The Lyttelton Arms - Another Birthday Meal

 Yes, yes another Birthday meal but it's rude to say no when you're offered free food ;)

THE LOOK

(Almost) all of the food was fabulously presented! To start with I shared the box baked camenbert topped with mixed seeds, with acerola cherry & thyme flavour dip and suprema bocata bread (£10.95). This was presented on a rustic wooden block and paper (sweetie like) bag, with four sticks of bread. Then for my main I chose Croxton manor Cheddar soufflè with celeriac remoulade and a spiced pear & hazelnut salad (10.95). I personally loved the presentation as it was just so abstract! Although I expected the soufflè  to come in a ramekin, I liked the fact that it was free standing as it was so much easier to eat and each component was easy to separate if you didn't like something. Along with this I had dauphinoise potatoes (£4). This slice was squeezed into a bowl and looked very unappetising. Finally I had the glazed lemon tart with whipped cream (£5.95). This dash of colour from the raspberry coulis and the decorative flower was perfect after a well presented, yet rather beige meal. Although it looks like quite a simple little slice, it was the perfect size to top off a three course meal.

Rating: ****

THE TASTE

I think it's fair to say that the appearance perfectly matches the taste of the food, the better it looked, the better it tasted. My starter was your typical cheesy comfort food. The bread had a crisp crust with a soft fluffy centre but for me personally the Camembert could've done with being cooked for a tad longer. Neither of us used the acerola cherry & thyme flavour dip as it was simply too sweet and was more like dipping bread into a glass of squash. My main course was even better than I thought it would be! The souffle was cooked absolutely perfectly! It was perfectly balanced with the herbs and wasn't too cheesy as I was conscious of having too much cheese in one meal. However, I wasn't a fan of neither the celeriac remoulade as I found it quite bland, arguably pointless, not the poached pear accompaniment. For me it was underdone. As it was quite a light choice I would certainly recommend a side but that side wouldn't be the dauphinoise potatoes! All I can say is that they tasted as dry and bland as they looked. And then there's the dessert... the best part of any meal. At the Lyttleton Arms this is my go to dessert and it has never let me now. It's the perfect balance between sweet and sour, and is wonderfully refreshing after a cheese filled meal. The raspberry compote goes delightfully well, adding an extra zing to the citrusy dessert.

Rating: ****

THE PLACE

This place oozes style and chicness without being pretentious. There's plenty of seating outside, in the bar area, a cosy drinking area, and then of course the dining area. The chunky wooden tables compliment the bare brick and wood throughout the restaurant but there is also a wooden floor so be careful which shoes you wear! The service, which we received here was astounding! The waitresses were extremely polite and so easy to talk to that they made the whole birthday experience even more enjoyable. Despite a few minor dislikes with the food I would definitely recommend the "Pulling Pub" as it's known by my friends and I, in fact I will be returning there myself this weekend (and you never know, you might come away with more than a full belly!!) 

Rating: ****

Edmunds - Birthday Meal

To celebrate my 20th birthday my parents treated me to an exquisite meal at Edmund's Fine Dining Restaurant in Bringley Place Birmingham. This was my first time at the restaurant but I would definitely return (hopefully as another treat from my parents) ;)

                                

THE LOOK

The courses at Edmund's are simply tiny packages of stunning eye-gasms! Although the portions look tiny, they certainly fill you up! As it is served each dish comes with a personal description of what each element is and how to eat them. However, as amazing as they look I was disappointed to see that I only had ONE fondant potato with my main course!! Most disappointing was my cocktail! I ordered a French Martini thinking it would be the perfect instagram cocktail but I have to say I was rather let down.

Rating: *****

THE TASTE

WOW!!! All six courses were outstanding! Course 1: Mushroom veloute. This was a complimentary amuse bouche and was just so creamy and rich that I was sad when it was all gone. Course 2: Scallops with mushroom puree and white asparagus. Again this was another rich dish but the flavour combinations were astounding and I even finished of the extra puree my mum had somehpw managed to leave! Course 3: Fillet of beef (rare) with ONE fondant potato and parsnip puree. The beef was cooked perfectly, in fact I didn't even need a steak knife to cut it, it simply melted in my mouth and it went perfectly with the sweet parsnip puree. The potato was just so rich and buttery but sadly I was only give one. :( Course 4: Lemon Posset with a raspberry jelly. Again this course was complimentary but it still tasted as good as the others. It was very tart, which I loved but the rest of the family weren't so keen unless they ate it with the jelly. Course 5: Orange and Cointreau Souffle with Chocolate Ice-Cream. Unfortunately this was my least favourite course of the night. Without the ice cream all you could really taste was egg as the orange and Cointreau weren't strong flavours. Course 6: Coffee and Birthday Treat. I ordered a double espresso, which was as fresh and strong as you'd expect. The complimentary birthday treat was unlike anything I've been given. There were strawberry macaroons, pistachio macaroons, fudge, shortbread, and jellies. The fudge was the BEST fudge I have ever had, it was just so buttery and rich! <3 Finally the cocktail! Just like its appearance, the taste also let me down. It's one of the weakest cocktails I've had and all I could really taste was orange juice.

