Event: Rajdoot's 50th Birthday in Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Can you believe that Rajdoot is 50? It's extraordinary to think that celebrities including The Beatles and Princess Margaret have dined at one of Birmingham's oldest Indian restaurants.

Today, Rajdoot sits on the corner of George Street, proudly facing outwards towards the city centre. Serving traditional North Indian cuisine, Rajdoot is family run and always has been since opening in 1967.

Last week, I was invited to celebrate this special occasion with loyal customers and friends of Rajdoot.

Greeted with prosecco and smoked masala nuts, we mingled at the bar whilst listening to the sounds of the sitar and tabla. Creating a heady atmosphere, we were seated at our tables ready for the seven course banquet.

We dined on Papri Chaat, crisp fried dough wafers topped with chickpeas, potatoes, yoghurt and tamarind chutney.

Next up was Dal Puri, fried puffed bread which is pierced and filled with green lentils, potato, tamarind and mint chutney.

Onto some seafood, we dined on Tandoori Prawn Lollipop, marinated in ground spice and and a tomato chutney glaze. This was cooked in a tandoori oven and had a great crisp texture to the exterior. The same could be said of the Paneer and Pepper Kebab that came next, homemade paneer coated in ground spices drizzled in a balsamic vinegar glaze.

Our first main was Rajdoot Butter Chicken. Rather than being served in pieces in a butter chicken sauce, our chicken came out as a quarter chicken, on the bone, marinated in butter, yoghurt and fresh tomato gravy, finished off with Rajdoot's own home roasted spices and garnished with fresh cream. There was no doubting the portion size of this and it was substantial in itself.

However, there was still a traditional Rajdoot 1966 Thali to be served. A mixed spread of Lamb Rogan Josh, Daal Makhani, Stuffed Baby Aubergine and pilau rice with peas, the hgihlight for me was the stuffed baby aubergine. The Lamb Rogan Josh was packed with the kind of flavour that only comes from a substantial amount of time spent in marinating and slow cooking.

Finally, we finished off with a sweet treat, a trio of desserts including Gajrella, Gulab Jamam and Kulfi.

As well as some emotional speeches and a few words from our European MEP, Neena Gill, there was also a raffle with money raised going to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Thank you for a great evening Rajdoot!

Food Review: Brunch Menu Launch at Mughli, Selfridges Birmingham

Happy New Year! Welcome to my first post of 2017. First up is a peek at the brand new Brunch menu launching at Mughli Market in Selfridges, Birmingham.

What does an Indian style brunch entail, you may ask? At Mughli market, the new weekend brunch menu includes classics such as French Toast and Omelettes with an Indian twist, alongside more traditional Indian dishes such as Keema Pau and Mango Lassi.

Serving up mughlai cuisine from the northern regions of India and Pakistan, the brunch menu covers the expected (tea, coffee and capuccino), the luxurious (mimosa) and even the unexpected (thums up indian cola).

Food wise, there's plenty to choose from. Feeling virtuous? There's lashing of thick, creamy yoghurt served with fresh fruit fingers and a passionfruit coulis on the menu. Delicious and healthy, this is a great choice if you're starting off the year on a healthy high.

Hungry for something with a kick? Try the Keema Pau, a hot hit of lamb keema served with or without a fried egg on a fresh bun. Filled to the brim, this is a great options for the hungry diner, and the egg is a great, cooling addition.

The French Toast is served sprinkled with icing sugar alongside a delicious serving of apricot jam, whilst the Chilli Cheese Toast is spicy but sweet thanks to the hidden layer of chilli jam hidden beneath the melted cheese.

Another option for anyone with an appetite is the Keralan Roll. Chunks of light and crispy fried chicken drizzled with raita on a toasted bun, served with or without a fried egg, make this an acceptable fried chicken brunch choice.

Whilst you're there, there's no excuse not to treat yourself to a Mimosa or Mango Lassi to complete the experience.

If you're heading into the city with friends, I'd suggest ordering a few dishes and sharing to make it a real experience.

Brunch in Birmingham with a twist? Mughli has it covered.

Stila Launch at Harvey Nichols Birmingham

Forget diamonds, this year I'm asking for Stila for Christmas!

I was lucky enough to be invited to Harvey Nichols recently to celebrate the launch of the new counter, have my makeup done by pro artist Sascha Jackson and also take a sneak peek at some of the new product launches, just in time for Christmas.

Heading to the beautiful new Harvey Nichols store, I sat down to see Sascha and talk through some top trends for AW16, what she's been up to this year and also try out some of the fabulous new products.

First off, we caught up and I discovered Sascha has been a busy bee travelling to New York for the M&S Beauty Conference, and to make up the models for the Alice and Olivia shows.

At AW16, skin was flawless and dewy, with a real focus on graphic eyeliner and glitter eyes, with plenty of colour!

Back to the makeover. Sascha started off by asking what kind of look I wanted, and I opted for something bronzed with a very seasonally appropriate lip.

To get the look, Sascha used Correct and Perfect All in One Colour Correcting Palette to correct the skin followed by the new Aqua Glow Serum Foundation and Aqua Glow Serum Concealer. Perfect for dry skin, this moisturises and hydrates. The concealer has all the same benefits of the foundation, but in a thicker consistency, with light reflecting pigments.

Next, products from the newly launched Perfect Me Perfect Hue Eye and Cheek Palette in shade Medium Tan were used on the eye to create a beautiful bronze look, with shade Curious as the base, Feisty in the crease, Magnetic used as a wet liner blended in with more Feisty and the same shade underneath.

