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Veganuary continues to grow and more and more places are creating special menus now or at least including a few more options on their main menus this month.  Where possible Bill’s always aim to make vegetables the star of the show when creating theirr dishes, so Veganuary seems a natural step for the restaurant chain. Whether you’re following a plant-based diet or are just looking to try something new, it’s worth taking a look at Bill’s Veganuary menu which is available until 31^st January.

New to the Bill’s menu and only available during January are the very appetizing Miso Aubergine Fritters, served with a smoked chilli and soy dip and topped with sesame seeds.  Jackfruit seems to be the salad ingredient of the moment and I fancy trying the Jackfruit Salad Bowl made with smoked chilli jackfruit with mixed grains and rice, edamame beans, red cabbage, toasted cashew nuts, lettuce, mint & lime soy yoghurt finished with a crispy rice cracker.

Falafel are very difficult to resist on a menu and Spiced Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Falafel Bowl is no exception.  This one is a mix of ancient grains, cauliflower cous cous, kale, spring onion & pickled red onion served with a turmeric & mint soy yoghurt.

For a truly decadent choice, Bill’s have a vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding on offer, drizzled with syrup, icing sugar and hazelnut crumb, and served with a scoop of coconut ice cream. Or you could try their Amaretto Parfait which sounds like the perfect vegan treat.

I got to sample the menu myself and review it in more detail on my other blog Nine to Three ThirtyNine to Three Thirty, so if you’d like to know what I picked off the menu and what I thought of it, pop over and have a read.

Inviting friends around for dinner is a lovely thing to do, but so often it ends up being a stressful experience trying to balance the cooking; entertaining your guests; and clearing up afterwards.  What if someone else would do all the hard work for you, allowing you to concentrate on your friends rather than the practicalities?  This is what happened when La Belle Assiette arrived, in the shape of chef Jegan Bobb, to feed us for the evening.

Jegan arrived a little before my guests with some all the ingredients needed to create his dishes, so all the shopping is done for you.  The chef had done a lot of the preparation in advance, but obviously some things need to be cooked or prepared just before eating.  I was impressed by how organised Jegan was.  We’d talked on the phone, ahead of the event, to decide on a menu and agree that he would use my tableware as well as pots and pans.  Within a few minutes of arriving the kitchen was a hub of activity and dinner was soon on its way.

Most of us were having a starter of Pan Seared Scallops, Chard, Pickled Cucumber, Crushed Peas and Pancetta Crisp.  But, a few of the party wanted to avoid shellfish, so Jegan provided a mushroom-based alternative dish for them.  One of the advantages of having a private chef is having this degree of flexibility, without having to create different options yourself to cater to individual dietary requirements.  I had the scallops as they are one of my favourite foods.  They do have to be cooked correctly, as if they are overcooked they can be a bit rubbery.  I was very pleased to find that these scallops had been cooked perfectly and they were complimented by the other elements of the dish.  The peas and the pancetta worked well with the scallops and the pickled cucumber added another dimension, with the pancetta crisp providing a pleasantly salty garnish.

It was lovely not to have to clear the table between courses or dash into the kitchen to make sure that the main course was ready on time.  Instead I was able to relax and enjoy the evening in the company of my friends.  As each course was served Jegan came in and explained what we were eating.

The main course was a triumph.  Everyone loved it.  We had Confit Shoulder of Lamb, Beetroot and Potato Terrine, Cabbage Parcel, Butternut Squash Puree and Red Wine and Rosemary Jus.  Incredibly tender and melt in your mouth soft, the lamb was the star of the dish.  We all loved the beetroot and potato terrine too and the cabbage parcel added a fun creative touch.

Meanwhile in the kitchen Jegan was beavering away getting dessert ready to serve.

For dessert there was a Classic Panna Cotta, Mixed Berries Compote, Tear Drop Meringue and Buttered Shortbread Biscuits. The panna cotta had that distinctive wobble; the meringue added some sweetness and crunch; the berries were rich in flavour; and the shortbread biscuits added another texture.   As we finished off our meals Jegan was busy clearing up and at the end of the evening I had a clean kitchen with everything washed up and put away.  No need to dread the morning after clean up or spend time away from your guests sorting things out that evening.  A stress free experience!

Disclosure: I had a chef come to my house and cook for myself and my five guests.  My opinions are my own.

Sadler’s Brewing Co. has announced the launch of Brewer’s Social Harborne, the third venue in its expanding roster which includes Sadler’s Brewhouse & Bar in Lye and Sadler’s Taproom Quinton. Alongside Sadler’s award-winning ales and spirits, the all-day venue will offer collaborative and special edition brews; craft spirits and cocktails and well as a wide range of food.  From brunch and morning coffee and cake, through lunch to an exciting evening menu featuring unique slow-cooked and BBQ dishes, sourcing and provenance of ingredients will be at the heart of everything.

I was invited along to try out the new food range and sample some of Sadler’s fine beers.  The Brewer’s Social in Harborne is on the same premises as the pop-up, but a number of changes have been made to the decor, plus there’s a new kitchen and the upper floor is now open to provide extra seating.  There’s a good mixture of hard and softer surfaces which is great for comfort and means that noise levels don’t get too high.  This a place that you can while away an afternoon or an evening very comfortably.

Sadler’s offer a wide range of beers from lager, through IPAs, to the bitter and stout end of the spectrum.  There’s a wide array of choice at the lighter end of the beer range. But there’s less to choose from at the darker end of the continuum.  I’m a bitter drinker and the most obvious choice for me was the Worcester Sorcerer, which is a very decent pint indeed.  I really hope Sadler’s will expand this part of the range in time, as they clearly know how to make a good quality beer.  It’s not just about the beer though as they offer a wide selection of other drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.  There’s a wide range of wines on offer as well as Sadler’s own range of spirits including their Peaky Blinder Gin.

I had the Grilled Lamb & Sweet potato as my main course.  It’s pictured above at the bottom right. It’s a chargrilled lamb leg steak, with sweet potato wedges, tenderstem broccoli and cumin aioli.  You need to be hungry for this as there’s a lot of meat to eat, but it was very tender and it almost melted in the mouth.  I loved that the quality of the ingredients stood out and that they were well prepared, well cooked and well presented.

My guest for the evening had the brunch which would be a real treat for a lazy weekend.  The poached egg was perfectly cooked and satisfyingly runny inside.  Again it’s a very generous portion and it would certainly fill you up.

Sadler’s Brewing Co. managing director, Chris Sadler, said: “We want the ‘social’ part of the name to really mean something and for Brewer’s Social to appeal to everyone, with special community events, brewing collaborations and fundraising for local charities.

“Following the success of the Harborne Pop-Up, the logical next step was to install a kitchen and expand the offering; we’re really excited about this new chapter – with lots more in the pipeline.”

For more information on Sadler’s venues:  https://www.sadlersbars.co.uk/