Tasteology Noun:

Definition: A magazine reveals and reviews cafes and restaurants with uniqueness on flavour, atmosphere,

culture and service.

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Content

Angels Café

155 Corporation Street Birmingham City CentreB4 6PH

0121 448 3238

Yorks Bakery Café

1 Newhall StreetBirmingham City CentreB3 3NH

The Warehouse Café54-57 Allison StreetBirmingham City CentreB5 5TH

0121 633 0261

Six/ Eight Kafé

6/8 Temple RowBirmingham B2 5HG

0121 448 8089

Piquant Restaurant

18 St Mary’s RowMoseley, BirminghamB13 8JG

0121 249 1216

Chilacas

The Water’s EdgeBrindleyplaceBirminghamB1 2HL

0121 643 2707

Kitchen Garden

17 York RoadKing’s HeathBirmingham B14 7SA

0121 443 4725

Rodizio Rico

The CubeCommerical StreetBirmingham B1 1RS

0121 285 2856

Con

trib

utor

sLucy WitekPhotographer

I found my ‘Mojo’, that is my passion for photography only 2 years ago after a career of ‘mundaness’ and not knowing what my ‘Mojo’ was. At 27 years old I now embarked upon my path, currently undertaking a 3 year degree in Visual Communication at BCU. I approached this challenge with some trepidation but says that in my search for the best places to eat I discovered parts of the city that I never knew existed and had never appreciate the diversity and choice that Birmingham has to offer. I hope you enjoy my contribution, which is a review for The Warehouse Café and Chilacas.

David Hansel Graphic Designer

Into my food and love trying new cafés and restaurants out and finding a good place to socialise with friends so this magazine genre was right up my street. I want the reader to get a good understanding about each place and know what they will be getting if they go to any of the places in this magazine. Doing more of the graphical part for this magazine by contributing to the type, layout, logo, cover and general style. Also reviewed Angles café in Birmingham with a Q&A too.

Bryan LeeGraphic Designer

Coffee has always been a part of my life and visiting independent cafés is like a must do thing when I’m new in a city. I believe that indie cafés have their own personality which reflects the local culture. I don’t see the reason not to feature independent cafés in this project about Birmingham. Therefore, I chose to do features on 6/8 Kafé and Yorks Bakery Café in this issue. Both of them have their very own characters and have a stance on the change of coffee culture around here.

Jack RichardsIllustrator

As the Illustrator of the group I tried to find an exciting way to show my illustration ideas. I used different medias to create stunning work. Coffee and spices was an interesting new turn point for me as a fond user of pencil and pen. I had never really thought of using food to draw with before this magazine. My idea for using Alice in wonderland came from the 6/8 Kafé’s name reminded me of the much loved Mad Hatters hat size. I come from a family of Green fingers and so reviewing the Kitchen Garden was a familiar treat for me.

Joanne MonkPhotographer

After many years working in variety of careers, I finally decided to follow my passion and dream of being a Photographer. Studying At Birmingham City University for a BA in Photography. Having a huge passion for all photography work, with my main interest in Portraits, Documentary and Abstract. Shooting with both Digital and film cameras, I have Experience spanning 30 years although more seriously for the past 2 years. my aspirations are Eve Arnold and David Bailey. My inspirations are, Travel, Fine Art, Music, Theatre and Fashion.

Angels CaféA relaxing atmosphere for a chilled out lunch

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Angels Café

In today’s world everybody wants affordable food for the best prices in the area, Angels Café is a great place for this.

I am doing my review on a great café for a nice lunch in the city centre. Many people work in the city centre

and sometimes it is hard to know where to get a nice lunch for affordable prices and relaxing atmosphere. Living just outside of the city I had to do a bit of research into good places to eat through the day, this is when I stumbled across Angles café. Located on Corporation Street it is a ideal place to grab something to eat if you’re around the city.

