Eating Out in Birmingham

Harvester is taking over the world!!

2012-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Well, at any rate they're making inroads in Birmingham. Haven't been to Star City for a while so I don't know how long this has been there, but where Old Orleans used to be is a spanking new Harvester. Looks nicer than the one at the Fort, though again this is only a quick look from the outside.

Harvester, The Fort Shopping Centre

2012-02-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

The new Harvester restaurant at the Fort Shopping Centre is now open - haven't been inside, from the outside it looks rather functional, and it does take aways - so not really aimed at the traditional Harvester customer, more the shopper on the go (which isn't really surprising considering its location!).

The Hunter's Moon (Hungry Horse), Coleshill Road, Hodge Hill

2012-01-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

Have been a couple of times to the new Hungry Horse at the Hunter's Moon, it's pretty busy but the noise level doesn't seem to get anywhere near as high as a lot of other places, and the tables are nicely laid out to give everyone a bit of personal space. There are, weirdly, TV screens on the walls by many tables. The food is good quality, the sort of pub food that doesn't give pub food a bad name, and there's a huge variety on the menu. The prices are reasonable and the portion sizes generous.

Although it's a nice place for groups of adults to go, it clearly makes a real effort to be family friendly, from its children's menu options to the reasonably large play area in one corner of the restaurant (which my baby daughter enjoyed; though it's mainly aimed at slightly older children than my 13-month old, there are toys suitable for babies too). Now that I'm a father this sort of thing really stands out to me, whereas before it would have maybe been something I noticed in passing (and possibly thought of as a negative for me!).

The service is excellent; on both occasions that I've been, I've found the staff to be extremely friendly and helpful. This really adds to the experience of dining there. Thoroughly recommended, especially for young families, though try to get there early as it does get very busy.

Recently Re-Opening and Opening Soon

2011-12-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Hunters Moon pub restaurant on Coleshill Road has recently been refurbished and re-opened, now under the guise of The Hungry Horse chain.

Also, there's a Harvester being built in the Fort Shopping Centre (between Nandos and Frankie & Benny's) - not entirely sure when that's going to be opening though.

Jilabi - Coventry Road, Sheldon

2011-11-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

Though Jilabi do have a menu, I've always done the buffet there - which is what most people do. Good variety (including chips etc for those who aren't quite so into Indian cooking), Jilabi offers high quality food, nice surroundings (a little cramped perhaps because the place is always packed), and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Last time we went we ended up in a private room upstairs; I wasn't too thrilled to be having to carry plates of food upstairs repeatedly, but after the first visit, the waiters just kept bringing more food up. The price is extremely reasonable considering you get a desert and liquor thrown in too.

If you like Indian buffets, they don't come much better than Jilabi (at least, I don't remember going to one). They don't have their own car park, but road-side parking nearby is usually easy to come by.

Jilabi Official Website

Zagora - Moroccan Restaurant, Birmingham City Centre

2011-09-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

This isn't the easiest place to fine, but it's a real hidden culinary gem of the second city. Zagora offers belly dancing as well from 8pm some nights - we were there earlier (not disappointed to miss the belly dancing, I have to admit!), got there are 6pm on Saturday night and the place was empty apart from us. It's really not a great location, but worth finding - the food is exceptional, not too badly priced, and the décor of the place is nice. There didn't appear to be any baby changing facilities and they had no high chairs, but considering their usual clientèle that's not really surprising!!

If you want a different sort of night go for the belly dancing, if you want a quiet restaurant with great food, go earlier!

Full address: Paradise Place, Fletchers Walk, Birmingham, West Midlands B3 3HJ

Frankie and Benny - The Fort Shopping Centre

2011-09-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

This opened quite recently; I've now been there twice and had two rather different dining experiences. The first time I went was with my wife and baby, I think on a Tuesday evening; it wasn't very busy. (This seems to be the main key to a great dining experience for any restaurant, go when hardly anyone else is there!) Admittedly my "Cajun Chicken" calzone didn't taste like it had much cajun spice to speak of, but it was nice, the starter was good, garlic bread side was very nice, overall price was good (I took advantage of the "Two Courses for £9.95 option), and service was great (apart from getting our drinks order slightly wrong to begin with). The waiting staff were very friendly and helpful, as well as stopping to chat to our baby at every possible opportunity. I was impressed that they not have a children's menu but also a toddler's menu/

The second time was with friends for their anniversary, a party of 6 + baby; the place was much busier, but again staff were very friendly and helpful. While I have no complaints about the food I ordered, 2 of our group had the same thing and theirs turned up extremely overcooked. To be fair the manager came over when they'd complained and we didn't get charged for those meals. Like the Frankie and Benny in Erdington (by Showcase), it gets extremely noisy when busy. The most upsetting thing on this second visit was that I thought the "white chocolate brownie sundae" sounded wonderful and forwent my diet for that one evening. However it turned out to be about the most disappointing dessert I've had in my life, and not especially cheap either. (That's not to say that all their deserts are bad, but that particularly one really was a complete let down.)

