Food Review: Tapas Revolution at Grand Central

Grand Central is fast becoming one of my go to places in Birmingham. Whether I've just come back from a trip to London or want to meet friends for something to eat in somewhere super convenient, Grand Central has it all. It's no bad thing that there are plenty of gorgeous shops to pop into whilst I'm around too, and I love to run into Jo Malone, L'Occitane and Neal's Yard Remedies if I'm waiting to meet someone.

I was recently invited to try out five new dishes at Tapas Revolution. Launched in July, the new dishes include a gazpacho, honey and lemon chicken wings, spinach and goat's cheese empanadillas, lamb chops and a lettuce and Manchego salad.

However, I was also able to try out classic dishes from the menu, all created by Tapas Revolution founder Omar Allibhoy.

Having won the award for Best Spanish Restaurant at the Birmingham Food Drink and Hospitality Awards 2016 earlier this year, I was looking forward to my chance to try out some Spanish dishes.

Despite visiting Barcelona back in June, I didn't manage to try much tapas whilst I was there, mainly because I'd been warned away from anywhere that served buffet style food, in favour of venues that cook fresh. I did of course get to try a lot of paella, but I was eager to try more small plates.

Seated at a balcony seat with great views of the hustle and bustle below, we were offered drinks first whilst I looked at the dedicated gluten free menu. It was great to see such a detailed menu which even outlined which dishes were at risk of cross contamination.

I decided to go for the Ginabelle, a plum gin infused with red berry tea and served with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic and forest fruits (£9). This was a gin revelation for me, as someone who loves gin but also has a sweet tooth. Don't get me wrong, this was no strawberry daiquiri, but there was just a touch of sweetness which I really enjoyed. There is of course a range of Sangria options available too, Spanish inspired cocktails, more gin tonics, red, white and rose wine, craft beers, and of course soft drinks including horchata and authentic Spanish lemonade.

Next, we ordered Queso Manchego y membrillo (£5.75), Manchego with Quince paste to nibble on first. I love cheese, so there's very little else I need to say other than that I also love quince.

Our food arrived as it was ready, to ensure nothing was left to stand. We ordered Chuletas de Cordero, roasted lamb chops marinated with spices and served pink (£7.95), Jamon Serrano del Consorcio, 18 month cured ham (£5.25), Gambas al Ajillo, tiger prawns with garlic and chilli oil cooked in a terracotta dish (£7.95), Arroz Negro, black rice with prawn and squid served with alioli (£5.25), Huevos Rotos, baked chorizo sausage, potatoes and egg (£5.50) and finally, Patatas Bravas, roasted potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and alioli (£3.95).

My favourite dish of the bunch had to be the Arroz Negro. There's something about the salty flavour of squid ink that I just adore, and this dish was so full of flavour, it was far from a boring rice dish. With the addition of a few chunks of squid, this was the standout star. Of course, the cheese and ham were as good as I would expect, relying on a good palate to source the finest flavours.

The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and pink as promised, but I would have liked the earthy spices to have been given a kick with the addition of some sharp citrus flavours or a hint of chilli.

The prawns were fine, but could have done with being finished off on a grill or pan to add colour to the dish and an extra depth gained from grilling or caramelising the dish.

Finally, the potato dishes were well cooked and spicier than I expected. The alioli was most welcome here.

As much as I wish I could eat churros, unfortunately they're not gluten free. In lieu of ice-cream, we finished off our meal with an excellent espresso each.

The service we received at Tapas Revolution was excellent, attentive and very friendly. The atmosphere was buzzing and lively, thanks I imagine to an excellent half price offer on sangria from 4-7pm daily and 2 for 1 on gin tonics. When we visited, the restaurant was full of friends catching up and work colleagues breaking bread, and mainly sangria, making it a great place to eat and drink in unpretentious surrounds.

I'd happily return for the paella next time, and for those of you who can eat gluten, there were some excellent looking dishes including the calamari, empanadillas, croquetas de jamon and of course churros.