A good few cafes and coffee shops are located on that strip of Birmingham and after trying a few more out I soon realised I wanted to do a review on this pacific café as it was a great experience, I didn’t only go

there the once as well. I also found out that recently the café had been refurbished so it was exciting to see what had changed in the café and if there was big improvements

Walking into the café it is ridiculously clean, no table is left with food on it and even chairs misplaced are put back right straight away. The staff, friendly, although you have to start the conversation with them to get answers out of them. They are short staffed though, as when it is lunchtime it gets busy and only having two, three members of staff just isn’t enough for the size of the café and you may have to queue for a minute or so to order. The café is nicely decorated and has a wide variety of seats for everyone, even sofas but the window for a more relaxed approach. The layout of the café is very minimal with a few pictures here and there and some slow relaxing music played quietly so you can still here yourself think.

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After your drink arrives your food comes fairly quick after, just enough time to start relaxing and of had a taste of your drink, also the quality of the food is really good for the prices. If you order something off the menu and then they find out they don’t have it in stock for any reason they either offer you an alternative to that product or give you a full refund there and then.

When ordering a sandwich you get to choose which type of bread you would like it on as well with no extra charge, unlike some cafes who charge extra for different bread. There is a wide choice on the menu though from sandwiches to baguettes and omelettes to burgers, even all day breakfasts so a really good choice to choose from and something for everyone.

When you finish your food your not waiting long until it is taken away from you and cleaned up, when your there too you don’t feel rushed to leave either like some cafes you do. The café does do a lot of different deals and vouchers though in local papers

and magazines, also group deals as well if you go in a four or six which can save you money.

The place got refurbished not long ago and it looks really nice and welcoming inside. Gorgeous patterned ceilings and minimal decoration just a few nice pictures on the wall, which really sets the mood off in the café. The café is a professional place to visit and it definitely worth checking out if you’re near by. Personally I would go back again and is definitely recommended on my behalf.

During my visit, I had an interview with a customer, Martin (M), a print broker. I think it would be nice to see someone other than me think of Angels Café.

What bring you to angles café today?

M: I work just down the road in the offices above. For my lunch hour it’s a great play to come and grab some great food for low cost.

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Angels Café

Would you recommend this café to friends?

M: Most definitely, most of my other work colleagues come down here as well on a weekday. It’s cheaper than the work vending machine and you get so much more for your money. Being in Birmingham it is hard to find a good place, which have good prices, many members of staff are spending a fortune each week spending out money on average lunches when this place is just around the corner.

Do you feel there is a good variety of food at this café?

M: Yes I think so, I always try something different when I come here and they do all day breakfasts and a good variety of lunches, which are always nice.

Did you hear about this café from others or did you find it independently?

M: Working just down the road. I would

drive past the café before parking my car so one day I decided to check the café out as it was so close and been coming here ever since.

What is one word you would use to some up Angles café?

M: Convenient

Talking to customers was a great way to get more of an idea of what people really think about the café and so it wasn’t just a bias opinion. This is a much recommended café and does have loyal customers from around the local are so if your in the city centre or close why not check out angles café, you wont be disappointed.

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ChilacasHave a go you won’t regret it!

Chilacas is a newly opened restaurant close to the heart of Birmingham which serves Mexican street food.

It is located in the city centre at Brindleyplace, in the very picturesque part of the Brum, by the canal. Chilacas

is a different kind of project and style of restaurant for that area which offers a wide variety of food and also first of its kind. Customers can either grab a bite during lunch time or choose the table service for dinner. The place is open till late hours every night. The menu has been prepared by the development chef inspired by traditional Mexican food. The team of the owners successfully run other restaurants in Birmingham, like Urban Pie and

Homemade Burgers and try to implement London’s standard for Mexican Newbie.

The place has an original Mexican look designed by a creative team. Some elements of the decorations come from Mexico. The staff have been trained how to prepare this kind of food with attention to the needs of the customers and further improvement of the service. The menu gives the option to create your own food composition for your individual taste ie just by spending a fiver for lunch. The open kitchen allows you to see how the food is prepared.

