Food Review: The Summer House Bar and Grill, Hall Green

For the first time in a long time, I took a trip outside the city centre (where the food scene is still flourishing I'm happy to report) to try out the Summer House Bar and Grill. Not on my usual patch, it's located in Hall Green. My sat nav got me there quickly enough and once I was on the right road, it was easy to find as it's helpfully lit up.

A large former pub that's been lovingly converted back in October 2018, there's also a rather good sized car park which makes life easier for all the drivers out there. 

Stepping in from the car park, we first entered the pub area before moving further in towards the restaurant seating area. There's also another room at the back for live sports. The restaurant itself is comfortable, with quite a few tables, a bar and a view to the kitchen.

The menu is really diverse, with options from curry to Chinese and even classic pub, making sure you can avoid that awkward "where shall we eat" conversation.

For starters we ate the Tandoori King Prawns and Lamb Seekh Kebab. The lamb arrived sizzling and was juicy and tender, whilst the prawns were huge in size and expertly cut.

For mains, we ordered traditional curry since we'd had a sizzling lamb seekh for starters. I ordered a Chicken Biryani, which was such a big portion that I even got to enjoy it for lunch the next day. My dining partner had the Chicken Tikka Masala (sorry to be such a cliche!) and we shared a veggie dish of aloo as well as some plain rice.

Our mains were delicious, smooth, creamy sauces lapped up with plenty of rice for me and a naan bread for my companion (not gluten free). 

The portion sizes were so plentiful, the restaurant offers real value for money in a very laid back, homely environment.

For anyone heading towards the area looking for a tasty pit-stop, The Summer House ticks all the boxes. In summer, the restaurant is even better thanks to the outdoor space and cleverly designed kitchen allowing service from indoors and outdoors. The owner was also there to greet us and was a wonderful warm host too. Overall? This is fast, friendly and great value dining that's relaxed with a family feel.

*Gifted meal. With thanks to The Summer House and Delicious PR for the complimentary meal. 

Food review: Fiesta Del Asado, Solihull

Most foodies in Birmingham will have heard of Fiesta Del Asado, the Argentinian steak restaurant on the Hagley Road. What many people don't know however is that Fiesta Del Asado has a new little sister; Fiesta Del Asado in Solihull.

On the main High Street in Shirley, this Fiesta Del Asado has a markedly different look and feel. Whilst both restaurants retain a masculine, dark wood interior, this site also has large windows and plenty of indoor foliage. 

The Solihull restaurant also has a slightly different menu, with an after school family platter available for two adults and two children to share between 3pm and 5.30pm.

The space itself is also more varied and more accommodating to different group sizes and different types of diners. For example, the cosy window nooks are great for smaller or more intimate groups.

Onto the meal itself; we arrived and propped up the bar for a little while whilst we rounded up everyone's Christmas and New Year. I opted for a gin and tonic since I'm not doing Dry January. Just in case you were wondering why, it's because I don't go out much over Christmas anyway, so there seems little sense in it for me personally.

It will become apparent that I'm also not partaking in Veganuary. I'm gluten free already and lactose intolerant, although I try to pretend I'm not (cheese anyone?) and the thought of giving it all up for leaves and berries is not an appealing one. However, stranger things have happened so perhaps one day I'll give it a shot. Until then, I'm still on the meat bandwagon.

I digress. We made our way to a table with velvet covered bench seating on the balcony area. The interior is very spacious and wide open, unlike the nooks and crannies that can be found at the sister site.

We started off by ordering Padron peppers and olives, both of which had a kick. I tried not to eat too many as I knew what was coming next; steak.

I ordered the Marucha Flat Iron, a 20oz flat iron steak taken from the feather muscle, chuck and blade. I seem to remember hearing that this was a flavourful cut. We also ordered fries, pepper and squash asados and potato criolla to share.

My dining companion Paul Fulford also ordered steak and Helen from Positive Fridays ordered the Chicken Parilla. 

My steak was very big and very tasty, seasoned with a rub that I am dying to get the recipe for. I ordered this medium rare, as recommended, which worked well with this particular cut. It was by far and away the best steak I have eaten in a very long time, probably since having dined at the original Fiesta. As much as I love to eat steak, too often I find that I'm disappointed or that the piece I've been served is too tough even when served medium.

The chicken also went down well, and looked very well seasoned. 

All of the accompaniments were delicious and I tried to steer myself away from the chips, as delicious as they were.

We ordered a main course each and skipped the starters and desserts. I would recommend this tactic if you're thinking of dining here and want to make the most of the delicious steaks on offer. As a gluten free diner, this makes a lot of sense as many of the starters and desserts are not suitable for a gluten free diet, with the exception of the chicken wings, padron peppers, olives and sausage.

The quality of the food is always exceptional at Fiesta Del Asado. As tempting as it is to go elsewhere and compromise on price, it always results in a compromise on taste.

A meal at Fiesta Del Asado is always special and never disappoints. For committed carnivores, the steak is always high quality and flavoursome, cooked just right to respect the cut and flavour of each steak. There are of course, other options on the menu, but when they do steak so well, it seems a shame to skip the star of the show.

*With thanks to Fiesta Del Asado for the complimentary meal. 

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: Three Church Road, Edgbaston

What is Three Church Road, you may ask? Well, it's a bar and restaurant that's hiding a secret. Can you guess what it is?

Three Church Road is located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, a leafy and affluent area just outside of the city centre. This quiet, mainly residential area is home to Three Church Road within Audley St. George's Place Luxury Retirement Village. 

