Bistro 1847 - A Vegetarian Delight

You look for ages for a good vegetarian restaurant and then three come along at the same time! Having raved about 'Terre A Terre' in Brighton in my blog back in October 2013, I have now discovered Bistro 1847. Bistro 1847 is a small collection of bistros in the UK. Named after the year the Vegetarian Society was formed, 1847 was established by Damien Davenport in Manchester city centre in 2010, with the second restaurant in 2012 in Chorlton and the third in Birmingham opened in September 2013.

Yesterday my wife and I visited 1847 in Birmingham for lunch. Located in the beautiful Great Western Arcade, 1847 Birmingham is on the doorstep of the city's cathedral, galleries, theatres and shopping district. It is also opposite Snow Hill Station making it very easy for travelling. The Great Western Arcade houses many independent businesses that are well worth a visit (above). We had a wonderful, beautifully presented meal that was wholesome, tasty and fresh. The vegetables were a delight, particularly the sprouts in my starter dish of gnocchi, Brussel sprout and wild cabbage. My main dish was equally tasty - the sweet and sour shallots and leek crepe was beautifully creamy, the accompanying red cabbage was spicy and mouthwatering while the caramelised squash was just yummy! 

A small team of chefs work at each restaurant and 1847 menus are the product of the chefs' collective experiences. They say the following, ''the resultant cooking is an unashamed magpie cuisine, borrowing inspiration from everywhere - films, books and square pegs in round holes. The food is inspired by folk music, fawlty towers and 99 flakes, especially the days when they actually cost 99p. We want to be the most innovative and ambitious vegetarian restaurants in the UK, and work tirelessly on new concepts, flavours and ways of improving our customer experience''

A visit to the Bistro 1847 website will give you a 'taste' (not literally) for their menus, but to get your taste buds tingling, I am listing 1847 Birmingham's menu that was offered to me yesterday:

Starters 

Gnocchi, Brussel sprout, wild cabbage, 

Herb cream Parsnip, wild mushroom, 

Malayasian lemon-grass and almond potato crackling 

Carrot falafel, wild herb oil, wild chervil, feta ice cream 

Wild mushroom and potato crackling, smoked mayonnaise, ‘toast’ crumb 

Seasonal soup - served with chunk of artisan bread 

Potted blue, onion marmalade, crisp breads

Mains 

Celeriac pearl barley risotto , blue cheese, seasonal greens 

Beer-battered halloumi, mushy pea mayo lemon curd, sea herbs, triple-cooked chips

 Spiced squash ballotine, nut praline, ale gravy, seasonal vegetables 

Mushroom, thyme & cauliflower ragout, ‘parmesan dumplings’ 

Sweet & sour creamed shallots & leek crepe, spiced red cabbage, Caramelised squash

Panko crumbed Cornish brie, black cherry & pecan, Roast fennel, chicory,

Desserts 
White chocolate and crème fraiche, sorrel, apple 
Sticky toffee, smoked ice cream, chestnut praline 
Whipped squash, roast plum, dark chocolate 
Baked sour cream, seasonal fruit, spiced brioche 
Cheese board – three British cheeses, charcoal cracker, spiced chutney 
‘Crunchie’ parfait, cherry, chocolate 

2 courses £19 
3 courses £25

 http://bistro1847.com/