#restaurant review

.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

Authentic Hunan Fare at Hunan Slurp

https://omnivorescookbook.com/hunan-slurp-review/

Which of your favorite New York eateries got a fre-strab rating?

(scathing) REVIEW: Emeril’s in New Orleans
www.emerilsrestaurants.com/emerils-new-orleans/menus

GENERAL REVIEW: Overall experience was seriously lacking. Service was poor. Food was either acceptable or sub-par. We had been watching Emeril Lagasse on Top Chef for months anticipating this meal, and were very disappointed. Bathrooms were cute (loved the basket of free tampons), the place itself was nice (good ambience), but the food itself was nothing special, and certainly not the standard we expected of Emeril’s.

Pictures from top to bottom:

CORNBREAD AND FOCACCIA REVIEW: The cornbread was dusted with sugar, and quite tasty (albeit a little sweet). It was nice and soft, and we enjoyed it. The focaccia was (unfortunately) also quite sweet despite being tomato based. It was not ‘bad’ per se, just nothing we would go back for. (We did ask for more of the cornbread, but thanks to the poor service provided by our waitress, we never received it).

‘Our Emeril’s Salad’ REVIEW: This was probably the best dish we had at this restaurant. The croutons were made in house and nicely seasoned, the greens were nicely dressed, and the flavor combinations were all very good.

'Chicken & Waffles’ REVIEW: Easily the most disappointing entree I had in all of New Orleans. The chicken was twice fried, which made it dry, stringy, and sinewy. It was cold when it came out, and although the picture looks nice, the food, I assure you, was not. The waffles, however, were acceptable (though thinner than expected). The dressing for this dish was very sweet, but again still acceptable. I had been telling a friend about this dish for a long time, building it up to amazing heights, and when she tried it she couldn’t believe I would ever eat something “so shitty”. Not just the Emeril’s chicken and waffles, but chicken and waffles in general. I was very sad that this was her first experience with chicken and waffles, and now she says it will be difficult to get her to try any other version. The best part of the dish was when they took it away with both pieces of chicken barely touched. Thanks Emeril.

'Emeril’s “WHO DAT” Burger’ REVIEW: When my friend asked for her burger medium rare, she was informed by our inept waitress that it wasn’t possible to cook it that way, that it just “comes out the way it comes out, just like when you fry a burger at home in a pan”. Meanwhile the server beside us was just finishing asking someone else how they would like THEIR burger done. When the burger arrived, again, it was acceptable food, nothing to write home about.

'Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie’ REVIEW: This is one of the most acclaimed dishes in the entire restaurant. Wolfgang Puck has said that it is his favorite dessert. I’m not sure what has happened since Chef Puck tried this abomination, but he needs to whip Emeril back into shape. It seriously lacked flavor, and we could tell that it had been cut well before we ordered it (dry).

'Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie’ REVIEW: Acceptable. The whole pie was reasonably good, but the bacon brittle on top was chewy, bitter, and the bacon itself tasted rancid. The brownie crust was also dry and tasteless, kind of like ground dry cat food.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Not worth going back. Only two other tables were occupied while we were there (check out the photos), and it’s easy to see why.

** two stars out of five

La Petite Grocery in New Orleans
http://www.lapetitegrocery.com

ORIGINAL PICTURES

GENERAL REVIEW: This was an excellent restaurant and eating experience. The chef here, Justin Devillier, definitely knows what he is doing. We had actually previously seen him as a contestant on Top Chef, but didn’t realize he was the owner and executive chef until months after out visit. Even though in the first picture the restaurant looks as empty as Emeril’s (review posted further down), the quality of food and service was monumentally better (and it’s worth noting that we went in early January which is low season). It was a quietly elegant atmosphere and décor, which was not at all pretentious, but absolutely has the right to be. It is done is traditional New Orleans style. Fabulous place, and one of our favorite dining experiences of the trip.

Clam Gratin REVIEW:
This dish is not on the menu because it was a daily special, but it sounded good, and specials are a good way to tell whether the restaurant is still on its toes and not neglecting the quality of the food it sends out of the kitchen (*cough* *cough* EMERIL’s). This was, like everything else we had, very tasty. It was, however, our least favorite dish, but even so, it was still better than the best dish we had at Emeril’s (we hold a pretty iron clad grudge, can you tell?). I have to be completely honest, although still delicious, this was our least favorite dish, and we can’t remember the subtleties of the flavors as well as the other dishes. It was tasty (we would have remembered if it wasn’t) and quite heavy since it was baked in cream and cheese.

Blue Crab Beignets REVIEW:
Creamy, crispy, yummy. We were intrigued by the idea of a savory beignet, and this appetizer was a great way to sample some. My only negative comment would be that there could have been more crab and less cream within these fried morsels, as crab is a very delicate protein and can be easily overwhelmed by heavier items such as cream. Despite this, there was plenty of crab meat to be found, and the flavors of the malt vinegar aioli provided a needed contrast to the richness of the filling itself. These beignets were hot, crunchy and delicious balls of yumminess (for fans of Schweddy), and we would order them again.

LPG Cheeseburger REVIEW:

Best. Burger. Ever.

Not exaggerating. Not one bit.

Where do I even start. Let’s start from the inside out. The grind, seasoning, and temperature of the beef were all spot on. It just seemed to melt in your mouth. It was so hot and juicy I have to have a white girl moment and say “I can’t even”. The thick slice of Gruyere on top melted into the beef beautifully. The house made pickles were sour and tangy, but not overwhelmingly so (which can sometimes happen when one puts pickles on a burger). The aioli was also fabulous, adding a creaminess and flavor which bound the other flavors together perfectly. The arugula was also a welcome addition, even though both myself and my friend usually don’t care for it. FYI my friend ended glomming half of this burger (even though it was supposed to be my personal entrée, and I’d agreed to hand over no more than a bite when I ordered it). The bun was also freshly baked, being buttery, warm, soft and all around totally scrummy. We have never tasted a better rendition of the traditional burger, and we will be coming back to La Petite Grocery for it without a single doubt.