That's right, you don't have to be grey to enjoy the luxurious surroundings at Three Church Road. An impressive Victorian building, the restaurant is housed in the hub of the village where there's also a swimming pool and gym that's available for non member use, a bar, private dining room and even a library.

Library

Each room has been beautifully decorated and has a character of it's own, from the pink bar bistro to the turquoise lounge. A popular spot for birthday's, anniversaries and baby showers, I popped in for an after work dinner. 

Bar Seating

Private Dining Room

Making my way into the main restaurant, I was seated at a wooden table complete with fine cutlery and starched napkins; Nando's this is not.

Restaurant

As well as a fixed price menu with two courses for £17.95 and three courses for £21.95, there is an a la carte menu featuring classic British and European dishes such as Sausage and Mash, Duck Parfait and Ribeye Steak.

I love the fat that everything is clearly marked for vegan, vegetarian and gluten free, which made ordering easy.

To start, I ordered the Pied de Mouton Mushroom Risotto, fried quails egg, shallot ash (£7) whilst my companion ordered the Parma Ham wrapped Scallop, parsnip puree, vanilla butter (£11).

Arriving on a heavy round slate dish, the presentation was flawless, with onion dust to garnish. The presentation was world's away from what you'd expect from a risotto, but the taste was rich and flavoursome and the egg was an added bonus (what dish doesn't taste better with an egg on it?)

My main was Half Lobster, garlic butter, fries and salad. Again, the presentation was fabulous although the lobster was a little on the small side, but for £18 that's probably about right.

My dining companion went for the Roasted Hake, heritage tomatoes, broad beans, samphire, crab and caviar tortellini (£14.50).

By now, it was time for dessert, and whilst I opted for the artisan cheese selection, my companion ordered the Dark Chocolate Mousse, mango marshmallow, honeycomb (£6).

The cheese selection was pretty hefty, with a choice of five costing £2.95 for one, £6.75 for three and £9.95 for all five. Served with chutney and crackers, mine came with just the chutney and quince jam to make it gluten free.

Both desserts were fantastic, with the presentation of the chocolate mousse resembling a small garden, especially since it was served in a terracotta bowl. The cheeses were delicious, and with the tomato chutney and quince jam were fine without crackers, although I would have liked gluten free bread had it been available.

Not ready to stop, we also ordered cocktails. Mine was the Bakewell Tart, a very sweet treat to end my meal, followed by a black coffee to restore some balance.

I'd absolutely come back to Three Church Road, to try both the fixed price menu and the afternoon tea. A relaxed, refined environment, this is the place to bring the parents or grandparents for some serious brownie points. It's also a great spot for a special occasion, as there's plenty of rooms to choose from meaning you could enjoy a meal or some drinks in a semi-private environment.

The service was very attentive when we visited in the evening, and it was quiet enough to be able to unwind after a busy day at work. 

Three Church Road is a great addition to Edgbaston. Full of quirky yet sophisticated design features, there's plenty of reasons to visit. 

*With thanks to Three Church Road and Delicious PR for the complimentary meal. 

Food review: Wok to Walk

We Brummies are spoiled for choice when it comes to Chinese and Pan Asian food. There's a whole host of authentic restaurants and eateries to choose from, including Wok to Walk.

Located on New Street, Wok to Walk is new to the city but big worldwide. With stores in London, Bristol and beyond, they're an international brand that's all the more distinctive for their bright orange boxes.

I rocked up after work to try out this new noodle bar. With a great central location, there's no denying the lunchtime and after work appeal of this place. With room inside to sit and eat at a bar and a full view of the flaming hot woks used to cook up every dish, it's welcoming and entertaining in here. With plenty of wood features there also the ability to charge your phone wirelessly or the old fashioned way.

Behind the counter, there are large menu boards explaining the Wok to Walk concept. Every single dish is made up fresh to order. At the bar, the deli style fridge shows you everything that's on offer, from meat to mushrooms, so that you can decide what to put in your bespoke box.

Diners first choose a base of noodle, grain or vegetable mix. There's plenty of options here from rice noodles to whole grain rice to make it as healthy as you like. Next, you can pick from part two of the menu, which covers meat, tofu and vegetables, each of which is individually priced and advised at no more than four. Finally, pick your sauce, all of which are free, and add toppings if you like for an additional fee.

The simplest option is a base and sauce, which comes in at a bargain price of £3.95 for a box stuffed full of healthy but filling options. Once you start to add meat and veg, the price goes up, but everything is clearly priced up.

The best part is that they're great for anyone with dietary requirements.  Vegetarian? No Problem hold the meat. Vegan? Try to vegetables and rice. For me, this was great as I could create a dish that was perfect for me and there was plenty of dietary information around to help me make the right choice.

I picked a whole grain rice box with Koh Tao sauce (green curry) along with prawns, shitake mushrooms, pak choi, broccoli and bamboo shoots, topped off with coriander for colour. I added a bottle of Coke Zero (not so healthy I know) too.

Watching my dish being made up was great fun, as everything is portioned out using scoops that only touch one ingredient making it great for cross contamination control.

Your items are then put into a bowl and handed to the chef who cooks everything up super quickly on hot woks.

Finally, its put back into the box and ready to eat.

My portion was absolutely huge, and I was impressed from not just the cross contamination and dietary requirements side, but also from the portions which are more than generous. My meal was hot, filling and pretty spicy, making it perfect for a hearty meal on the go.

Overall, I'd highly recommend Wok to Walk. Fast, filling and fresh, don't forget to drop by the next time you're around.

*With thanks to Wok to Walk and East Village for the complimentary meal.