My partner and I discovered this place and we love it. The sangria pitch is a must !
The food is quite decent, the portions might need an update but apart from that it’s a lovely place
Love the fact that every waitress speaks Spanish.
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Grand Central is slowly becoming my favourite place in the city to have a good meal. With so many options, many of which are new-ish to Birmingham (at least the central parts), I’m spoilt for choice whenever out and about in the area.
Tapas Revolution was on my radar for a while. The day I finally decided to eat there, it was packed with the lunch hour crowd. So, I waited a good 45 minutes before approaching the place where I was escorted to the “bar” area for a seat.
The menu at Tapas Revolution is filled with Spanish classics with quite a few specialities that makes eating here for the experimental foodie a joyful experience.
My meal consisted of the following:
Arroz N. - Flavourful squid inked black rice with prawns and squid. Lovely distinct taste and definitely one of the specialities here.
Tortilla de Patatas - My least favourite, but still worth a bite. The classic Spanish omelette with potatoes and onions, could have been for me slightly softer.
Aceitunas Manzanilla - Good old Andalusian green olives that go well with whatever you’re drinking.
Pan de la Casa - Beautiful taste to what seemingly sounds simple.
Pazo de Mariñan Godello Treixadura Albariño - A lovely white that’s perfect with the black rice as recommended in the menu.
It’s not the cheapest meal you’ll have at a “train station” but when you consider the ingredients, the freshly prepared food, and overall pleasant aura of the place, I feel Tapas Revolution is definitely a wonderful Spanish culinary experience.
Incredibly, I had not been to Tapas Revolution prior to this visit. I don’t know why; I bloody love the food of Spain. In fact, thinking about it now, I haven’t been to any of the Spanish restaurants in Birmingham (bar the excellent El Borracho pop up at 1000 Trades). I am a disgrace. I hold my head in shame. Now this means that I can’t directly compare Tapas Revolution to its local competition, but what I can do is tell you that at times it transported me back to Valencia, where the food and wine are plentiful. Oh, and owner Omar is dishy. It’s little wonder they have his face everywhere.
Shopping centres and train stations aren’t usually places you’d associate with good food. Though, if I’m honest, the food offerings at Grand Central above Birmingham New Street station, aren’t your average shopping centre eateries. Take Tapas Revolution. The brainchild of Omar Allibhoy, Spanish celebrity chef and alumni of elBulli, Tapas Revolution sits proudly in the middle of Grand Central, with delicious aromas emanating from its open kitchen. I was invited there a couple of weeks ago to review, so I took Vicky from Brumderland for a blogger date.
I wont go into detail about my initial opinion of Tapas Revolution, but suffice to say it wasn’t particularly pleasant. It was a let down of a meal, a distance away from the food I had been told to expect from Omar Allibhoy, poster boy of Spanish cooking for a certain Gordan Ramsay. But that was a year ago, back when Tapas Revolution joined a host of other similar sized businesses in the colossal launch that is Grand Central. I’d heard since then that they had hit their stride, the quality of ingriedients starting to be backed-up by some consistent cooking from the open kitchen.
On our way back from Bournville to London, my husband and I stopped at grand central in birmingham to have lunch, visit a few friends and see the german christmas market.
At tapas we ordered the classico tapas set menu which contained the pan con alioli, tortilla de patatas, huevos rotos, paella valenciana, and the corquetas de jamon.
The set menu was enough for the 2 of us. The alioli dip with bread was delicious although warm bread would have been better.
The tortilla de patatas was well layered and the egg was well cooked. They served it with alioli as well.
The chicken paella was flavorful and delicious. The huevos rotos was good too. My husband loved the corquettes too.
Overall a delicious lunch and our first time trying tapas!!
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Finally, I made my stop at Tapas Revolution in the Grand Central station in Birmingham!
