Changed city

By Paul Fulford on Feb 25, 09 09:47 PM

A colleague found an old copy of the Michelin guide from the 1970s and though none of Birmingham's restaurants had stars, several places got a mention.

One was an old favourite of mine - Lorenzo's, which was situated just opposite the Bull Ring and, I seem to remember, was run by a guy who was also a football agent.

I ate there several times, most memorably with the musician Herbie Hancock before attending his gig at Barberella's.

The food, I recall, was good, but pretty typical Italian fare.

Another joint that got a Michelin mention was the Danish Food Centre which (I think) was situated in the premises now occupied by McDonalds on the ramp leading to New Street Station. It was a place I never felt compelled to visit.

One Danish restaurant I do plan to visit soon, however, is Noma in Copenhagen, a city I'm travelling to next month.

Its modern, imaginative approach to Nordic cuisine has been causing a lot of interest in the food world. I'll let you know what it was like.

Meanwhile, let's rejoice that Birmingham's food scene seems a whole lot better than it was 30 years ago.