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The Foodie Filofax, Unit 1, Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre, Coventry (2026)

03/09/2026

Foodie Filofax reviews: Isaac's Restaurant

August is over my friends, which means the Birmingham Restaurant Festival content will be coming to a close. But what fun I had, making 5 bookings over the course of the month.

My final BRF post is for Isaac’s… I’ve been here for drinks, I’ve been here for Oysters (RIP the Friday happy hour - I miss you), but never have I had a meal… until now!

Now obviously the set menu was great value, with 2 courses at £25 and 3 at £32. But the location was not quite as expected. As we headed into Isaac’s, we were politely but firmly stopped. Because it turns out they were filming a blooming BBC drama in there! *nearly made it onto the telly* So instead our booking had been shifted to the lovely Madeline’s Bar. Once we finally made it to the right place, we got ordering… my friend is vegan, so the staff kindly talked her through which options were available to her, too.

I went for the warm duck salad, which was such a delight. The crispy kale was fab addition, and I loved the crunch against the roasted sweet potato. And that duck?! Mmm mmmm - so so delicious, in the Vietnamese dressing. My friend had a watermelon and vegan feta salad, which she also enjoyed.

For the mains, I had crispy chicken, with broad beans and dauphinoise potatoes - such a comforting and nourishing dish. On the other side of the table; a courgette and basil orzo. I would have been very happy with this too, just look at the colours! Finally dessert: a Blackcurrant Torte and a Tiramisu Tart. A lovely end to our meal. The French influences here were clear to see and taste, there were some lovely flavours on offer. Another one ticked off my list. Although, seeing as the actual restaurant was closed, I have been left wondering… did this one still count?! What do you think?

01/09/2026

Foodie Filofax reviews: The Art Kitchen

Did you know that this local independent in Warwick, serves up the most delicious lunchbox deals? Available Monday - Saturday, between 12-2.30, these are a great way to try a few bites from the menu.

There are 4 different options, which are served up in wooden lunchboxes. If you break them down, each features a curry, a rice, some stir fried veg, and a couple of sides. But the 5 menu items are in smaller portions, presumably so that you don’t explode!

Everything looked great, but I ultimately ordered “The Luang Box” (naturally I wanted the most expensive one lol) and my friend had my second choice, the “5 Flavour Lunch Box”. We also went for a side of AK Rolls, which were absolutely delicious, but also not required. What I’m trying to say, is that the Lunch Boxes are definitely filling enough on their own! I absolutely adored each and every element. I love a Panaeng and the flavours of this one were perfect. The Chicken Larb was a new one for me, whilst the Duck Roll is an old favourite. It’s a great selection of food. I know my friend really enjoyed hers too, and I definitely need to try their prawn toast on my next visit. This looked so special and not at all what you’d normally get in a takeaway.

I was so impressed with the quality of food here and the lunchtime deals make the price pretty incredible too. It’s definitely a stop to add to your list!

27/08/2026

Foodie Filofax reviews: Noel's Bar & Restaurant

A Birmingham Restaurant Festival set menu, with canal side views? It can only be Noel's Bar & Restaurant

I haven’t been here for absolutely ages. The last time was a Bottomless Brunch, a few years ago, for my birthday. Because if there’s one thing these guys do exceptionally well, it’s a beautiful cocktail. Just look at the gorgeous specimens on slide 1! Their Signature Cocktails list is insane - it’s so hard to narrow down the choice. And the glassware? The garnishes? They really do go all out. What a way to kick things off!

For lunch, we of course went for the BRF Menu, priced at £28 for 2 courses (or £35 for 3). This set menu was right up my street, and I probably could have ordered anything from it and been happy. For starters we did the Calamari and the Goats Cheese Stacks - this was a beautifully presented plate, but the portion could have been a bit bigger for me. I love goats cheese, especially when paired with figs, so I felt like I’d inhaled the plate in minutes. For mains, my friend ordered the Chicken Souvlaki, whilst I went for a summer favourite - the Seafood Linguine. Here the portion sizes were much better. I thoroughly enjoyed my pasta, and was really happy with the seafood ratio. The lobster and brandy bisque was just delicious, was a lovely depth of flavour. A real treat.

I’d also forgotten what a lovely spot this is. Great for people and narrow boat watching alike. I definitely won’t leave it as long til my next visit!

