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Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

03/03/2014

Sunday Brunch is Big in Brum


Picture this: You've been out on Saturday night, you've had a few cocktails, a few wines, then the next morning you wake up and what is on your mind (aside from the dull pain of a mild hangover)? FOOD.

At that moment, all good intentions to eat moderate, healthy portions fly straight out of the window and you want as much tasty, delicious food as you can fit on your plate and, more importantly, in your soon-to-be expanded belly. Besides, it's Sunday right? You can eat what you want.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is exactly what happened to me not long ago (well, most weekends to be honest, I won't lie, but most Sunday's aren't as successful as the one I'm about to tell you about).

This particular Sunday I awoke in anticipation of the feast that was awaiting me in the 'local' Malmaison Brasserie. 'The Biggest Sunday Brunch in Town', they said. Well, OK, I thought - there are lots of places that do giant full English breakfasts, so we'll see how true this claim is.

Off I popped to meet a few lovely blogger friends (see below). Firstly I was greeted with a Bloody Mary - Praise the Lord! Sadly, I have to admit I was in dire need of this to pick me up a little as I arrived amongst lots more much fresher faces than mine was that particular morning.

Bloggers at Brunch!
Next, we chose an item from the Brunch menu - Eggs Royale in my case - if it's a good one, you can't beat it. The other options were Eggs Benedict or Mal Big Brunch Breakfast.

Eggs Royale
- So far so good.

After a little refreshment and placing our order, we were lead through to the chef's table which had on it the most scrumptious looking display of breakfast choices. 'Biggest Brunch in Town' was starting to become clear - you could load up your plate with as much or as little as you wanted from this table. We're talking unlimited hors d'oeuvres, cold meats, cheeses, smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon, pates, terrines, eggs, waffles and pancakes. 



The 'piece de resistence' for me - at least aesthetically - was the hand carved Serrano ham. Although I didn't actually try it so I couldn't judge on taste.


Hand carved Serrano Ham
So feeling full after two trips to the chef's table, followed by my Eggs Royale, I then learned that we had a third course... a dessert. Naturally my sweet tooth forced me to order an ice cream sundae. Sadly, that never got finished - a little too creamy for me by that time and I decided I needed to be able to walk out of the door, rather than be rolled out of the door in the style of Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when she blows up into a giant blueberry. Plus, just in case there are any Umpa Lumpas in exisence, I thought it best to avoid taking any chances on coming face to face with one since they freak me out a little in both versions of the film. The orange and green ones in the film with Gene Wilder more so than the others. But I digress...

I just about managed to walk home, where I proceeded to have a lazy Sunday afternoon on the sofa allowing my absolute feast of a brunch to go down whilst I attempted to watch the football on a fuzzy online stream. Aside from the fuzzy stream, I'd say that was a pretty successful morning/afternoon!

Of course you don't have to follow a big night out with a Sunday Brunch of such epic proportions. In fact, next time I'd be inclined to eat soup and salad the day before and then go for a long run in the morning just to make way for those extra calories I tried my hardest to resist last time.

If you fancy a treat of a Sunday morning, I'd recommend it!

More info here.
Posted by Unknown 0

16/08/2013

Iced Tea for Two and the Food's Divine Too!


I've always been a big advocate of Hotel la Tour since it arrived in Birmingham a couple of years back. What I've always been particularly fond of was their High tea, which they change to complement the season, although the only drawback is... it leaves me so full up I have to sit back for about half an hour whilst the food induced palpitations subside. A small price to pay though I feel considering the fabulous nosh they allow me devour whilst sipping on tea and cocktails (I recommend peppermint tea, by the way, for its digestive benefits. Trust me on this one).

So they've launched their latest High Tea menu haven't they. And quite frankly I consider it rude of me to not go and sample it again. So I did. And I took my mummy with me for a 'treat', since she always pays for me when she comes to see me, and I've been raving on about the place for so long.

So here we go:

First, take a look at the menu: 



Now take a look at the food (minus a few sandwiches - I was so enthusiastic I forgot to photograph it at first!).

Looks divine, doesn't it? 

Well, let me tell you... it was!

