With a lack of travel seriously messing with our mood right now the opportunity to get a little slice of NYC in BHX (or Birmingham if you’re that way) was too much to refuse.
On a hot mid June Wednesday we headed to Brum for the subterranean splendour of Isaac’s. A new New York inspired seafood and steak brasserie style restaurant that’s soon to become a landmark destination in the the city’s beautifully restored Grand Hotel.
Not that we like to start with a negative (and it’s really not) but we did spend most of our dinner ogling jealously over at the green leather sofa booths that some of our fellow guests had been seated.
As we sat at the top of the restaurant next to the bar we pondered ordering the Seafood & Crustacea platter (Oysters, jumbo shrimp, lobster, crab cocktail, marinated tuna – £30pp) but we weren’t sure where on our small round table (already mostly full with glasses for water, a pre-dinner Negroni and Aperol spritz, and cutlery) it would go. We do like a bit of table room, so instead we ordered the Maryland crab fish cakes (so, so – £9) and the plentiful jumbo prawn cocktail with squirts of puréed avocado and hints of passion fruit (very tasty – £9).
With all the action happening behind us we used the eye level wall mirrors (that break up the beautifully deep green and shiny white tiles) to spy on our fellow diners thanks, to the reflection across the rest of the room – only slightly cursing that the platter did indeed look delicious (it seemed everyone else had ordered it) and we really should of just rolled up our sleeves and got on with it – small table or not.
Anyway, jealous observations over, we ordered a lovely bottle of Chianti to go with our two medium rare steaks; the 10oz rib eye (£26) and the 8oz New York strip steak (£22). We added cheddar grits (delicious – £6) and collard greens with toasted garlic (£5).
The steaks were beautiful and the grits a brilliant accompaniment. The the portions are almost US size, so pretty substantial, but of course we still needed to find room for dessert. Despite Pecan Pie and Baked Alaska (pictured below to share – £12) being on the menu we went for a portion of the original New York Cheesecake (£7)- it was tasty and very filling, especially as it came with a big dollop of chocolate ice cream.
Our waiter was a delight, a total pro and would clearly be great in any NYC setting, so to be polite we ordered another Negroni to end the night and were ready to waddle back home – very full and satisfied.
So did we feel like we were in NYC? Well, close your ears to the Brummie accents and maybe a little. We popped on the underground to get home (OK the train from Snow Hill) as the sun set across the skyscrapers (Colmore office blocks) and yes, if you squint a little, maybe our travel pangs were stifled for just a couple of hours.
To find out more or book a table at Isaac’s please visit www.isaacsrestaurant.co.uk
Isaac’s, 28 Barwick Street, Birmingham B3 2NT – 0121 827 9670
Opening hours: Tuesday 4pm – 10pm / Wednesday to Saturday 12noon – 10pm / Closed Sunday and Monday (until early September)
