Reviews Simpsons Restaurant

Super, pleasant and inviting setting for a wonderful restaurant - very attentive staff. Having walked here I started the evening with a beer - an interesting and varied selection on the menu - followed by Champagne in the lounge.
Somehow, I knew this was leading up to an expertly and well rehearsed evening where the dining experience would be subtly built up through the various courses.
We went for the 56 menu - in celebration of 56 years of something I coudn't quite remember!
I have had lunch here on a few occasions and the dinner was just as amazing!
Michelin starred - so don't expect a cheap night out - and well worth a visit (or four!)

My husband took me to simpsons for my birthday and I could not fault one single detail. Staff were fantastic, I really loved the fact they explained all of the dishes to us and could not be more helpful. The food was just heavenly everything was cooked to perfection. Yes it was expensive but was worth every single penny for a really special treat and I would recommend it to others.

I went to this place with my family. And we really liked this place. We ordered The Rib of Beef is amazing and perfectly cooked! I still remember its taste. Worth the considerable expense if you're a real foodie. Exquisite Michelin starred cuisine in stylishly muted surrounding. Simply the best meal I've had in years and my family loved it to. Highly recommended place.

Simply the best. This goes down as one of the best meals I have ever had.

Recently, a special lunch was held to herald the upcoming influx of new bars and venues planned for the Calthorpe Estate in Edgbaston. The organisers chose one of the pillars of the city’s fine dining scene, Simpsons restaurant, to host. Although the menus are refreshed regularly, this review will give you a good idea of what to expect at one of the first Michelin star restaurants in Birmingham.

Atmosphere

The building, a listed Georgian mansion, will appeal to anyone who appreciates historical grandeur. High ceilings, sweeping staircases and elegant rooms manage be both impressive and cosy at the same time. You almost get the impression of being at the home of a very rich friend, albeit one with their own private bar, cookery school and wrap-around conservatory.

Food The starter was a crispy duck egg, a small globe of breadcrumbs with a gooey egg in the centre, resting on a puddle of potato foam. And on the side, a sliver of smoked salmon decorated with chopped parsley and a dollop of black avruga caviar. I enjoyed this, although slightly disappointed by not having a more out-of-the-ordinary starter than salmon. However, the dish made up in flavour for what it lacked in adventure.

A special mention for the breads, at this point. For someone who enjoys snacking between courses, like myself, the quality of the bread is important. The gorgeous spirals of soft buttery dough filled with black olive tapenade definitely did the trick. The slow-cooked belly of pork came out on a dramatic, black, textured plate, which set off the colours of the various ingredients perfectly. One of the criticisms you often hear against gourmet or Michelin restaurants is that it’s a case of style over substance. And admittedly, none of the portions were large. But in the case of this main course, the richness and textures of the meat, set off so well by the butternut, black pudding, capers and raisins, provided the perfect example of ‘quality over quantity.’ Dessert came with a touch of drama. The chocolate sphere, a big marbled ball of purple and silver, came out and sat in front of the bemused guests for a while. Then out came the waiters again, armed with jugs of hot raspberry jam, which they poured over the ball, melting it away to reveal the tiny fruit jellies and fresh berries inside.

Drinks The wine list, as you might expect, is both extensive and a little expensive, particularly the Ruinarts, Bollingers and Moëts on the bubbly menu. In keeping with Simpsons’ classic cuisine, the reds and whites are dominated by French chateaux, but a couple of interesting and more exotic picks crop up. Geržinic Malvazija 2011 is one of four Croatian bottles on offer, while Hungary, Slovenia and Greece are also represented. We were treated to a pre-lunch Taste of Edgbaston, a sweet apple, rhubarb and vodka cocktail from the soon-to-open Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Lounge. Then the main course was accompanied by Purity Mad Goose ale, to celebrate a new craft beer bar opening next year in the city centre.

Pricing

Set lunch menu: £40 per person (3 courses + half-bottle of wine)

Tasting menu: £90 per person (add £55 for wines)

A la carte: Starters around £15, Mains around £26, desserts around £11

Bottles of wine range from £30-£70 all the way up to £300, or £500 on the champagne list.