There’s a choice of burritos, naked burritos, tacos or nachos, a variety of fillings and for

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Chilacas

a top up, a dose of exciting savour with a careful collection of good quality sauces. Also there’s the option of gluten free food: tortilla and meat prepared without wheat. For a spicy taste there are available different types of chillies in a varied forms.

Chilacas offers 7 types of Tequila, traditional Mexican alcohol and the plan is to expand this selection in the future. You can also find Tequila flavoured beer or a limited list of cocktails served in a tea pot. Soft drinks like Coke are refillable. Chilacas offers 20% discount for students on Sundays.

During my lunch visit I tasted a burrito with rice, charge grilled chicken, roasted

vegetables, garlic and herb sauce (I gave up on black beans imported from Mexico, just my personal preferences). My combination turned out to be a massive authentic explosion of taste and textures. The size of the burrito was enormous for the money I paid. I had also a portion of nachos with guacamole and salsa sauce waiting for me.

Chilicas has plans to expand the restaurant in the future , albeit these are as yet undefined. Let’s hope for example for salsa or Spanish lessons and live Mexican music entertainment which will make a place even more unique.I strongly recommend this restaurant.

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Chilacas

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Kitchen GardenA hidden garden oasis in the big city

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Kitchen Garden

A delightful kitchen in its very own garden of Eden, stop off for a peaceful lunch and hot drink to make your day.

Kitchen Garden is an attractive Café/Restaurant which is a tucked away little oasis situated on York Road. A step into a world of organic fruit, vegetables and a variety of items for the garden, you would not believe you were in the centre of a town. I enjoyed the visuals of the quaint café amongst all the greenery and the café consists of a spectacular view out on to the garden and patio area, for a unique dining experience with the feeling of being in the garden whilst you eat.

Inside, the tables are spaced out sufficiently so that you get a peaceful and private dining experience. The restaurant has a rustic charm with its oak décor and furniture. The walls are decorated with beautiful landscape paintings, which are painted by a local artist and are available to buy from the restaurant for any art loving customer. The restaurant is linked to the Fletchers club next door, meaning by day it is a restaurant, by night it is a venue with music and different forms of entertainment for the public.

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When it comes to food, Kitchen Garden has a big, strong flavour of good food with a good price range, however, the restaurant doesn’t offer a large variety of food as most of the menu is sandwiches and snacks.

The children’s menu is non existent, if you ordered for a child the portion size and price would remain the same, therefore making the Kitchen Garden unsuitable for a family day out. There is a huge variety of unique ales, perfect for wetting ones whistle.

Once sat down we had to request to see the menu multiple times. Drinks seemed to take a long time to arrive to our table, however the coffee did seem worth the wait and considering the restaurant was not busy, and we waited 40 minutes for our main course.

I ordered the Crispy free range chicken thigh on petit pois á la Francaise. It was well cooked, juicy to the bone with a delightfully crispy skin and was beautifully seasoned. The peas were

slightly over boiled and mushy which does not phase me as it was to my taste. The waitress made us feel as if everything was a huge effort, making me feel as though the staff were disappointingly impolite.

Kitchen Gardens events do not seem to appeal to all audiences, as a young student, I would not say it is my cup of tea. The venue seems to only hold jazz and classic folk rock events. They also do stand up comedy and story telling nights which sounds satisfying for the close community but not really for all audiences such as the younger generation.

Kitchen Garden definitely has the beautiful setting and interior but when it comes to service it becomes a real let down. It disappoints me so much when such a unique and quaint place, with such a calming and peaceful atmosphere is let down by poor staff.

Kitchen Garden

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6/8 KaféSomewhere to have a hot coffee after a long shopping day in the city

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Independent cafés are not just culture, they form a diverse community which should be treasured. 6/8 Kafé is one of them.

The reason I am writing about cafés about Birmingham in the first issue is that our vision is to find some dining

places which has something special. What’s better than talking about independent cafés? The special thing is that these cafés have formed a community with diversity over time. 6/8 Kafé was one of a few café I picked from beanhunter.com.

