| |
Popular tapas bar with a good Mediterranean menu. Uncomfortable seats detract from the experience but nevertheless a top-class pre-theatre meal venue and an oasis of calm only a stone's throw from BrindleyPlace. |
 |
| Address |
Ikon Gallery, Brindleyplace Birmingham
|
| Postcode |
B1 2HS Map |
| Tel |
0121 248 3226 |
| Website |
|
| Hours |
1200-1500 Tue-Sun, 1700-2200 Tue-Sat |
| Lunch |
Tapas £1-£7.50, Paellas £9-£14, Dessert £3.25-£4.95 |
| Dinner |
Tapas £1-£7.50, Paellas £9-£14, Dessert £3.25-£4.95 |
| Cards |
|
| Price |
£20 - £30 |
| Facilities |
VEGETARIAN CHOICE, DISABLED ACCESS, CHILDREN FRIENDLY, LICENSED, OUTDOOR EATING, SUNDAY LUNCH |
Full Restaurant Listing |
| An expansive 822 words from Chinese Fat Boy on Thursday, April 23, 2009
|
| Food: |
Value |
Service: |
Decor: |
Rating: |
Cost/head: |
Suits: |
| 3/10 |
: 5/10 |
5/10 |
5/10 |
42 % |
£20 |
Small social group |
|
Being made aware of this place for a while, we decided to give it a go.
Having "experienced" the £10 buffet La Tasca prior to this visit, I thought this would be much better. We usually go to La Plancha for tapas. They do good cocktails there too, but I still don't like how their mussels come out cold. Their tapas were the closest we've had to those we found off the beaten tourist trap in Barcelona and Madrid. We were looking for a decent Spanish restaurant to get our taste buds going.
LOCATION:
Cafe Ikon is part of the Ikon Gallery, and is best regarded as that rather than an eatery in its own right. Located just off Broad Street, the converted Victorian school building is certainly imposing and is in good presence of other eateries such as Piccilino and Cielo.
DECOR and CLIENTEL
As its name suggests, it looks like a cafe. Bohemian in nature with murals on the walls. There is a certain atmosphere to the place, and if you had enough to drink, you could just about imagine yourself in continental Europe.
The decor may not be every ones cup of tea, and is geared towards a different crowd to those who dine at the more upmarket eateries around the corner. Not a place for a romantic meal to impress. Some may find it scruffy.
Smallish tables seating to around 30 people. The cafe opens into the square, and alfresco dinning is certainly on the cards once the weather improves.
There were quite a few groups of people in their 20's - I guess that really sums it up.
A word of note is that the toilets are in the gallery itself, and is quite a trek from the cafe. So don’t leave it to the last minute!
MENU
The a la carte menu was rather scruffily presented in a laminated sheet which had seen better days. There was a good choice ranging from £1.20 for some olives to £13.85 for paella. We went for:
Tortilla Espanola (traditional Spanish omelette) £2.25
A lovely size about the size of a teacup saucer and 2 inches thick. Well seasoned vegetable fillings with the omelette hot and not over cooked.
Café Ikon Salad (assorted leaves, beans, artichokes, olives, nuts, roasted peppers and vegetables) £5.45
A generous portion of leaves and healthy stuff. Luckily my GF was hungry so I didn't get to try it.
Rape con salsa Verde (grilled monkfish with a cream tarragon sauce) £7.65
The most expensive dish and the most disappointing. 5 Tiny pieces of monkfish (size of a 10p coin.) Overcooked and chewy. The sauce being very rich and overpowering. You couldn't taste the fish even if you wanted to. Luckily the portion was so small that it was quickly finished - but not enjoyed.
Esparragos trigueros (Asparagus, oil, salt and manchego cheese) £4.95
6 thin stemmed asparagus cooked so they were just tender. The manchego cheese had been melted over the top. The consistency and flavour of melted manchego cheese with asparagus just didn't work for me.
Morcilla (Spanish black pudding with tomatoes and peas) £3.95
Typical tapas portion. There was lovely marbling of white fat within the black pudding which melted in the mouth releasing its meaty flavour. The accompanying sauce was steaming hot.
Tabla de quesos (selection of Spanish cheeses) £5.75
Not available on the dessert menu, but on the main menu. I was hoping for other Spanish artisan cheeses, but unfortunately this was not the case. There was a large selection of manchego and Spanish blue cheese. There were 5 slices of each cheese. Thickly cut (like a deck of cards) and filling. The blue cheese was not particularly tangy or smooth.
DRINK
Two bottles of rose - Vinho Rose Casal Mendes £12.85. Served in funky wine glasses. Light, refreshing and drinkable.
SERVICE
In the context of a cafe, the waitress service was simply efficient. Orders were quickly taken, and hot food served. Not much of a smile, but the cafe was busy, and the waitresses looked stressed.
VALUE
I think, at every level, there was some disappointment. But to me the biggest let down was the food - particularly the monkfish. Looking at the menu, I was hoping it would be alright, but to be honest, the food was only marginally better than La Tasca. (Not exactly difficult)
Total damage £40. Reasonable, but they forgot to charge for the second bottle of wine.
OVERALL
My judgement maybe harsh, but to be fair we only tried a small sample of their food. I would consider returning to try the paella, or some other dishes.
As first impressions go, not particularly impressive.
If you are the restaurant owner, we now offer the RIGHT TO REPLY
(see below):
RIGHT TO REPLY
If you are the restaurant owner and wish to comment/clarify any points made in this review please submit your remarks to info@birminghamplus.com |
| |
| REVIEWS
|
| CHINESE FAT BOY |
| REVIEWS |
| No.of reviews: |
27 |
| Average Rating: |
56.96% |
| Highest Rating: |
91 % |
| Lowest Rating: |
38 % |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