The location is cool and colourful, on the second floor of the station and people can choose where to sit (bar or table).The space is quite small but everything is well curated. Note that it's quite cold because it's an open space and that - if you aren't familiar with the concept of "Tapas", tapas are finger food (small dishes thought to be shared with friends). Tapas are thus quite small in portions but I've found the two dishes, Torreznos con Mojo Dulce and the Pisto, really rich in flavour, original (traditional) and not oily. Piso is a sort of ratatouille without potatoes (thanks god): vegetables such as aubergine courgettes and peppers slow cooked in tomato sauce. The was recommended by Alfonso who also made me some company and had a nice chat with. (Nice to hear Spanish again)
He's really friendly and told me a lot about Spanish cuisine and his way of cooking.
Torreznos con Mojo Dulce are pork bite fried and flavoured with a particular glaze which spicy and slightly sweet. I knew already that taste, Spanish pimiento is spicy, dry and with a particular bitter twist unlikely chilli peppers. Despite this dish was fried, every single piece was crunchy and fragrant that is perfection in this case. Everything well presented.
They were both fulfilling. I was craving to try churros and got some, the plate was filled with: such a surprise! Churros are fried dough accompanied with hot chocolate. Here too, the churros were perfectly cooked, fragrant and not oily. Unfortunately, the added sugar and cinnamon (despite nice and close to the Brit taste), deviate from the traditional concept, but all in all, they were delicious.
I've got 3 tapas for around 11£ with a student discount. I would say too much, but all was well cooked and really fulfilling.
It's weird to eat at the bar and seeing the staff around but I enjoyed the chat and the meal.
Unfortunately, it's still too cold but the Tapas Revolution corner is better (in term of temperature) than Pho which is too exposed.
Next time, no cinnamon and sugar on churros, please!
I couldn't be happier with my visit earlier today. Going out for lunch on your own on Valentines Day is always a somber affair - but only because I'd been dragged up to Brum for work and the missus was back in London.
I've been before and sat at the bar, which was fine but I much preferred a table as I had today. I ordered from the lunch menu which is cracking value for 9.95. You get some bread and garlic aloili, and the choice of two of several tapas.
I went for the chicken paella and then the meatballs. Both were generous portions, and equally delicious. I'm not a fan of seafood and I have a really hard time tasting saffron (it's almost completely lost on my palate) but I really enjoy the paella from TR and have had it before. Never had the meatballs before but they were really good.
Also - a decently speedy lunch if you're catching a train!
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Top quality tapas that is sure to please more than just the travelling crowd, if you are travelling this place will really get you back on track after/during a journey and the service is very fast, but it's worth a visit for any tapas fan in the city.
Located on the balcony of Grand Central in the food court (I hate calling it that as it belies the quality of the places that occupy it, not somewhere to just grab a spud!) they have done a nice job of decking out their space, there's also a good view over the atrium and the skylight over the station makes it a lovely light space. For me it lacks the atmosphere for an evening meal, it's just a bit open and the noise of the station is around you.
The main thing though is of course the food and it is across the board excellent, this is the group's first foray out of London and it's clear that they really care about what they put out. They are brave with things like chilli in the oil to give you a good punch of flavour and the octopus probably ranks as the best I've ever had. Also worth noting that they do delicious churros, something I'm not normally a fan of and you can often just pick it up to go if you want a tasty treat.
Staff were really friendly and they actually corrected a mistake they'd made before we even brought it up with them.
Drinks are understandably limited but the house white was a great accompaniment to all the food and at a good price.
Tapas Revolution is a great addition to New Street station and has become a go-to place of snackage/weekday eating for me. Their tapas are reasonably priced, reasonably portioned, and most importantly, delicious. They have a great selection, and the menu changes every so often. My favourite thing about Tapas Revolution has got to be their half price jugs of Sangria during happy hour! That Sangria... mmm...
Definitely worth checking out if you're in grand central.
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There was a point when I couldn't scroll through my Twitter timeline without someone saying that they were, or had just been, here. So I took my time before paying Tapas Revolution a visit. Every time I walked past there was always a queue, and it seemed to be a busy place. So I had no doubt that they are doing something right or they wouldn't have the custom.
When I finally got the chance to make a flying visit with Mr Ting one evening before heading to the cinema, I wasn't disappointed.