6/8 Kafé is just right behind House of Fraser on the pedestrian lane, Temple Row. The shop has a neat front with a wall of display window, which you can see the interior of the café. Once you’ve stepped into the café, you get a warm welcome from the barista and, of course, the awakening aroma of coffee. However, make sure you get yourself a table before you get anything from the bar. 6/8 is always packed during the peak hours (this is one of the top tips from me). Then you can get yourself a cup of coffee and probably a little snack or cake. While you’re enjoying yourself in the cafe, you can check out the artifacts hanging on the wall. It was a collection of illustrations about the architecture in Birmingham called Living City by Sarah Taylor Silverwood when I was there. Speaking of illustrations, you can find illustrations everywhere in the café... even in the washroom.

Anyway, here are some facts about 6/8 Kafé that make it a special independent cafe in town. They have an ambitious objective which is “changing the way coffee is produced, presented, enjoyed and valued”. Along with this objective, they are real supportive to the local suppliers here. They get their coffee beans from Has Bean Coffee, bakery goods from Lucky 31 Bakehouse, deli from Gary Anderson of Anderson and Hill Fame, and cakes from Tobizzy2bake.

6/8 Kafé

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I believe an exciting café like this is always run by people with an interesting background. So I conducted interviews with the manager, Hannah (H), and the head barista, Aaran (A).

How long have you been working at 6/8?H: I’ve been working here since April. This is my first time working at a café and it is a learning experience for me. I would like to open my own café.

A: I’ve worked here for 3 months now. I actually started in New Zealand, then I came to the UK working at 2 other cafés.

How did you get into coffee?H: I used to live in America for a long time, about 7 or 8 years, it was quite a big culture there. Everyone drinks coffee there, like the way here, we drink tea. I used to do lots of reading, writing, chatting, just spend a lot of time at coffee shops. My treat would be getting a coffee, just sit there and relax. But the understanding of it has come from me in the past, since I’ve been working here.

What do you think of the coffee culture in Birmingham, or even the entire UK?H: In here, people know each other and they chat even they have never met outside of the café. Whereas in the chain coffee shops, you will a bit more individual. Well, they’d ask your name and write on the cup but they’ll never remember it. Which you don’t get that same feeling from a chain coffee shop, and that’s why this is important to our coffee culture. This is because it’s the place where people to meet and talk. It’s a little community here.

A: There are only a few places in the UK promoting independent coffee culture In Birmingham, every barista knows about each other. It’s a nice, friendly area - a community. Independent cafés have their own personality. People who go to those chains cafés is to be alone, whereas we chat to you, we remember your name, your drink here. And we are just normal like you.

And what makes 6/8 different to other independent cafés in town?A: Good quality. The staff is friendly, passionate and quirky as well. I’ve never worked with more eclectic bunch of staff. We have Norwegian, Bruneian... Very strange

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but lovely people. They’re my pleasure to work with. We got the machine, Synesso, the only one in the Midland. It’s a fantastic coffee machine, to me, it’s like a Ferrari. We use Hasbean, which is an amazing roaster. We don’t only do espressos, we also do aeropress coffee.

What aspects do you look in your staff?H: They need to be into and interested in coffee obviously, and they need to be mentally available to be passionate about coffee.They can get along with others in the team and of course with customers. They have to be excited, smiley, enthusiastic and flexible with job and time. We personally train our staff every once a while, for an hour or two, so they need to be willing to spend extra time for the shop and the coffee.

Where did 6/8 Kafé come from?H: 6/8 is the address here on Temple Row and the café with the “k” is a German spelling twist because the owner lived there for a while.

