Damacina & Alfred Works Food Hall - Birmingham [@NLi10]

 It's hard eating two 'new' things each week to review that everyone can join in with - so unless you are in the Midlands today you probably aren't going to be able to join in - but you probably have local equivalents.

First up is Damascena which is a local food chain which they describe as the taste of the Middle East but we just think of as part of the furniture.  I'd never clicked they only have 5 locations (2 of which I could walk to, and a third which is in town) as it's just a place we go for good food.

And look at the variety on offer.  I had the lamb rolls with pink mayo, spicy potatoes and pomegranate sticky dipping sauce.  My partner had hummus & some kind of salad with crispy bits, a mushroom thing and an aubergine thing.  I didn't steal any off the inlaws but one had a kebab bowl with all sorts of wonders (my usual choice) and the other had mushroom rolls and a dip.  Naturally everything has a proper name that I can't remember.

We all had a great time and while everything has a spicy slant nothing is devastatingly hot.  We always look forwards to our visits.

Next up was Alfred Works Food Hall in the old Custard Factory in Birmingham 

I've been in before for drinks but this was the first time I'd had enough time to eat too.  I chose a Taiwanese Braised Pork (Lu Rou Fan) and bubble milk tea from Taiwei and happily could have had about 8 other things off their menu.

We spied on a table where they struggled

They had two giant black bowls from the first place you come to as you walk in, a special chicken dish from somewhere and then a rack of pudding crepes that would be enough for 4 people at the back.  We didn't spot them leave but they did not finish anything!  The dangers of the food hall.

They need to do tasting menus as this is their opening period - but it's always really busy and compared to the other new food halls has easily double digit places I'd choose to eat (compared to one in the centre of town that looks like it's a ghost town with maybe two viable options).

As it's by the best games shop & cinema in Birmingham I hope it sticks around and that the beepers range is enough for me to go to both at the same time.