Food Review: The Restaurant, Broadway Casino, Birmingham

If you felt peckish in a casino a few years ago, you were faced with two choices . . . a cheese toastie or a ham and cheese sandwich.

If you were lucky it may have been accompanied by a limp wet salad garnish and five soft prawn cocktail crisps that you inserted into the sandwich in the desperate hope of some kind of appetite satisfaction.

You probably had to wait between 30 to 45 minutes to get the attention of one of the two waitresses tasked with serving drinks on the floor to the big gamblers.

And when you did make awkward eye contact, you were charged £2.50 for the privilege of receiving two heavily buttered white slices of nothingness.

Boy, how things have changed… casino’s today are as much about food, shopping and entertainment as they are about the gambling… and Birmingham’s Broadway Casino is no different.

Nestled away in the popular Broadway Plaza, the casino has been a thriving venue for many years, often attracting some of the world’s biggest names in poker during its special festivals.

For first timers, the setup may seem intimidating as you’re met outside by two doormen, before showing your ID in order to gain entry through the barrier.

But once you’re in, the sheer size and elegance of the building blows you away. A huge private bar on the left, a host of plush sofas to recline in and take a break from the action and of course plenty of casino tables, offering a host of different games that will entice even the most reluctant of chancers.

I am all too familiar with the layout having enjoyed plenty of nights of Texas Hold’em over the years, but I was very intrigued to try out the new Italian restaurant, ironically called ‘The Restaurant’.

This new reboot replaced a slightly strange Chinese/Italian/Indian and Thai fusion restaurant called Mirage, that offered plenty of options without really having a true identity.

That cannot be said of ‘The Restaurant,’ whose mission statement promised ‘a taste of Italy renowned for its fresh ingredients and rustic meals’.

It’s evident that a lot of money has gone into this new change, but pulling off Italy just a stones throw away from an Odeon cinema in the middle of Birmingham appeared to be a tall order.

On my own, I was warmly welcomed and offered a variety of seating options due to a large party taking up a lot of space in the centre of the restaurant.

More often than not a table for one can mean a ‘like it or lump it’ table, so the choice was greatly appreciated as I nestled myself into one of the five private booths at the back.

The menu was a breath of fresh air, no more Caesar salad followed by tandoori chicken or Vietnamese noodles – this was crisp, elegant and most important of all, simple.

The best Italian food is simple, the freshness of the ingredients are there to speak for themselves. No need for huge descriptions and a vast array of choices. It was easy to follow – starters, mains and then a separate section for seafood, pasta and pizza.

Prices appeared very reasonable and nobody will not be disappointed with the selections on offer. You’ll be able to make plenty of visits and try a different dish from the menu every time.

Classics

All the classics are available, from Minestrone soup to chicken liver patê to beautiful mussels in a mouthwatering tomato cream sauce – and that’s just some of the starters on show.

I was tempted by the fried squid, but decided on the ‘Bruschetta Basilico,’ which to you and me is toasted bread, with garlic, chopped tomatoes and basil.

You’d be surprised how easy it is to make a poor bruschetta, and there are plenty in the city that have disappointed on multiple occasions. The same cannot be said here as the dish was served by an authentic Italian named Roberto, who I came to learn was the manager of the restaurant, but more about that later.

It was a good portion for a starter and the wait time was a more than acceptable 10 minutes.

The bread was fresh, crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and the tomatoes on top were sumptuous. Just the right amount of oil, a hint of garlic, the dish was excellent.

Again, it’s a simple dish, but that is exactly what it should be, less ingredients and more taste.

There are too many times when chefs try to be too clever, constantly adding unnecessary elements to a plate that was finished long before a foam, powder or jus are considered.

Happily done I awaited my main dish of the evening, the sea bass. Yes, I could have gone a little more indulgent, but I wanted to see exactly how they executed a delicate piece of fish on a busy Friday night.

When it arrived, I was not disappointed. Visually stunning, their presentation was spot on and I was delighted they showcased the whole fish rather than two boneless fillets that often look pretty sad on the plate.

This screamed of a chef that was proud of the product he was serving and he was right to be confident.

Having just returned from having some of the most fabulous fish in Croatia, the dish in front of me was as good if not better than anything I had tasted coming out of the Adriatic Sea.

Lovely flakes of delicate white fish with touch of olive oil and a hint of lemon to lift the dish was an utter delight.

There were a few bones to tackle along the way, but spoiler alert, it’s a fish!

If the thought of avoiding a few during your meal puts you off, I’m sure there’s an establishment just around the corner that can supply something deep fried with lashings of salt and vinegar and a battered saveloy for later.

This sea bass was on point and when I asked about where the fish was from, Roberto was only too pleased to tell me.

His enthusiasm for the product spoke volumes as he informed me how he had used the same family owned fishmonger for many years in the middle of Birmingham.

Roberto (full name Roberto Santolamazza) hails from Rome. No fake Italian accent here, he was the real deal and his warmth and passion for the food made the experience all the better.

His trust in his supplier was incredibly endearing and something which has already secured my return to the restaurant to try more dishes by talented head chef Stefano Gigante.

I was too full to have a dessert , but the plates flying out on the other tables looked just as sublime as the two dishes I had ordered previous.

At £27 for my two courses, ‘The Restaurant,’ provides optimum fresh Italian cuisine at prices that are ultra competitive for Birmingham city centre.

It is without doubt the best Italian I have encountered in the West Midlands and congratulations to Broadway Casino for the reboot.

I will certainly be returning and the very best thing about leaving is that you can win your meal on the way out!

Now, should I put £27 on red or black?