Can you use a word to describe 6/8 Kafé?H: Eclectic A: Quirky

6/8 Kafé

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It was interesting to get to know the café better through the interview, here comes my own little review to the coffee and food at 6/8. I had a flat white for £2.45, and a hot ham and cheese bagel for £3.95 on my visit. The presentation of the flat white was decent and clean, it had a latte art of a fern on top of it. When I had the first taste of it, it gave a fluffy and soft texture of the layer of foam. The coffee itself was at a moderate temperature which was perfect. This is because sometime if the coffee is too hot, it will lose the scent and taste of what a coffee should have. The blue ceramic cup was thick enough to keep the heat of the coffee which was ideal. The hot ham and cheese bagel was a great dish to have for lunch. It was quite filling and the stuffing was fresh and healthy.

After the barista put the bagel at the toaster, it made the whole bagel smells great and has a crispy crust. The cheese in the bagel was a nice touch to lead the whole flavour. The ham was a bit thin, which was still alright. However, it would be nice if they didn’t charge 40p extra to heat up the bagel. Overall the experience at 6/8 Kafé was pleasant and I had a quality time dining and chilling with my friends.

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6/8 Kafé

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Yorks Bakery

Café

Yorks Bakery

CaféA cozy café for a perfect lunch

with a decent coffee

Yorks Bakery Café does things in its own way. They make everything by themselves which you can’t find anywhere like this in Birmingham.

After talking to Aaran from 6/8 Kafé, he recommended me to have a look at Yorks Bakery Café as well. He said

it’s a new café in town, and there’s something special about it. As mentioned earlier, the independent cafés in Birmingham have formed a close community. I think it would be worthy to check out Yorks Bakery Café.

Yorks Bakery Café is just round the corner from Colmore Row on Newhall Street. Right after you make the turn, you will see a big “Y”

logo hanging out and a blackboard standing outside of the shop. It says what they have for lunch on it. While you’re walking down to the main door, there’s a long, wide window which you can see what it’s like inside.

The whole café has an earthy and natural atmosphere with all the wooden decorations and furniture. You can see that the owner has actually put some thoughts into the interior design, and it does make the café cozy and warm for the customers.

When you walk into the café, have a look around and find a spot which you find comfortable to enjoy the coffee and food. Another tips is to make sure you get a

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Yorks Bakery Café

table by the wall if you’re planning to use your laptop. There are plugs on the wall for customers to use.

After you’ve got yourself a table, you can go to the bar and see what you can get. I think it is always worth to check out what desserts, pastries, the stews, soups and sandwiches they have at the bar and the bench, even you’re not planning to eat there. This is because the food is the reason Yorks Bakery Café is special, they’re made in the café. You should definitely try the food, even just a little snack, you might be surprised how different they taste than the ones you get from the chain cafés.

When you’ve made up your mind, you can have a look on the blackboards behind the bar and see what you want to drink. On the menu, they also explain the portion of the espresso and milk in each drink, by using a cross section of a cup. I think it is part of educating customers the differences among the coffee. After that, I would recommend you to have a look around the café to see the paintings hanging on the wall. They show the characteristics and landmarks of Birmingham in bright colours. It’s nice to enjoy a cup of coffee in such artsy atmosphere.

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Yorks Bakery Café

On my visit, I had the chili beef stew for £3.50 and a cup of flat white for £2.75. I got the chili beef stew from the pot as it’s self service and I also got a slice of the “house-made” bread. The chili beef stew was flavorful and piquant. The beef was well cooked and tender, and the gravy was rich. The fresh made bread from the kitchen went great with the stew. I would also say it was quite filling. Before I had that flat white, I needed some water to clear my taste bud. Before I drank the flat white, I could already smell the aroma of it. The presentation was clean and neat with a black cup and plate. On top of it was a latte of art of three heart shapes joining together as well. The flat white was pleasant. The medium roasted coffee was perfect. It wasn’t bitter at all. The milk was just spot on and the texture was nice and smooth. I would love to have a flat white like this every morning.

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I also had an interview with the manager, Rich (R). So that we can know more about why Yorks is so special among the independent cafés in Birmingham.

First of all, when did Yorks open? R: This year. August the 9th.

Where do you source your coffee and food?R: We source everything as local as we can. Everything made here is made in the kitchen. We don’t get any cake from other shops. The coffee that we are using is from Caravan Coffee Company. We are the only people supplying “Caravan” outside of London.

