by Cedric | Mar 19, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
I seldom trust anyone to make food related decision on my behalf. St Nick should be honoured greatly that I took a chance on his friend, the so called ‘Polish Michael’, who suggested to him, who then in turn suggested to me. Perhaps I should rename this blog. Moving on, I must admit, completely candidly, that I was overwhelmed by Laghi’s Deli. Hitherto, I had thought only Gustami provided an authentic Italian experience but this place is something else.
A short walk from Five Ways train station, this restaurant is located on a busy thoroughfare. We counted no fewer than 7 ambulances during our meal. But I digress. Laghi’s astounded me. It is a wonder the only fault I can find is the immense amount of people being hurt in the surrounding city.
So here it is, an award-winning restaurant no less, and I really hope you’ll see that this has been borne from a love of food and cooking for others, and enjoying the culture of great food and wine. My aim is to bring a little taste of Bologna to Birmingham. Chef Luca
We opted for the Taglio misto to start, as is my want. This one was divine. The parmesan was there and some gorgeous meats including mortadella and supremely delicious homemade bread.
Patricia took some convincing, but at long last she picked the carbonara. The aspect of this place which astounded me the most; even more than being surrounded by actual Italians, was that THEY HAVE GUANCIALE. I could hardly contain my excitement. The Carbonara was perfect, exactly how it should be. It is pictured below, in all its splendour.
St Nick opted for the calzone. Thankfully there was no all day breakfast here. Otherwise I shudder to think what the waiter would have thought. His opinion of me was already low on account of all the pictures I was taking and the less than adequate perfection of my Italian. I am glad that he ordered the calzone because I was allowed to sample it. Absolute divinity ensued.
Calzone
Folded pizza, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce & ham. Laghi’s
For my own part, I too chose to devour a pizza. I went for the Queen but replaced the bacon with guanciale. It is not rare for me to have guanciale on account of my very reliable guanciale dealers, but I like having it as often as possible.
Queen
Mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, bacon, porcini mushrooms & egg. Laghi’s
It is pictured below. The dough was perfect. The toppings were sparse so as not to overload the pallet. The egg was cooked to oozing perfection. I cannot and shall not fault this pizza.
Laghi’s is famous for its doughnuts, or as the Italians call them; ciambelle. These were just lovely. A great end to a difficult day. They’re pictured below. I especially recommend the custard one, though the chocolate was equally delightful.
Overall, this restaurant shook me to my core. I did not know such miraculous delights existed in Birmingham. The price wasn’t even too shocking considering what we consumed. Had we not drank an entire bottle of Nero D’Avola, it might even have been reasonable. From the ambiance; attentive waiters; location and frightening quality of the food made for an incredible experience. Please go there, and bring your mother.
by Cedric | Mar 16, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
Sunday lunch will never be the same again. Louise and I, in typical delectable fashion, went out for a meal after Mass to discuss the ramifications of what we have just heard. The High Field was the subject of our culinary assault on this occasion.
We went all out and got three courses. Such is the case when one is famished and deeply affected by their faith. Who knew Catholicism would create such hunger.
Louise opted for the pheasant terrine as a starter. There is something quite divine about the combination of this light terrine and rye bread. I cannot describe how fluffy the bread was. Clearly of very high quality, either made in house of by a bakery.
I, on the other hand, has a gorgeous mushroom and breadcrumb ragu, which was unbelievable. Everything was done to perfection. The sauce was light and not too salty, the mushrooms combined with breadcrumbs and sage made for a delicious crunchy and flavoursome meal. The pasta was cooked just right. I was completely amazed by this and so was Louise. Sadly, she’s not often left speechless.
For the main we both opted for roasts. Louise, in her typical fashionable fashion, went for the pork. I went for the lamb. We are both creatures of habit it seems.
Have you ever seen a Yorkshire pudding quite so large? I had the chance to sample a little of Louise’s before it completely disappeared down her shapely gullet. Divinity made (pork) flesh. Really excellent food. MElt in the mouth, gravy was wonderful. Everything totally top notch. My lamb was just as good.
I love that the mash was under the lamb shank. The roasties were stunning, cooked in good quality oil. The Yorkshire pudding was clearly homemade. You can’t buy puddings that magnificent looking. But the lamb really stole the show. I’ve seldom had a dish so succulent and flavoursome. Certainly not in Birmingham. Top marks for this dish. But now let’s talk about the sides.
