October 2008 Archives

That excellent TV programme The Restaurant drew to a close last night and, pathetic as it sounds, I'm going to miss it.

It was fascinating to watch the competitors struggle with the challenges of running their own restaurants and enlightening to get an insight into the perfectionism that has made Raymond Blanc one of the world#s greatest chefs.

But I reckon he got it wrong by choosing the couple from the Cheerful Soul (what sort of name is that...?) as his partners.

With the closure of the upmarket Italian restaurant Don Salvo in Temple Street, there are plenty of mutterings about how hard the catering trade is being hit by the economic downturn.

But I'm not at all sure. I've spoken to many restaurant owners and chefs over recent weeks and most tell me business is still pretty good.

In fact, the owner of one award-winning city centre eaterie admitted he couldn't get a table at his own restaurant on Sunday because it was full.

Buffets are not my favourite way of eating. Quality is too often sacrificed for quantity and they are generally the domain of gluttons rather than gourmets.

But last night I visited Lasan for a special Punjabi buffet that was being held and to say I was very impressed indeed would be an understatement.

The deftly spiced and well balanced dishes would have been top-notch had they been served a la carte rather than as a buffet.

Highlights included sassy and crumbly lamb koftas and a rich dish of black lentils. Breads, too, were excellent.

In yesterday's restaurant review in the Mail I asked a question that has puzzled me for ages - why so many vegetarians get fat?

The answer came in an email that arrived today from a woman who explained that her boyfriend doesn't eat meat, but scoffs crisps, biscuits, chocolate, cheese and lots of other goodies that can pile on the pounds - though, to be fair, she did add that he's not fat.

Thanks for the explanation. But it's posed another question.

What's your views on dress restrictions in restaurants? I hate them.

I've visited Michelin starred establishments in jeans and sandals and don't see any reason why a snooty waiter should decide otherwise.

As long as a person is clean and relatively fragrant, it's not up to the restaurant or fellow diners to decide what they should wear.

And yet....

One of the biggest cliches in journalism is the intro that begins: "Mystery surrounds..."

But I'm afraid this is a situation in which no other phrase can be used.

A colleague who's taking a cookery course refused to discuss the dish she was meant to prepare last night, saying only: "It was a disaster. It didn't look like everyone else's."

Quite how a plate of chicken and green olives can go so wrong is baffling. What did she do - use crocodile and tennis balls instead?

In the style of any good hack, I shall seek answers.

As the Raymond Blanc series The Restaurant nears its conclusion, I'm hooked.

But I'm yet to be convinced that any of the remaining contestants has what it takes to run a successful restaurant, even with Blanc's support.

Of those left on the show, the two blokes seem to me to have the most potential (especially the chef) but make silly mistakes each week.

Neither the bald bloke and his wife nor the madly happy woman (until she's criticised )and her husband have impressed me with their style of food or front ofn house skills.

Congratulations to the Purple Rooms curry house on its 20th anniversary.

It's charming owner Faizur Choudhury has hosted a series of complimentary meals for regular customers and members of the local community to celebrate the occasion.

Envelopes have been available so guests who want can contribute to the Birmingham Mail's charity trust - a fabulous group that offers help to countless groups across the city. Many thanks for that, Mr Choudhury.

Many and various are the bits of animal I've eaten - this lack of squeamishness the result, I guess, of spending my early years with a gran who used to buy live eels and bash in their brains on the kitchen table as I looked on.

But yesterday I saw a tray of grotesque items on a tray at a butrcher's stall that really made no appeal whatsoever....cows' feet.

They were huge, ugly, dull in colour and looked as though they did not have on them much meat at all.

It's not often that my plates are anything other than empty when they return to a restaurant kitchen, but last night was an exception.

I was among a group of journalists invited to sample the new autumn/winter menu at Filini, the Italian restaurant at the eye-catching Radisson SAS Hotel in the city centre.

There was an enormous amount of food - a selection of superb cheeses and cured meats, bruschetta, a fabulous seafood and red wine risotto made with black rice, a lemon sorbet, wonderful tender beef stewed in Barola and served with polenta pungent with truffle, a selection of desserts.