Food Review: Rola Wala, Selfridges Birmingham

Rola Wala is a small but perfectly formed collection of four restaurants across the UK. Offering Twisted Indian food, the Birmingham outpost opened a few months back in Selfridges, Bullring.

Started up by Mark Wright after a life changing trip to India, Rola Wala was set up with a mission to ignite spaces everywhere with incredible Indian flavours.

Taking my seat at the table with Ting and Tasha, both of whom are vegan, we were given a full run through of the menu, with detailed explanations of every ingredient and flavour in each dish, along with some bonus facts around the suppliers they use.

With a focus on serving up Indian dishes with a twist, the menu is simple and easy to use. Every dish is available as either a bowl or wrap, and can be served on its own or with two sides.

Since both my dining companions opted for the Saag Wala bowl, I went for the Paneer bowl as the naan wrap option is not suitable for Gluten Free diners. Marinated in masala mix for 12 hours, I expected to be served something full of flavour; I was not disappointed.

Saag Bowl and Wrap 

Every dish can be served as either a bowl or wrap, with two sides or without, with a choice of heat from mild (Pear and Tamarind, Mango Lime and Ginger and Mint Lime and Pineapple) to spicy Tomato and Naga Chilli, The Scorpion.

I picked the Chargrilled Paneer, Mango Lime and Ginger and we shared a selection of sides including the Avo Chaat Salad, Rola's String Fries, Kashmiri Cauliflower Popcorn, Red Channa Dal and the Sourdough Naan (I didn't eat the naan). The dish alone as a bowl or wrap is £6.95 or £10.95 with two sides. For the size of the portion, variety and freshness of the dish, this is a steal.

All of the dishes were gluten free when I visited when served as a bowl, as well as the sides apart from the naan bread, but please do check if you have any dietary requirements.

We were also able to try some of the drinks including the Mango and Turmeric Soda, which was actually lovely. The turmeric is not overpowering and the slightly sparkling finish made for a very refreshing choice.

Back to my bowl. The food arrived extremely quickly and looked like a visual feast. The bowl was full of different colours, tastes and textures, which means that not only does the food look great, but it tastes great too. With every bite, there was something different to uncover, whether that was the fresh coriander or smooth yoghurt.

The bowl itself contains not just chunky cubes of paneer, but also red rice (extra health points!), coriander, yoghurt, mango, lime and ginger dressing, pink pickled onion, carrot ribbons and crispy strings of chaat on top made with chickpea flour.

The portion was generous and very filling, meaning that you can go without sides if you're trying to be good and still leave the table satisfied.

I also love the fact that every dish is under 500 calories, great for anyone who's watching their weight but still wants to go out and try different dishes.

For anyone expecting a traditional curry, look away now because my bowl had very little in common with a traditional Indian meal. The flavours were so much fresher and cleaner, without any heavy frying or creams to add calories and weight to the dish.

I tried all the sides besides the naan, and my favourite was the Cauliflower Popcorn. Little bites of flavoursome cauliflower, I don't think I've ever eaten this vegetable in such a delicious guise. The chips were of course, tasty, whilst the two surprises for me were the Red Channa Dal and Avo Chaat Salad. The Red Channa Dal was creamy and smooth, but also sweet thanks to the unusual inclusion of sultanas. The Avo Chaat however was the opposite; light and fresh.

We were also able to try all the sauces, and as well as enjoying all the milder options, I did notice that the Tomato and Naga Chilli was spicy, but not overpoweringly so.

Would I come back again? Absolutely yes. The service was fantastic, very attentive but also down to earth, friendly and full of energy. As for the food, I really enjoyed the lighter Indian flavours. Fresh and spicy as you like, the food was still filling without being heavy.

Next time, I'll be going back for the Saag Bowl with fries and Popcorn Cauliflower. When it's this healthy, you can afford to be a little naughty.

*With thanks to Rola Wala for the complimentary meal

Food Review: 1580 Restaurant, Sutton Coldfield

What's significant about the year 1580? 1580 is in fact the year that Sir Francis Drake set off to circumnavigate the globe, becoming the first Englishman to do so.  On his travels, he discovered gold and silver as well as more significantly, spices.

Back to Sutton Coldfield. 1580 restaurant opened its doors a few weeks ago. Located on the Chester Road, the restaurant offers up a contemporary Indian dining in a perfectly formed restaurant adorned with images of boats and sails.

I was recently invited to sample the dishes on offer at a blogger night, where we were treated to a wide selection of dishes.

First up, appetisers. We were able to choose between meat and vegetarian options, and my table opted for meat. Before the Murgh Tikka, Lamb Chops, Kochi Kekraa and Zaffrani Bada Jingha Tikka was served up, we were first of all treated to a delicious and unusual plate of Masala Cone Poppadums (£1.95). These spicy cone shaped poppadums were served with plenty of condiments.

