Bloggers Meet at Purnells Bistro, Birmingham

How lovely to have a Friday off work! Even more lovely was the reason for that day off! Lunch with the BBC Good Food Show bloggers. We met at Purnell’s Bistro in Birmingham and were treated to a cocktail masterclass before sitting down for a long chat over a leisurely (and totally delicious) lunch.

The reason for our get together was to discuss the BBC Good Food Show Summer, edging ever closer (12-16 June). We heard about the exciting plans they have for this year and talked about our search for the Midlands best street food. If you have any suggestions, whether its a pop up, a van, a farmers market stall, we want to hear from you! You can send your nominations into me directly or put them on the BBC Good Food Show facebook or tweet @BBCGoodFoodShow using #MidlandsStreetFood. Nominations will be closed 16 April and winners will be announced by 6 May.

Back to Purnell’s Bistro. After everyone had settled down, the head mixologist proceeded to wow us with a number of the signature cocktails from the Gingers Bar menu. Probably the highlight (but definitely not for the faint-hearted) was the clever ‘Lamb Provencal’ made with lamb fat infused rum, cranberry and garnished with rosemary. It really does taste like a roast lamb dinner! Very Willy Wonka!  We also tried the Scorched Lemon Margarita, French Connection, and my favourite – Blackcurrant & Ginseng Rickey with gin infused with ginseng tea.

Glynn and his team put together a special menu for us. It showcases some of the Bistro’s finest dishes and so, after enjoying some cocktails, our gaggle of foodies headed over to the table with camera phones at the ready to eagerly await our first course.

Devonshire Cod – Chorizo – White Beans – Red Pepper – Goats Cheese

The food at Purnell’s Bistro was fantastic – high-quality ingredients cooked to perfection. I ate at Glynns’ main (Michelin starred) restaurant back in October and thoroughly enjoyed his 8-course Purnell’s Tour. If you want to experience Purnell’s but can’t quite afford to eat at that restaurant, the Bistro really is a great option.