Mailbox dining Birmingham

Life - Red Pepper Birmingham Restaurant Experience

4:30:00 pm

A few weeks ago I decided to return to Red Pepper after having a delicious meal and a few yummy cocktails as part of the Birmingham Blogger Meet Up, this time I took Adam, I knew from my first visit he would love the food and I was right.

When we first walked in Kai the waiter who took care of the massive table at the meet up recognised me, which was a lovely touch and made me feel most welcome.  Were seated by the window on a small table for two, perfectly cosey and we could watch the world go by as we ate.  Where we were sitting we could see the whole of the restaurant and all the little ornaments and pictures on the wall, I love the way everything is fitting to the theme of the restaurant and the quotes dotted around the walls.

The cocktail menu was the first to catch my eye, shock horror.  The range of cocktails is fantastic with something for everyone and ranging from five to eight pounds each, I chose the Cranberry Cooler, made up of amaretto, vodka, cranberry and orange juice, I am convinced this was invented with me in mind, all my favourites in my drink, more than perfect.  Adam also decided on a cocktail which is very unlike him, he normally has a pint or a Jack Daniels and coke wherever we go but the Lynchburg Lemonade swayed him.  The main ingredient Jack Daniels is mixed with orange liqueur, sweet and sour and topped with lemonade, I don't even like Jack Daniels but I had to have a wee taste and this was lovely not too overpowering and pleasantly refreshing.


We spent a good while deciding what to order as I didn't want to have the same as I had before but I had Adam with me and he wanted exactly what I had on my first visit so the plan was if I didn't like what I ordered he would swap, this was the plan in my head he had no idea.  Luckily I loved what I ordered and there was no need to swap.

I ordered the Goats Cheese and Caramelized Red Onion Pizzetta, after only trying goats cheese for the first time in January I am now obsessed.  This was so scrummy, the goats cheese just slightly melted into the bread and the caramelized onion complimented the cheese perfectly, which has quite a strong flavour so the onions sweetened it up.  I ordered the large one so Adam could have a taste and I could save some for my main course. I really loved this and was a perfect start to the meal. Adam decided on my all time favourite Nachos with Chicken, the nachos at Red Pepper are fabulous with the rustic tortilla chips smothered in sour cream, salsa, guacamole, three bean chilli, jalapenos, olives, cheese and chunks of cajun chicken.  Definately the best nachos I have had even beating Chiquitos, which had been my favourite for years.  These are almost like a meal in themselves so definately not for the faint hearted.



My main course was my favourite part of the meal, again I went a bit goats cheese crazy.  I decided on the Chevre Genovese (dont ask me to pronounce that one).  Penne pasta tossed in pesto with chunks of  goats cheese, dollops of cream, with sundried tomatoes, pine nuts & kalamata olives thrown in for good measure.  This has to be another mix of all my favourite foods into one dish, I love every single thing especially the pine nuts and sundried tomatos.  Together in this recipe the flavours just explode in your mouth all working well together, my taste buds were having a ball.  I would definitely order this again but ask them to cut down on the goats cheese, there was just a smidgen to much and I would have enjoyed this with lots more pine nuts, but then again I would eat pine nuts until they were coming out of my ears.
Adam was undecided between the burgers and what he actually ordered but in the end he went for the Coconut Chicken Curry with Hot Thai spices, vegetables & rice.  When I first tried this I expected the coconut to be somewhat overpowering but it really isn't, the coconut has been perfectly measured to make sure it is not the only prominent flavour of the dish. On the menu this has two chillis beside it indicating it will be spicy, the spicy kick in this just makes it so delicious and I think this is why the coconut is not overpowering or sickly.  This is described as one of the Red Pepper Favourites and I can definately see why.



 blogger has a mind of its own and will not let me upload this picture in the right direction


As im sure you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed my second visit to Red Pepper and sadly I was too full up to have a desert so I will be making sure the next time I visit I will miss out the starter so I can save room for one of the many scrumptious deserts, they look to die for.  

When I eat out or go for a drink somewhere I always check out the rest rooms maybe weird but I have been known to base my opinion on the state of the ladies room in places.  The rest rooms in Red Pepper are so lovely with luxurious hand washes and lotions to use and quirky quotes on the walls, these are just extra touches that make me like the restaurant more.