Personally, I'd still be more than happy to go to Frankie and Benny's at the Fort Shopping Centre again; however I'd definitely try to avoid the busy times, and I will not be ordering the so-called "white chocolate brownie sundae" again!! It's very much a popular destination for families and parties, which accounts for a lot of the noise - much depends on whether you happen to have a particularly noisy bunch of celebrants in the restaurant when you're there.

Coach and Horses - Castle Bromwich - Review

2011-08-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Have been to the refurbished Coach and Horses (under new management) twice now, once on Steak Night (Tuesdays) and once on Fajita night (Mondays). If you remember the Coach and Horses as it was before, you'll find that it's been spruced up a bit, though there's not a huge difference to be honest. The main difference you'll notice straight away is that the menus look much snazzier!

The staff range from extremely helpful to disinterested, with the former being more common. We try to go when it's not too busy; the tables are packed quite closely together but the overall atmosphere is okay, albeit rather too hot in the weather we've been having lately. The prices are very reasonable, especially when you take up the steak night etc options, which effectively means that your drinks are free.

The food is okay, our steaks were very nice but the chips and salad extremely uninspiring. Similarly the fajitas were decently enough presented, but no salsa (!) - a major disappointment to me, instead they have a sauce that's just a spicy BBQ sauce. The jalapeños were pickled instead of fresh. Far from the best fajitas I've had, but not all that bad and certainly a bit cheaper than we'd expect to pay.

Overall it's a cheap and cheerful place that's probably best for meat lovers, as their steaks seem to be the thing they do best. The menu has a nice range of dishes and many can be personalised with various sauces etc. It's not all that different to how the Coach and Horses was before, but perhaps with an extra dash of style.

Coach and Horses - Castle Bromwich

2011-07-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

The Coach and Horses has been taken over by Flaming Grill Pub Co., who're now open with a new menu. Their weekly deals are:

Monday night is Fajita Night - 2 x Firecracker Fajitas and 2 drinks for £16.99

Tuesday night is Steak Night - 2 x 8oz steaks and 2 drinks for £14.99

Wednesday night is Burger Night - 2 Flaming Burgers and 2 drinks for £14.99

(Drinks from a pint of John Smith's / Forster's, a glass of regular house rose, white or red wine, or a glass of regular Pepsi or lemonade.)

Haven't been there since it changed ownership, but I expect I'll be giving it a try sometime soonish.

Full address: The Green, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. B36 9AR

Kismet - Indian Restaurant, Bradford Road, Castle Bromwich

2011-07-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

Situation on a little parade of shops, Kismet is an attractively decorated Indian restaurant on Bradford Road in Castle Bromwich. We've been there twice now, and both times the food has been excellent. Our guests on the second occasion did complain that some of their onion bhajis didn't appear to be properly cooked (with some justification); I have to say that my starter, "Stir Fry Lamb Tikka", was absolutely wonderful. The main courses were also extremely nice. Prices are about average for Indian restaurants - i.e. fairly pricey if you're not discerning about what you buy. They have a number of speciality dishes too. I'll definitely be going back (when I can afford it and when... ahem... I've lost quite a bit of weight!).

The staff are extremely friendly and one the first occasion (much quieter early in the week and early in the evening) one of the waiters even offered to look after our baby while we ate - not something I'd expect to happen in most restaurants! (We didn't actually take up the offer, but I was impressed that it was made in the first place.) It's definitely worth getting there early as it can get very noisy later on if there are a lot of people there - the décor is superb but the tables are pretty close to each other.

Overall I'd definitely recommend Kisment, but again go earlier rather than later for the best experience.

