hornet

Thank you for the recommendation. I will try to get there and will post a review here afterwards.

I am staying for an evening in Birmingham and would like to go somewhere decent for dinner. My initial trawl throught the web has not identified anywhere to go. Egulleters - can you help?

On Monday night I had a fabulous meal at Lola’s. I had planned to go before but the reviews turned sour with the revolving door of chefs. But comments about the new one inspired me to take the plunge and I ate one of the best meals I have had for a while. The room was half full, but it was Monday night. The pre-starter was a very flavoursome lentil soup. Tortellini with asparagus and broad beans followed with a main of lamb 2 ways (rare best end and a wonderful rosemary-infused slow cooked shoulder) with stuffed pepper and a small portion of dauphinoise potatoes. The pre-desert was blackcurrant with a liquorice mousse. Desert was a fantastic pear tart topped with raspberry soufflé with a side ball of pear sorbet. Yum. Service was pleasant and efficient. They also won marks for not including service on the bill. It drives me mad when they add it to the bill automatically and then leave the credit card slip open. This has got to be the best some of the food, and best value, in Islington. With starters at £7, mains at £17 and pudding at £7 it is not cheap, but it is in a similar price bracket to the Draper’s Arms (which I I really enjoy) and a number of other restaurants but this is in a different league. The wine list is wide ranging and caters to the low end as well as the high. I hope this chef doesn’t leave!

I can really recommend The Eagle pub. It is a pub with its own bakery so the bread is unsurprisingly excellent. But there is more to the food than that. I have had a veggie lasagne on one occasion that was excellent (I am a carnivore at heart). The other time sausage a mash. Each time everyone in my group has loved the food and there was a good selection of specials each time I have been there. Like many Brighton places, veggies are very well catered for - there were at least 5 choices on the main menu. This isn't over fussy michelin star wannabe cooking - just really well cooked food that fills you up. From what I can remember the mains were around £6.

Does anyone know whether you have to book Rafa's? We will be in Roses for Sunday lunch.

I tried this place out for the first time on Saturday night following it's Time Out best neighbourhood restaurant gong (or at least it was on the shortlist). I think we caught it on a bad night (the waiter was forgetting the specials while a chef was rushed out to an ambulance). Starter of broad bean tagliatelle was excellent. I also tried the calves liver which also came on the darker side despite asking for it pink. The polenta chips sounded better in theory (a bit soggy). Also had the apple pie and parmesan ice cream and doubt that you would have guessed parmesan in a blind taste test, but apple pie good. Service good, apart from the chef wound distraction, although they did only have 1 of the first bottle of plonk and their recommended 2nd wasn't brilliant. At £55 a head (incl a bottle of plonk each) this is a good place that I would like in my neighbourhood, but wouldn't rate it as a find of the year although perfect for relaxed small group outing.