Food Review: Lasan, Jewellery Quarter Birmingham

There have got to be very few restaurants in Birmingham that I haven't dined at; so when the invitation came through to experience Lasan I was pretty excited.

Lasan has always had a reputation as one of the finest Indian restaurants in the city, cemented by winning "Britain's Best Local Restaurant" on The F Word in 2010. 

Now, the eatery has come a long way with a whole new look and a whole new menu; one that's world's away from what you might expect.

Located just off Saint Paul's Square in the Jewellery Quarter, Lasan is hidden from the main square where you might find revellers enjoying a drink or two at the weekend. 

Inside, the restaurant has been renovated to create a bigger bar area, enabling guests to enjoy a drink at the bar, pre or post meal in a space that's quite separate from the main dining area. The restaurant itself is beautiful; light, bright and airy with giant mirrors and an air of grandeur (press pictures, not my own).

Settling on a bar stool, myself, Paul Fulford and Brummie Gourmand sat and enjoyed a drink before heading to the table. This space is great not just for drinking, but for waiting for your guests to assemble before being seated. On this occasion, I was last to arrive (sorry guys!) having driven into the city, but it's worth noting that there is street parking available close by. 

I did however have one drink here, a classic gin and tonic made with Hendricks pink gin and slimline tonic water. Served in a goblet, just how I like it, I sipped this slowly so as to savour the light, refreshing flavours.

At the table, which was laid out with crisp white cloths and napkins, we took a look at the new menu. Although I had never eaten at Lasan before, I got the feeling that this menu was simplified and easier to use.

I had been recommended the paneer to start, so I ordered the Ananas Paneer first of all followed by the Murgh Kari. Brummie Gourmand ordered the Haleem and Punjabi Makhan Chicken whilst Paul picked the Shakarkand Kofta for mains.

Before we began our meal in earnest, Pani Puri was brought to the table along with some poppadoms whilst my dining companions were able to enjoy on my behalf!

When my paneer starter arrived, it was love at first sight. Three large flat squares of paneer, grilled enough to see the colour changing on the corners and add a smoky flavour, served with a fresh pineapple relish and beetroot to boot. If the presentation hadn't already won me over, then the flavours would have; grilled tangy paneer served with fresh pineapple, this dish was a delight and could have happily been served as a delicious vegetarian main course.

Onto the main course, my Punjabi Makhan Chicken and the Murgh Kari arrived looking very similar, with the most visible difference being that the Murgh was served on the bone whilst the Makhan was served in enormous chunks.

Thankfully, the flavours of the two dishes were completely different, as the Makhan had a sweeter, nuttier flavour and creamier texture whilst mine (pictured second) was more tangy and flavoured with curry leaf and mustard seed.

I also tried a little of the sweet potato kofta, a light, smooth, vegetarian kofta that was equally delicious, and we also shared the cauliflower side which I highly recommend.

Onto dessert, there was far too much to tempt me. In the end, I was able to order the Beetroot Halva and have this adapted to be gluten free. Described as "slow cooked beetroot with caramelised nuts, apple crisps and dreamy pistachio ice cream", this for me was the star of the show and worth a visit alone. It is rare to find an unusual Indian dessert, with most restaurants treating dessert as something of an afterthought. At Lasan, I was overjoyed to see that finally, someone has taken the humble Indian dessert and put the time into developing something that is innovative whilst maintaining integrity.

Presented like a work of art, there was everything to play for on this plate, from the sweet dehydrated apple crisps to the contrasting soft and crunchy sweet caramelised cashews.

Lasan is a restaurant that you'll want to save for a special occasion and find yourself going back to just because. A great location, wonderful service and delightful food that's raised more than a few notches by the presentation makes this a must visit for any curry lover. This is no ordinary Indian restaurant, so don't expect dated decor and one choice of gin.

I adore the interior, with it's refined feel and minimal but warm styling; it makes the food stand out against the palate cleansing white background.

Need another reason to visit? The picture perfect dishes make it a must visit for any foodie photographer!

*With thanks to Lasan for the complimentary meal and drinks.

Food review: Tamatanga Indian Birmingham

Any Brummie will tell you that we are well and truly spoilt for choice when it comes to curry in the second city. However, it seems our appetite for the spicy stuff show no sign of slowing down with the opening of Tamatanga and Mowgli within a short space of time.

I was invited to sample the fayre at the newly opened Birmingham branch of Tamatanga a few weeks back; and I'm ready to give my verdict!

Tamatanga is well known in Nottingham, having opened in the city over a decade ago. Now, they've spread their wings to Birmingham with a vibrant eatery located on Navigation Street, halfway between New Street station and The Mailbox.

Coming in from the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfare, we were warmly welcomed at Tamatanga and offered the choice of drinks at the bar or going straight to our table. We opted to try a tipple first at the bar (plenty of seats and even tables here!) and opted for the Non Alcoholic Bombay Cooler and a fabulous gin and tonic from the extensive gin menu.

As always, my gin was delicious and made all the better for being able to customise it to include a slimline tonic and garnish of my choice (orange peel on this occasion). The Bombay Cooler, made from pomegranate juice, lemonade and unusually, coriander was also a refreshing option. There's also a good range of cocktails, wine, beer, crafts and IPA as well as coolers, softs, spirits and mixers.

The food menu is pretty big with plenty of options, from salads and small plates to kathi roll wraps and curry bowls. With so many interesting options to choose from, we started off with small plates before we got stuck into mains. There is also a dedicated gluten free menu with plenty of choice, so be sure to ask if you need to see it.

Playing it safe, we picked the gilafi lamb kebab and garlic chicken tikka. Both dry starters, the lamb kebab was exactly as a lamb seekh kebab should be, with a kick of spice and plenty of onion. Personally, I do prefer mine a little more chargrilled, but that's just preference. The garlic chicken was a good appetiser, hearty and a good portion. Both were soft and tender dishes.

Onto main courses, I opted for the tamatanga thali, a dish containing many little dishes including salad, chutney, two veg dishes, daal, raita, rice naan (unless of course you're gluten free like me) and two curry dishes of your choice. I picked the saag paneer and  chicken tikka masala, two of my favourite Indian dishes.

My companion picked the chicken khurana (£11.45), a a mild and creamy chicken curry dish infused with coconut and curry leaves, topped with sweet potato chunks. This lovely mild coconut sauce was finished off with a kick of chilli, whilst the texture from the sweet potatoes added to the dish. This was served with your choice of rice or naan.

As for my thali, you can see from the picture that it was absolutely huge! At £17.45 for nine separate items, this is a steal and a must try for anyone with a bigger appetite. The dishes included in the thali change regularly, but when I visited there was a green bean dish in a dry paste of onion and mild spices, mango chutney, a cooling yoghurt, a yellow daal which was smooth, creamy and mild, as well as a meaty chicken curry.

What stood out for me was not just the friendly, genuine service, but the relaxed casual atmosphere and generous portion sizes. With so much choice when it comes to curry, Tamatanga is great for anyone who wants to try curry for the first time in a convenient location. Not sure what paneer is? The team here will be more than happy to guide you through the menu and help you decipher your daal from your saag.

Would I come back? Definitely! It's worth mentioning that there are some fantastic offers worth checking out, such as the daytime deal including a soft drink and main for £8.95, and the 2-4-1 cocktails served all day every day from 12-7pm.

*With thanks to Tamatanga for the complimentary meal