What do you think of the coffee culture in Birmingham?R: I personally feel the café culture in

Birmingham, from a coffee point of view, the education of people is very depending on the baristas and themselves. I think this place is probably one of the first places that is opened where the owner actually understood the whole thing, they get what the coffee’s about, why is it prepared this way. That is kind of the first for Birmingham. It’s getting there.

I think for coffee culture has a long way away where it needs to be. But the nice thing is it’s full of talented people working in cafés and in a long term that is good.

How about the demand for independent cafés here?R: People are slowly coming around to the independent ones, the small cups, better

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Yorks Bakery Café

well-roasted coffee, people with skill set for it. People are kind of starting to realise there’s actually a better way doing things than the chains.

People get quite bored, especially at the reception. I think they care more about where they’re spending their money on. When they see you make the extra effort and it’s still the process as the chains.

What keeps you going everyday?R: I think developing a good team and bringing something different to the culture of dining. As there’s a massive driving force, I think Birmingham as a city is not reaching its potential at all. I think there’s a lot unnoticed, talented people outside of coffee almost get overtaken sometimes.

Once those individuals in Birmingham follow their voice and enable to show what they can do as well.

What is the aim of Yorks?R: This place aims to be the place to influence another people. We are not looking anywhere else for what we want to achieve. We don’t want it to be just normal like something you can get from the chains. We want something people would go, “right I can’t get this anywhere else”.

A word to describe Yorks?R: Creative, simply because of the staff we’ve got here are so multifaceted and creative.

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Rodizio Rico A Vibrant Eatery, It makes you feel like you’re actually in Brazil

With modern wood paneled walls, tiled floors and a buzzing brasserie-style ambience, Rv

Rodizio Rico is a unique Brazilian restaurant Steakhouse based in one of the smart areas of Birmingham. A

traditional Brazilian grill restaurant, with a Help yourself buffet. Not your normal buffet but one of exquisite taste.

Artistic décor with views of the Birmingham canal this restaurant is a “Foodie’s” delight. Initially thoughts were this must be too pricey to consider, however pleasantly surprising it is not. Obviously not at the low end of the price bracket, but not at the top. Some where in the middle is where this

exclusive restaurant is placed.Rated as one of the best in Birmingham it sits in one of the affluent eating areas in the mailbox at the base of the “Cube”.

“For corporate entertaining and cocktails, large parties and family nights out.”

The décor is enticing with music beating wanting you to break out into a samba and party the night away. Chose your meat to be grilled then help yourself to the Brazilian buffet for sides, your meal is cooked to perfection offering a variety of meats complimented by the salad bar. A range of freshly produced breads to tear and share or just for your self.Exploding with flavours, tantalizing with

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Rodizio Rico

colours and textures, it offers everything you need to experience Brazilian cuisine.

The menu of Brazilian cuisine offers an all-you-can-eat selection of steaks and seafood alongside a buffet-style salad bar. Favourite dishes include the garlic sausages, rump steak, spare ribs and the grilled chicken and pork served at the table on giant sticky skewers. The wine list veers toward big, manly flavours from Chile and Argentina, with some intriguing labels from South Africa, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. At Rodizio Rico, no craving is too large. Not for the faint-hearted, Rodizio Rico requires a hearty appetite and a drumstick-loving disposition.

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Rodizio Rico

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The Warehouse

Cafe

The Warehouse

Cafe The vegetarian

heaven

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The Warehouse Cafe

It doesn’t matter whether you vegetarian or not you must try it!

The Warehouse Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant with a history of 30 years, serving vegetarian and vegan options

including gluten free food. It is tucked away just off the main drag in Digbeth, situated between the newly refurbished Moor Street and just a stone’s throw away from Bullring shopping centre. A great location in the city centre which connects new and old Birmingham. The restaurant is to be found on the first floor of a converted warehouse. Inside, its appearance is clean, simple and a little bit quirky, as you would expect of this kind of building. On one hand the décor is pleasant, with a rustic and homely feel, wooden floor and wooden tables. On the other hand not everyone’s cup of tea though. Talking to customers some would prefer more decoration, a cosier atmosphere and more comfortable chairs.