Out of the fried stuffing balls, cabbage and cauliflower cheese, I would have to say the stuffing really stood out. This is something which this reviewer insists you try should you lunch at the High Field. There’s no real way to describe them other than jaw dropping.
For dessert I had the cheesecake. Louise and I had to share because we were both so completely stuffed by what came before. It is pictured for your dribbling delectation below.
The lemon sauce, biscuit base, light cheesecake – totally and completely baffling. I was trying to find it on their menu but have since realised that we were there for the final Sunday of the winter menu at the High Field. Now the spring menu is in full force, ready to delight us with more wonderful dishes.
The High Field is a restaurant with which to be reckoned. I have seldom eaten so consistently well in this town. Nor have I seen service comparable to this anywhere. The staff walked around in the restaurant with platters of roasties and Yoskhire puddings for the diners, free of charge. This astounded me more than anything else. The High Field gets 10/10. When I have a reliable income, I shall dine here far more often. Bravo to the team.
by Cedric | Mar 10, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
As you well know, Friday lunch is sacred to us at Ulaw. Not one Friday goes past where we are not starved for intellectual conversation and excellent food. This week, Urban answered our fevered calls. This startling independent is situated in the middle of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. The Strained Six made their way to it in the hope of a filling lunch. We were not disappointed.
We love three things; amazing coffee, food & service. Urban
I opted for the honey roast ham and peach chutney sandwich. This was masterfully done. The bread was delightfully springy, the gammon was roasted wonderfully and the chutney compliemnted the whole thing quite well. I would have liked the bread to be toasted but this is only one small pedantic point.
St Nick, in his unbending stubborn fashion opted for the full English. Of course, if you read the blog avidly you’ll know that St Nick does not eat beans in tomato sauce. To reiterate:
I do not eat beans in tomato sauce. They are the devil’s work. I will not allow them entrance into my most sacred tummy wummy. St Nick
As per, I was honoured to sample St Nick’s cooked saussie. I dare say this was one of his better offerings. It is pictured, alone with its dishevelled entourage, below.
Connie and the girls weren’t feeling too peckish, so they opted for some pancakes. Being covetous and selfish, they did not choose to share any of their sweet bounty with the rest of us, starved and poor punters. St Nick was more Christian, offering us each a slice of delicious chocolate cake. With my scrumptious thighs in mind, I could put decline a full slice. However, the morsel I devoured was quite divine. I remember exclaiming several expletives, much to the disconsternation of my fellow diners.
Overall, the lighting; food; service; location and price were all top shelf. I absolutely recommend this to anyone in the Jewellery Quarter, looking for a quick and delicious lunch. And if you have time, visit my friends in the Pen Museum. It’s extraordinary good fun.
by Cedric | Mar 7, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
When Louise invited me to come along to our second Literary Salon, I fully expected to end up in another dive bar in the Jewellery Quarter. You can imagine my elation to be brought to this charming independent restaurant in the middle of town. Though parking was a nightmare, the payoff was large.
We keep our cafe food simple, cooked to order, and with options for all diets. Our focus is to provide you the best value for money without being stingy on portion size or dropping quality you should expect, such as local free range eggs or cakes that are homemade. Cherry Reds
Google describes this restaurant as funky, but I prefer exceptional. Cherry Reds really does stand out. An oasis in a sea of chains, Cherry Reds provided me with a meal as warm and delightful as their welcome. Louise in her vast and overwhelming wisdom opted for the Full English. Below is an action shot of her drowning this delightful dish in ketchup.
As per, I was honoured to sample Louise’s saussie. This was absolutely super duper. But nothing and nobody could compare to my meal. I ordered it and then asked a waitress what their best meal was. She confirmed, much to my elation, that my own meal was the greatest on offer. For carnivore at least, and indeed at most.
The mighty beef burger with halloumi on the side tasted as good as it looked. I would warn diners that Cherry Reds uses practically no salt in their food. This is good for the health, of course. But if one is not aware of it, this can be quite alarming. The granary bread was soft and meshed beautifully with the minced beef burger. The onion ring and cheese were delightful and the potato chips – well I shall let the above picture speak for itself.