Frankie and Benny - Erdington (next to Showcase)

2011-03-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hadn't been here for ages. It's not a bad place - friendly staff, good food, a bit expensive but not too bad - but go when it's busy and it's extremely noisy. (This wasn't really helped by a table surrounded by teenagers apparently having a shouting competition, with all of them seeming to be in with a good chance of winning.)

The food was nice, though the garlic dough balls with my tomato and mozzarella salad were overcooked and the salad that came with my calzone was somewhat uninspiring. Still, I'd go there again - but only when it's going to be quiet. Still, great music selection when you can actually hear it!

New McDonalds to open at Star City

2010-11-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hm... the KFC is now open, it looks like they're also building a monstrosity to house McDonalds in part of what is currently the car park.

You know, I can see something good coming out of this - Nandos will have shorter queues since most of the teenagers going to Star City will now have somewhere else they prefer going! :-D

New KFC to open at Star City

2010-11-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

I think it's 26th November that the new KFC at Star City is due to open. Whether you think this is actually a positive development for the gastronomic facilities in North Birmingham or not, I leave entirely to your discretion... For myself I went off KFC years ago, and recent forays into the Colonel's world when necessity prevailed have not exactly done much to change my mind...

Shere Khan, Star City - Update

2010-11-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

We thought we'd see what Shere Khan was like these days. Can't say I'm mad about the new decor, but the addition of alcoves is a nice touch that lends a little more intimacy to the surroundings.

Service was very attentive - too much so really, probably not quite so obsessive when there are a few more people in the restaurant. They seem to have changed some of the dishes a bit, though not exactly for either the better or worse, they just seem different.

The prices are on the high side, ask for water rather than juice or lassi to stop it getting to over £20 per person.

Shere Khan, Star City - Refurbishment Finished

2010-09-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Shere Khan, they've just reopened after refurbishment. Not sure that from my perspective the place actually looks better now - more garish if anything - but if you've been disappointed before by it being shut for the refurb, at least you know it's over!

The Yew Tree Cottage, Yardley

2010-09-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is somewhere I've often heard about but never actually been before. We went on a Sunday evening, finding parking was a bit awkward but it's worth the effort. Very friendly staff, lovely interior decor, nice ambiance, good quality Indian food with quite a wide selection of dishes.

On the downside it's not exactly cheap, but it's reasonable for the quality of what you get. If you like Indian food and fancy going somewhere quieter than Shere Khan or Kebabish Original (or just don't want to go to Star City!), this is a very good choice.

The Real China, Star City - on a Sunday

2010-09-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Following my weekday visit to The Real China, Star City, I have visited it on a Sunday evening with friends and have to say that it's a nice place to go - fairly quiet, the food seemed better than last time, and good value at £9.95 per person including a deserts buffet.

Oliver's Bistro - Solihull

2010-09-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Went to Oliver's Bistro near the Touchwood Centre in Solihull for a leaving do. Staff were friendly and quite attentive; prices were high; food was lovely but not enough of it. If the portion sizes increased and the price decreased I'd definitely recommend the place. As it is... not as bad as The Townhouse, definitely, but still rather overpriced for what you get.

The Real China, Star City

2010-09-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

At least on weekdays before 3:30pm, The Real China at Star City is a buffet Chinese restaurant that could best be described as reasonable. Everything is reasonable - service, price, quality and range of food. None of it is especially good, none of it particularly bad.

Later on it gets more pricey and you have a bigger range of foods, but I don't know whether it's any better or not - I just know it's a lot more expensive, so I'm unlikely to be trying it. (Sunday is £9.95 all day, which I might give a shot at sometime.) For six quid it's a decent enough place to grab some Chinese food and there's a section with chips, onion rings and the like that should keep a lot of kids who wouldn't like Chinese food happy. Drinks don't seem badly priced either. The atmosphere and decor are pleasant enough, and it's unlikely to get crowded earlier in the day.

So, it's never going to set the culinary world alight, but if you like buffet Chinese food and want something cheap and cheerful, The Real China at Star City isn't a bad option.

Old Orleans, Star City

2010-08-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to report that Old Orleans at Star City has really gone downhill. We took my parents there last night for their anniversary and instead of being a special occasion it nearly ruined the evening. Service was slow, the food took forever to come and was bland when it did. It's not exactly cheap, so I really expect better than this.

I used to really like this restaurant, but won't be going there again unless there's reason to believe that it's improved significantly. I don't know if only the Star City restaurant or the whole chain has become like this - maybe if anyone's been to one of the other Old Orleans in Birmingham (or elsewhere for that matter!) recently they could leave a comment with their impressions?

