When planning our travel through the UK
in October 2015 we wanted to have lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant in
Birmingham. There were two choices for us we liked to pursue on this particular
visit to the city: Purnell’s Restaurant or Adam’s.
Purnell’s Restaurant was longer on our
list, so we decided to reserve a table there.
Glynn Purnell was born in 1975 in
Birmingham on a council estate, so Brummies are very proud of their “son”.
His first cooking experience was
preparing meals for his siblings.
The building itself is unassuming and
understated. Only a few signs with a big P on the wall indicate that Purnell’s
Restaurant is located there.
The interior is totally different. It’s
modern with a bar in the front and the dining room at the back with a colorful
carpet and tapestry.
There is also a small window, allowing
guests to spy on the chefs or vice versa.
When we entered we were warmly greeted, asked
for our name and our coats were taken.
The table was ready and we were invited
into the dining room.
It was already relatively full with a
group of businessmen and women, couples and another small group.
The atmosphere was convivial, upscale
and upbeat, all this matched the setting in harmony.
Our table had partial views into the
kitchen. I sometimes had the luck to spot Glynn Purnell and his brigade.
We were asked if we would like to order
some drinks before being presented with the menu.
I asked for an alcohol free cocktail and
was re-assured that it was possible and no problem at all. My fiancé ordered a
glass of Billcard Salmon Rose Champagne.
My mocktail was made with cranberry and
pineapple juice and elderflower. It was very well balanced, not too sweet and
not too bitter.
The Maître d’ commented on the Champagne
and said rose was a good choice, because it had a more intense flavor.
We ordered from the three course lunch
menu and had a bottle of still water with it.
The greetings from the kitchen were
potato balls with curry mayonnaise from the Brummie Tapas menu.
They were tasty. The presentation was
Asian inspired. The mayonnaise was served in an understated black stone dish.
The potato balls were finger food. They came with two little white rolls on a
white porcelain plate. We were advised by the waitress not to eat the white
rolls, since they weren’t edible. We wondered what they were. We found out with
the help of “magic”. Another waiter came with a pot of boiling water and dowsed
the balls in it. They suddenly grew and turned into hand towels.
A fresh loaf of bread was served too. It
was really delicious, one of the best we had in a longer time and again we were
told by the Maître d’ that it had a good flavor.
Our first course was the Beetroot Escabeche.
It was very enjoyable and colorful.
Our main meal was Brixham cod with
pumpkin puree and carrots. This was one of the best fish dishes we had. It was pure
melt in the mouth.
Originally we expected as dessert a
macaroon, checking the online menu, but it had changed. Instead we had a
chocolate banana cake with frozen yogurt. Normally I’m not a big fan of this,
but this one was gooey, chocolaty with neither the banana nor the chocolate
overpowering and very satisfying. The flavor was full on. The cake looked more
like a tart.
As a dessert wine he ordered the Legacy
of the Barossa from the Dandelion Vineyards with 30 year old Pedro Ximenez. He
loved it. It was syrupy and sweet, but not cloyingly.
Later the Maître d’ had some more time
to chat with us and wanted to know where we were from. He recommended we should
visit Patrick Gilbaud, a two Michelin starred restaurant, or Rustic Stone by
Dylan McGrath, when he heard we were from Ireland.
By now we have eaten at Rustic Stone,
but not managed Patrick Gilbaud so far. We were very happy with his
suggestions.
The staff is a great asset to the
restaurant too, very caring, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable.
A visit to the bathrooms is unusual. You
enter a totally different world. The floor is covered in jungle wall paper and
there are birds tweeting in the background. There’s also a full view through a
glass door to the kitchen. My fiancé was lucky and was greeted by the complete
brigade.
Too soon it was time to pay and leave
this memorable restaurant.
The bill came in at 120 GBP (ca. 152
Euro or ca. 170 USD).
We loved our lunch experience at Purnell’s.
©2016
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