New eateries dishing up meals from India to Peru
Birmingham’s restaurant scene has been enhanced by a couple of recent openings and more new eateries will help us see off the year in style. SANJEETA BAINS reports
INDICO, MAILBOX, COMMERCIAL STREET
Having won rave reviews for its hugely popular Solihull flagship branch, Indico Mailbox is sure to shake up the city centre street food scene when it opens in the autumn. It will be housed in the unit formerly occupied by Gourmet Burger Kitchen, next door to Red Peppers.
Brummies can expect chaats, curries and extensive vegetarian options such as super tasty Dhokla (steamed savoury cakes flavoured with mustard, lemon and chilli).
Indico owner Faheem Badur said: “We first opened three years ago and since then have made a name for ourselves for serving highquality Indian street food in a unique, artistic atmosphere. We aim to take our diners beyond the traditional Indian restaurant experience to a place that’s warm, colourful and exotic – just like India.”
GINO D’ CAMPO MY RESTAURANT, TEMPLE ROW
Initially slated for summer 2019, the latest celebrity chef restaurant to hit Brum is expected later this year. TV chef Gino’s 200-seater venue will take over two floors.
It will feature a prosecco bar, deli and ice cream bar. Bellissimo. There will also be a private bar, private dining, a games room and ‘posh’ bowling.
ROZU, THE ARCADIAN HURST STREET
This pan-Asian /Western fusion restaurant is set to open in September, next to Teppanyaki.
Rory May, of Rozu, said the 80-cover restaurant will “serve high-quality food, have an upmarket cocktail lounge and be decorated lavishly with a pink and green interior, plus flowered ceilings and flamingos.”
PEACER, WOODBRIDGE ROAD, MOSELEY
There have been a lot of pizzerias popping up in and around the city, and this is the latest offering. But Peacer is an exclusively vegetarian place. Owners Jack Richards and Dann Matheson believe it to be the first vegetarian pizza slice shop in the UK.
Jack said: “There is a rotating menu of pizzas and they are based on flavour profiles. Our most popular one on the current menu is the smoky pizza – homemade barbecue sauce, southern spiced halloumi – which is basically the same spices you’d find on fried chicken but on halloumi.’’
CHAKANA, ALCESTER ROAD, MOSELEY
As well as a new pizzeria, Moseley will be welcoming an eatery from a Michelin-starred chef. And it will be the city’s first Peruvian restaurant.
Chakana, located in Moseley’s last bank, will open at the end of September. Head chef will be Robert Ortiz who was awarded a prestigious Michelin star in 2013 at the famous Lima restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia.
Lima was the first Peruvian restaurant in Europe to be recognised by the Michelin inspectors so we have high hopes that Chakana will also impress.
The 60-cover restaurant will serve classic Peruvian dishes with a Michelin-starred twist.
CRAFT DINING ROOMS, THE ICC, BROAD STREET
This massive restaurant and terrace opened in July, replacing the old Strada restaurant. The 150-cover dining room is all about bringing “the best produce from British farmers, cheese mongers, brewers, distillers and vintners”.
The talented kitchen team comprises executive chef Nick Evans, who has worked in Michelinstarred restaurants including the renowned Northcote in Blackburn, as well as former Tom’s Kitchen head chef Tom Wells.
The focus is on traditional British fare with a fine dining twist. Dishes include wild boar and black pudding sausage roll, Brummie bacon cakes and beef wellington with Wiltshire truffle.
Sam Morgan, co-founder of Craft Dining Rooms, said: “The menu features the team’s modern take on a few well-loved dishes alongside some new creations that make the most of local ingredients.’’
The society and this first festival aims to appeal to people across the West Midlands and especially the 80,000 Greeks and Cypriots who have chosen to study, live and settle in the region.
It was set up by a group of eight people from Greece who settled in Birmingham after coming here to study.
The festival is taking place at John Henry Newman Catholic College.
There will be Greek music and dancing, a traditional Greek BBQ, market stalls selling authentic produce and a chance for people to learn more about the culture.
Thomas, who is from the island of Cyprus and is an orthopaedic surgeon The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, added: “Our main aims are to promote the Greek culture and to create an organized, well-functioning Greek centre which we felt was missing from the West Midlands until now.
We aim to become a channel of communication between the Greeks and Greek-Cypriots who have recently arrived here and the long-standing Greek-Cypriot.
‘‘Our common thought and goal is to promote the special and blessed place called Greece.”