Tag: dairy free birmingham

Move aside Colonel, there’s a new chief of chicken in town: Bonehead

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I’d heard the rumours long before – whispers from people making the bold claim that it was the “best chicken in Brum,” “simply phenomenal” and “KFC on steroids.” Alas, in a world of fake news I simply refused to believe until I had myself, bore witness to the wings behind the words.

Me and my work colleagues rocked up to Bonehead on a Tuesday night and at 6pm, it was already heaving. Although you can’t book tables, they did a tremendous job of fitting all 12+ of us in. There’s a good selection of drinks, from craft beers through to gins and the menu offers a choice of wings, strips, burgers and combos. Although the burgers and strips were off limits to me as they contained gluten and dairy, I could have most of the wings and so I ordered the sweet chilli & garlic with spring onion and seasame seeds option.

Now, many people will testify to the fact that I’m a bit of a wing addict. Truth be told, I’ve stunned many a waiter as they’ve seen me polish off a kilo of chicken wings without so much as batting an eyelid, so I wasn’t really expecting a ‘best ever’ dish here. Let me just say this: These wings were insanely good! See how I even used an explanation mark there and put aside my grammatical pet hate of shouting at people through words? Well, Bonehead made me do it! If I could list every filthy food porn word here I would – it was quite simply, the best chicken wings I have EVER had in my 28 years of eating, and as my friends know, that’s not a claim I make lightly when they’ve seen me consume somewhere in the region of 5,000 chicken wings in the past two years.

The sauce was incredible and a perfect combination of sweet and spicy, plus the fresh kick coming from the spring onion and crunchy texture on the seasame seeds gave it a rather pleasurable texture. The chicken was coated in a melt-in-your-mouth batter, sizzling with juice and filled with the most tender pieces of chicken that I’ve ever experienced in wings. The whole dish was sensational.

I had made the error of thinking the five wings would be small and so I asked the waitress if I could double up. After realising how big and filling the wings were, I would have been quite okay with just the one portion, but hey ho, God loves a trier and so I made it my mission to finish the 10 wings spread out before me. I was filthy after polishing them off, with chicken juice all over my hands and mouth, but at the end of the day, the best food always requires you to get stuck in. Bravo Bonehead, bravo.

All I can say now is; Nandos what, Nandos who, get yourself down to Bonehead too!

From Punjab to Birmingham: The Indian Streatery

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Having grown up on the outskirts of the Balti Triangle, the love of a decent curry is in my DNA. Catching up with friends on a weekend and ending the night with a curry is tradition and I always have a favourite curry house of the month. After all, when there’s so many curry houses in Birmingham, the competition is fierce and there’s no room for favouritism, for long anyway.

People had been raving about The Indian Streatery for yonks. Beginning their foodie roots at Birmingham’s very own Digbeth Dining Club under the name ‘Indian Rasoi,’ the eatery soon became a firm favourite amongst diners and eventually set up permanently at a premises on Bennett’s Hill. As with many Digbeth Dining Club regulars, the ‘family foodies’ brought with them a loyal following of locals already converted to the concept of ‘Indian tapas.’ Though relatively new to the food scene, Indian tapas takes traditional dishes and gives them a makeover, much like the Deconstructed Samosa Chaat and homestyle chicken kindly created by The Indian Streatery. The idea is to bring Punjab’s food markets to the people of Britain, using tried and tested family recipes, old memories, plus a side order of added ingredients to suit British palates – Indian Hotdog anyone?

On my visit to The Indian Streatery, I was excited to find out what all the fuss was about. I was damn sure I liked my curry in a bowl with pilau rice and poppodoms, no messing around, no food antics. It was then with great delight that I found myself enjoying a Fresh Spinach & Lamb Curry, marinated overnight with a host of spices, alongside what I can only describe as ‘bangin’ Masala Fries.  Both dishes far exceeded my expectations and in fact, the lamb curry was one, if not the best curries I’ve tasted in a good 12 months. Normally I’d cringe at the thought of throwing in a portion of chips with a curry, but here, with a mix of fenugreek chaat masala and tamarind on the fries, blended in with succulent slow cooked lamb, I was on the verge of dribbling.

The menu comes with a listing of gluten free, dairy free and vegan dishes, easily identifiable and ranging in choices. The waiter was extremely helpful with my allergens and offered to accommodate any requests that I had regarding the menu. By the time I had finished my curry and fries, I was already dreaming of another portion. In fact, it’s pretty much all I talked about all week.

In an age where some are predicting the death of the Balti, I feel a sense of confidence in the future of curry houses in Britain. Rather than admitting defeat, establishments such as The Indian Streatery are building on existing foundations, adapting and recreating traditional recipes to bring them into an ever expanding modern day street food market. Whether it’s slapping a curry onto a burger, or giving an Indian twist to the classic chicken and chips, there’s no doubt that these Masala fries making, Pakora transformers are here to stay, and we love them for it!

