An homage to Simpsons on its 25th anniversary
With its walls hung with menus by legendary chefs at legendary restaurants, Simpsons set out its stall in those early days. This is a…
Opinion
Robert Burns and me and a lot of whisky
Robert Burns and I used the same pub. Not at the same time, obviously, for even I wasn’t around in the 18th century. No,…
Don’t give up wine in January – just drink better!
Dry January? What a silly notion. Let’s raise a glass to Discerning January instead. For pity’s sake, who apart from the irredeemably miserable, doesn’t…
The three worst Christmas products I’ve tried
Apparently, ’tis the season to be jolly. Not, however, if you have an ounce of good taste. For the festive season has become a…
Two wines that are perfect partners for curry
Lager (or, in better Indian restaurants, perhaps IPA) are the default setting for most people wondering what to drink with curry. Small wonder, for…
Pie wars
This isn’t a pie. No arguments. It isn’t. It’s a sort of casserole with a pastry lid plonked on top. Pies are only pies…
I’ve been drinking (part one)
Here’s the first in an occasional series of ramblings about what I’ve been drinking with what. The aim is to highlight drinks that deliver…
A much-loved Birmingham restaurant is closing
Birmingham’s much-praised and pioneering restaurant Two Cats Kitchen is to close. Chef-patron Nikki Astley says that the Jewellery Quarter restaurant will shut in September….
BBC, it’s appalling that the Great British Menu has ignored Birmingham
It’s not the succession clichéd starter dishes featuring tomatoes and soft cheeses that’s causing me to grind my teeth as I watch the latest…
Berlin: a tale of two culinary cities
We’re tucking into dishes piled as high as a small mountain with food that could never be described as subtle… nor branded flavourless. As…