In the previous Blog, I concluded that Dishoom was worth a visit but more for the mood and the atmosphere than for the food. The following evening, still in residence at the Grand Hotel, and it being a Monday with none of Birmingham’s top restaurants being open for business and the week beginning slowly (though it might have been more animated what with the sun being bright, the sky blue and the day crisp), I set off for Itihaas, a few minutes walk from The Grand, down Newhall street.
It was late afternoon, many had not then yet left work so it was hardly surprising that there were only two others diners there, soon after 4PM on an early Monday evening. But again there was an atmosphere, created not by the milling throng or the roaring crowd but by the charming plush British colonial style decor by which one was easily whisked back to days even before those that Dishoom was trying to recreate. Itihaas is comfortable, unrushed, relaxing and as atmospheric as any of the more traditional Indian restaurants in Birmingham and I like it.
Service is somewhat formal, not over-cheerful it is true, but one feels that when the front-of-house staff have got the measure of you, then they really come into their own and you are they are in synchrony and just the right sort of bespoke service comes the customer’s way. Again, I like it.
I start off with a Tokyo Old Fashioned which is rather good and warming on a cold day and while taking my first sips I am introduced to January’s special menu - a ‘bottomless’ thali, of which there are three or four on offer though if I had preferred I could have dined from the à la carte menu. I opted for the ‘executive menu’, and why not?
When it arrives, it looks very pretty and appetising and resembles a potted guide to an Englishman’s encyclopaedia of Indian food.
Let’s start with the colourful and very nicely cooked Jeera chawai (basmati rice in three colours with cumin spicing) on which was nestled a little, splendidly crispy jeera papadum, peppery and with the tang of softer spices too. The papadum provided the necessary texture and I asked for more which were promptly brought to the table. There were three curries and a daal - Murgh makhani - moist, tender butter chicken leg meat in a slightly over-sweet tomato sauce with cashew; my favourite, Lamb roganjosh, nicely spicy and with the right heat to it and lovely tender pieces of lamb and Goan prawn curry which was tasty but less interesting than the other curries - I was not aware of the kick of heat I might have expected and and I could not pick up any hints of coconut. There was also a makhani black lentil daal which was satisfactory though it did not excite me, a lovely light Makhan naan, a pleasing bowl of refreshing, perfectly sour, technicolour rangey raita, thick in texture and full of cooling cucumber and finally, a gorgeously syrupy gulab jamun, unctious and a perfect illustration of what that extravagant dessert should really be like.
The size of the meal was more than adequate to fill me though I was happy to drink a sweet, fruity mango lassi which was delicious and soothing. I do like Itihaas; atmosphere oozes out of the decor and the food is luxurious without being ostentatious. Not every dish served suited me but I thoroughly enjoyed the overall dining experience. Unlike Asha’s, located further up Newhall Street, I have not seen repirt# of Hollywood actors visiting the place, certainly not in recent years, and Itihaas doesn’t try to be flash. But the food is as good as that on offer in Asha’s, if not better, and it is so much more relaxing in Itihaas. Tom Cruise - walk further down the hill next time!
Rating:- 🌛🌛🌛🌛
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