Jimmy Spices, Solihull

2010-08-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Spices offers food from China, India, Thailand, Italy and New York City (apparently). It's a buffet and there are loads of dishes to choose from; some things will be cooked fresh from your selections (though I didn't actually avail myself of this particular feature). The food itself is very nice and there's more variety than you could shake a stick at - even a very big stick. It's a bit expensive for buffet food but you will get your money's worth. Drinks are a bit on the pricey side.

Like so many other restaurants, Jimmy Spices really packs people in and as a result I found the place to be uncomfortably loud - though of course that was in part due to some veyr noisy people nearby. I'd go earlier to get the cheaper price and hopefully a bit quieter. The service was fine and it was commendably clean.

This would probably never be my first choice, but it's not a bad choice if you like buffet restaurants.

Mogo Grill, Touchwood Centre, Solihull - Verdict

2010-06-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

It was very quiet when we went as most people were watching the tedium of England grinding out a goalless draw with Algeria, which was nice for us! Staff were friendly and helpful, and they pretty much leave you alone unless you want them. Nice selection of dishes - three each for seafood, chicken, lamb, beef or vegetarian. Reasonable range and quality of starters / sauces etc. The food was good, portion size was okay. The prices were n't too bad and there was a good selection of fruit juices and smoothies. The atmosphere and general styling is very similar to Nandos.

Overall I'd definitely go there again. I wouldn't say it's exactly likely to steal my heart away from Nandos, but it's certainly a nice alternative for a casual culinary experience.

Mogo Grill at Touchwood, Solihull

2010-06-18T08:07:00.001-07:00

I've just found out that this is where I'll be eating tonight - sounds cool, menu seems to be a mixture of Afriacan and West Indian (though it seems to be claiming to be authenticly African).

Desserts at Nandos...

2010-05-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

... it's ages since I had a dessert at Nandos but I thought I'd try the white chocolate raspery swirl cheesecake last night. I have to admit, it was absolutely wonderful. Not really going to help the weight loss plans, but wonderful nonetheless!

The Townhouse, Solihull

2010-03-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

I should perhaps point out that this restaurant was really not my choice; having been there, I don't think I ever would again. It sees itself as being trendy, but the prices are very high for what you get, and quite often what comes on your plate doesn't seem to bear much relation to what you actually ordered. "Crispy duck pancakes" turns into minced duck pancakes (!?!?), while the Baked Alaska Sundae bore little resemblance to what anyone would expect when ordering that.

The service was okay and I have to admit that the main course was nice, but I found The Townhouse to be pretentious and expensive. Definitely not recommended, though I have to admit that right from the outset it wasn't my sort of place. [Edit - nope, everyone else who went thought the same - so it obviously wasn't just me!]

Fort Jester (2 for 1 pub restaurant)

2010-02-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

Situated on the way to Erdington, this pub restaurant has a lot going for it - quite a nice environment to meet friends, quick service, generous portion sizes and of course it's cheap - as long as you go in multiples of 2. (The prices aren't all that bad anyway and when the 2 for 1 and portion sizes are taken into account, the value for money is exceptional.)

It doesn't seem to ge busy until about 7pm, after which you might have to wait at the bar for a seat. A good choice when you're going in a group and don't want to spend too much.

China Town Noodle Bar, Birmingham City Centre

2010-01-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

Wow, is it really over half a year since I last posted here? Blame the credit crunch I guess...

Anyway, a lunchtime special from the China Town Noodle Bar is hardly going to break your budget - at £5.30 for a meal + drink / ice cream, it's good value. I have to admit that when I first entered the place, the layout of tables and benches put me in mind of my primary school cafeteria - not a good sign! However the food was good and the services was extremely prompt. Prices seemed okay, especially considering the portion sizes.

The Noodle Bar isn't really somewhere I'd go out of my way to visit, but if you're in the city centre and feeling peckish, it's certainly a good choice to go for some good, reasonably priced Chinese food. Also, while it's not got much atmosphere, I prefer it infinitely to the waiting forever to get in and then being continually deafened experience of going to Big Wok!