Let's start with the drinks: choice of teas, coffees, or as it is summer, iced teas. Myself and my mum both chose iced teas as it was rather a warm day. They still came with a tea pot to allow the tea to infuse, but instead they came with lovely glasses with ice, rather like a cocktail. Speaking of which, we chose from a lovely selection of those too (or you could simply have a glass of fizz) as an aperitif. These do come at an extra cost, but it's well worth it.



 Now onto the food! 

On the top tray you receive a selection of sandwiches: Smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, coronation chicken and ham. Beside these is the fresh, warm welsh rarebit with 'soldiers'.



Next up we had my all time favourite: scones. You receive two small scones each with jam and cream - one plain and one fruit scone! 


And finally, the bit I always get excited about: the desserts. You receive four mini desserts each:



1. Strawberry and chocolate macaroon - quite simply, divine!
2. Lemon sponge cake - again, divine! The name of it doesn't do the wonderful flavour justice!
3. Home made 'jammy dodger' - not my favourite, simply because it is shortbread and shortbread isn't a big hit with me, but nice all the same.
4. Panacotta, with berries (a little like a coulis) and a top layer of cucumber jelly. Sounds strange, tastes delicious!




After all that, do you think I got palpitations again? Too right I did! I thankfully had also remembered to wear stretchy clothes as right on cue, my stomach expanded so much I look like I was smuggling a little one in there. It was just a food baby, you'll be happy to know.

Considering my sweet tooth, I was surprised to find that actually, my favourite bit of the whole experience was actually the Welsh Rarebit! Definitely worth a try! And I recommend you take your mum too - mine loved it.

So. Anyone out there fancy trying it? You do? Great. Of those of you who do, who likes a glass of fizz now and again? Well, I have a little offer for you:

Mention this blog when you book your High Tea at Hotel La Tour and you can receive a FREE GLASS OF FIZZ! Aren't I nice to you. Now go, go and book. Here's the website for info on the location and contact numbers: http://hotel-latour.co.uk/ 
Posted by Unknown 3

22/03/2013

A Taste of Festive Indulgence at La Tour


Every Style Floozie needs a non-fashion indulgence once in a while, and yours truly , having just celebrated my 30th year on this planet, over in Amsterdam, was definitely ready for a little sit-down treat.

Cue Hotel La Tour.




A lap of 4-star luxury, sitting just a stone's throw from Birmingham's Moor Street Station, Hotel La Tour is perhaps the most recent stylish addition to the hotel landscape in our fair city. Despite having been open a while now, it is still one of our best kept secrets.

Like many hotels, it houses a restaurant and bar, serving its signature high tea. Unlike your run-of-the mill hotel bar, it offers a tranquil, quirky, and luxury setting, despite being located next to a busy city centre road, making it easy to believe you are miles away from the hustle and bustle, rather than just yards away.

Having sampled their high tea & been highly impressed the first time around, as soon as I discovered they had launched a Christmas menu, well, you can imagine my excitement - I love my food.



On arrival, I'm handed the most delicious glass of mulled wine I have possibly ever tasted. A choice of tea follows as standard. Then comes the three tiers of delight - the food. Oh my... this should come with a warning: "delicious, rich and deceptively filling - impossible to leave a single bite".

On the top tier: smoked salmon, ham and mustard and brie and cranberry sandwiches, along with the freshest, tastiest pigs in blankets you could ask for.

Second tier: my personal favourite, homemade mini scones with jam and clotted cream.

Dessert tier: four mini, bite-sized, rich puddings, bursting with flavour: cranberry Eton mess, a mango tartlet, Christmas chocolate pudding and Christmas cake with cranberries on top.

I have two words that decribe this perfectly: simply divine.

To accompany your High Tea you can also choose extras such as a glass of Moet & Chandon, 1889 cocktail and chilled Egg Nog.

For £15.95 per person, I cannot fault it. In fact I would say it is ridiculously good value for the quality of not just the high tea, but the service you receive too.

Location-wise, the hotel is a little further away from the usual hot-spots like the Mailbox, but it's worth the extra few steps. And if you're into your interiors, you'll love the white, sparkly trees installed just for Christmas - very stylish indeed. Sadly I was unable to cart one home to erect in my flat.

My tip for anyone tempted by what you've just read: go forth, indulge, and spread the word. This place deserves as much recognition as you can shower on it.


(7 December 2012)

Posted by Unknown 0