This is the second Soupera I have the pleasure of reviewing. I had no idea that the one that popped…read moreup on my local high street in Kings Heath had a counterpart in Erdington. Maybe there are more? They sell real Jamaican food, made by Jamaicans for the local Jamaican community; what more can you ask in terms of authenticity in a food outlet? The smell inside is immediately captivating and even though I wasn't going to buy much, my mind had changed by the time I got to the front of the queue. The service is friendly and the food is wonderful. I ordered a portion of mutton curry and 2 dumplings which came to a fiver. The meals which include chicken, fish or mutton curry with rice and peas and vegetables are around £6 depending on what you get. You can have it warmed up there if you're eating in or you live round the corner, but I chose to heat it up at home. The mutton was flavoursome and the perfect dumplings...yet again.

I recently had a small curried mutton dish with steam veg plus rice and peas,…read moreIt was delicious and I so regretted not having the large one ..... And they do some lovely homemade patties, very nice..... Would definitely recommend to try !!

Earlier this week we order some food to this restaurant expecting some amazing Caribbean food. We…read moredefinitely had it! First of all, the guy who talked with us on the phone had loads of patience and was really helpful, because we didn't know how some dishes were cooked like, so he explained everything to my boyfriend and me. I really wanted to try something called 'hard food' (I know, sounds little bit... Dirty? At least kinda weird) but unfortunately they didn't have any that day. I had Callaloo instead, a typical dish with spinach, some rice and beans and veg. My boyfriend had oxtail with rice and peas again and some chicken wings. As a side i ordered some plantain too. My goodness! How good a takeaway can be? We arrived home like 20 minutes later and we set the table, in total 30 minutes. Food was warm and delicious. My spinach were completely delicious and fantastic. Absolutely nothing to complain at all. Rice and peas was proper cooked and good. They gave us some coleslaw as well. My boyfriend loved his food too, and the portions were filling enough. We paid £18 in total, I would say it's a really, really good price for the quality of the food we had. I will definitely order again.

I have spotted Caribana way before I had my first experience eating on this place, of course…read more It was there on Holloway Circus, in the Queensway, surrounded by other interesting shops, until the day I was looking for a quick bite before attending a gig in the area and I gave it a try. To be honest I was expecting a menu replete of very spiced ( which is always good), rich and heavy food but I was quite surprised that they have really healthy and light options as well. Obviously, some singular taste of caribbean such as Curried goat can also be found in their menu, but I really think it would be not a good idea before a night out! As this place is open almost ( if not) 24 hours on weekends, it's really is a good option at the city centre. I just tried one of their wraps to go, but I have to confess that their fish, rice and peas with beans sounds delicious. It reminds me Brazilian food in a way, so I probably will have to give it another try soon....with gig or not. Caribana's menu is vast and If you think about having lunch there I would recommend save your appetite to make most of it, trying a typical Caribbean cooking!

Oh yes! Moseley have had their Caribbean food joint in the form of Mo' Jam for years now, so it was…read morewith eyes the size of huge plates of jerk chicken that I eagerly spied Soupera Taste on Kings Heath High Street. The menu has exactly what you'd expect; jerk chicken, curry goat, dumplings, saltfish, ackee, callaloo, mutton broth. Soupera Taste aren't trying to re-invent the wheel here. They are providing classic Caribbean food in a location where its much wanted. When I think of Carribean food, I think meaty, salty, carbohydratey soul food. And that's exactly what I get in the form of my (unadventurous, I know) choice of jerk chicken. And I'm very happy with the taste and the portion size. The staff will gladly answer any questions you have as far as the menu goes and they'll do it with a smile.

I have been back in here three times since the last review and have been more and more delighted…read moreeach time with the quality of their food. I like to go there in the afternoon, I have done this on two occasions of the three, and have had the food served to me cold. They put it in a microwavable container wrapped in cling film and I take it home and put it in the refrigerator. Later, when I'm super relaxed, just before the soaps start, I pierce the container with a fork multiple times and put the container in the microwave for 8 minutes. This is the best time for a large portion. After four minutes I stop the microwave and give the food a stir, then put it back in. The food comes out piping hot and I serve a large portion on 2 plates for two hungry people ready to eat. The dumplings only take a minute or so to heat and they accompany the meal. Last night I had brown stew, 2x dumpling, rice beans and pea, and vegetables, all for 7.50. The dinner was the nicest meal I have eaten for a long time. It was something special.

