The hottest day ever recorded in the UK provided the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed cocktail and canapes soiree at Birmingham’s REP, celebrating the launch of the new-look Marmalade bar and restaurant.
Showcasing a range of dishes suitable for all palates – we were invited along to sample the menu and experience Birmingham Rep’s new look space for ourselves.
THE FOOD
We were first greeted by wonderful trays of canapes featuring some unique flavours of shredded duck and marmalade – it worked amazingly well. For those that fancied a meat free option there were vegan mini tartlets with a refreshing salsa.
Marmalade also offer a range of small plates that are perfect for a light bite before a theatre showing or simply as a starter. We were loving how well catered the team were to all dietary requirements, from various meat options, fish, even vegan and gluten free. One of our personal favourites was a Fava Bean Patty with a tomatillo chutney and dukka spices. In every bite you could taste each individual ingredient working together to create a divine sensuous experience.
When they brought the mains out, it felt like Christmas had come early. Displayed in beautiful rustic blue and green crockery, the food was an indulgence for the senses. Supplying us with selections of Sweet
Potato Thai curry, mange tout, bok choi, shiitake mushrooms, coconut crisp & fragrant rice (both vegan and gluten free) as well as Fillet of Sea Bass with potato and spring onions ragout & sauce vierge – the
list would go on forever. The staff were brilliant offering up all the dishes for us to try – it was fair to say we weren’t going to go hungry!
Of course, we had to save the best meal until last, the scrumptious desserts were good enough to convince anyone to ditch the diet! From the likes of Chocolate & Coffee Mousse with Chantilly cream and pecan praline, gluten free Lemon Tart with lime zest and raspberry sorbet and
Blueberry Frangipane with vanilla crème fraiche – what’s not to love?!
If you fancy treating yourself or a loved one to a glorious afternoon at the theatre, why not try Marmalade’s afternoon tea packages? For £12.95 you can have an assortment of sandwiches, cakes and scones – not to mention vegan alternatives to the package, which were delicious!
THE DRINKS
If you are after a cocktail in the sunshine, then Marmalade is the perfect place to go. Set in the newly revamped Centenary Square, you can sip on a cocktail while watching the brilliant new water feature just outside the restaurant. With contemporary outdoor seating and staff always on hand to help with any needs – this is the spot of the summer.
We managed to have the brilliant opportunity to talk with some of the distilleries that are suppliers for Marmalade, one of whom was ODK Mixers – an Italian brand of syrups. We spoke to one of their reps who explained that all the lemons are grown within a one-mile radius of their
factory in Sicily, whereby they pick and squeeze the lemons the same day. We managed to grab one of their lovely lemon ice teas which was perfectly refreshing on the hottest day of the year.
THE INTERIOR
Rustic wooden tables and copper hanging lights was a modern vibe for the newly refurbished restaurant. Marmalade have fitted beautifully printed feature walls – perfect for those that want to get the perfect
snap for Instagram – not to mention all the quirky accessories! You can relax into the large Chesterfield style booths, or big blue armchairs – comfort is key at Marmalade.
VERDICT:
Now under control of the in-house REP team, it’s their firm intention to make Marmalade a destination bar and restaurant in its own right; a place that’s good enough to go to irrespective of whether you are going to the theatre or not. They’ve got all the right ingredients and we think they’ve pulled it off – especially with its incredible location overlooking the fountains of Centenary Square. A real sweet treat.