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The place is environmentally friendly, uses mainly bicycles or foot couriers for delivery for the majority of its fresh organic products and puts a lot of emphasis on recycling. The menu is inspired by British fruits and vegetables, depending on the season. The restaurant tries to support local business as much as possible. The head chef’s inspirations are taken rather from modern European food, with a twist of fresh, light flavours and unusual textures. The start point is usually a single ingredient, experimenting with layers of the taste to find unique combinations.The menu offered is a varied selection of vegetarian food and changes very often. I have visited the place twice, once during the lunch time and decided(with a little bit of help from the staff member as I am not vegetarian) to go for a portion of green olives as a starter and a vegetarian burger. I chose the burger made from a base of organic butterbeans and spinach upgraded to a Greek burger with

roast red pepper and pan-fried halloumi. It was served with a small house salad, hand-cut chunky wedges and an organic tomato sauce and organic mayo dip.

Generally I am not a huge fan of burgers as I very rarely eat beef or lamb. Surprisingly my burger was amazingly light and full of flavours. I would never have expected that non meat burgers can taste so delicious!

The next time I visited the restaurant for dinner. With the recommendations of the chef I had brown lentil and sun-dried tomato sausage, real ale gravy, colcannon mash and spiced pear chutney. The combinations of the flavours was absolutely amazing! The food visually nice laid out on the plate. Very good service, staff very kind and always helpful and affordable prices.I highly recommend for all food lovers to try the Warehouse Cafe!

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The Warehouse Cafe

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PiquantThe perfect place for an

authentic & traditional Balti

At Piquant they aim to provide a unique eating experience, agreeably stimulating to the palate.

Piquant is one of the best Balti Restaurants in Birmingham, which is why I chose to review it. Not only does it have a smart

décor, but it has delicious food too.

A Family Run Restaurant nestling on the Edge of the original Balti land, in the Balti triangle in Birmingham. Set over 2 levels with plenty of seating it is available for private functions, along with cozy dining, celebrations or just that quick bite to eat. They leave no stone unturned and nothing to chance.

They leave no room for compromise and believe

that their customers deserve distinctive food, unparalleled service, first class facilities and finally very competitive prices. With these core principles they can provide an exceptional dining experience.

A cosmopolitan and comfortable décor invited me to enjoy a delicious, freshly produced meal. Made with locally sourced produce. The kitchen is visible from the upstairs level of the restaurant enabling the customer to watch the masters cooking their meal. Atmospherically enjoyable, it stimulates the gastric juices as well as the mind.

The staff is very attentive with a superb friendly approach to please their customers. Service is fast and attentive, finished by hot fragrant moist towels to refresh your hands and face after your meal. This type of service

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Piquant

is what I would expect from a good Restaurant A variety of beverages are available with your meal. An extensive wine list, a range of beers and soft drinks to compliment your meal.

The kitchen is equipped to deliver fresh and wholesome dishes, it is fully equipped with a Tandoor which makes our Tandoori dishes second to none. The kitchen staff utilise traditional Indian methods to create really fine and delicious Indian cuisine.They have created a menu that includes many of the traditional favourites along with their specialities from the flamboyant Tawa dishes, the succulent Tandoori dishes and their house specialities which include Kashmiri Karahi, Handi Murgh and lamb and the Piquant Shahi Tukrah.

History of the Balti

Balti is a type of curry served in a thin, pressed steel wok-like Balti bowl. It was invented in Birmingham, although some state it was in Pakistan (Baltistan). However on speaking to the communities in Birmingham it is still believed it was derived from Birmingham Balti triangle, which comprises of the roads around Mosley and Sparkhill. Ladypool Road, Stoney Lane and Stratford Road) is still sometimes referred to as The Balti Triangle.

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Piquant

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