Bluu - Birmingham

Bluu opened in March 2008, to rapturous sounds from both its public to be and the more discerning critics. On the edge of the city's famed Jewellery Quarter, Bluu has the advantage of experience gained from its close relatives in four of England's major cities. On the ground floor a bar/brasserie does well what brasseries are supposed to do, namely provide a setting for day to day informal eating, drinking and socialising. Cleverly designed the bar links to the brasserie in a seamless style, where customers dine from the seasonally changing modern British menu.

Over looking the canal, just a stone throw from Brindley Place, the NIA and the ICC. The bright and airy brasserie is the perfect place to enjoy great value British dishes, superb selection of wines and sumptuous cocktails in between shopping, working, attending conferences and concerts or just enjoying the special atmosphere that is the centre of Birmingham.

Later, in the evening venture down to the super sexy basement bar, with its retro, kitsch design and imagery, black and red leather booths and dance floor. This becomes an epicentre of pleasure, with music led nights through the later part of the week well on into the early hours. The area can also be hired for private parties and booths can be reserved for smaller groups.

Our primary concern here is the brasserie where the wide variety of dishes suits almost every ones needs. Take breakfast for instance, a robust affair well suited to the start of a full day with bacon, sausage, Bury black pudding, fried tomatoes, eggs and toast. For the rest of the day there is wide range of sandwiches and brunch for the fleeting snacker, and as a prelude to something more substantial appetisers and shared plates including Bluu's assiette of starters which changes daily. Starters proper to follow, perhaps soused salmon, pickled cucumber, green beans and walnut dressing, or rabbit and smoked bacon terrine with melba toast and pear chutney.

For main courses they really go into brasserie gear, and expect to find about eight choices with dishes such as lamb rump, white bean and rosemary puree, spinach, leeks and pan juices well to the fore. Seafood enthusiasts will most likely rejoice in Bluu seafood tagliatelle, the day's fresh fish, mussels, prawns and spinach. Amongst the aptly named 'Kitchen Classics' that celebrate those favourites everyone knows and loves, look for the Pedigree ale battered haddock and chips, the home made pie and mash of the day, or the speciality sausage for the day with obligatory mash, onions and red wine gravy.

Simple grilled market fresh fish or a 8oz ribeye selected from Derbyshire farm assured beef meets a major need, before settling down to making your choice of dessert. Will it be the oozing lemon curd sponge with ginger beer sorbet, or the Elderflower crème brûlée or a selection of home made ice creams. Honey comb, Rhubarb or Bluu's own fudge nut brownie ice cream?

Bluu will be launching a highly enterprising British tapas menu, served from 6pm-10pm daily, which will do the job nicely for those who want to graze as they enjoy each others company. From a selection of not less than 16 tapas think mini prawn cocktails on baby gem, scampi and chips, Welsh rarebits, fish cakes & tartare sauce, crispy whitebait, Yorkies and gravy or mini Scotch eggs.

Sundays are a tricky day for restaurateurs, but at Bluu it is treated as Recovery Day. From 12 noon onwards until they run out of roast, but possibly not before you've downed a couple of the obligatory and reviving Bloody Marys, it's laid back time for as long as it takes. Make contact with Bluu's Website for further information. Their menus are seasonal, the one used here is for the Spring.