May 2008 Archives

Eating a curry can save your life. Or least protect you from serious harm.

I'd been planning to cook duck legs for dinner tonight but, late afernoon, my wife suggested eating instead at Kababish in Woodbridge Road, Moseley.

Consequently, no-one was sitting at the table in our kitchen at the usual time we eat when a quarter of the ceiling collapsed because of a water leak.

I'm not sure what harm would have befallen us, but the plaster that crashed down was water-laden and heavy.

My wife has returned from a week's holiday in France with tales of the many delightful dishes she'd eaten (though her trim figures doesn't suggest a bout of gluttony).

Dishes like beef daube - that long-cooked southern French stew. Or a simple lunchtime walnut and roquefort salad. Or maybe fromage blanc drizzled with a little rosewater.

France may have lost a little of its sparkle with the emergence of Spain as the powerhouse of innovative, exciting cooking (not to mention the pernicious influence of global fast food brands that have sprung up cross the country).

With my wife on holiday in southern France with her friends, I've proved my credentials as a new man by taking a week off work to look after my 13-year-old son. His brother, now 20, arrived home from university yesterday.

So off we went last night to check out Piccolino, the Italian restaurant newly opened in Brindleyplace in the space that once housed Ray White's Brasserie Blanc.

I'd eaten at its launch party last week and left impressed. Last night was no different, though I thought the prices were a touch high. A full review will be in the Birmingham Mail in a couple of weeks' time.

Three curries in two days: is this a record for someone not fom the Indian sub-continent?

My spice binge included one restaurant meal then two meals at the homes of friends, one from Bangla Desh and the other from Sri Lanka. The style of all three were hugely different and emphasised to me that to say you're "going for a curry" is about a meaningless as to say you're "going for a European".

It also reminded me how much poorer our food scene would be without its diversity - though today my stomach cries out for plain and simple fare.

Anyone tried the Gordon Ramsay Mints that can be found on supermarket shelves?

We took a box to friends last night and they - the mints, not our friends - were horrible: far too complicated with flavours such as caramel and honeycomb jostling for attention alongside the mint and chocolate. I'll stick to good old After Eights in future, I think.

Why do talented (and already incredibly wealthy) chefs such as Ramsay endorse products that can do their reputations no good at all?

Congratulations to Glynn Purnell on winning a place at the stove for the Great British Menu banquet next month. He is a talented chef, a thoroughly nice guy and deserved his success.

Let's hope that it helps convince the rest of the country, especially the food critic toffs in London, that Birmingham's restaurant scene isn't simply about balti houses.

The highlight of the series was Glynn's obvious delight when his burnt custard, strawberry and tarragon combo was chosen as the dessert to be served at the Gherkin.

Last night's launch party of Piccolino the new Italian restaurant in Brindleyplace - was a success.

It's a stylish and pleasant place, though the lighting so was subdued I could't read the menu. Oh the trials of age...

The food was pleasant. Likewise the drinks. And service was impeccable for so new a venture.

I'll be revisiting to do a proper review for the Mail in a few weeks.

Piccolino - the Italian restaurant that has taken over the Brindleyplace space once occupied by Brasserie Blanc - opens to the public tomorrow and I'm heading there tonight to get an early taste of its food and ambience.

I spoke to its development chef a couple of weeks ago and was mightily impressed by his commitment to quality. Fingers crossed the restaurant delivers. I'll let you know tomorrow.

By the way: get behind Glynn Purnell in tonight's Great British Menu. Get voting when the lines open at 7pm.

Piccolino - the Italian restaurant that has taken over the Brindleyplace space once occupied by Brasserie Blanc - opens to the public tomorrow and I'm heading there tonight to get an early taste of its food and ambience.

I spoke to its development chef a couple of weeks ago and was mightily impressed by his commitment to quality. Fingers crossed the restaurant delivers. I'll let you know tomorrow.

By the way: get behind Glynn Purnell in tonight's Great British Menu. Get voting when the lines open at 7pm.

Don't bombard me with messages of sympathy. I'm old enough to know better. But all day I've been nursing the sort of hangover that used to be commonplace in newsrooms in the days before we all reformerd our wayward lives.

Last night I attended a dinner at Filini - the restaurant at the Radissson SAS Hotel - showing off the wines of the Italian company Antinori, owned by the same family for 26 generations.

Knowing that,as usual, I'd be in the office before 6.30am, I went with the intention of showing restraint. Trouble is, the wines were simply too good.