Birmingham Bites: Zindiya

Birmingham Bites: Zindiya

Wednesday 24 May 2017

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Hello internet friends! It's been ages since I've had a chance to write or even be very active on social media (blame exams), but I'm so excited about this post! If you know me well you have probably heard me say I'm not the biggest fan of Indian food, now thats not totally accurate. To be more more precise I'm not the biggest fan of "curries", instead I go crazy for South Indian street food. Which is exactly why I was so eager to try Zindiya. Birmingham is known for its curries, but the fame of the Balti Triangle has never really sparked my fancy the same way that Zindiya did.

And let me tell you it did not disappoint! Everything from the decor to the drinks was crafted with such great detail, I truly was in utter bliss. The inside of the restaurant is made to look like Indian streets and really sparked my nostalgia. The Thumbs Up and Limca signs were irresistibly cute and very "insta-worthy". But it's not just the decor at Zindiya that impressed me. 

  

The drinks were amazing! I had the "From Ooty With Love" while my friend Caity opted for the "Coconut bliss". Each was spectacular, all be it incredibly unique and different. "From Ooty With Love" was refreshing and floral, it's inspired by the prominence of roses in the region, and was evidently boozy. While "Coconut Bliss" was more expected, it emulated a classic tropical drink with a twist and arrived of course in a real coconut!

Then came the most awaited part, food! We ordered Pani Puri, The Trio of Dosa, Samosa Chaat, and the Idli Sambar. Pani Puri is my absolute favourite food (ask my mum). In India I ate it so much I got sick from over eating. My excitement, as I'm sure Caity can vouch for, was palpable. It wasn't the best selection of Indian street food that I have had. There were definitely certain aspects that lacked, in my view, authenticity. But with that said, the food was well prepared, it tasted good, and was very filling! 

 

The atmosphere, drinks, and food combined all made for an incredible experience. But if you're on the hunt for the best South Indian food in Birmingham, I regrettably don't think this is it. What I will say though, is the places that usually do have the best street food don't have (generally speaking) the detailed decor and well crafted drinks that Zindiya provided. I would still highly recommend it, and will 100% be taking my mum if she ever visits! 

After dinner Caity and I went for drinks. Caity is doing an exchange in Birmingham and has traveled all the way from the U.S. Well during her time in England she's been so busy hoping around Europe that she never truly managed to see much of delightful Brum! So we were off to The Edgbaston, a cocktail bar whose menu is crafted around the treasures of this wonderful city! On a mission to immerse Caity as thoroughly as possible in Birmingham's lively culture we entered the beautiful Art Deco establishment (seriously it's like a Gatsby lover's dream!). 

    

If you've been to the U.K. (particularly in the summer) I'm sure you will be familiar with the 99 Flake. If not imagine a classic soft serve with a  crumbly cadbury chocolate bar plopped on the perfect swirl.  The candy floss adorned drink called "99 problems ..." (and a sugar rush is definitely 1 of those..)  was inspired by none other than the classic 99 flake. And according to both Caity and I (I stole a sip) it was divine. Seriously drinking it felt like being a child, carefree and whimsical. I opted for the slightly less sweet (but still sweet) "Risk it for a Biscuit". The drink was inspired by Freeth's Coffee House, a Birmingham establishment well known for bringing together some of the most politically and philosophically enlightened. The drink had an Espresso Martini vibe with caramelized Biscoff biscuit. Not pictured is the drink I had featuring distilled grasshoppers and Caity's art inspired and paintbrush clad cocktail! 

Overall the evening was spectacular and reminded me how much I enjoy trying new things, exploring  this city and most importantly, reinforced my love for food. 

XX, 

F. 

Dinner With Strangers

Dinner With Strangers

Saturday 6 May 2017

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A view of the Birmingham Canals from inside the canal boats. 

"DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS". We've all heard, memorized, and internalized the notions and possible consequences associated with the previous remark. Talking to strangers, we've been told since adolescence, will, without a doubt, pose an existential threat on your life and safety. So, if talking to stranger is THAT bad why on earth did I willingly embark on a 2-hour canal boat to have dinner with a complete stranger (sorry mum), and more importantly what did I learn?

A map of of the canals. 

I'll start simply by explaining the premise of the event itself. Dinner With Strangers: Canal Evolution was a live art installation which sought to foster basic human connection between two totally vulnerable, awkward, and diverse strangers. The event was organized by BeatFreeks, a Birmingham based collective and the Birmingham Canal  & River Trust.

A little glimpse into our canal boat packed with strangers!

The event, like most events I attend these days, appeared on my Facebook newsfeed and immediately caught my attention. One of my many resolutions for 2017 has been to be more spontaneous and bold, and the idea of having dinner with a complete stranger seemed to fit that goal pretty nicely. I instantly knew that Angelika (from http://www.angelikablogs.com) would be equally as thrilled to embark on an evening of surprises with me!So the seed was planted and the two of us became instantly excited about the prospects and potential that would unravel.

Our "bill" was two beautifully hand drawn questionnaires. 

On the actual day my excitement shifted to nervousness and a bit of fear. My brain swirled with doomsday scenarios as I made my way down to the canals. Upon arrival, Angelika and I, both quite nervous, decided to take the edge off with a shot. As we waited in the cue of a local bar I overheard a women behind us talking about an Espresso Martini shot (and I LOVE espresso martinis). My curiosity led me to strike up a conversation with this perfect stranger who told us all about the Patron Coffee Tequila and wow am I ever thankful that I had the courage to speak to her. The shot was sublime, really it tasted just like an Espresso Martini! The experience left me far less terrified. The perfect stranger in the bar foreshadowed an incredible evening ahead.

The Canals at night. 

After the initial chaos of organizing the attendees and pairing us with our partners we all boarded the canal boat ready to embark on our journey! The evening was special, not only because I was having dinner with a total stranger, but also because, despite living here for 2 years, it was my first time on the canals (Fun Fact: Birmingham has more canals then Venice). I was completely stunned by the utter beauty, it was a sunny evening and the canals were glistening (more on the aesthetics's later). On the surface my paired stranger and I were two incredibly different people. He, was British, while I am Canadian. He, works, I am still in Uni. He is engaged, I am single. I could continue to list our divergences, however what is remarkable is despite these many differences we also shared a lot of common ground. We both had an immense interest in Human Rights, particularly child rights. His passion is evident through his career, mine is displayed through my degree. Neither of us have the same paths in life yet we found many points of intersection from which to foster friendship (facebook official!).

My outfit for the evening! Top from Bershka and Skirt from Boohoo! 

I think this notion is more imperative now then ever. In a world constantly characterized by division, difference, and individualism we often forget the core elements of humanity which inevitably bind us all. Our differences shouldn't be points of contention. They also shouldn't be mere facts we choose to tolerate and live with. I think it goes one step further, differences should be shared. understood, and celebrated for their unique nature. I'm getting quite meta at this point, but the idea is that after spending an evening on a boat with a complete stranger I've come to reevaluate my approach to people broadly. Why shouldn't we go up to "strangers" and try to find common ground. For all we know someone who is a stranger today, could very well be a best friend tomorrow.

XX.

F.