Tag: Canal Square

Punjab Perfection at Canal Square

brummiegourmand

In keeping with the theme of getting more local, Wifey and I decided to try our nearest (and newest) local restaurant in the shape of Canal Square. Knowing #BrumHour‘s taste for Indian food, we invited him along too!

Canal Square specialises in high end Punjabi Cuisine and Cocktails, taking over the unit which was formerly Loves Restaurant, a few paces from JuJu’s Cafe and a stone’s throw from the Barclaycard Arena.

On their website, they describe themselves as an eclectic Punjabi dining experience. They do tasting menus, taking you around the Punjab region but for this evening, we thought we’d try their la carte “Glasshouse” menu.

Before tucking in, Wifey picked their signature Tequila and lime based cocktail which was sweet and refreshing, so much so, she changed her plan from choosing another cocktail from the menu and stuck to that for the evening. Dave and I went for Diet Coke, accompanied by ice and a slice.

Harvey Bains, maître d’ and owner, introduced us to the menu and concept. Each dish is balanced by the staff but can be tailored to how ‘hot’ or ‘wet’ you want it to be. We decided to skip the starters and instead went for poppadoms followed by mains.

The poppadoms were served as triangles rather than the usual “plate”, which most of us were used to, and was accompanied by mint sauce and mango chutney.

The poppadoms were crisp with no greasy film to them and were served warm.  It was nice to have them as good sized portions rather than breaking them ourselves and chasing shards around the plate with a finger (I hope I’m not the only one that does this!). Special mention must be made for the mango chutney, which was sweet and had a nice piquant edge to it. They were that good that we ordered a second portion!

For main I went for their Punjabi Murgh (chicken) signature with a Peshawari naan. Mine was a really nice balance of spice and flavour, with enough of a kick to get the heat going and the flavour coming through. The Peshawari naan, though nicely cooked and fluffy, was a slight disappointment as the paste filling ended up more in the serving dish rather than in my mouth, though what I ate was delicious.

Wifey went for the Butter Chicken, made of Punjabi butter chicken mildly spiced, mixed nuts, tomato simmered rich dish, accompanied by Pilau rice.

Wifey doesn’t do spice so this was perfect for her. It was rich, but not in an oily sense, with just enough spice coming through to give it a solid flavour, and lots of good sized chunky chicken pieces. Her pilau rice was colourful, with addition of vegetables, and was well cooked.

#BrumHour chose a Chicken Jalfrezi and Garlic Naan.  From the noises of delight coming from across the table, I am sure he was relishing in having the rare chance for a curry rather than his traditional Chinese.

img_20170224_194028833

We all chose mint ice cream for dessert, which came sprinkled with a pistachio crumb. This was a perfect finish for the meal as it was light, smooth and velvety with the pistachio crumb adding a second texture to mix things up.

It’s the little touches which elevate a place and the bill came in quite a stunning fashion: an ornate silver box laden with their signature chocolate truffle shaped like a Brazil nut, this went sharpish.

We all very much enjoyed our food and the quality of the ingredients came through in the flavours of the dishes.  We shall certainly be making a repeat visit soon.  This could be the perfect place for a pre-visit or post-visit meal, if you are heading to the NIA for a show.

When: 24/01/2017

Where: Canal Square, Canal Square, 100 Browning Street, Birmingham, B16 8EH

Who:  Canal Square

Autumnal Comfort at Ju Ju’s Cafe

brummiegourmand, restaurants

First off, I must apologise to Ju Ju’s. Wifey and I have been living near Canal Square for 6 years now and we’ve had a fair few visits, including a decent amount of breakfasts prior, but not since starting the blog.

Since Julia and the team have now opened the back room to offer more dining space, we thought it was nigh on time for another visit.

Wifey had booked after hearing about Ju Ju’s Autumn deal of “2 for £25” where you could have two courses for two persons for £25.

We chose to supplement our meal with additional starters, as the weather outside had put a chill in the air.

I picked their soup of the day, a Chilli Beef, whilst Wifey had Smoked Salmon with a potato cake.

 

My stew was perfect for an autumnal day, it was warming and spicy with a definite paprika kick to give a smoky flavour.

Wifey’s smoked salmon was “beautiful”. The salmon tasted fresh, the chive sauce giving a creamy note, and the potato cake was soft and crispy at the same time melting in the mouth.

For mains, I chose their Luxury Welsh Lamb Burger, a prime lamb burger in a soft bun with caramelised onions, layered with sliced tomato & topped with goat’s cheese.

Wifey had Roast Chicken Supreme, chicken breast topped with a mushroom sauce and served with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables

Wifey’s chicken was moist with a variety of mushrooms, including oyster, in a smooth sauce. The vegetables were cooked and seasoned well, making a comforting dish for long night.

My burger was HUGE! I mean look at it!

img20161117200656

It was served with a huge slice of goats cheese, which had partially melted into an oozy deliciousness. The onions were sweet and sticky; the lamb was delicious, a thick grained mince with a minty flavour running through. The chunky chips were very hot and came with a cute little vinegar bottle. They were extra chunky and crispy.

To finish, we went all out with pudding.  Wifey went for Eaton Mess served in a sundae glass with crushed meringue, berry compote & whipped cream.

I had their Sticky Toffee Pudding, covered with a rich sticky toffee sauce and served with a scoop of vanilla Cornish ice cream

Wifey’s Eaton Mess was creamy as you’d expect, not overly sweet with big chunks of meringue hidden throughout.

My Sticky Toffee Pudding came with a rich glossy glaze of toffee sponge over a light sponge. The ice cream was luxuriously velvety, rich and super cold, a nice counterpoint to the hot soup at the start of the meal.

 

After the meal, bellies full and appetites sated, we went for a nose around the new extension to the restaurant.  Decorated in a punk take on Modern British design, it’s a bit of a difference to the continental cafe style of the front room.  Julia and her team are always welcoming, treating you like old friends – great example of what cafe service should be.

We’ll be returning again soon, more than likely for a Sunday lunch, and won’t be leaving it as long next time!

When:17/11/2016

Where: Ju Ju’s Cafe, Canal Square, 100 Browning Street, Birmingham, B16 8EH

Who:  Ju Ju’s Cafe