Why did I leave it so long to return to this place?
The swirly red carpets, flock wallpaper and oleaginous service of the curry houses of yesteryear have largely disappeared since the arrival of a new…
Reviews
Charting the rise of Birmingham’s culinary star
When you’ve grown up in an environment in which meals were makeshift, you learn truly to appreciate the power of food. Its power to…
This old favourite has undergone a transformation
Hall Green, that archetypal Birmingham suburb seemingly inhabited by elderly Daily Mail readers with a penchant for golfing jumpers, comfy slacks and a permanent…
There’s a great new wine bar in town
Things change but stay the same. The newly-opened bar and kitchen at Wine Freedom in Digbeth brought memories flooding back of Hosteria, a wine…
A year on, this restaurant is starting to make waves
Some restaurants arrive in a blaze of publicity fuelled by canapés and flutes of cheap fizz to massage the egos of “influencers” so that…
My first restaurant visit since lockdown
Jogging bottoms have their allure – their comfort, their growing familiarity as they remain unwashed for more days than would be considered polite in…
This is a great way to end a week of lockdown frugality
Lockdown has encouraged an attitude of frugality that has endured even now that shops are better stocked. At least, that’s the case in my…
Creating a little Simpsons magic at home
Simpsons, I’ve missed you during lockdown. I’ve missed the airy, smart elegance of your restaurant and its relaxed but attentive service. I’ve missed sitting…
How to eat a Michelin-starred chef’s food at home during lockdown
Frugality has been a keyword in my kitchen during lockdown – buying whatever ingredients have been available in the shops and making the most…
Here’s a way to enjoy restaurant quality food at home
Home-cooking has taken on a new feel during these locked-down days. We make do with tired vegetables that have been languishing in the fridge,…