The Literary Salon was set up by Nat, my old Warwick Uni criminal law tutor. This is my second time attending and I must say I feel enriched for doing so. I encourage all of you to attend for a wonderful discussion. February’s theme was Doomed Love. March’s theme will be ‘The Graphic Novel’. I’ll be there, I hope you shall be too.
Overall, Cherry Reds left me feeling satisfied culinarily as well as mentally. I am happy to wholeheartedly recommend it you, dear readers.
by Cedric | Mar 4, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
This cafe has been on my radar for some months. I remember when I was battling between the BPP Law School and the University of Law, both of whom were vying for my precious coins, I first ate here. Now, I am always on the lookout for unassuming brilliance. Niche Cafe positively oozes unpretentiousness. This is its crowning feature, for me.
It’s real Hawaiian food served in an authentic medieval English dungeon atmosphere. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, Part IV: Middle Age, on the topic of Ulaw dining
Last month, I brought the boys there for lunch. We had come to a point where the dungeon cafe food at university wasn’t cutting it anymore. We have actively sought a sustainable alternative. After months of searching, I do believe we have found it.
Niche Café is by definition a greasy spoon cafe. The fare on offer is modest and wholesome. It is not terrifically healthy, but then again neither are Tesco sandwiches or under-salted slop. Now, to the food. St Nick, in his customary fashion, ordered the full english without beans. He hates beans. I had the good fortune to sample his saussie, and I must say it was quite delightful.
I hate beans in tomato sauce. St Nicholas Jenkins
Young James, by contrast, decided to go all out and order the Eggs Benedict. From the affirmative grunts I overheard, it seems he enjoyed this. The plate was quite clean once he had finished. It’s a wonder he didn’t eat the porcelain as well.
On the occasion of the previous two photographs, I went for the brie; bacon and cranberry grilled panini. Alas, this time the bacon was overcooked. But Chef is stupendous and I am sure that if I asked him to grill the bacon a little less without poisoning me, he would be obliging.
My most recent visit saw me order a delightful mushroom and cheese omelette. Now that was delightful. I’m constantly wary of a burned bottom on my omelettes. Thankfully, this was not the case at Niche Café. As you can see from the photograph below, it was cooked perfectly. The raw toast was a tad random, but then again, who am I to complain about complimentary bread.
Overall, this is not the Ritz Carlton. But what Niche Café does, it does sensationally well. This eatery is top shelf. If you go to Ulaw, you’d be mad not to go here for your lunch on a semi-regular basis. The best thing of all: you can dine for almost nothing! My meal with a two coffees came to under £6. Huzzah!
by Cedric | Mar 1, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
I’ll set the scene: it is Sunday morning, Mass is over and I am having a coffee with Louise. Having friends and commitments, she is unable to go for Sunday lunch. I am forced to dine alone like a solitary seagull. Cafe Reem is four minutes’ cycle from St Mary’s church, making it a new favourite for my Sunday lunch.
Now, when I am upset I tend not to eat. This week has been trying to say the least and I didn’t feel like gorging myself. I ordered the falafel first. the waiter showed genuine excitement when suggesting them to me. He said they were the best in town. Now, I have seldom eaten falafel in any town so I had little with which to compare them.
The presentation was unpretentious and the flavour, superb. The fennel and sesame danced together in a frenzied rhythm which gave the dish a wonderful feel. And to top it off, it was not heavy at all. I was left with plenty of room for my next dish.
This is possibly the best halloumi wrap I have had in my life. The flavours battled violently and reminded me of the potential heights achievable using this Cypriot cheese. The imhamara sauce blew my mind. Truly a stunning dish, I recommend it with all my hands.
To finish off this splendid Sunday meal, I ordered a cardamon Americano. I have discovered coffee relatively recently, and this one was formidable. Personally, I should say the cardamon was a little strong. But then, it is almost impossible to use cardamon without frying the end consumer’s eyebrows.
In all, I am deeply impressed by my small far. It’s proximity to my Harborne home means that I shall be returning again and again. I shall bring all my friends too, because the price is rice. After your meal, you might enjoy a walk through Grove Park, which provides me with endless inspiration. The majesty of creation is not to be sniffed at.
