foodtravel

Light lunch at Nosh & Quaff

I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about Nosh & Quaff since it opened in Birmingham in July 2015 and it is to my shame that I have not had the opportunity to visit until this week, and only that because I happened to have a conference just around the corner where lunch was not provided. But still, I’ve been now, and I’m glad that I did.

It’s a fantastic spacious venue with a great sense of style and elegance but with a robust menu that will send you away satisfied. Although quiet on a weekday lunchtime (why Birmingham – what are you doing??) the team were welcoming and eager to assist when I arrived.


I’ve heard fantastic things about their lobster offering, and this is assuredly one of the best places in the Midlands to enjoy lobster, but I was on a limited time frame so I thought it best to sample the brunch menu, with a selection of dishes weighing in at around £8 or £9.

It was a tough choice, with the fried chicken and waffles initially taking my fancy, but on the recommendation of my upbeat waitress I decided that tasting their slow-cooked meat offering was probably the best way to get a feel for the quality of the cooking.

I was not disappointed! The Pot Roast Beef was served beautifully in a cast iron dish and smelled absolutely heavenly. It was an enormous cut of beef, slow cooked to absolute perfection, literally melting under the weight of my fork. It was in a sticky, sweet sauce which had careful spicing which built up to a beautiful crescendo of flavour as you ate the dish – a real journey of taste this one.


This was accompanied by incredibly soft, light mashed potato and griddled carrots making the whole a well balanced plate and incredibly satisfying dish although on first sight it may appear a little on the small side – the serving of meat is actually over generous if anything! Absolutely the perfect lunchtime treat.


They also have a fabulous selection of cocktails and a very enticing wine list but sadly I wasn’t in a position to give these a go on my visit. The only criticism I could possibly include is that their desktop website is not just full of automatically playing video but that it has sound too – is it just me that hates that? I could be having an unnecessary whinge here but if I want to watch a video or play some music, I’ll choose it myself.

However, looking at the menus on offer, with the chicken wings being highly praised in all reviews, the Truffle Mac & Cheese Burger sounding like a slice of fried gold and the Beef Ribs looking like serious contenders, I have many reasons to hop on the train and go back when I have more time (and more company) to nosh and quaff to my heart’s content. Highly recommended.

Laura

Bestselling author and freelance food & drinks writer. Director of creative agency Thirst Media, helping small businesses reach their full potentially. Champion of pubs and breweries.

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