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A Little Luxury For Me

Restaurant

So Much More at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, Redditch

October 6, 2017 by Erica Hughes 8 Comments

Last weekend we were invited along to the Kingfisher Shopping Centre for an experience day. Now I’d never been to the centre, although it’s actually very easy to get to.  We went by car and it was a very easy drive with lots of choice for car parks (if anything I was spoilt for choice and wasn’t sure which would be the best one for me). A friend said they liked to visit by train, which is easy too as Redditch is on the cross-city line that runs through Birmingham.

kingfisher shopping centre redditchInside it was much bigger than I expected.  It was bright and airy with lots of shops.  We wandered around a number of the shops and I was impressed by the size of them and the range.  The Debenhams was quite a big store and as luck would have it they had 20% off a lot of lines, so I was able to get a bargain.  Meanwhile Hawkins Bazaar was popular with my companion for the day. Still I’m getting ahead of myself, we weren’t really there with shopping in mind, although it did form a part of our day, we were there to have some fun.

First off we went to Perfect Nails and Brows.  It was very busy and there were clearly lots of regular clients.  The service was friendly and efficient, plus the staff are skilled at their jobs. I had my nails done with a gel polish and I was very happy with the results.  In fact, today almost a week later I am still very happy with the results as the finish is still near perfect.  I’ve already recommended it to a friend who goes to Redditch regularly.
nails after manicure

Next up we went to Nando’s for lunch. Nando’s was very popular, but everyone who turned up at the door was quickly found a spot.  We were looked after by friendly staff and had a enjoyable meal which set us up for the day.

nandos wrap

After a leisurely meal we strolled over to the Vue Cinema to see a film.  I’d taken a very patient 10-year-old along with me when I had my nails done, so it seemed only fair he should choose the film: Despicable Me 3.

Despicable Me 3

I loved the fact that we found so much to do at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre.  I’d not thought of having a day out there before, but I’d certainly consider it again.  There are plenty of eating places in The Hub and the cinema too, plus there’s even a play centre for the kids.

Filed Under: Pampering, Restaurant

Restaurant Review: Praza

October 28, 2015 by Erica Hughes 15 Comments

praza interiorWe’ve driven past Praza numerous times, but never ventured in, so when we were invited to review, we were eager to try out the food.  Generally on A Little Luxury For Me, it’s just the two of us trying out the food and if it’s a family focused restaurant we try it out on Nine to Three Thirty.  Our son though is well used to dining out and has no problem with different cuisines and being a bit adventurous, so on this occasion we ended up bringing him along. It’s certainly a welcoming restaurant for a youngster and we were given good advice by the waiting staff about what food to order for him. H loved the decor especially the big black chairs that almost dwarfed him.  That’s enough on the family perspective though and on with the gourmet view.

child in a big black chairPraza is conveniently situated on Hagley Road (A456) on the way out of the city centre, just a little beyond Five Ways. It’s the sister restaurant Pushkar, another upmarket Indian restaurant with an established reputation.  Praza is housed in an elegant, white stucco, Georgian building in Edgbaston.  There’s a spacious car park at the rear and you can enter the restaurant there as well.  Inside Praza’s decor is modern and sophisticated with a mostly monochrome palette, enlivened with copper tones.  It’s not the decor of a standard curry house and it has a real, modern vibe.  The service is attentive, but not obtrusive and we were made to feel very much at ease.  It’s the sort of restaurant you could dress up a little to go to, but you’d be very welcome if you were more casually dressed.

mocktailGenerally, I think beer goes well with Asian food as a refreshing contrast and my husband ordered one with his meal.  As I was driving, I opted for the Mango Mohito, which is a blend of fresh lime wedges and mint, churned with mango and apple juice, and topped with ginger beer.  It was very refreshing and we ended up ordering another for our son as it was a big hit.  We loved that popodoms were brought to us pretty much alongside our drinks with a selection of 3 dipping sauces to go with them.

praza kebabsTo start we choose the Praza’s Kebab Platter to share.  This was a great way to try out three different dishes from the tandoor: chicken tikka, duck sheekh kebab and Arctic char tikka.  The seasoning was nicely judged and there was a range of heat between these dishes, which made for a varied starter.  It would have been nice to either to have still had the poppadom sauces on the table or had some more sauce provided as an accompaniment to this dish as there wasn’t very much on the plate itself.

