bistro 1847, birmingham.

embracing the tastes, smells and natural beauty of fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers is the birmingham based vegetarian restaurant bistro 1847. i almost hesitated in labelling it as vegetarian, since you don't need to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy it. quite the opposite. it is simply a beautifully crafted menu with elements that both enhance and compliment one another, that just so happen to not include meat and contain very little animal based ingredients.

recently i went along to enjoy their newly launched autumn menu, which is set out in an on-trend mezze style format in which you mix and match a few plates each.

i enjoyed a delicious james white cox apple juice whilst my boyfriend sipped on an organic lager from award winning english brewery, freedom. even the drinks menu displays the restaurant's emphasis on sourcing quality ingredients from independent producers.

the lab bottle style salt and pepper pots were fun too. almost a little hint to the chemistry of food about to unfold...

the first dish to emerge from the kitchen was the garden pea mousse. the lightly minted flavour of the peas complemented the peppery sesame crisp and salty, savoury fettle. with edible flowers we were told were only picked yesterday, the presentation was an art form in itself. 

the next combination was tarragon polenta crisp, pickled wild mushroom, goats’ curd, baby aubergine, tahini and petals, which on this day were marigold. the crunchy polenta and subtle tarragon worked well with the sharp zing of raspberry and aniseed. that said, this was probably my least favourite of the meal.

on the other hand, this one was my favourite by far. with slightly al dente grains, the celeriac had a comforting and familiar taste with the slight bite of kohlrabi. i didn't want to share.

this was the pickled candy beet, spiced honey and smoked yoghurt, salt baked beetroot, rosehip and beet falafel. so quite clearly one for the beetroot lovers. there were all sorts of fantastic textures going on, with creamy yoghurt, wild rocket and a bouquet of spice. if i'm honest, a little spicy for me, but flavoursome rather than being hot without reason.

now, i love my fish and chips. so for those who don't eat seafood, this is pretty damn close to the real thing. and most definitely just as delicious. springy haloumi encased in salty batter and paired with sweet tomato sauce and seashore herbs. with a touch of lemon and mint, even the mushy peas were artistic. i had to take a picture half way through as i loved how much it reminded me of mixed up fish and chip componants. 

since i loved the cox apple juice so much, i opted for the russet next. this was sweeter and extremely moreish with my sweet tooth. 

speaking of a sweet tooth, next up were desserts. equally as intriguing as the mains, would they be as incredible to look at and taste?

the answer is yes. first was the peanut brittle, slow roast pineapple, hoxton gin snow, white chocolate crème fraiche. sweet but sharp pineapple was met with the crumbly brittle and creamy rich white chocolate. a dreamy combination.

the second was the foraged blackberry and almond sponge, with very cute presentation. i'm not too keen on fruity desserts but the almond instantly drew me in and i thought it would be a frangipane sponge. it was a gorgeously light sponge, but, to my disappointment, it didn't have the recognisable almond taste i craved.

the allotment aero was the star of the show for me. beneath the crumbly dark chocolate topping, i delved into a layer of minty chocolate chunks before reaching a light chocolate mousse. the beautiful and creative composition of the dessert goes without saying. 

in all, vegetarian, vegan, carnivore, coeliac or not, you will love this restaurant. be prepared to be inspired.

bistro 1847

26 great western arcade, 

colmore row, 

birmingham,

b2 5hu.

note: i was invited for a complimentary meal to review the new autumn menu. all opinions are honest and my own.