Have you ever been to Tapas Revolution? What were your thoughts?

Food Review: Amantia Birmingham

Happy New Year folks! For my first post of 2016, I'll be talking tapas and sharing my experience of dining at Amantia in Birmingham city centre.

Bennett's Hill is home to plenty of new restaurants, including Cosy Club and of course Buffalo and Rye. But how about Amantia? A truly independent addition to the Birmingham food scene located on one of the city's prime dining and imbibing spots, the restaurant has some serious competition. But what lies behind the unassuming frontage?

Walking off the busy street into the restaurant, you realise that the space is bigger than it appears. With a small bar area to the right of the room, the main dining area is on the left, separated into two by a clever abstract wall.

Dining early on a Monday lunchtime, the restaurant was not busy, but we were there to try the lunch offer and not for a buzzy evening of cocktails. Recently launched, the lunch offer is for two tapas and a drink for £9.99. At such great value, I was lucky enough to try a whopping seven items from the menu of ten, plus a cheeky extra for my companion who loves calamari.

A little about Amantia. Family run by a husband and wife team, the food is all fresh, with everything from the stock to the sausage and ribs made in house; even the bread is made fresh every morning. Much of the food is sourced from Spain, including the wine. The concept is modern too; there is no fussy furniture here, just simple clean decor and fabulous fresh food.

Back to the food. Nibbling on Habas Fritas (fried broad beans) and supping on cranberry juice and Spanish beer, we were treated to a wide selection of dishes from the lunch menu. We ordered every single gluten free item on the menu (yes, unbelievable) and there were an incredible seven out of ten which were suitable for gluten free diners.

The owner, Marta, was wonderful and explained what was in each dish and which were suitable and weren't suitable. For example, whilst the patatas bravas are gluten free, they are fried in the same oil as non gluten-free foods, so I opted to avoid these.

We ordered: Manchego Cheese with home made red pepper marmalade, pollo al ajillo (chicken in garlic sauce), chorizo al vino (spicy mini chorizo sausages cooked in red wine), champinones al ajillo (sauteed garlic mushrooms), tortilla de patata (traditional Spanish omelette), ensalada de queso de cabra (goats cheese salad, honey mustard dressing) and finally, lentejas con chorizo (spanish lentil soup). Off menu, we also ordered the calamari especially for my companion.

Which were my favourites? The tortilla for one was absolutely huge and such a great dish for lunch. Spongy, light and very filling, this is a great one for office workers nearby.

The salad was also delightful, full of flavour with thinly sliced ribbons of carrot, the dressing lifted this to new heights. There was also a very generous helping of rind on goats cheese which made this satisfying in its own right and definitely not an afterthought.

I also adored the cheese, and the quality here was evident. For a true cheese lover like me, the sauce was not needed, but I can imagine that most people would appreciate the added flavour. The presentation was also fantastic.

The next standout was the lentil dish, which was incredibly flavoursome! Add to that that fact that it tasted clearly homemade, this is Spanish comfort food at it's best. 

The chicken was again, a generous portion packed with garlic as was the mushroom dish.

My companion confirmed that the calamari was lightly battered and soft, not rubbery which all too often is the case. 

This was all served with homemade bread, which I'm assured is good.

We rounded off with an espresso each, which came served with a piece of amaretti.

Amantia offers warm and friendly service in a cool and casual environment. The warmth of the food is exactly what you'd expect from a traditional, family run Spanish restaurant, and the passion and love for the food is evident in every mouthful. Rich in flavour, every dish has been carefully thought out and prepared each and every time.

I don't know about you, but I spend £10 whenever I grab a salad and drink from a chain, and for the same price I'd much rather sit down and enjoy a meal properly.

If your resolution was to escape the office at lunch time and you work in Birmingham city centre, I can't recommend Amantia highly enough.

*I was invited to dine as a guest of Amantia