Thursday 15 January 2009

Persian Restaurant "Donya" in Bristol Road

Yesterday 3 of us went to Persian restaurant "Doyna" in Bristol Road.

Donya is the restaurant took the place of Phoenix Cafe (aka House of Phoenix) a year ago or so. I ate once at Phoenix, but this was the first time to eat at the successor.

As I don't have photo, I won't write a full review and will keep myself to a short note.

It is a small restaurant of maybe 30 covers or so. Although it was Wednesday evening, the place was more than half full. The menu isn't much different from any other Persian restaurants in Birmingham. Starters (£3) - Kebabs (£6-10) - Stews and rice (£5-7.50).

The lamb kebab came in a generous portion and both rice and meat were delicious and of decent quality ingredients. Stews were very good as well. One featured unusual pickled walnuts (but as it is not written so on the menu, if you happen not like it, it should be hugely annoying. We shared also 2 starters, 2 Persian teas and 1 herb tea. The total bill was slightly more than £30 before service. Good value.

The service left somehow to be desired, partly because it was busy. It was annoying that a waitress took away water and still 1/3 full bottle of wine right after the main meal.

Donya
0121 415 4599
558 Bristol Road
Selly Oak, Birmingham
B29 6BE
Also delivery (3 mile radius, over £10).

Sunday 11 January 2009

Bye bye Minzu

Chinese buffet restaurant in Corporation Street, Minzu, was closed down.





I don't know when it actually was closed, but I have an impression that it was still open just before Christmas.

It used to offer Chinese as well as South East Asian food. The lunch, if I remember well, was mere 5 pounds or so. I have never tried it, as I don't do buffet in principle, but in price wise, it looked very competitive.

Closure after closure continues...

From Pars to Super Pars

Pars, Iranian (Persian) grocery shop on Hagley Road, has been taken over by Super Pars.


Apart from the addition of vegetable section in front, the arrangement inside looked pretty much the same.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Sotto zero

These days the temperature does not seem to go above 0 even during the day. I shot this photo at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.




Coooooooooooold.

Friday 9 January 2009

December Balti Triangle Walk 3

Happy New Year!


I know it is late, but I returned from holidays on 7th. So I pretend it is OK. :p


Although it is already January, I continue the entries of 'Balti Triangle Walk' of December.

Adil, one of the oldest establishments in Balti Triangle, is open in Ladypool Road, while the premises in Stoney Lane is in refurbishment. It is a good idea to refurbish, as it looked really shabby standing next to the shiny Al Faisal.




I noticed a new fast food shop called Thrill Grill. I don't remember what was here before.



In Balti Triangle, there is a tendency that the old style balti houses get closed down and this type of fast food shop style kebab houses (which usually offers also balti) keep on popping up.


And I found also this newly opened Dipyum Cake shop.



It sells egg free cakes.

But, if you do not not egg alergy (I don't think it is particularly common), why do you want egg free cake? I saw another egg-free cake shop in Cape Hill. I guess there is some religious significance which, however, escapes me.