The eyes were finished off with Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour in Medium and Huge Extreme Lash Mascara in Black.

Back to complexion, the same palette was used to blush, and Stay All Day Bronzing Powder in medium was used to buff over the face.

Finally, the lips were lined in Stay All Day Lip Liner in Cabernet and finished off with Stay All Day Matte'ificent Lipstick in Framboise.

I adore what Sascha did and especially fell in love with the lip colours she picked for me; these are going to be perfect for Christmas!

How beautiful are all the products used too? These make such perfect presents, especially the palettes which start at £28 for Perfect Me, Perfect Hue.

With such beautiful packaging and standout products, any girl would love to receive some Stila for Christmas! Have you tried any Stila products before? 

Event: Nosh and Quaff First Birthday

Nosh and Quaff is already an iconic part of the foodie landscape in Birmingham. Famous for it's lobster, Nosh and Quaff recently celebrated a whole year of trading with a party. Although there were no paper hats, there was food and drink aplenty, a band, and a party atmosphere that made it a fun night.

After a reception drink at the bar, we were led through to our tables or in our case, booths, and presented with an almighty platter of everything from wings to ribs and burgers.

The reception drink was a Pornstar Bellini; good choice.

Onto the platters; there were some serious gasps at the table when these bad boys arrived. Full to the brim and fully loaded, our platters included burgers, pork ribs, beef ribs, hot dogs, chicken wings with stilton mayo, coleslaw and fries.

It's at times like this that I wish that a gym membership came as standard for any food blogger!

Blooming Onion

Mini N&Q Burger, ribs and salted fries

Mac and Cheese

Beef Ribs, Pork Ribs, Mini N&Q Cheeky Burger, Mini Apple Dog, Chicken Wings, Coleslaw

Most of the above food wasn't suitable for me as I'm gluten free, but I was able to try the Sweet Potato and Chickpea burger (minus the bun) as a replacement. As you can see, it came served with salted fries, tomato chutney, onion, tomato and lettuce.

For dessert, there was Rocky Road all round, although I couldn't try this as it contains brownie pieces. It did however look amazing and I could hear plenty of appreciative noises.

Now it was time for a nightcap. I was able to try an Espresso Martini in a shot glass, which was extremely moreish.

Nosh and Quaff is a great place for Southern style food. From ribs and wings to hot dogs and burgers, it's a really great spot for indulging in your favourite treats.

*With thanks to Nosh and Quaff for inviting me to dine as part of their birthday celebrations.

Event: New Cocktail Menu Launch at Bar Opus

Anyone who loves cocktails will agree that being given the chance to try 12 cocktails on a school night is an exciting, and dangerous prospect.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a winter cocktail menu tasting at Bar Opus and got to try their new menu. With 12 different cocktails on the list, it was a mammoth task, but someone has to do it!

Bar Opus is just around the corner from Snow Hill station, making it a great option for anyone who wants to forgo a taxi. As it's in the Colmore Business District, it's great for anyone who works in the area and is always a lively choice for after work drinks.

We were given the Bar Opus cocktail masterclass experience, and following a demonstration of how to make each cocktail, we were then able to try a sample of each. 

First up was the Milk Punch, made from Maker's Mark, Kraken rum, vanilla syrup, half and half and nutmeg. As you can imagine, this was quite a sweet and creamy drink, and personally I tend to avoid dairy. However it was a very festive drink so perfect for the time of year.

Next, I thought I'd share with you my favourite of the bunch, the Hereford Scrambler. With Chase Rhubarb Vodka, Chase Blackcurrant Liquer, lime, lemon and soda, this absolutely hit the spot for me. A combination of sweet and sour, this is just right for my tastebuds.   

My second favourite was the Clover Club. A combination of Martin Miller's Gin, Noilly Prat Vermouth, lemon juice, raspberries and egg, this had the same combination of sweet and sour that I enjoyed in the Hereford Scrambler. It did however come in a slightly more photogenic glass!

Here's the Missionary's Downfall, made from White Rum, peach liqueur, lime juice, syrup and pineapple. For me this was a great combination of sweet and sharp.

How about the Old Kokonut? I love Koko Kanu and this is the first time I've tried it in a cocktail. Here it's served with Prosecco, Angostura bitters, mint, lime juice and syrup.

The Opus Manhattan is Bar Opus's take on the Manhattan, featuring Nikka Whisky, Sweet Vermouth, Japanese Plum Liqueur, mulled spices and Angostura Bitters. 

When was the last time you saw Port listed as an ingredient in a cocktail? In the Port Cobbler it takes centre stage and is served with Monkey Shoulder Whiskey, Grand Marnier, lemon and syrup.

This is the Cowboy Hoof Martini. I'm not sure why it's called this but it was a very good, strong Martini nonetheless.

The Pear and Cardamom Sidecar includes Cointreau, pear brandy, lemon and Cardamom, and although unusual, really works. 

For Prosecco lovers, there is of course the Ginger Bellini, which is again a great drink for the festive season. 

Sadly, I wasn't able to try the English Collins or Beggar's Banquet due to time restrictions, but hopefully you'll have a good idea of what to expect from Bar Opus.

There was a great selection of cocktails for all tastes, with some sweet, some sour and some dry cocktails on the menu. I loved how inventive the drinks on offer were and the way that the team have found creative ways to use old favourites such as port and Cointreau.

A huge thanks to the team at Bar Opus for having us!