Jeera, Castle Bromwich

2009-07-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

We went to Jeera recently; it’s a cosy little restaurant located at 341 Chester Road, castle Bromwich (for those who know the area, it’s opposite Morrisons). The staff were very welcoming and friendly, though I found them perhaps a little too attentive after a while. The fact that they dish your food up for you didn’t help matters – I much prefer them to place all the dishes in front of you and let you get on with it, which is what happens in most Indian restaurants I frequent. The food was a little bland – not actually bad, but certainly lacking a certain oomph. Jeera failed the acid test for Asian restaurants – whether Asians themselves actually go to eat there (however this was based on my observation from only one visit, so I can’t say it’s at all definitive). The prices were comparable with most similar places, though there is a generous 20% discount for take away orders.

Jeera is unlicensed but next door to an off-licence, who will give a discount if you tell them you’ll be taking it in to Jeera. This is neither here nor there for my wife and I, but for some this would definitely be a major plus point.

The best thing about Jeera was the quiet atmosphere – there is traditional music (Hindi I think, but I’m a bit out of practice with my Asian music recognition abilities!) playing in the background, but at a volume the encourages rather than prohibits speech. We didn’t have to shout at each other to make ourselves heard, which is a pleasant change.

Overall I’m not sure how much I’d recommend Jeera – but based on a single visit it probably wouldn’t be fair to judge it too harshly. If you’re likely to want somewhere with decent food and be able to take a few cheap drinks in with you, give it a try; for quality I can’t say it matched up to Kebabish Original or Shere Khan though.

The Wheatsheaf, Coleshill

2009-06-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Wheatsheef is one of the Harvester chain of restaurants, located on Station Road in Coleshill. I've been there several times in the past with mixed feelings - soemtimes very impressed, at other times rather less so. My most recent visit left me feeling rather impressed again.

With a good menu including the "early bird" menu of reduced dishes before 6:30pm, the food was good (their chicken tends to be a bit on the dry side though so I'd recommend asking for extra sauce if you're haivng their "Kickin' Garlic Chili Chicken" or "Peri-Peri Chicken"), while the help-yourself side salad is almost a meal in itself. Desert was nice, about the price you'd expect from this sort of restaurant, but much bigger portions than a lot of similar places give you.

Nice enough layout, fairly roomy especially if you can get a table in an alcove. Very good service and pretty speedy in bringing the food.

All in all, The Wheatsheaf is a very good place to eat in the Coleshill area. Recommended.

Eating Out in Birmingham

Nandos Wraps

2009-04-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well I eventually tried the chicken breat wrap at Nandos... I've kept stalling since I suspected it would be disappointing. I was right!

More on Kebabish Original

2009-04-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

Further to my comments here, a second visit to KO revealed far better service and the food was still fantastic. The prices aren't exactly cheap, but they're not terrible either and you get quality for your money.

Eating Out in Birmingham

Nando's new "All Together Now" starter...

2009-03-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

... you pay nine quid and get... virtually nothing. Stick with the other starters!

Eating Out in Birmingham

Kebabish Original at Star City

2009-01-02T04:20:00.000-08:00

Just tried this one today (it's where That Mexican Place used to be). Featuring char-grilled Indian dishes along with a few other bits and bobs, their food is delicious and I really like the decor. Service was perhaps a little on the slow side but the staff were friendly and helpful. The music volume varied between far too loud at times and just right at others - might be a problem if they don't fix it.

I was particularly hungry when I went yesterday so will have to go again (I know, what a hardship!) to make sure my opinion of the food remains as high as it is presently. The prices were about what you'd expect for this sort of place. At any rate, I'll definitely be visiting Kebabish Original again before long!

Eating Out in Birmingham

Bella Italia at Star City

2008-12-29T04:19:00.001-08:00

If you like Italian food, you might like this place... The food is very nice and their pizza is excellent, though they don't do calzone, which is what I usually go for at Italian restaurants. It's definitely on the pricey side though and service is often very slow, so it's not somewhere I would particularly recommend.

However even bearing the above in mind, if you're really not in any hurry at all, aren't short of cash and want somewhere for a romantic meal out with your significant other, it fits the bill better than anywhere else at Star City.

Eating Out in Birmingham

Oodles of Noodles at Star City

2008-12-29T04:13:00.000-08:00

This Chinese restaurant that hasn't been open for all that long is a nice place to eat, although it can get noisy even when it doesn't seem particularly busy. The food is nice, some of the side dishes are a bit bland but overall it's good food at reasonable prices (it would be perhaps a little pricey but there's a 2-for-1 offer on starters and main courses that seems to run 24/7). Not keen on the seating - no backs - but it's still not a bad choice if you like Chinese food.

