23082008

Hotpot - done!

Yeah that was a mighty fine feast indeed. They recommended this drink to soothe the super hot chili soup - it's herbal tea with some sugar in. By the way their draft beer is Chinese too - it's very light and refreshing - would definitely recommed trying that!

Hot Pot extraordinaire

Wow - had an amazing Hot Pot last night at Jacky's Kitchen Chinese Restaurant near the Chinese quarter. Would really recommend this place that is always busy with Chinese students. Everyone was having massive hotpots so we went for that as well. For 12.90 per head you get a choice of bases - we went for half plain, half spicy which was a great combo. As you can see in the picture you get a massive pile of greenery, mushrooms, lamb slices, load of seafood and tofu to stick in there. This is plenty but you can opt for extras like crab, more meat etc. Base soups were really tasty - spicy one had dried chilis and juniper berries in which gave a very interesting flavour.

Everything that went in there tasted top-notch but you could also dip in a delicious soy/chili/other stuff sauce that cooled the bits down and gave a full on depth of flavour.

This is good stuff - try it soon - it's a great fun party sociable thing to do with your more adventurous friends. The decor is really tasteful and the staff are keen to help you and explain about it. It's just a shame it's a bit hidden away.

Jacky's Kitchen Chinese Restaurant, Unit 4 , Southside, Bromsgrove St, Bham, B5 4TN, 0121 666 7187

Skater bag

Not really endorsing McDonald's here although it certainly has it's place on anyone's food experiences. Here is a mate Ben who lives in Bham doing a skating trick that got printed onto shed loads of McD's bags! I bet he didn't get paid per bag on this one but it's a cool object to own anyway.

Family naan at Imrans on Ladypool road

There are many many places to try around the Balti Triangle and everyone has their favourite. We tend to try to go for the ones that also have Kashmiri people eating in like Imran, Lahore, Al Faizal, Zam Zam and a new Bengali one near the Popular off licence on Ladypool road. Imrans is right by us so we go a lot - it's doesn't ever blow us away but has a good atmos, service and is quality for the price. Locals (Pakistanis) seem to go mainly for the tandoor or charcol-cooked meats - I guess because this is harder for them to replicate at home than a curry. Also I reckon that the baltis/curries have evolved beyond recognition for the UK market that they only appeal to this group - do you agree?

Anyway the Balti triangle is a tourist gem and should be pushed more heavily - it's the birthplace of one of our national dishes!!

Bluebell cider house

Went for a ride in the country to try and find this place - took quite a while but eventually found it quite near Earlswood lakes. It's a lovely pub with some tasty cider available plus it's next to the canal so you can watch the boats go by.

Our Nissan Figaro got dissed by some crazy biker dude but once inside we were treated to some old-fashioned cooking - in this case a massive yorkshire pudding filled with braised beef, peas and chips - along with a tasty cider. Food was reassuring rather than ultra tasty - but still would heartily recommend this place on a sunny day.

Thali - the food of kings

This picture was taken at a little (south?) Indian place near Gare du Nord in Paris - think it was maybe Govinda's? Anyway this to me is the perfect vegetarian meal - a delicious variety of mini dishes avec mountain of rice and papad - and even a pudding thrown in. All for around 8 Euros! I love equally Diwana on Drummond Street near Euston (handy from Bham train) with it's crazy value all-you-can-eat buffet from 12-2. I've heard Leicester is also a top spot for Thali.

But where can you get this in Birmingham? Jyoti is one option but I was just not impressed with their flavour or authenticity... Please someone argue with me on this as I'd love to find somewhere near the centre of town. Recently we found a very lovely Gujurati place near Ikea Wednesbury (better option than meatballs) but were on the wrong night for Thali - that happens on a Tues or Thurs so someone please report back on that. Here is the link - hopefully they will update the website soon: http://www.surtifoods.co.uk

Their food is great anyway so please go there if you can.

Spaghetti Junction

Possibly the most famous Birmingham icon - from which Birmingham looks both ugly and glorious. I made this into a T-shirt design that you can see at my Spreadshirt store

It's got an interesting shape to it that's for sure...

