Upstairs at Grace + James
HEY HO SILVER LINING
Grace + James have stopped serving Sunday roasts, apart from special occasions. A more recent review of their small plates menu from 3rd September 2022 is available here
It’s been a week of good news and bad news. But, if every cloud has a silver lining, then every silver lining has a cloud. And it’s that kind of day; an unusually warm but mostly grey day that could easily bring a blast of sunshine or heavy shower.
We’re unperturbed by the threat of rain and whilst York Road is probably only the 10,965th best view in Birmingham, we grab an outdoor table to take in the atmosphere energised by appreciative diners and outdoor drinkers at the neighbouring bars.
In the bad news list, as well as bruising my ribs playing tennis, the fridge broke so there’s no food in, but that means we need to eat out. Top of the good news list is I’ve managed to get a table here for a Sunday roast.
It's a perfectly formed menu of two starters, three mains including a veggie option and two desserts. The similarly short list of quality, organic and natural wines—as you’d expect from Grace + James—gives us the confidence to opt for a chilled red in the shape of a red fruity Cabernet Franc. It at least settles the tussle of white or red; inflamed by my threat of ordering a bottle of red whatever, which would doubtless mean freewheeling into Monday.
Domaine Sebastien David L’Hurluberlu
When the plates arrive, I’ve not got even a glimmer of plate envy and barely consider the pleasures promised by three slices of pink beef rump, roasted radishes and a flamboyant Yorkshire, that’s reaching for the sky.
Rump of beef, radish, Yorkshire pudding
On my plate there’s a generous pile of succulent, slow roast shoulder of lamb with the lightly acidic and sweet fresh zing of mint sauce with fresh peas. But it’s the Jansson’s Temptation that stirs up the most excitement. It’s in the pave style; mandolin sliced potato layers, softened onion and a salty lick of anchovies. It brings back fond memories of their aged beef fat hash brown that never fails to entice me when here for brunch.
Lamb shoulder, Jannson’s Temptation
But it’s our bread crumb topped, brown crusted broccoli and cauliflower cheese to share that has my excitement tumbling like a Chinese acrobatic circus with its clotted cream-like sauce intensifying the cheese hit, bouncing past the extra vintage setting.
Cauliflower & Broccoli Cheese
There’s a jug of meat-rich gravy that’s impeccably portioned—even for a confirmed gravy enthusiast—crunchy beef fat roast potatoes and a bowl of seasonal veg, that initially alarms me at the sight of courgette slices and they are all that remain by the time our plates are scraped clean.
Beef fat roast potatoes
It has to be said, the food was a long time coming but with a DJ outside The Juke, spinning the maximum chilled, Sunday afternoonest of eclectic mixes, it’s every kind of nothing to really worry about. Besides, my last glassful of wine coincides with my last mouthful of food and ever the freewheeling opportunist, I order two glasses of Viognier whilst we enjoy the music and wait to see if we can find the space for dessert.
Pimm’s Jelly, Chantilly Cream & Strawberries
Half an hour later we’ve found room for a fruit loaded Pimm’s jelly, alongside fresh strawberries and the seductive French kiss of Chantilly cream, with two spoons and two glasses of an excellent sweet Chenin Blanc. It brings a short blast of sunshine and has us googling ‘Pimm’s jelly’ and planning a late summer garden party to spread the joy.
At £114.50 plus tip (that’s £59 on booze and £55.50 on food) it’s a triumph. The good news is the Brum Sunday roast scene just keeps on getting better… and I think Upstairs may just have got their nose in front, although the Yorkshire pud dropped a point across the table, being “too dry”.
My own good news is that I’m fully freewheeling, but the bad news for you is you’ll have to wait for autumn until the roasts are back on the menu.
But I can’t leave you with bad news. In the meantime, Grace + James / Upstairs are launching a small plates menu and that’s very good news. Very, very good news.
It’s all about the silver linings.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
23 York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7SA