Owned by the same people as Shere Khan.

Eating Out in Birmingham

Shere Khan at Star City

2008-12-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

An Indian restaurant where the service has varied widely, from very good to terrible, though the bad times seem to be far behind them now. Shere Khan has a good menu with a few extra variations for those who aren't too keen on Indian food. It can seem a little pricey depending on what you have, but the food is very good and the ice cream (Movenpick) is superb.

This is another restaurant that can get very noisy, depending on what time you go. Earlier in the evening is usually quieter and they have a special discount menu at lunchtime. They have a large range of freshly made fruit juices, combos, lassi (yoghurt-based drinks) and smoothies. They don't serve alcohol at all.

For quite a while we avoided this place because the service often left much to be desired, but they seem to have sorted this problem out and we now go quite often.

Eating Out in Birmingham

Purbo Bagh at the Fox & Goose, Washwood Heath Road

2008-12-28T05:46:00.000-08:00

This Indian restaurant has a very nice atmosphere and the staff are exceptionally friendly. The food ranges from good to excellent, and the prices aren't too bad. The only real problem with it is that it's a little cramped due to a lot being done in a small space. Recommended if you like Indian food.

Located next to Barclays Bank on the Washwood Heath Road at the Fox & Goose. This place is also a good option if you want a take-away.

Eating Out in Birmingham

La Tasca in Star City

2008-12-28T05:40:00.001-08:00

This Spanish Tapas bar / restaurant on the first floor of Star City is somewhere I no longer go to, though I've been quite a few times in the last year. While their version of the signature Spanish dish paella left me unimpressed and their menu didn't seem to me to represent good value for money, their Tapas for a Tenner promotion (unlimited tapas for ... well, a tenner) tempted me back on several occasions. However after one occasion being told that the offer was missing a third of the tapas menu that day because of a stock shortage, the finding out on our next trip that some of our favourite tapas were no longer part of the promotion after a menu rearrangement (no reduction in price though), it no longer holds any appeal.

The seats are really uncomfortable too, which hardly helps matters!

Eating Out in Birmingham

Nandos around Birmingham

2008-12-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a brief low-down on the various Nandos restaurants in Birmingham:

Star City - since they redesigned the layout it feels too crowded. This Nandos is extremely busy so it's best to go just after midday if possible. Can get very noisy... not a good place to go for a quiet evening!

Broad Street - have only been there once, it seemed fine. Obviously the location will put many people off though.

Bullring - this place is goo but also gets amazingly busy. You could be waiing a long time to get in here if you don't time it right. The layout is pretty good and the food has always been good.

Mailbox - now you'd think this would be a model restaurant because of it's location, right? Wrong... misleading information given by staff, mediocre food but, much worse, they frequently run out of key ingredients. I've only been to this one twice but certainly won't be going again!

Touchwood Centre (Solihull) - it may not be fair to rate this one, but having been assured by friends that it was the best Nandos in the area, we found it to be squashed with okay food and decidedly unimpressive service. Haven't been back since... the same friends later recommended Nandos at the Mailbox... we don't take their eating out advice any longer!

Fort Shopping Centre - this is a new one and it's nicely laid out, gets quite busy but not as oppressively packed as Star City or the Bullring branches. The staff are, at this stage, not quite in the swing of things, but it's still a very nice place to go and eat. Provided it doesn't start to get too busy, I predict this will be the best one in the area.

I posted a review of Nandos on Epinions some time ago. Click here to read it.

Oh, and if like me you work for the NHS, don't forget your ID badge - you can get a 20% discount off your food order!

Eating Out in Birmingham

Old Orleans - Star City

2008-12-27T11:22:00.001-08:00

This place has had its ups and downs, but has recently improved quite significantly. It is pretty expensive (though if you get their member's club - you can do this online here - you sometimes get good offers) but the food is very good and the atmosphere is good, though sometimes they insist of having the music on too loud. Quite a decent range of cocktails too - I recommend the Adios Amigos - but not too many of them!

I did write a lengthier review of the place some time ago - most of what I've said is still valid, though they've changed the menu so there's no cajun coleslaw now... if you want to read the full review, click here.

There's also an Old Orleans on Broad Street, but I've never been there so I can't comment on it.

Eating Out In Birmingham