You don't see this much anymore

When I saw this old sign I couldn't believe how much has changed in our mindset about public smoking. Certainly restaurants are a nicer place to eat now

Peach Garden - Chinese Quarter

If you are lucky enough to be near the Arcadian/Chinese Quarter in Birmingham then you will have a lot of fine cheap options to go for. One of our favourites is the highly authentic and delicious Peach Garden. I can only recommend one dish (although all others look great too) as it's the one I've had about 20 times now - Noodle soup with roast meat - either Crispy Pork, Duck or BBQ Pork. You can't go wrong with this - the soup is the most delicious of all the ones we have tried around here and we have been offered refills before - such is the friendliness of the cooks! Soup costs between 4-5 quid depending on what meat option you go for.

It's always a shame if Crispy Pork is sold out as this is one of my favourites. If you want something authentic please forget the Big Wok and come here instead - it's like being in Hong Kong.

This place was also the scene for a friend dropping a whole soy sauce bottle into his soup which resulted in heavy splashing of all his neighbours....oops.

Milan - Review

Milan Sweet Centre

The name and outward appearance of this place is deceptive - and that's maybe why it's one of Birmingham's best kept secrets.

I wish it could be kept a secret but I want people to experience this food. My favourite is the Masala Dosa - a delicious filled rice flour pancake thing. At only 3.40 this is great value and just so tasty - please try it - you won't look back. This is Authentic Food - just as you would get in India. They offer many other great hot dishes as well as a vast range of sweets. Don't immediately go for the range of fried stuff that you can see in the counter as you enter - it's good but not what it's all about - have a look at the menu along the top shelf - this is the tasty stuff!

New Happy Gathering review

43-45 Station Street(behind New Street Station), B1 , tel: 0121 643 5247

This place is hidden down behind New Street Station - come out of the main concourse towards the car park and turn right. Go down the disgusting stairs and you'll see it. It's just up from the Electric Cinema (more on this another time).

We got in and were shamefully directed immediately towards the buffet. Ignore that and ask for the Hot Pot special instead - or the Actual Chinese Menu that Chinese people are given - it's got pictures so you can see what you're going to get. We went for the Hot Pot - which at 9.95 each is not only great value - but fantastic fun too. They didn't seem to keen to give it to us at first stating that is might be too spicy - I find this confusing considering Birmingham has such an appetite for spicy food. When it arrived it was a boiling pot,with two areas - spicy and not so spicy, of delicious broth. You then take all the bits that they give you with this and cook them yourself. It came with delicious fresh wheat noodles, glass noodles, asian greens, king prawns, fish balls, beef balls, tofu and two massive stacks of thinly sliced beef and lamb. On the side came a lovely sauce to dip into - not sure what this was. It took a bit of skill to get the right cooking times but the taste was sensational and it filled us right up!

I highly recommend this place - just please avoid the Buffet in favour of something more interesting!

Campaign for Authentic Food

This campaign is part of a wider syndrome that I'm sure many of you will have experienced over the years - the two tier menu system. It seems that the fine providers of Asian food throughout our cities seem to want to only provide us with food that they think British people will like. For this reason it is often difficult to get hold of authentic regional specialities as menus are always crammed full of Pad Thai, Fried Rice or Chicken Tikka. To me this seems unfair - I can't remember a single restaurant in China offering us Chow Mein whilst on holiday - we were always presented with a wide array of far more interesting (and healthy) dishes. Now I don't believe that restauranteurs do not know how to cook more interesting food - they surely eat it themselves every night - so why don't they want to share it with the British public - we want to be educated!

Recently we have visited a few excellent Chinese restaurants in Birmingham and you know as soon as you arrive what is going to happen - gone are the chopsticks, in come the forks with the prawn crackers (have you ever seen the Chinese eating these?). Out goes the proper menu and in comes the reduced English one - or worst still you are directed immediately to the greasy buffet - it is almost insulting. I just want to be treated the same as the Chinese students that are tucking into (and sharing) beautiful clay-pot dishes of delicious smelling stuff - especially as the menus often have English translations.

Anyway the campaign starts here and I hope many of you will join us in this quest for authentic food - asian and otherwise. Please send us your information so that we can review restaurants that give the British the choice as well.

Welcome to Tornado Alley

Hello and welcome to Tornado Alley - a site about the secret gems of Birmingham, UK. Britain's second city is at best underestimated and at worst the butt of many jokes. Our plan is to change these misconceptions - we believe Birmingham is on the brink of something big. We enjoy a thriving arts scene, integrated communities, affordable living and some top class architecture as well as some quality eating. So if you are heading to the UK as a tourist, traveller or immigrant then make sure you stop by and check this place out - you might just stay.