Thumbs up Justin, it was a win. PS Emeril, suck it, suck it, suck it.

Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise REVIEW:
This was a very satisfying finale to our meal here, despite its minuscule size. It’s about as big as a silver dollar in diameter, so make sure you don’t decide to share it like we did if you like heartier portions of sweets. It is also important to note that it is in fact very rich and delicious, so ordering one for yourself will be just enough (despite its size). The marquise itself was not too sweet since it was bittersweet and not milk chocolate which was used to make it. The mascarpone cream on top provided a welcome relief to the richness of the chocolate, and created a very decadent and elegant dessert. It was also plated very beautifully, which we also love to see despite flavor being the most important factor in any dish (in our opinion). It had the texture of a very dense mouse (like a moist truffle), which added to the heaviness. We assume this is why it is so small, as any larger for one person would become overwhelming. This dessert was very good, and undoubtedly the best dessert we had in New Orleans.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yum. Definitely worth it and solidly in our top three favorite restaurants in NOLA. Stay tuned for the grande finale.

***** five stars

Cochon Butcher in New Orleans
http://www.cochonbutcher.com/new-orleans

Muffuletta Sandwich REVIEW:
This was the best sandwich (non-burger) we had in New Orleans. I still have the video of my friend taking her first bite, and the look of sheer joy and pleasure which crossed her face. Nothing can be wrong in the world when you’re eating this sandwich. Let me break it down. Cochon scratch makes all of it’s cold cuts and sausages in house, makes its own olive salad, and bakes its own bread fresh every day. It really comes down to not only the symphony of the flavors that should work together simply because of the ingredients complementing each other, but the quality of the ingredients themselves. The bread was crispy and moist, with the flavor of the sesame seeds adding nicely to the flavor profile of the sandwich. The mortadella, salami, ham and cheese added varying shades of saltiness and soft textural differences. The olive salad was also fresh and delicious, with just the right amount of marinade and seasoning. You guys, this sandwich is, as Guy Fieri would say, ‘the bomb dot com’. It is so good that we tried this before going on a food tour later that day, because on the food tour we tried some shitty hipster version of a muffuletta with focaccia instead of traditional muffuletta bread (created exclusively for this sandwich!), with ridiculously stingy amounts of filling and with a sad SAD excuse for an olive salad. I made a point of telling everyone on the tour not to let that be their first impression of the sandwich, and to go to Cochon to get a taste of the real deal. It is a perfect bite of warm, melty cold cut sandwich. The heat from the griddle elevated the cold cuts and melted the cheese which added a very pleasant creaminess to the sandwich. It was lovely and juicy, as can be appreciated in the second picture. I could go on forever, but the only way to truly appreciate this masterpiece in its full glory is to head down to Cochon in New Orleans and try it for yourself. Fair warning, it is a pretty generous portion, so go hungry, and you will leave not only with a full stomach, but with a happy heart and a smile on your face.

Epilogue
Quote from my friend: “That fucking shit rocks”.
Staff were friendly and order came in a timely manner straight to the table after ordering at the deli counter.

*****/***** five stars out of five

ORIGINAL PICTURES

Muffuletta from the Central Grocery in New Orleans
http://www.centralgrocerynola.com

This was a really good sandwich. It was not the best muffuletta we had, (that review will come later!), but the olive salad by itself was. It had lots of flavor, and there were actual chunks of olive and other ingredients which gave it a more robust texture, and highlighted each ingredient more, since it was less of a homogenous spread. Central Grocery makes it’s own cold cuts, and these were thick and flavorful (but again, this was not the best! Stay tuned!). The store itself is definitely worth visiting since they have lots of interesting food, such as a wide variety of beans, grains and pasta. They claim that they created the original muffuletta, and it is definitely a good representation of the sandwich. Really enjoyable and would definitely recommend.

‘Red Gravy Cafe’ in New Orleans (recently voted best brunch spot in Nola by Open Table!)
http://redgravycafe.com/#menu

ORIGINAL PICTURES

GENERAL REVIEW: Food here was pretty good. It was nothing like some of the other places we went to like La Petite Grocery, Commander’s Palace, and Cochon Butcher’s (reviews to come). But stacking it up against normal places elsewhere in the world it comes up really good. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, with a strong red, cushy theme. (Seriously, red walls, and red cushy furniture).

PROSCUITTO DI PARMA AND FRUIT PLATE REVIEW: It’s difficult to make a really good cold cut and fruit plate, since it is literally just that, cold cuts and fruit. The strawberries themselves could have been more flavorful (and I realize that sounds retarded since it’s just a berry on a board, but maybe a quality control issue?). The prosciutto was really good though, pretty good quality. The sweet and salty flavors really complemented each other, and really served as a good app.

IVAN FRENCH BREAD SANDWICH REVIEW: The sausage was good, hot and mildly spicy, but the bread and the rest of the sandwich were rather bland. The potato chips tasted homemade!

CANNOLI PANCAKES REVIEW: Really good for those who like sweet things for breakfast. The sweetness was a bit overwhelming, and it was a bit stingy on the filling (really needed some more ricotta and chocolate chips), but the flavors were there. This is their signature dish, and it’s pretty easy to see why, since it had good flavors and textures, just, again, needed some balance to all that sweetness and a bit more generous on the filling.

Kind of a hipster locale, but cool to eat there. It’s like being inside a fortune teller’s padded room.

*** three stars out of five