New Entries: Cafe Ikon and Turners

I have just uploaded two reviews.

Café Ikon

http://www.wonderbirmingham.co.uk/birmingham/ikon_en.html



Honestly, I was rather disappointed on this occasion.

Instead, still excellent was this place.

Turners in Harborne, Birmingham.

http://www.wonderbirmingham.co.uk/birmingham/turnerschristmas_en.html




I am not sure if I can upload more stuff during the holiday period.


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In Ananda Bhavan the other day, a guy of the restaurant asked me if the group of Chinese people who had visited there were my acquintances.

I asked him if he was sure that they were Chinese and not Japanese. He said he wasn't.

Although I look pretty much like a Chinese, my actual nationality is Japanese and don't speak Chinese (I do read Chinese characters, as all the Japanese and most of the Koreans do). I don't have any Chinese acquintance who knows about my www activities. So, it is improbable that they were Chinese and my acquintances. They could be my Japanese acquintances, but in that case, they did not tell me, so I don't know.

I really don't have a clue who is reading my website, except those 5 or 6 kind souls who dropped me a line either on this blog or to my e-mail address.

Dear readers, you are really mysterious!

Turner's again

Yesterday I returned to Turner's in Harborne for Christmas lunch, alone.

I discovred that I enjoy eating alone in good restaurants. To me, savouring is just like appreciating paintings or music: if you cannot find a good companion with similar taste, you'd fare better enjoying alone, because, otherwise, they will ruin your enjoyment with irrelevant - no matter how interesting - conversations distracting you from the art or music. I do go to social meals, but in these occasions, I don't expect to be able to concentrate on food. In such occasions where and what I eat have secondary importance.

Well, Turners.

I had a £20 per 3 course Christmas lunch, not because I wanted to feel Christmassy, but because there was no usual 3 course for £17.50 deal. Although it cost extra £2.50, having got an amuse-bouche and a very elaborate main course, I am totally satisfied and not in the least feel ripped off.

I am not sure if I am going to write a review on this meal, as I have just written and published one. And maybe there are people who don't want to see what they will get before actually eating it (different from usual lunch menu that changes everyday, the Christmas lunch menu stays the same for December). I might show the dishes on this blog later in the year, after Christmas.

What I love about Turner's is that there is no compromise in ingredients and in cooking. Even if Mr. Turner use cheaper ingredients and spend less time in preparing dishes, I don't think most of the people will notice. But he wouldn't. There is no trick at all. I feel that I am given all that he can do for the money I give, or, rather, more than I can expect for what I pay.

I already placed next reservation in January and am very much looking forward to that.

What's become of Imagine Cafe in Harborne?

Have you ever heard about Imagine Cafe in Harborne?



It was pretty famous among those who love Japanese food. It is a traditional English cafe, but in the evening it used to serve Japanese food.

I have never been here in person, but I have heard about it from many Japanese friends, including those who worked there. According to what I heard, it is owned by a Japanese husband and English wife team, and before the opening of Mt. Fuji in Bullring, it was the only place in Birmingham where you could eat authentic Japanese food, cooked by Japanese cooks.

At certain point in last year, however, it increased the price of evening Japanese menu, and not long after that, I heard that they stopped opening for the evening as Japanese restaurant.

When I happened to pass in front of it, I tried to see what happened.

I saw, first of all, that the opening hours are reduced to from 9-4, short even for a traditional cafe. I would guess they want to open only the hours the staff does not need change of shifts.

Then the menu. It still serves some Japanese-ish stuff, but it contains only, Yaki-soba, Shio-Yakisoba, Yaki-udon (these are all varieties of stir-fried noodles), with meat/pranws (£5) or with vebetable (£4.50), Kimchi Yaki udon for £5.50, Miso-ramen (Japanese-Chinese style noodle in soup dish) for £5.50, and Kara-age (Japanese style fried chicken) for £3.50.

That's it.

They all can be served from 9 to 3 o'clock. But who order these dishes for lunch? Students? Possibly, but they are usually not in Harborne for lunch time. I am genuinely curious.

It seemed to me a rather sad demise of this once renowned place.

Related Links on WonderBirmingham
Japanese Food in Birmingham

European Market @ Harborne

Here are some photos from the European Market at Harborne, Birmingham, end of last month.



There were about 30 stalls selling various things from handbags and candles to cheese and paella.

This is a stall selling French cookies. They looked nice, but I don't particularly like cookies, so I did not try any.



This is a stall selling stir fried noodles. They were selling also paella. 4 quids for a plate of fried noodles on a plastic plate, however, seemed too pricey for me.




This photo has nothing to do with the market. There was a cafe selling these terrible looking dry pastas. I wonder if they look appetising to the English people.