I am one of those people who lives to eat, although I don't look it, but because of allergies such as lactose intolerance, dietary preferences such as only having halal meat, I am super picky and it takes a really good restaurant to satisfy me. Some restaurants are able to adapt to your needs and understand your allergies but some look at you in bewilderment. So I decided to share my findings every week and do a weekly post on restaurants, specifically looking at their vegetarian/vegan selections and primarily concentrating on the Birmingham area.
First up, its The Warehouse Cafe.
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| Photo from BirminghamMail.co.uk |
Located on Allison St, at the back of Moor St Car Park, is this little veggie gem. It's located in a bit of an odd place, in what feels like the middle of nowhere but it is around 10 minutes walk from Bullring. Once you get inside, it actually feels like a warehouse, guessing this is where the name comes from. I say this because you ring the doorbell and then follow the signs up a flight of stairs and on the left is the restaurant (opposite the kitchen). This all felt a little weird passing the kitchen and gave a little vibe of a soup kitchen but once you get into the restaurant the lighting is nice and dim and its very calm inside. Very different to most places on a Saturday night, the night I visited.
Whilst perusing their website, I learnt that the restaurant started from a soup kitchen to a vegetarian restaurant in the 80s and although there has been a change of name and owners, the premise has remained the same. They seem to be all about being green, recycling,using solar polar and composting etc. I can't say this type of premise bothers me or alters my view but its nice to know that they keep to the 'green' ideal to the letter.
Now onto the good bit, the food.
I ordered the 'Fish' and Chips. It was battered halloumi with potato wedges and minted peas served on a wooden plaque. The halloumi batter was crisp and the halloumi melted in your mouth. The potato wedges were soft, tasty and fat. The minted peas were a welcome alternative to the norm. All in all, this main dish was seriously delicious and this makes me want to go back for more!
I couldn't wait to try the dessert because I knew I could choose anything on the menu, which is exciting for someone who normally has to check for any kind of dairy and most desserts have dairy, so you can understand my excitement. I chose the Pear Trifle and I did not regret it. It was biscuit crumbled on the top, a custard like filling with pear pieces and it was gorgeously creamy and satisfying. I wish I had ordered two desserts because I also spotted vegan brownie on the menu, next time perhaps.
The vegan brownie is what my friend opted for. I never got to try it but she said its quite rich but delicious and you wouldn't be able to tell its vegan. Which goes to show, vegan food doesn't have to lack in flavor and a non-vegetarian/vegan would want to try it out too.
I actually booked the table through Twitter, which saved me some time and when I was running late, I was able to call them and let them know. They were always super polite and accommodating. Once at the restaurant, they were able to give advice, always came round to check we were ok and the dishes did not take long to arrive. The whole atmosphere of the place is very chilled and this has alot to do with the staff.
The price of the meal was very reasonable, with it being around £12 per person for two courses.
All in all, I enjoyed my visit to the restaurant and cannot fault it.
I cannot wait to visit again soon.
Food - 5/5
Food appropriate for Lactose Intolerance Suffers - 5/5
Service - 5/5
Location - 4/5 (Can be difficult to find and once there, it can be a little confusing)
Cleanliness - 5/5
Value for Money - 5/5
xx
UPDATE
I recently revisited The Warehouse Cafe and tried the Banana Burger and Fruit Crumble.
I fell in love with the burger.
Who would have thought of putting peanut butter, banana and chilli in a burger is an absolute genius.
And the crumble was full of chunky fruit pieces, the crumble itself was also perfect and the homemade feel tasted so good.
The best thing about their food is that it is filling but doesn't feel heavy on your stomach, the perfect pre-night out dinner in my opinion.
This place is the best and their customer service cannot be faulted. I have never seen such a nice bunch of staff members who are happy.
xx
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