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HARD TO SWALLOW HARDEN’S SLATES BRUM RESTAURANTS

29-11-2007

Three restaurants have tied for West Midlands top spot in the latest edition of the respected Harden’s Guide – but Birmingham is dismissed as a “remarkably poor dining out destination.”

Harden’s tapped into “user generated content” years before the phrase was invented. Their guide is based entirely on comments sent by ordinary diners rather than critics’ reports.

Perhaps their downbeat attitude towards Brum owes rather more to their contributors (or possibly lack of them) in this area than to any genuine deficiency. On the other hand, maybe they’ve identified an inconvenient truth that we’d rather ignore.

In any event they note that although the city has had two Michelin-starred restaurants – Simpson’s and the now defunct Jessica’s –“this has allowed the media to imply, rather glibly, that the city is all of a sudden some sort of culinary wonderland.”

Unfortunately, they conclude that “despite all the apparent developments in the city centre, this great conurbation remains a remarkably poor dining out destination.”

The Black Country fares even worse, with only one recommendation, Bilash in Wolverhampton.

On a more positive note, Simpsons in Edgbaston, Cielo in Brindley Place, and Beau Thai in Solihull are all highly rated. All three rank equally as the best in the West Midlands with a combined total of 7 points for food, service and ambience – in Harden’s, it’s better to score low than high, with one point meaning “exceptional” and five “poor”.

Cielo ranks highly for service and ambience but only scores a 3 (“good”) for food, while the nosh at Simpson’s and Beau Thai rates a 2 (“very good”).

(Here are some restaurants which, in The Stirrer’s opinion are excellent, but which have been missed by Hardens.

Filini, a quality Italian at The Radisson Hotel, which has an excellent discount offer through this website – for details, click here.

Imrans – glass table top classics in the Balti Triangle. Saffron – likewise in Oldbury.

Café Soya – two branches in the Chinese Quarter, veggie heaven but the new one in Dean Street is good for meat eaters too).

Have Harden’s got it right?

Is Birmingham “a remarkably poor dining out destination?

What are your favourite restaurants in the West Midlands?

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