The Ivy, Birmingham opened its doors to food fanatics in April 2018 and has been delighting diners with its delicious fare ever since. Elegant, enticing, and exciting, the Ivy promises you a memorable dining experience, and in my opinion, it delivers far more than is expected.
I had been wanting to visit The Ivy Birmingham for a while, when last month, I was finally able to make it to Temple Row in the City Center where it’s located. We’d heard great reviews about the place and were looking forward to our first brunch meal here.
When we entered the restaurant, our first impression was of plush sophistication. Hues of orange and green are dominant in the décor, with beautiful Art Deco glass, muted lights, and interesting artwork adorning the walls. The 3-floors of The Ivy Birmingham are as much a tribute to great artistry as they are to gastronomy. Simply sitting in the pleasant ambiance was very invigorating; the sumptuous food, a big, big bonus.
We started our meal with a coffee since that’s the elixir that gets me up and going every day. My cappuccino was rich and satisfying, with the Ivy logo floating on the froth. We then moved on to the interesting offerings of the brunch menu which are served till 11.30 am Mon-Fri, and till 11 am on the weekend.
Here’s what we ordered: two juices, Beet It and Green Juice, one portion of Avocado, tomato, and sesame, which comes with poached hen’s eggs on toasted granary with sesame dressing and also the breakfast classic Eggs Benedict.
Beet It was a flavorsome concoction of beetroot, apple, lemon & ginger, while Green Juice had avocado, mint, celery, spinach, apple, and parsley. The juices were super-healthy and very refreshing, and if I’d had any more space left, I would’ve tried a few more juices from their enticing selection of fresh beverages.
The Avocado preparation had chopped avocado topped with roast plum tomatoes, a poached hen’s eggs and sesame dressing. The combination was complimentary and the preparation light, which made it a perfect brunch dish.
The Eggs Benedict came with pulled honey roast ham on toasted English muffins, two poached hen’s eggs with hollandaise sauce, and some watercress. I love this preparation since the eggs were cooked to perfection and the hollandaise sauce was flavoured just right.
To sum up the experience, I’d say it was fabulous beyond words. The selection of food at The Ivy Birmingham is a flawless balance of British classics and world cuisine. The ambiance and décor are spectacular, to say the least. The open, wide-spaced seating makes it a great place to host parties or enjoy a night out with friends or family. The staff is courteous and well-informed of the menu’s specifics. All these positives make me want to visit again, sometime soon.
I’ll probably head to The Ivy Birmingham again for another brunch with friends, or maybe even on date night!