Connie's is a bit of an oddity on the far end of the Bristol Road and appears to be ailing…read moresomewhat, which is unfortunate. An all you can eat service on the front sign warns you to book now to "avoid disappointment", although I have rarely seen it busy and usually it lies totally empty. This is perhaps due to its poor location as it is too far away for the majority of the University's students, which is a real shame. The staff at Connie's have always been friendly when I have visited and go above and beyond to ensure that our group has a good time. My knowledge of Caribbean cuisine isn't too extensive so I never stray too far from the jerk chicken which is well seasoned and really tasty. Before tucking into this I usually indulge with some fried dumplings which I love with a dash of hot sauce. If you're feeling even less adventurous, Connie's can cook you up traditional English food - cod and chips, pies, full english breakfasts, etc. Although I think it'd be a shame to visit and not enjoy some delicious Caribbean food. I find that it's a touch on the pricey side, but for a meal out with friends it's well worth a visit.

I'm sure you would agree that restaurants which offer a choice of Caribbean, English or Indian…read morecuisine are something of a rarity but that is exactly what is on offer at Connie's. The emphasis is on producing the freshest food from all three genres, with the majority of fare being made on sight and from scratch. I have to say that I have a little bit of a soft spot for Connie's simply because it is such a novelty; however the food is not bad either. The people here are fantastic and the services on offer such as catering for events and free Caribbean delivery are always worth bearing in mind. They also offer a weekend evening buffet for eleven ninety nine and that is not very common in the Selly Oak area so it may well be the place to spice up a Friday night. Connie's has character and I hope that more people in the Selly Oak area embrace its unique charms.

Just bought coleslaw to go with my meal. They sent me off coleslaw that is clearly out of date. It…read morealso isn't fresh at all. Very appalled it had a bad smell from the minute I opened it. Disappointed.

Even with the current trend for pop ups and Streetfood in Birmingham, Caribbean food has been…read morehugely under represented in Birmingham's City Centre. There is normally a good selection at the Food Fair and Jamaican Independence festival (obviously), but not a lot else. Baileys has really stepped up to the mark. With a static location, gigantic steel BBQ and a gorgeous rich smell which fills The Square; they're on to a winner. Big props to Dave P. who alerted me to this gem of a stall a few weeks ago. I had been meaning to try it for a while, but after seeing Dave at our CMYE on Tuesday - it was agreed that Lunch WOULD happen. And it did. And it was sooooo good. With a reasonable selection of Caribbean favorites (Ackee and Saltfish, Rice and Pea etc) it was always clear what I was going to order. Jerk chicken. The godfather of all the chicken dishes. On a rainy Wednesday in Birmingham, it couldn't have been a better choice. It was clear on this particular day that Baileys were having some cooking issues, but we rocked up and were politely told that we COULD have Jerk, but not for 10 minutes. Not a problem for us (as they'd clearly just fired up the BBQ). It gave us a chance to go and mooch at the newest deliveries into Ignite Records in the Oasis (and for me to go and drool at the Hello Kitty merch on sale nearby). Within 10 minutes, we were back and ordering. I had Rice and pea, Jerk Chicken and a little bit of veg. For £6, it was a -very- reasonably sized portion. As an added bonus, Baileys also provides a small covered seating area (with a nifty Pacman decorated bench), so you can still enjoy some sunshine food in the pouring rain. I was mightily impressed with the level of spice, the sauce and the rich flavor of the Rice and Pea. I was so blown away, it was devoured in under 5 minutes. It was -THAT- good. Baileys could now become my "go-to" place for lunch on the run. Saying that, it strikes me that as the food is fresh you sometimes might have a bit of a wait. So... Go, give it a try. But make sure you have plenty of time!