I love where red pepper is situated within the Mailbox as its such a chilled out area of the city The menu is so affordable with delicious food and generous portions.  This is fast becoming one of my favourite places to eat out and I cannot wait for my next visit.

I am so hungry after writing this, so im going to make some toast, so adventurous I know!

Lots of Love

Gemma

xxx

catch up post

Life - You Can't Fly Unless You Let Yourself Fall

9:28:00 pm

Good evening everyone, 


I wanted to write this little post just to keep you updated with what I have been up to and just a general chit chat really.  I hope you like the title of this post, I thought it was a wee bit cool.  This is going to be a little bit of a random and rambly post but there is just so much I have to tell you, if your a bit nosey like me you will love this 

First things first im ill, (yes I expect you to feel some kind of pitty) since Saturday I have been feeling really choked up with the flu, I was annoyed because I had the weekend off and had a whole blogging weekend planned but my body just wanted to sleep, im just so so tired.  I was at work today but im hoping to get a good days rest and lots of vitamin c tomorrow so I can start feeling a bit more human. 

Tomorrow will be a week since I seen Justin Bieber at the NIA in Birmingham, I wasn't a massive fan before the concert, I liked a few of his songs but I don't own any of his albums or anything.  This was the most amazing music concert I have EVER been to.   The atmosphere was just out of this world unlike anything I had never experienced before. I don't think I really realised how much he was idolized until the moment he walked on stage or should I say flew, girls were crying, screaming, shouting marriage proposals, they really are besotted with him.  Now as much as I was not declaring my love to Justin I did appreciate that he is a very fine young lad, such a good looking human, taking his top off at the end of the show was a treat.  I then spent most of the next day watching you tube and the live videos from the show I had been to, maybe had a slight episode of Bieber Fever.  Thankfully the concert I attended run to schedule unlike the much ranted about O2 performance running late yesterday, although I do not agree with what happened, I am a firm believer in the saying -Shit Happens! 

Justin Biber at the NIA Birmingham 2013 27/02


Last week I returned to the Francesco Group Academy for a curly blow dry, unfortunately it did not live up to my first visit there and I had to return shortly after leaving to have my hair curled again as all of the curls had fallen out.  The last time I was there I had an apprentice do my hair and it really was fabulous, this time I had a student this is why didn't mind to much that the blow dry wasn't the best as it is all to help the students gain experience. 

I visited the Crave Salon at Birmingham's Custard Factory,  I was sue to have a pumpkin peel facial but as I was attending the Bieber concert on the same evening the lovely Beau decided it would not be a good idea to perform the treatment.  So that I can experience the full pampering experience of Crave I will be returning this Thursday for a Big Bouncy Blow Dry, very excited about this.  Just look at the glittery black floor, so glamourous.



I had the best little spending spree in Lush the other day I bought lots of Bath Ballistics and Bubble Bars as im sure you are all very aware I love a bath.  I had actually never tried any of Lush's Bath Ballistics before and have been delighted with the two that I have tried already, look out for reviews of these Lush beauties.  The Easter range is lovely, my favourite so far is the Brightside Bubble Bar-super fruity.  I also have to mention the amazing man with orange hair that works in my local Lush store, he was amazing not overly helpful and shoving products down my throat just got an idea for what I was looking for and picked out things he thought Id like, his recommendations were amazing and I bought every single one. 


Right girls I need to make a confession, im slightly embarrassed about this confession but here goes, I had a dream about buying a lipstick!  Yes a full all night dream about buying Mac's Candy Yum Yum, I am craving a bright fushia, matte lipstick. Please tell me in the comments below what your favourite lipstick that fits this description is, I want to buy them all.

So the fact that I have wrote this little ramble for you this evening now breaks the 5 days break I have had from posting and may even mean Im feeling a bit more human.YAY.  All being well I will be posting my usual weekly posts (skincare series, hair care series) before the week is out and a couple of others too.  This brings me to a question I have meaning to ask for a long time, What kind of posts would you like to see more of on Button's Blog, is there something I haven't done that you would like to see or something im doing that you love and want to see more of?

If you have lasted this long I salute you!

Lots of Love

Gemma Button

xxx