Located within the Hyatt Regency Birmingham, on Bridge Street just off Broad St, is The Gentleman and Scholar Pub.
The place is adorned with features that fit into the gentleman theme and I was there to see how the food fared. As you know by now, I am not a huge meat eater, which I reckon a gentleman would be avid about, so I was very intrigued to see what I could actually have.
The menu wasn't extensive but was quite elaborate, with pub classics being given a twist and with a high price tag attached.
It was great to see such an extensive allergy and dietary advice list, really helpful.
As we were choosing our food, we were presented with some crisps, which was welcomed with chutzpah as it was 8pm on a Friday night and we were STARVING!
For our starters, my mother chose Devon Crab Cocktail, which was presented in a tiffin esque bowl, which had two sections to it. She has never tried crab before and was very happy with the discovery that she loved it. Especially with the way that this was presented. The only gripe she had was maybe more lime should be given, which is a small gripe, as it was otherwise fantastic.
I had the Bloom Tomato with Olives as my starter but without the tomato. It also contained avocado and pomegranate. I didn't realise it was a salad and it was the only option that had no dairy. It was a tad boring, I wish it would have had chunkier pieces of avocado or maybe salmon slices because it has premise for awesomeness.
I saw on the menu that they will mix you up a concoction, even if it isn't on the menu. So I asked if the waiter could make two mocktails and he asked what flavours we liked. I said I like sour and my mum said strawberry and not too sweet. What he concocted was beautiful and all the flavours he chose complimented each other perfectly.
For my mothers main, she chose Baby Peppers, which are served with lentils, goat's cheese and watercress. It was presented beautifully on the plate, as you can see, she said it complimented each other well mentioned that the dish was a tad bland, a little spice or garlic and ginger would've changed this completely.
I wanted to see what the sliders would be like but as they were beef, which I don't eat, chicken, which wasn't halal, and cod, which I can have, surprisingly; I couldn't have them as they were on the menu but asked if they could all be made of cod. The chips that accompanied the mini burgers were amazingly good but because the burger buns were gluten free, they were quite stiff and dry. The cod was also the same. This may have been because I let them know I was dairy free and they changed the recipe but I was still quite disappointed.
For my actual mains, I know I am a greedy girl, I have Fish and Chips, which came with chips and pea puree with watercress. It was a well presented dish but the fish was a tad over cooked, as were the chips but I finished the whole thing because it was crispy and went well with the pea puree. However, the ingredients, you could tell, were of high quality but were not cooked with the precision they were supposed to be.
The condiments were presented in such a suave and simple way.
When we had finished our mains, our waiter, Janasz, presented us with some special desserts that aren't on the menu. Soya panna cotta, raspberries and a strawberry with a strawberry coulis and a chocolate selection (that was obviously for my mother). I really enjoyed the panna cotta and it went so well with the berries and coulis, they should definitely put that on the menu.
Overall, I really liked The Gentleman and Scholar but especially as it is a quaint place that is perfect for a catch up or someone wanted somewhere a little more chilled out on a Friday night. I doubt I will be going back for food because there isn't enough choice for me but if you are a meat eater and you want luxurious pub grub then this is perfect and I would highly recommend it to you.
Food - 2/5
Well presented, could be made better but everything compliments each other well.
Dairy-free options? - 5/5
The waiter was great in making sure that the food I chose was dairy free and was happy to check and get alternatives. The menu doesn't have many choices to begin with so I wasn't surprised they weren't more dairy free options. 1 out of 5 is pretty good compared to more to be honest.
Service - 5/5
The service was the most satisfying because everyone was accommodating, especially Janasz, our waiter, who couldn't do enough.
Cleanliness - 5/5
No messy tables or dirt in site, the staff were on the ball. Toilets, however, were slightly off point for such a great venue.
Location - 4/5
Parking is a problem around here but it is easy to get to and is one of the most iconic buildings within Birmingham, so you cannot miss it.
Value for Money - 3/5
For 2 starters and 3 mains, it would total £48.
Is it worth trying?
Yes, if you want a great location, love a well concocted drink and are a meat eater.
Pros
Iconic building, prestigious brand, great location, drinks are well concocted and great selection for a meat eater.
Cons
Parking can be a problem, not much choice to cater to all needs and prices are a tad high.
Have you tried this place? What did you think?
*I was invited to this meal by a PR company and it was complimentary, however the opinions are my own.*
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