This is a lovely little cafe located in the beautiful Custard Factory complex. I think you can tell…read morea lot about a place from how busy it is.....this place is always packed! The coffee's here are priced at what you would expect to pay for a decent cup in the city centre (around £2.40) and you can tell the products they are using are of a good quality. I was happy to be asked if I wanted skimmed or soya milk upon ordering, this was a nice touch from the very pleasant barista I met during my visit. Sadly, I was behaving so didn't take advantage of the MANY cakes and good looking pastries that Yumm has on offer. A quick scan over the hot food menu also left me instantly planning my next visit!

Located in the heart of the Custard Factory Yumm is a busy independent cafe. You have to get there…read moreearly on weekday lunchtimes or there may not be anything left by the time you get there. You can get breakfast and lunch there with a range of hot and cold foods as well as daily specials. What's even better is that as an independent cafe they still offer loyalty cards. Its easy on the wallet whilst being really good, freshly prepared food. Although I would say the potato wedges they offer are just frozen ones you can get from the super market and it's the little things like that that let it down. Having expanded the business from a smaller space at they now also offer catering and venue hire too. If you are down that way for a meeting or to check out the shops its a good place to eat.

I noticed Talk of the Town a week or so ago; well, how could I miss it? It's bright yellow!…read moreI thought it'd be a good place to grab a bite in town and a welcome alternative to Greggs, which is where I'd probably head for my sausage roll fix. So today was the day; I dragged my reluctant boyfriend up to TOTT with the intention of treating him to a cheap lunch. He didn't seem convinced at first but I was determined to try something as it was pretty much my first foray into Caribbean food apart from the occasional jerk chicken sandwich. We opted for 2 fried dumplings with any 2 chicken pieces for £3.50 but when we ordered we found that chicken pieces actually meant chicken dishes and was a much better deal. In fact the friendly lady at the counter gave us an even better offer and we ended up with 2 dumplings plus chicken curry plus 2 pieces of fried chicken and a drink for just £3.75. I thought that was a great deal and we then sat outside in the sun to enjoy our late lunch (just so you know, there is seating outside only. This is more of a fast food takeaway than a diner). The menu at TOTT is extensive with many snack items but large meals too. Prices range from 80p for a fried dumpling to £7.25 for a large meal such as snappa fish with rice and peas. They also serve regular sized meals for £4.95 and snacks such as 5 hot wings for only £1. I'll definitely be heading here again when I'm out shopping in town and I might even try some 'sexy juice'.

I am a big fan of Jamaican food so when the smell of this place caught my attention I could not…read moreresist seeing what it was all about. The menu is full of classics like jerk chicken, curries and dumplings, I decided to go for the jerk chicken with veg, rice and peas. At £4.50 for two thighs and a hefty portion of rice you can't complain really. Everything was all well cooked and piping hot...temperature wise. The thing that was lacking for me was a kick of chilli but with a bit of chilli sauce it had the heat that personally I think all good jerk should have. With this place being a relatively healthy option for fast food in the city centre you can expect me popping in here a fair bit more. Its great to see an independent Jamaican food place slap bang in the middle of the city, it's something I would love to see more of so it has my full support!

Leave it to Esmie (or LITE catering) has been popping up at events all over Birmingham for the last…read morecouple of years. Offering Caribbean and seafood style food, this cute little stylised van is definitely one to look out for at Birmingham's popular foodie gatherings. On my last visit to Esmie I enjoyed Curry Mutton. This is such a tasty meat when cooked right and these guys have their fingers on the button when it comes to Jamaican favourites. Succulent and not at all tough, it was spiced fantastically to compliment the dark meat and provide a lip smacking meal. It was served in a spiced tortilla style bowl (which provided a solid base to hold the meal and a side to dip in when some of it had been eaten).... Perfect! I should probably mention that the rice and peas were also cooked perfectly and provided a lovely glutinous base for the curry to sit on. Now, Esmie may not be the cheapest option, but the prices definitely seems to be in line with other vendors at these events. Service is always accompanied with a smile and the atmosphere around the van is always as sunny as the personalities of the good folks that make the good. Next time you're in the mood for street food, give this little slice of Jamaica a look. The menu changes regularly and the food is good, meaning you'll have a little slice of sunshine (even when the weather might not reflect the mood)!