Hotel du Vin Birmingham

There’s a genuinely French bistro feel to the low-lit, romantic restaurant at Birmingham’s classy Hotel du Vin. With its dark stained floorboards, picture-covered walls & racks of seriously impressive French wine bottles, it’s a warm, welcoming place, especially on a dark night. The menu is suitably no-nonsense homely bistro food with bags of appeal & a reassuring emphasis on decent ingredients cooked with skill. While mainly French in style, there are some nice imaginative touches among the charcuterie & confit duck: courgette spaghetti & crayfish & chive veloute teamed with a fried seabass, say, or dill & pine nut couscous & sauce vierge served with a chargrilled tuna steak - there may even chateaubriand for those who fancy a bit of old-style flash, or comfort food in the shape of homemade potted shrimps as a starter. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a lurved-up couple at every table but happily, there’s usually a good mix here, from family groups to ladies who lunch (and dine) & businessmen.