Our appetisers were soon with us, and we were soon tucking into dishes such as soft shell crab (£8.45), chicken tikka (£7.95), grilled jumbo tiger prawns (£11.45) and lamb chops (£9.95).

The chicken tikka pieces were large and tender, and the lamb chops were a standout for me thanks to the generous helping of warm spices applied generously.

For our main course, we again chose a meat option that included Bater Curry (£9.95), Murgh Tikka Masala (£8.45) and Pot Pepper Lamb Curry (£8.95), as well as two vegetarian options, Paneer Tikka Masala and Dal Makhani.

The Bater Curry was something very unusual; a quail dish. A tiny bird served whole and on the bone, this was a tasty, tender meat that had been carefully marinated in lime and spices.

All of the meat dishes were well cooked and included plenty of sauce, and my favourites were the vegetarian options.

Finally, there was also Gulab Jamun for dessert, which I skipped, but did of course photograph, served sundae style in a glass.

As well as excellent, attentive service, what marks out 1580 from other Indian restaurants is the more unusual dishes available. For example, the quail and the pork madras, a meat that is rarely seen on most Indian restaurant menu's, is what makes this restaurant different. This, alongside the fact there are plenty of family and group friendly platters available are what makes this a great choice for local, casual dining.

*With thanks to 1580 for the complimentary meal

Food Review: Indico Street Kitchen, Shirley

Shirley is enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, with a shiny new shopping centre and host of shiny new restaurants to go with it.

The latest restaurant to open at the Parkgate Centre is Indico Street Kitchen. Another Indian restaurant, you may say, but here's one with a difference.

Inspired by Indian street food vendors, the interior is unlike any Indian restaurant you've seen before. An explosion of primary colour, pop-art inspired paintings adorn the walls, whilst the real talking point is the ceiling covered in red, yellow and blue umbrellas.

Onto the food, we arrived for a midweek meal only to find filming to be taking place by Hajra Lalljee for The Place to Eat on AndTV. After a brief stint being interviewed(!), we returned to the menu's. Starting off with drinks, I opted for a non alcoholic Mumbai Mojito (£4.50) whilst my dining companion went for the Cashew and Banana Smoothie (£4.50). We also tried out the Goa beer (£4.95), recommended to us as it's gluten free.

Although the menu does state which dishes contain nuts, dairy, are spicy or vegetarian, it doesn't state which dishes are gluten free. However, the manager was able to show me a print off of which dishes I could eat.

To start, I picked the Aloo Tikki (£4.50) whilst my dining companion went for the Lollipop Chicken (£4.99). The Aloo Tikki was presented in two large patties, covered in chickpeas and a tamarind chutney sauce. The Aloo Tikki themselves were plain potato with coriander, onion and spices, and I would have liked to have seen these made with peas. However, the addition of the sauce and chickpeas made it a much more substantial starter and stopped it from drying out, as the dish does benefit from a sauce. The Lollipop Chicken was in a league of its own. Attractively served with a clean bone, the chicken itself was soft and encased in a sweet, sticky, crunchy batter. A delicious sweet starter, I see why these are called lollipops!

For our mains, I had the Chicken Biryani £9.50) and a side of Daal Makhani (£5.95), whilst my dining companion had the Mattar Paneer Tiffin Box (£11.50). There was also a huge selection of meat including tandoori chicken, grilled kebabs, salads and kathi rolls. 

A Tiffin Box is a traditional Indian lunch box used by street food vendors to deliver hot lunches to city office workers. At Indico, the Tiffin Box includes a curry, in this case Mattar Paneer, a portion of daal, rice and 2 chapattis as well as salad and raita. For me, this was the star of the show. For the price, it offers excellent value, whilst the novelty of being able to sample a little of everything is something that I'm drawn to. The curry itself was just right, mild and not too creamy, instead offering up tomato flavours.

The biryani was flavoursome, packed with spices and vegetables, it is served with raita, a yoghurt dip. This benefitted from the addition of the lentil Daal as it kept things interesting. If I'd have been hungrier, I would have tried the masala fries too! 

Unbelievably, we still had just a tiny bit of room for desserts. My dining companian opted for the Pistachio Kulfi, which came served on a stick and dressed in chopped pistachios. I opted for the Gajar Ka Halwa, carrot grated and cooked in condensed milk, served with vanilla ice cream. We were both very happy with our desserts, and I recommend ending on a sweet note.

Overall, Indico was a great dining experience. The music and atmosphere when we visited was just right and the decor is eyecatching and a real talking point. I also love the way that the kitchen is open and framed by painted buses to reference the Highway Dhabas who inspired this kind of street food.

Bright, lively and full of fun, Indico is a fabulous addition to the dining scene that's perfect for relaxed midweek meals with friends and family.

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!