Praza edgbaston foodI chose a Butter Chicken Delhi Wale for my main course. I like the idea of trying this dish as it’s apparently developed from the street-side eateries of Northern India.  It was a dish of tandoori cooked chicken, simmered in a subtle creamy tomato and cashew nut gravy with dried fenugreek leaves, ginger and honey.  This is fairly mild fare, which is my preference, but it was seasoned with a complex and complimentary mix of spices with the depth of flavour that you expect from a tandoori cooked meal. My husband ordered Laal Maas, which is a red curry of diced lamb cooked with onions, red chilli paste and yogurt, flavoured with cloves, chilli and garlic. It’s a traditional lamb dish from the state of Rajasthan. This was described as spicy in the menu and so it proved.  It wasn’t heat without flavour or subtlety though, as is sometimes the case, but the heat built through the meal.  We loved the richness of this dish, which envelopes your taste buds as you eat.

brownie with ice creamFor dessert we went for two contrasting dishes.  I went for a traditional Indian dessert: Kulfi. This dish was trio of Kulfi with pistachio, malai and mango flavours. The different tastes went together quite nicely, although I wasn’t very keen on the malai.  I’d never had it before, so it might have been a dislike of the flavour rather than how it was prepared.  The dessert was sprinkled with toasted almonds which provided some contrasting texture. Our other dessert choice was a western favourite of Chocolate Brownie with Cappuccino Ice Cream. The brownie was rich and dark, with just the right amount of gooeyness for a brownie, and the ice-cream was silky smooth without overpowering the chocolate with its coffee flavour.

We will certainly be dining at Praza again as we love Indian food and it’s nice to be able to sample high quality food it in a modern and stylish setting.

Filed Under: Restaurant

Claire Hutchings at Kitchen School

December 23, 2014 by Erica Hughes 1 Comment

claire hutchings

Claire Hutchings preparing sobrassada for canapes

In 2011 Clare Hutchings was one of the Masterchef: The Professionals finalists.  In February 2013 we went to sample Claire’s food in a pop up restaurant in Birmingham. It was excellent and we wanted to have to opportunity to taste her food again.  Since then Claire has been working at the Michelin-starred Zaranda restaurant, at the 5-star Castell Son Claret hotel, as an assistant to award-winning chef Fernando Pérez Arellano.  This time we went to the Kitchen School to one of their supper clubs with Claire stepping in to act as chef for the evening.

Spanish influences were apparent as we sampled the canapes in the kitchen before the meal.  The use of Majorcan ingredients like sobrassada brought a hint of Spain to the evening and hinted at what Claire had learnt in Majorca.  We couldn’t stop snacking on the very moreish parsnip crisps served with a smoked dip. My personal favourite of the canapes were the truffled arancini balls which were a delight and my husband loved the beetroot macaroons with horseradish cream which were a highlight for him last time we tasted Claire’s food too.

scallop with apple

Roasted Scallop with Almond, Apple, Garlic and Sweet Onion Puree

Roasted scallop with almond, apple, garlic and sweet onion puree was the first of the sit down courses that we were served.  It looked wonderful with a roasted scallop on its bed of chopped apple, crowned with a lettuce garnish and almonds and puree artfully scattered over the plate. The diced apple and the almonds made the perfect partners to complement the meaty, juicy scallop. As you’d expect from a chef’s of Claire’s standard, the scallops were cooked to perfection with a nicely brown exterior achieved without overcooking the inside of the shellfish.  With contrasting freshness of the apple this dish was light and refreshing.

crispy chicken by Claire Hutchings

Crispy Chicken with Salt Baked Celeriac, Hazelnut and Burnt Pear

The next course was crispy chicken with salt baked celeriac, hazelnut and burnt pear.  The crispy chicken was pure concentrated chicken flavour and was nicely complemented by the depth of flavour of the celeriac and pear.  Next up was one of the star dishes of the evening: BBQ ox.  Chatting to Claire before the meal we’d learnt that 5 processes go into making the BBQ sauce, which showed in the depth and complexity of the smokey flavours as the meat had a very punchy flavour.  Claire commented that one of the things she’d learnt in restaurant where she currently works, is that less is more.  Less on the plate, but doing more with that food to enhance and bring out the flavours of the dish.  It’s a lesson she’s learnt well.

sorbet dessert

Mascapone with Basil, Strawberry and Red Wine Sorbet

Included in our evening was a demonstration of the pre-dessert: mascarpone with basil, strawberry and red wine sorbet. Claire made it all look very simple, but obviously time only allowed to show a few bits of the preparation of the dish.  Claire cooked the basil for just a few seconds in already boiling water before stopping the cooking and blending the mix.  This kept the bright green colour and fresh, herby flavour shining through.

The main dessert was chocolate with crispy bacon, salt caramel and vanilla ice cream. Salt and chocolate are a tried and tested combination, but that combination does need handling with care to make sure the balance is right. It was perfectly judged.  Using the bacon to provide some of that salty flavour was a great idea and the crisp bacon crumbs added an extra dimension to the dish.  A dessert that we will remember for a long time.

We’ll certainly be following Claire’s career in the future and hope to get to taste her food again before too long.  I’d love to see and taste her take on paella which for me is the dish that sums up Spanish cuisine.

 

Filed Under: Food, Restaurant

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ericaI’m Erica Hughes: interested in beauty products as well as being a keen foodie and amateur cook. I write here about my passions in life including good food, fine wine, beauty plus all the little luxuries that make life worthwhile.

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