Overall

Despite the event being a specially-arranged occasion, it did give a sense of the normal dining experience at Simpsons. There were many other diners there having lunch, and the kitchens were bustling with activity. You couldn’t fault the luxurious setting, nor the attentive service, nor the fantastically-presented food. Despite not being bowled over by the starter or dessert, I could have eaten the main twice over, and appreciated the spectacle of the pudding ‘finale.’ All in all, Simpsons is a very special place to dine.

Superb food and wonderful service, this is a great restaurant for a special treat. It’s very expensive, but it’s worth it. My wife and I are both pescatarian and my wife is also allergic to beetroot, and I have this commented on my Open Table account, but Simpsons take that and go the extra mile presenting a bespoke menu for my wife. That’s very considerate and shows great care and attention to service. We had a tasting menu which took about two-and-a-half hours to eat, and it’s incredible how quickly the time went.

Relaxed atmosphere with wonderful, helpful and thoughtful staff. The food was sublime. I don't know why it has taken us so long to go there.

Went here last night for our daughters birthday dinner. There was some variation on the tasting menu from the last time my wife and I had eaten here earlier during the year, but once again, eating here was a lovely experience. All the staff were exceptional, and as always, it's the staff who make the evening special. From the front of the house greeting to the sommelier, the waitresses who served us, and Freddy behind the bar all made our evening special. Being introduced to the kitchen staff was also a highlight. All three of us would whole heartedly recommend eating here.

Had my first experience today at Simpsons. Enjoyed the tasting meal. The service was impeccable. The advice and guidance provided by the knowledge staff made a real difference. The whole event took exactly 2 hours. We enjoyed 3 suprise amuse-bouche courses. I asked how often they changed the tasting menu and they said the entire selection every couple of months but more frequently they change individual items.

Took my wife to Simpsons for our anniversary dinner. Turned out to be a special culinary experience. The restaurant has a nice garden, comfortable lounges, a gorgeous private dining room, but the main dining hall was a bit simple and somewhat disappointing. You can see the kitchen through glass panels but its not an open kitchen. We selected the tasting menu (gbp 130) but skipped the wine pairing ( gbp 90) because I wanted a special wine to celebrate our anniversary. The wine list has good breadth, covering wines from all corners of the world, a decent selection of wines by the glass but it lacked depth especially in Burgundy. I selected the Piper Heidseck Rare 2008, which impressively, was offered by the glass (gbp35) to start. It lived up to its reputation, full of vibrancy and complexity. However, I struggled to find a wine to match the occasion and menu, so I called for help from the resident sommelier. He walked me through options, probing my preferences and knowledge of wines and to my surprise revealed he had wines to offer that were not on the list! He rattled off some names but I was not moved, then he mentioned Coche Dury! My eyes lit up - this was imho the best white Burgundy maker. The sommelier offered us three possibilities from Coche Dury, the Meursault, Bourgogne and Aligote. He explained that they were only allocated 3 bottles of the Meursault per year by the winemaker, and since this wine is so difficult to buy, let alone find it in a restaurant, I went for it. The Coche Dury Meursault did not disappoint. It was fireworks on the palate and kept improving in the glass, and it was a wonderful accompaniment to the brilliant food.

Beautiful place with amazing food and great service. Opted for the supplement lobster and I’m glad I did it was so tasty and presentation was spot on as to be expected of a restaurant of this quality

It was my partner birthday meal and we have the a la carte menu only. The food was really amazing and cook with attention to details! All dishes are perfect is flavour. (Apart from the dessert is a bit normal) The service was also very professional. I particularly like the infused some Japanese elements which definitely bring the food into another league. I had a pork loin for my main, it is one of the best pork loin that I have ever tried. Overall a really good experience and good value for money too! Will come back for the tasting menu

Great food and staff are fantastic, every dish is well explained so well and vegetarian options are fantastic, I would say they could do with having some music for ambience.