.The Miller & Carter Steak Experience | Mailbox, Birmingham.

Last weekend I was invited along to Miller & Carter in the Mailbox to test out their Steak Experience and having never been before I didn’t realise I’d been missing out on such a gem of a restaurant. Miller & Carter have numerous restaurants across the country all boasting a fine selection of steaks and grills to satisfy any diner and a very impressive drinks menu to boot. We chose the Birmingham branch on the top level of the stylish Mailboxcomplexone beautifully warm and a sunny August Sunday and it turned out to be the perfect afternoon thanks to impeccable service, irresistible wine and incredible food.

We wandered into the restaurant a little earlier than our booked table after a lovely glass of Veuve in Bar Epernay below and were greeted by friendly obliging staff who showed us to a big table by the window straight away and allowed us to look through the giant Miller & Carter menus. There was so much choice we ordered some drinks while we were looking through from their impressive and reasonably priced wine list and well stocked bar – an iced cold Peroni for him, a large Chilean Sauvignon for me (£4.30). The starters looked too good to resist so we both dove straight in with Lemongrass & Chilli Tempura King Prawns (£6.95) and the Bourbon Glazed Belly Pork Bites (£5.95) which were just the right size and incredibly moreish, especially those crispy prawns with chilli jam.

Onto the main attraction….

We both ordered the 12oz Ribeye off the bone (£19.95), one medium and one medium rare and I was incredibly pleased to see that both of the steaks came exactly as ordered. On the menu Miller & Carter suggest how to have each steak cooked for maximum enjoyment but I went one below (because I’m such a foodie rebel) and it was melt in the mouth delicious, but I have to say I think they were spot on with their medium recommendation after tasting Joe’s. Each steak comes with an iceberg lettuce bowl and a choice of dressings which is a nice touch. I went for the Bacon & Honey Mustard dressing and even though I’m not an iceberg lettuce fan it was a welcome addition that i really enjoyed! Your steak also comes with a bowl of delicious chips, seriously delicious chips that were crispy, salty and fluffy in the middle – perfectly cut and so moreish – and a slab of onion loaf, oh the onion loaf! I will be dreaming about that onion loaf for weeks, it was a scrumptious potatoey oniony side that I never knew existed -  i will now be devastated if any steak I order in the future doesn’t come with it…do not miss out on the onion loaf! I ordered a Half Lobster Tail to go along with my steak (£5.75) and it was a delicious little addition to my plate – definitely worth adding onto your order – and a blue cheese butter that melted through my ribeye leaving me in cheesy, meaty, buttery heaven. Highly recommended.

For our mains we moved onto the red wine(an essential with a good steak in my eyes) and the Miller & Carter menu even helps you pick your wine based on the steak you’ve ordered – a lovely touch. Our waitress Becca however had an excellent knowledge of wine and helped us choose two similar wines to complement our mains with Joe opting for a slightly lighter Australian Shiraz (£8.25) and myself choosing a deep a fruity Spanish Rioja (£7.60) both of which paired perfectly with our steaks and they went down very, very well.

Pudding time, and as we were both about ready to burst we opted for a Tasting Plate to share (£8.95) consisting of a selection of White Chocolate & Pistachio Iced Parfait, a delectable Warm Chocolate Brownie,Sticky Toffee PuddingandVanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was to die for. We asked Becca for 15 minutes to finish off our wine before ordering two perfectly balanced Irish Coffees to finish off our meal on the balcony overlooking the canal and we were two very happy, very full little bunnies.

I can’t believe i’d never stepped foot in a Miller & Carter restaurant before but I’d go back in a heartbeat. It’s the perfect place that would suit any party - a date night, family meal or a night with friends and isn’t going to break the bank either. We had a wonderful afternoon and I can’t wait to visit again – I’m heading straight for the cocktail menu next time!

You can take a look at the whole menu and book a table for the mailbox on the Miller & Carter website here.

Have you been to Miller & Carter before? What’s your steak of choice? 

Tweet us @xameliax @Millerandcarter #millerandcarter 

xax

.Detox and Cleanse In Whole New Way | Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Wash and Mask.

I have quite large pores on my cheeks that get blocked very easily especially when exercising a lot in warm weather. I find sometimes even with my Clarisonic it can be quite hard to get my skin completely  clean so I occasionally need to reach for something a bit more heavy duty. Boots have released a new range of Tea Tree and Witch Hazel skincare products with active charcoal to help detox the skin leaving it feeling super clean and clear and I’ve been testing them out!

Their new Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Active Charcoal Facial Wash* and Face Mask* come in simple packaging that are easy to handle and fit right in on your shelf of every day face products, however both are jet black when you squeeze them out and they gave me a bit of a shock when I slapped them on my face! You only need the tiniest bit of the face wash to get a good lather on and although it looks a bit scary it’s easily rinsed away with a warm flannel leaving your skin incredibly clean. For me I found I needed to use an oil(favourites being thisandthis) afterwards as it did leave parts of my face feeling a little dry but for a good old pore cleanout it’s amazing.

I tend to use the mask once a week and I love it. It doesn’t dry down completely and crack like a clay mask (which for some reason I expected) but it’s easily applied and left for 10 minutes before again rinsing off with a flannel to reveal perfect pores and a very clean feeling behind. I’m really impressed with both of the products and they have an incredible price point too. I would have never thought to put Charcoal on my face but I’m a total convert – a great little skincare duo that work well and won’t break the bank.

You can find the new range on the Boots website here starting form just £2.87 as an introductory offer!

Have you tried any Boost Skincare? Would you pick these up next time you’re in and give them a go?

Tweet us @xameliax @BootsOfficialUK 

xax

.Revive Those Limp Locks | Bedhead Re-Energize Hair Mask. 

I’ve tried a number of different hair masks in my time – for me my hair is the one thing I can experiment with without the repercussions I get from messing with my skincare too much. My favourite so far is the Macadamia Deep Repair Mask but this little beaut from BedHead is giving it a run for it’s money right now which is very exciting! I tend to use a mask when my hair needs a moisture boost and the ends are looking a bit lackluster so I like it to feel a bit luxurious, smell amazing and leave my hair looking great for the extra 7 mins I stand in the shower with it on.

From the Bedhead urban solutions range theirRe-Energize Mask* is designed to invigorate and deeply mosturise even the tiredest of hair and that’s exactly what it does. I cannot get enough of it’s scent – like a zesty creamy key lime pie and it feels lovely both in the shower and afterwards. Post-styling it leaves my hair feeling wonderfully soft and leaves me ready to take on the day(or evening) and i’ve been reaching for it quite a lot. If i had to be really picky i’d say it maybe doesn’t moisturise as much as my macadamia favourite but it’s certainly close and overall it’s a great product - certainly one to try ladies!

You can find the full Bed Head range here with this yummy hair mask starting at around £12.

What’s your favourite hair mask? Have you tried anything from the Bed Head Urban Antidotes range?

Tweet me @xameliax

xax