Rating: ****'

THE PLACE

The place was a lot smaller and lighter than I expected yet it still oozed refinement and class. The reception from the staff was very warm and welcoming, as was the service throughout the night. We were fortunate enough to be given a seat in the window, making people watching the entertainment of the evening! Being my usual clumsy self I managed to knock over my class of prosecco but I was immediately brought another full glass at no extra charge. As I mentioned earlier I wasn't keen on the souffle so without even the slightest suggestion it was taken off the bill! Also the flooring here is CARPET making it the perfect place to wear HEELS! I will definitely be returning here not only for the outstanding food but also for some I have best service I have ever had.

Rating: *****

Chameleon - Cocktails

Everyone loves a good cocktail and somehow they always taste better when they're 2-4-1! Chameleon Bar & Restaurant has this offer Monday to Saturday but it's all night from 5pm Thursdays!

THE LOOK

Considering all the cocktails pictured were on offer they all look surprisingly fancy! On our girly night out we tried 4 different cocktails (gotta make the most of an offer)! Round 1: Opal Fruits Cocktail & Skittle Cocktail. Both were served in the tall glasses pictured below and my personal favourite of the two was the Opal Fruits, it was a gorgeous bright yellow colour decorated with raspberries and then the Skittles one was a soft pink exotically topped with a slice of dragon fruit. Although it looks like a lot of ice, compared to most cocktails in Birmingham there really wasn't that much and it wasn't crushed ice meaning more room for cocktail!! Round 2: Mai Tai & Traffic Light. Mai Tai is the sort of burnt orange cocktail in the shorter glass finished off with a slice of lime. Probably the most impressive looking cocktail of the evening was the Traffic Light; midori, then Archers and topped off with cranberry juice. Usually the Mai Tai is IGNITED with FIRE and the Traffic Light is finished off with DRY ICE, however, as these cocktails weren't included the 2-4-1 offer the bar staff kindly made them for us at the discounted price but without the special effects.

Rating: ***

THE TASTE

The most important aspect of any cocktail! My overall favourite of the evening was the Mai Tai. It was a mature spiced rum flavour and also the strongest of the four! ;) In second place was... Opal Fruits. This really did taste like the childhood classic but with a slight twist. There was a strong pineapple with that mysterious hint of taste that makes Starburst so addictive. It also masks the taste of alcohol making it perfect for those who aren't a fan of strong drinks. In third place... Skittles. This is the perfect, stereotypical, sweet, girly cocktail. It wasn't anything new or exciting but fits perfectly into a girly night out. Unfortunately I didn't like the Traffic Light at all!! It was far too sweet and so sickly that I actually couldn't finish the drink :(

Rating: ***

THE PLACE

The place looks very classy and is ideal for a girly night out, post work drinks or maybe a cheeky little date! On Thursday nights they have live music, which fits in perfectly with the pinky purple mood lighting and fancy drop lights. However, there was a very rowdy group of young business people there last Thursday, which really lowered the tone of the place as unfortunately they weren't asked to quieten down. Continuing on my little rant I have to say that the toilets weren't clean! they were decorated lovely but the lack of cleanliness really brought the place down. On a more positive note the staff were lovely! Even though there was a queue at the bar, we were acknowledged when we went to the bar and even given discounted drinks that weren't originally on offer. Each round cost us £15 for 4 cocktails but only the FRONT PAGE of the cocktail menu is 2-4-1.

Rating: ***

Eis Cafe - Locoshakes

Eis cafe located on Small Heath High Street doesn't look like much from the outside with its' bright plastic sign but then you step in to a warm and welcoming little vintage cafe. Now enough about what the place looks like, I know why you're really here..... the LOCOSHAKES!

THE LOOK

 I ordered "Mr Nutella with Pretzels" and yes it was almost as good as it looks. Costing £6.50 they are quite expensive considering they're non-alcoholic drinks but they're perfect if you're looking for a treat that's a little different. These shakes come served in a mason jar style glass with a gooey nutella lining. The rim of the glass is laden with yet more nutella and crunchy, salted pretzels, then the shake is topped with inches of freshly whipped cream and dotted with more nutella and pretzels.

Rating: *****

THE TASTE

I was surprised that the shake itself wasn't very thick and creamy. It was still a nice chocolaty milkshake but I'd personally say it was only average. The cream on top had a lovely marshmallowy taste to it but there is quite a lot to get through so pace yourself! The nutella throughout the shake definitely makes it and adds a much needed punch of taste. Most importantly don't forgot to eat the nutella and pretzels around the edge, lick that glass clean!

Rating: ***

THE PLACE

I absolutely loved the look of this little cafe! The sign above the front door really doesn't do it justice. From photos I've seen on Facebook I really didn't expect it to be located on the High Street so trying to park was rather difficult but worth it in the end. Inside the walls are decorate with niche little signs and pictures, which give a really relaxing and comfortable vibe. Adding to this was the fact that it was quite a small cafe with only around 20-25 seats available but it's the perfect place for people of all ages. Most importantly remember that it is CASH ONLY here!!

Rating: ****