• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Restaurants

Birmingham B1 2HJ
0121 643 5577

Sapphire12 said
Varied food, decent quality, great desserts!
Went here last night, only the third time I've been, for a evening meal at about 7pm with my partner. The resturant was quiet, with about five couples in all - which in my experience is the best time to go, having been once on a Saturday night and being surprised by club-style music so loud I couldn't talk to my partner!

There is certainly not eighty dishes, but there's more than enough to cater for all tastes. The pasta dishes are well cooked, there's nice mexican wraps and chicken in sauce. My favourite is the choose-your-own stir fry, although you do have to make sure to specify if you don't want it spicy, as they do like to add a hot sauce if you don't! They can also make you up any pizza o your choice.

My partner had a small serving of a couple of different curries, which he enjoyed. I tried some sweet and sour chicken with my noodles, but it was horrible - the chicken was so dry it fell apart in my mouth, and there was no pineapple in the sauce.

The cold starters are nice if you're feeling full - there's well dresses salad, a mozerella and tomato plate, prawn salad. The only concern I would have is that they didn't seem to have remained chilled - my prawns were nearly warm and the mozerella was very soft.

Pudding is lovely - the indian style rice pudding is almond scented and very fragrant, and I adore the sweet dumpling/ball things in rosewater - so sweet you can only eat a couple but absolutely gorgeous!

Service fine and attentive. Waiter bought me apple juic at first rather than pineapple juice, but promptly changed it and was very apologetic for the mistake.

My tip is go mid week as you will enjoy the quiter experience, and it is also slightly cheaper Sun - Wed.

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Birmingham B5 4EG
0121 632 6756

Sapphire12 said
Teeny but fun
One of the small collection of nice, independent bars left in Birmingham's city centre. Just down from New Street, near TK Maxx, this is a very popular destination with a young crowd who like good live music and a retro feel. Very small, but this makes in an intimate venue for live music. You do find sometimes that the drinkers in here can be a bit retro-pretentious, but the staff have always been friendly in my experience and there’s a good selection of drinks for decent prices. With it’s retro looks and colour scheme, The Sunflower Lounge looks like its been there must longer than it has, and is a good place to go in the day for a nice quiet drink or of a night for live music and a snobs-like mix of new music and retro tunes.

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Restaurants

Birmingham B2 4HQ
0121 643 1548

Sapphire12 said
Good food, nice atmosphere, good service
A popular choice in the city centre - decent food and you know what you'll be getting. Good quality italian dishes, the breaded melted cheese starter is fantastic, and the speck and rocket pizza is very tasty. The food is always the same and I've never had a problem with cold food or etc.

Service friendly and attentive, although the last time I was there the waiter was overly pushy with our group. The atmosphere is relaxed - I've been here on a number of different occasions (romantic dinner for two, group of friends, large family group) and had a great time with all.

A note - Bella Italia do a generous student discount of 20%, which is not very well publicised. You can also get tesco clubcard vouchers for here, for anyone wanting a cheap meal out!

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Restaurants

Birmingham B2 5RS
0121 643 9293

Sapphire12 said
Good for relaxed work drinks and better pub food
I used to work for a company round the corner from Bennetts, and so used to come here a lot for work drinks. The crowd is generally professionals, and the atmosphere is relaxed. It can be hard to get a seat at busy times so people tend to mill around the bar. The prices are pretty standard. The food is actually really rather good for pub food - the chicken pasta is great, as is the vegetarian lasagne - and not over priced at £7-8 for a main dish.

Don’t sit by the entrance at the back of the pub – it is constantly open as used by smokers and it gets very cold and draughty! There is a nice separate room at the back of the pub which is good for sitting and having lunch in.
All in all, a good pub, a bit like an upmarket wetherspoons type with decent food and a trouble free clientele!

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Birmingham B1 2DY
0121 643 0444

Sapphire12 said
Fun fun fun - but watch the grope-y men
Now, as much as I like to think I've got great taste in music, there's nothing like a purely cheesy night out with the girls. The music is wonderfully terrible - Kylie, Bon Jovi, Dead or Alive, Madonna... and so forth, and the DJs will always play your requests.

It's a popular destination for hen nights, and the crowd is split between people who are there because they remember the eighties, and those who were born in the eighties and just want to dance! This split has meant, in my experience, that you need to be a bit wary of over enthusiastic men who feel the need to dance with or grope (don't ignore it, give him a sharp word!) younger female dancers.