The Theory of Everything that Makes Burgers Bostin’

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As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed a taste for three things; Red wine, olives and burgers. Now I know that burgers have been around for millennia and the good old days of Ronald McDonald should have given me my first real taste of a juicy beef burger in a brioche bun, but as a kid, I was a chicken nugget McSnugget all the way. There was something extremely unconvincing about sticking meat between bread and dumping a gherkin inside for added sourness; it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

You’d have to be a hermit to not have noticed the burger takeover in the past few years. Whilst the classic ‘hamburger’ may have been a big hit across the pond as Yanks competed for the title of biggest and most greasiest burger possible, we as usual decided to take things slower here in the UK. It is only really in the past few years with the rise of independent street food retailers such as The Flying Cow Burgers and Original Patty Men that the demand for burgers really escalated in British cities.

Being gluten free, I often found myself pining for a dirty grab and go burger, or just carbs in general, from the pop up street vendors found at foodie digs such as Digbeth Dining Club. The first time I witnessed a Krispy Kreme being balanced on top of a double beef patty with bacon, maple syrup and onion rings, I was adamant I was either dodging food hell or missing out on a piece of art for individuals such as myself with a combined sweet and savoury tooth.

It was then with great anticipation that I found myself venturing to Birmingham’s latest burger joint, Burger Theory. Situated in Kongs Bar on Hill Street, the venue boasts retro arcade games, table tennis and a fully stocked bar filled with craft beers. Live DJs are a permanent fixture at weekends, but I was visiting on a Friday lunchtime with colleagues and the rather large venue was empty asides from the bar staff – maybe they were busy on Deliveroo but I expected it to be slightly busier.

The menu states that burgers can be ordered with a gluten free bun. As usual, my added milk intolerance made it difficult for me to order many cheese based burgers without needing to substitute half of the ingredients, so I opted for The Classic burger, consisting of a beef patty, house ketchup and plain chips, plus the Down n’ Dirty burger sauce. The burger itself was really tasty, cooked to my liking in that it was juicy and still slightly pink in the middle. Alongside the house sauce and perfectly salted chips, it was one of the best, if not THE best burger I’ve had in a good year or so.

If I had one recommendation, it would simply be a request for Burger Theory to stock dairy free cheese to go on the gluten free or vegan burgers. Just keeping in one dairy free cheese would mean that my choice of burgers could be far more extensive, but on the whole, my first experience was a good one and I think the chefs have their burgers cooked to perfection. I can never understand why so many burger restaurants are off limits to me simply because they refuse to stock gluten free buns and create a patty that is friendly to those with allergens, so it was lovely to be given that option.

They call themselves the Creative Burger People, priding themselves on sourcing local produce and making all burgers, sauces and pickles on site. I asked for tomato ketchup to dip my chips in and was provided with a little pot of fresh tomatoes, chopped finely into a delicious, smooth sauce. There’s no doubt that these guys are serious about providing high quality, good tasting food that really stands out from the usual grease found in many burger joints and I think they may have succeeded.

Pull up a seat at Cosy Club

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What does an English Garden, Lemon Drizzle Cake and Sparkling Duchess have in common I hear you ask? Nope, I’m not giving you tips on which horses to bet on during this year’s Grand National. They are in fact a spectacular assortment of cocktails available at one of my all-time favourite bars, Cosy Club.

Situated on the site of a Grade II listed former banking hall on Bennetts Hill that was built in 1830, Cosy Club opened its doors to Brummie’s in 2015, offering “mansion splendour meets village hall eccentricity.” The quirky restaurant and bar has been a popular ‘chill-out’ hub for me and my friends ever since and we can regularly be found tucking into a juicy burger or sampling one of the delicious gin based cocktails here.

What do I love about Cosy Club? The ambience is one thing. Walk in through the big double doors and you’re welcomed by jazz music and interiors that sit somewhere between art deco mixed in with your Aunt Deidre’s curtains which haven’t been changed since the 1600’s. It does what it says on the box, delights in eccentricity. It blends British aristocratic furniture with glamorous 30’s materials and strangely, it seems to work.

Cosy Club is a ‘go-to’ place for me when I’m in need of brunch, lunch or dinner, thanks to its extensive choice of gluten and dairy free meals. Despite there being a large selection of dishes that can be altered to suit my dietary needs, I always seem to opt for the same almost every time – The Classic burger with a beef patty, lettuce, beef tomato, red onion, gherkin and burger sauce.

I’ve also tried the Pan Fried Salmon Fillet with green beans, sugar snap peas, pak choi, roasted potatoes and a green chilli, lemongrass, coriander and lime dressing which was delightful, as well as the Black Angus 80z steak with thick cut chips which was both tender and flavoursome.

Breakfast is just as good. Being gluten free means that whilst my friends gobble down a Full English with all the works, I am often left with a pitiful meal of just bacon and egg. The Cosy Club breakfast on the other hand delivers the full package, minus the sausages and hash browns, which really hits the spot. Soya milk is available, giving you the option to enjoy an after eight coffee or teapot of good old builders brew.

The lounge at the back of the restaurant offers a place to take refuge in when you want a quiet drink and a chat and the building does boast private rooms for parties, cocktail masterclasses and Murder Mystery nights – which judging by the hidden corners and Cluedo style deco would be a believable place for Professor Plum to dispose of Colonel Mustard.

There are multiple Cosy Club restaurants across the UK and each one has its own personality. The one in my old uni town of Leicester for example is not really up my street due to its casual café layout, but the Birmingham one, with its two storey restaurant and candle lit tables is the perfect place for an aperitif or post-meal martini on ice. Just sit back, relax with a drink and enjoy the friendly atmosphere that Cosy Club has to offer.