In Birminham overnight for our visit to the BBC Good food show last Friday, Helen and I decided to try out Jamie’s Italian restaurant. It was after 9 pm by the time we had deposited our luggage and ventured out to the Bull Ring.
The first thought when we entered the restaurant was that the place was very busy for a Thursday night and we were told there would be a table available in 10 minutes. We bought a bottle of dry rose wine, sat in the bar area and studied the menu.
True to their word a table was quickly found for us. We had the choice of a couple of tables and I chose a table near the window as further into the restaurant it seemed quite dark.
The waiter was very pleasant. He was lively and well informed, reeling off the specials available to us. I couldn’t take it all in but as we had already decided on what we were having, I’m afraid his banter fell on deaf ears.
We shared olives on ice, for our starter. They were served with a black olive tapenade and crisp flat bread. We both love olives and these large green olives were beautiful as was the tapenade.
We had both chosen the Burger Italiano which was made with British beef with fontina cheese, crispy salami, soft lettuce, tomato salsa, dill pickles, chilli and fried onions. We shared sides of Funky chips and crunchy salad.
The food was good. It was hot and tasty and well presented. The waiting staff appeared really well trained and good at their jobs and we both enjoyed the food and the experience.
My only criticism is of the lighting in the restaurant. I like to see what I am eating and although we were sitting by a window, as the darkness failed so did my eyesight.
The Ladies restroom was quite unusually fitted out with Crapper flush toilets and stone sinks and was built on a mezzanine floor up a long staircase.
The restaurant was very big, with three seating areas as well as the bar area and when we were there, appeared to be running like a well oiled clock!
I enjoyed the experience in Birmingham enough to want to visit the Jamie’s Italian in Leeds soon.
eviesgran 
What was the reason for the Olives and tapenade being served on ice. Never heard that before.
Apart from the presentation, I don’t really know why there was ice. The olives were cold but probably only placed on the ice just before serving as they were not over chilled. Both the olives and tapenade were really lovely and so never queried the ice!