25/08/2026

Foodie Filofax recommends: .uk x Collab 🍦

ICYMI, every Friday & Saturday in August LA-POP are serving up some special edition gelato lollies from outside La Bellezza on Chamberlain Square 😋 The lollies, inspired by some of the Big Mamma group’s best selling desserts, are delicious - you’re in for a real treat. Available direct from their cute little cart, outside the terrace, you can pick from…

☕️ Tiramisu (my fave!): Coffee gelato with a gorgeous chocolate Marsala sauce *contains alcohol
🍋 Lemon Meringue Pie: Lemon Sorbet, encased in white chocolate, with meringue pieces
🥛 Fior di Latte: Creamy gelato in a milk chocolate shell

The cart is open between 12-5, with the lovely lollies priced at £4.50 each. Grab one on your travels, or why not pull up a chair on the terrace and enjoy a cocktail or 2? The upcoming Bank Holiday weekend is a great opportunity to make the most of these ☀️ Invite

20/08/2026

Foodie Filofax reviews: Lasan

Well, after many years of pining, I have finally crossed Lasan off my list! This JQ Indian restaurant caught my eye for all the right reasons: a beautiful menu, gorgeous interiors, a great reputation. I’ve been dying to go.

And this year’s Birmingham Restaurant Festival gave me the perfect excuse! The festival menu offers 2 courses for £30, or 3 for £36. Another great value spot for us 🙌🏼 Even better? On arrival we found that there were even more options than on the website, as well as the possibility to add on 2 sides for £12, too.

My friend is a huge fan of the Okra fries at Dishoom (which I’ve actually never had and must rectify), so we decided to prioritise sides over dessert and I’m so glad I did - these babies are life changing.

The menu is stunning - I could have ordered anything and been happy - and luckily my pal was down for sharing the mains! For starters, I had the Samosa Chaat (an old fave) which was a gorgeous plate and tasted delish. Also pictured is the Beetroot chicken - I nabbed a spoonful of this and was super impressed. I’ve never seen this before. For our main, we shared the Old Delhi Butter Chicken and a Ratan Rogan. Both dishes were phenomenal. The curry sauces were so, so good. You won’t want to leave a drop behind. Alongside those aforementioned Okra Fries, we also chose the Crispy Potatoes. And they really were crispy. Incredibly so.

A wonderful meal, that sadly left no room for dessert. I’ve gotta shout out the service too. The staff were brilliant and so attentive - they’ll clock which door you’re heading to before you even know yourself. The complimentary sherry at the end of the meal was a lovely touch too. So glad I’ve ticked this one off my list ✅

16/08/2026

Foodie Filofax recommends: HEM restaurant Sunday Lunch ✨

If you want to eat at a Michelin guide restaurant but you’re on a budget, going for a lunchtime set menu is a great way of getting your hands on an amazing value meal. And if you’re a Roast dinner fan, Sunday lunches are always a good idea!

I’ve had my eye on Hem’s Sunday lunches for a while and finally went last month. For £49pp, you can enjoyed an elevated 3 course roast, plus bread and a snack. The menu is going to be a surprise, and this is where I’m grateful for my palate - there’s not much I don’t like.

This meal was absolutely delicious and I’ve a feeling I practically inhaled every course. The snack was a beautifully fresh symphony of melon and ham, with almonds adding a new, crunchy texture; whilst the parfait starter was also light, but rich, not to mention incredibly moreish. Our Beef main was a real delight. Just look at how perfectly cooked the meat was. The beef pancake was something a bit different and I really enjoyed this. The roasties were bang on too - you can see how crispy they were. And of course the dessert featured berries, because what else would you serve during a British summer?

Sunday lunch runs just once a month, and if this looks like a bit of you, you’re in luck - the next serving is next weekend (August 30th). I highly recommend this for an excellent meal, at excellent value. It’s the kind of roast you’ll be day dreaming about for weeks to come!

13/08/2026

Foodie Filofax reviews:

In the first of my posts, my friend and I visited 24 Stories to celebrate her birthday. As it was a special occasion, it was nice to push the boat out a bit. This spot is definitely on the spennier side, but this is one of the great things about the restaurant festival, and we enjoyed taken advantage of their specially priced set menu.

And this year’s menu really caught my eye. The snacks were 2 of my all time favourite things - Tuna Tartare and Beef Tartare. These gorgeous little bites were absolutely stunning. What a way to kick start the meal. I was also really excited by the Courgette Flower. This wasn’t deep fried, but instead wonderfully fresh, with some gorgeous flavours, particularly the scallop, which really came through.

The mains were monkfish with lobster foam, followed by Quail served with a Madeira jus. Both were delicious, and I especially enjoyed the quail. I just wish this was a slightly bigger portion. The finale was a spectacular display - a Cremaux. The white chocolate ganache was encased in strawberry paper, which was peeled back to reveal the dessert underneath.

We opted for a bottle of Vino Verde to wash this down, which is always a favourite. It was such a beautiful view, with truly spectacular views. The service was also attentive, without being too overbearing. I didn’t get her name, but we had a lovely waitress for the majority of our meal, who let us swap from a booth to a window side table with a smile and a wink at the start of our meal.

I hadn’t been here for absolutely ages, so it was a great excuse for a revisit too. It’s a great place for an occasion, and with the Restaurant Festival Menu, the at occasion can literally just be ‘Friday’ too btw!

Have you booked here in August?

The Foodie Filofax

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