The food came out very quickly, though the restaurant was pretty quiet at that time of the evening. We enjoyed quite a selection of tapas but the highlight was the roasted cod loin for me (thanks to great textures, and a lovely balance of flavours). The small paella was a little dry however so not a favourite - shame but it is tricky to make mini paella as well as a full size dish. Mr Ting's favourite was the steamed octopus, which was divine. The paprika was perfectly balanced, and not overdone thankfully.
I did try their nod to an espresso martini and to be honest found it not to my taste. I will stick to the wine when I next return. Or perhaps have a look at some of the other cocktails.
I do like the menu with a few options under each heading. It gives a nice range of options to choose from though if you're vegetarian or vegan you may struggle on return visits to keep finding inspiration.
After spying what other diners were ordering we decided that we would give the churros a try. They were crisp on the outside, doughy in the middle, and not too sweet. That may be a disappointment if you have a particularly sweet tooth but for us it was great.
We are planning a revisit in a few weeks time actually. There are some things on the menu that we didn't get a chance to taste that we would like to. And I want that cod again.
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Whenever I get a hankering for some patatas bravas, there is one place in Birmingham I can count on to deliver every time. Tapas Revolution is the brainchild of Madrid native Omar Allibhoy, who is on a mission to spread Spanish cuisine across the United Kingdom. Brum was chosen as the first location for a Tapas Revolution outside of London, and Grand Central is a good fit for this style of restaurant. Tapas Revolution has a sit down area, a bar, and a takeaway counter facing the food court concourse. The seating has a lovely view overlooking the main lobby of New Street Station from the second floor of the building.
I recently spent some time in Barcelona, and Tapas Revolution lets me relive my experiences there. The Sangria is delicious (£11.95 for a jug), and Estrella (£4.85 a pint) flows from the taps. The usual suspects are all here, including pan con tomate, patatas bravas, queso manchego, and padrón peppers. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I recommend dropping in between noon and 5PM on the weekdays to take advantage of their lunch special, with includes Paella or a Spanish Burger (with one veggie option), and tap beer/sangria/or house wine to drink all for £7.95. Although the prices are reasonable for the food quality and the location in Grand Central, you'll be wishing you were in Spain, where Estrella is €1 and most tapas do not exceed €3.
If you don't mind a sugar rush or expanding your waistline, an additional £3.50 will net you some of the best churros and dipping chocolate you'll find in the UK. There is a convenient separate takeaway area and sign dedicated to the churros that faces the main food court area in Grand Central, clearly designed to grab the attention of random shoppers. It honestly works, and even though the churros are on a case display, they will be cooked to order just for you. So far in my visits I've tried their toasted breads, piquillo peppers stuffed with mushrooms, patatas bravas, pimientos de padrón, and the spanish omelette. All of the vegetarian items are priced below £5, and you can easily become full on two tapas. These items have been expertly prepared on my visits, and are a cut above even some of their counterparts that I've tasted in Spain. Most of the professional and friendly wait staff are Spanish to add an air of authenticity, and are very prompt in taking food orders and getting it out to you quickly.
I'm not sure if Tapas Revolution is going to start one, but at the very least this is a solid, well-executed tapas bar that still has character despite being stuck in Grand Central. Oh, and did I mention that they have horchata?
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This spot has a special place in my heart after offering smiles and red wine to my sister and me when we were sorely in need of a cheer up!
I won't indulge in the unfortunate series of transport related fails that left us exasperated at New Street with an hour to kill before the next train. But it was enough that when my sister pointed to this sign up on the Grand Central 'balcony' I said yes immediately.
Two minutes later and we were sitting on high chairs at the bar counter chatting to a cute waiter. He asked if we knew how tapas worked in his Spanish accent so I replied 'si', at which point he switched into Spanish sounding impressed! Admittedly I could only keep up and reply to him in Spanish for another two questions but it still felt pretty good :)
A glass just didn't seem enough and a bottle too much, so a three-quarter porron of merlot it was. Turns out it's a tricky devil to pour without spilling, woops. But with some free tapas bites and a little chat with another friendly waitress they soon had us feeling recharged and ready to deal with commuter life again. Muchas gracias, guys!