There’s always drinks offers of some sort on, and if you can, go on a weekday, eg Thursday, as its free entry, busy but not quite so packed, and the drinks are cheaper. Plus the DJ will be quieter and generally plays any request you ask!

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Birmingham B4 6PH
0121 236 6530

Sapphire12 said
Not so good anymore...
This place used to be a good stop for a cheap meal, a cheap cocktail or drink and a good start to a night out.

In past years it has seemed to go downhill - the food is dismal (despite getting more expensive and smaller in portion size, as in all Wetherspoons), and it has gathered a bit of a reputation for being a bit 'rough', with scuffles often breaking out between inebriated groups of drinkers.

At lunch time, it is still passable if you do want to brave the food (the chicken pasta and jacket potatoes are alright) and fancy a cheap, quick bite to eat, say while shopping. I would not recommend it for night – go instead to the Briar Rose which is still central but a nicer atmosphere..

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Nightlife

Birmingham B1 2BJ
0121 643 5551

Sapphire12 said
Cheap, bit smelly, very packed
I used to frequent this place a lot while I was a student - its the only real place to go for indie or retro music without having to go out of the centre, particularly once Red Balloon left Ramshackles.

You go downstairs to the club, which is very small and very packed - the main dancefloor is always heaving, it would be easier to mosh than dance in this place! Since the smoking ban can in there has also been a small best described as very human that seems to permeate the rooms...

Not to worry though, as the cheap drinks will soon have you in a state not to worry. The DJs are friendly and always happy to play a request. The crowd tends to be young people, and while I love the chance to dance to some proper 60s classics and indie hits, once you're out of your uni years you find yourself feeling ancient in the sea of students...

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Shops

Birmingham

Sapphire12 said
Big and yellow, well worth a rummage
Just slightly out of the centre of Birmingham - past the Selfridges building and towards the coach station in Digbeth - is a huge, yellow warehouse. Inside are industrial rails hung from the ceiling, crammed with vintage clothes of all descriptions - men and women's clothes, party wear, dodgy 80s bridesmaid dresses, shoes, bags belts and so forth.

Finding a gem in this place takes an open mind and persistence - its worth trying something on if you're not sure, and please keep digging amongst the rails of polyester monstrosities because you will find something lovely - I have amassed a nice collection of unusual shirt dresses and printed skirts from there, all in great condition and well priced at about £12 a dress.

There is also a small collection of modern costume/plastic jewellery and a rail of over priced top/dresses made out of vintage material - but at over £20 each and often a strange fit, these can be a bit hit and miss.

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Take Aways

Birmingham
0121 449 2929

Sapphire12 said
Yummy pizza, good offers, fast delivery
I tried Al Capone by default as it is only a road up from my house. They run numerous offers (such as a individual meal - pizza, garlic bread and drink for £4.99, or two large pizza and chips for £12.49), which makes picking something for a take away treat very tempting indeed.

My favourites are the vegetarian pizza and the BBQ chicken - you can also choose your own toppings, up to four for no more cost than the pre set choices. The base is nice and think but not stodgy, plenty of cheese and plenty of tomato sauce. Get the BBQ sauce on the side for dipping, its lovely - almost spicy.

I've ordered over the phone and over the internet before, and the delivery has been fast. I've also ordered in person, where they made up an excellent vegan pizza (basically no cheese!) for my sister and were very helpful about the whole thing.

• Added: 1st of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Birmingham B2 5BG
0121 616 2631

Sapphire12 said
Decent food, decent crowd
Pretty standard pub - good location, gets busy at busy times and generally a good crowd. Used to be a bit more of an "indie" pub but now seems a haunt for pretty much anyone. Juke box, plus television screens dotted all over which are usually playing sport (warning to anyone who might actually want their partners attention all night....!)
Food is fairly good and not badly priced. There’s usually offers on drinks such as double up for £1 extra – which makes it a popular place with people having a drink before moving on to a club/etc. Toilets are always clean – a side note but always important on a busy night! Try to get a seat in one of the booths at the very back right of the pub – much cosier and more private!
Décor is standard pub, they have had renovations recently and do seem to be quite good at keeping the place spruced up.
In conclusion – a nice, standard place for a drink and a bit to eat.