes all the monkey nuts you can eat and lots of water at the table. Fantastic.

Thank you to GBK for inviting me!

Food Review: Bun and Bowl Valentine's Day Tasting Menu

Bun and Bowl is known as a restaurant that serves burgers and prawns (aka shrimp). However, for Valentine's Day the chefs are pulling out all the stops and have created an imaginative menu that is far beyond what you might expect.

I was invited along to The Cube along with a group of brummie bloggers to try out this special menu ahead of the big day and share the experience with you.

Right next to Madelines, Bun and Bowl is a glass fronted brick backed restaurant on the roadside level of The Cube. We were greeted and seated on a romantic table for around a dozen ladies (and one gent) and were offered cocktails from the menu. Sadly I had to go for a non alcoholic option but my cranberry, raspberry and passionfruit mocktail was delish.

The Valentine's Day menu itself offers loved up diners a choice of entrees, two mains and two dessert. For the tasting menu we tried a selection of dishes that will be available on the day.

First up, a very Michelin-esque shotglass of mushroom capuccino with a soy foam served with a salmon and avocado crostini. The presentation of this dish was fantastic and showcased a light touch. The mushroom and soy foam shotglass was warm and the earthy mushroom was balanced by the plain soy topping, whilst the smoked salmon and avocado crostini or ballotine as it's called on the menu was finished off with dill and caviar. This also came on a gluten free piece of bread for me - winner!

Next up was the showstopper round. Red Champagne (champagne with a red fruit puree topped with a straberry) arrived next to a whole oyster in shell. As you can imagine, not everyone had eaten an oyster before and it is a decadent dish! Personally, I like them and the oyster tasted salty and of lemon and vinegar. This simple method of seasoning the oyster worked well and showed off the freshness.

Our main was the rib eye beef burger with a black truffle mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and fries. The burger had a few suprises in store, mainly that it is served with foie gras! This was a very luxurious and unexpected touch. The burger itself was served on a gluten free brioche bun which was the best I have ever tasted, alongside tomato, lettuce and an onion confit glazed with port wine. The truffle sauce tasted of mustard as the delicate flavour of truffle can easily be overpowered, but was delicious nonetheless.

Finally, it was time for our relatively healthy dessert of strawberries with a foam cacao and mint gratin. My favourite part of this dish was the marshmallow foam, yum!

All of this was accompanied by music from Rebecca, who serenaded us with specially selected pieces of music on her violin, chosen to accompany the meal.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the imagination demonstrated in creating and executing the menu. Although Bun and Bowl is a deluze Burger and Shrimp restaurant, the chefs are clearly capable of creating and cooking meals which have been influenced by some of the best in the world. The exotic touches of oyster and smoked salmon made this a very luxurious menu and a suitable romantic treat for Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day ladies and gents! How will you be celebrating V Day?

The Valentine's Menu costs £30 and includes a starter, main and dessert. The full menu is below:

A glass of red fruit champagne 

With a small cover charge on the table, you will receive 

an assortment of breads, accompanied by Noisette butter and olive tapenade.

  Entrees 

A selection of hot and cold Amuse-Bouche  

Surprises of a passionate heart

A mushroom Cappuccino with hot soy milk and avocado ballotine, smoked salmon and clotted cream.  Birth of AphroditeOctopus tentacles confit with a sea vegetables on a citrus foam. 

A pearl for my love     

(An "Oyster wound and its edible pearl")Fresh Oysters on a ´bed of pearls´ with white bisque of lobster and champagne. 

Garden of Eden (V)

Mini aromatic vegetables served with leaf buds and herbs on a natural carrot and celery Jus foam.  

For a flavours diversion try our 

Granitte forest fruits(A red fruit Sorbet with a touch of champagne)  

Main courses 

Rack of lamb with the colour of love

Rack of Lamb, potato frites, carrot and orange puree and jus  

Bun & Burger Bowl A la Rossine

Our Classic Beef burger, recreated with truffle dressing and served with homemade fries. (Beef burger with onion confit glazed with a port wine and fois gras scallop, fresh potato fries and truffle dressing) 

Desserts  

Strawberry delights with crunchy chocolate

Lemon jus with thyme, strawberries with a touch of spice, foam cacao and mint gratin

Chocolate DE lice’ 

Cream chocolate praline served with a blackberry and caramel ice cream drizzled with a reduction of orange and honey sauce.

Thank you to Bun and Bowl for having me, tt was lovely to meet so many great bloggers including Lenny from LennyLovesLife, Dr Roz from The Foodie Couple Blog, Emily from Good Girl Gone Brum, Sophie from Sophie Etc and Emma from EmmaVictoriaStokes; a big hello to you all!