One of the many new food outlets in grand central. I quite liked the atmosphere once sat down, but you may not really notice it while walking past as the others appear more inviting. Nevertheless the staff were really friendly and service quick-good if you only have a hour to spare. I wouldn't call the food revolutionary, but I love chorizo so all is good!;)
The mostly Spanish staff are lovely as well as friendly. Everyday 4-7pm is sangria time meaning regular specials on drinks offers like 2 for 1 on cocktails. The light snack menu is very tasty and you can from the bar seats, see everything being freshly cooked and prepared.
I've been back seven times now, taken many friends all of whom have loved it too. service hasn't dropped if anything I feel it is even better. And I love their choice of desserts - its how I choose my restaurants.
One thing I really do like is that you are offered tasters on anything you're not sure about, both with food and drink.
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I've visited Tapas Revolution twice, the first time I wasn't too impressed... Maybe because it was winter and so the openness of the station made it feel cold and unwelcoming, maybe it's because the food wasn't really anything too special. However on my second visit more recently, I had a much better experience. The staff were attentive without overcrowding us and the food was a lot better. They say two to three plates per person but we ordered a lot more as we were feeling hungry, the cod with peppers and olives was really good as were the goats cheese and spinach pastries and the butternut squash salad with manchego cheese which gave a great contrast to the warm dishes. We washed it all down with a bottle of the house red and finished with some churros and a chocolate dipping sauce.
The only let down on this visit was the patatas bravos which were not crispy enough for my liking, other than that if I was shopping in town I would definitely stop by for some food. The menu offers enough choice that there are plenty of dishes I still need to try.
Came here alone one night then woth friends the next night. Service was great, food was amazing and the dancing and singing waiter was brilliant!! Young lad who is on the shop floor. Will be back, thank you :)
Located in New Street Station, which we always make a point of arriving early at so we can visit this place. Friendly staff, lovely freshly cooked tapas & great drinks, the Cava is spot on.
I just had the best brunch in a while. I have had some Spanish dishes before but from places that were not labelled as spanish and wanted to try something as close to the real deal as possible. We absolutely enjoyed our tapas and we had the shared dessert plate- which was such a treat. We also had the white wine sangria- i was afraid it would not be very good compared to the original red wine one, but it was amazing 😻. I will be back for sure and my friend as well- there are so many other dishes to try out 😍
Delicious food. But the service, they took a long time to serve a beer, as the staff were talking, the manager had to ask them to hurry up.
The service at Tapas Revolution was speedy and friendly. The staff clearly knew the menu inside out and it showed. We had 6 tapas dishes between us, all of which were fantastically cooked and seasoned, I’d definitely eat here again within a heartbeat. Also the sangria was delicious!
We Popped in on a quick lunch break, received outstanding 5* service from the Amazing Valentino.
He talked us through the menue asked our dietary requirements. And recommended the perfect thing for each of us, one of us being a pescetarian and one a lover of spicy chicken.
Food was very nice, complements to the chef, and service from Valentino made it a much more enjoyable experience.
Nice little tapas restaurant in Grand Central above the station, service was friendly, food was mostly good, but probably a little over priced for what it is. We wanted to try something a little different, but probably won't circle back for some time as there are many more places to try and it wasn't good enough to make it onto our regulars list.
Hola amigos!! Absolutely delicious food and sangria. We had the meat skewers, meatballs, a potato dish, mushroom dish, calamari dish. Portions not as much as other tapas restaurants but I feel the quality was better and the taste. Service was quick and attentive.
We were surprised by the quality of food, very nice lunch menu and good value for money.
Great experience, authentic feel and friendly staff. The food is awesome and fresh. Great portions. Love that the staff speak Spanish. The tapas are great quality and can be shared or eaten by one/two. Try the tiger prawns, the paella and the potatoes. Also had fried aubergine which kinda tastes like a dessert. I can't fault the experience. And I definitely intend to return.
Full of flavor and you won't regret it
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