Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to sample the food at the Gentleman & Scholar Pub inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Guests can enjoy a great selection of fine wines, champagnes and cocktails with friends in the traditional Pub and Terrace. You do not have to be staying in the hotel to enjoy the pub and restaurant! Styled on a traditional tavern with a contemporary twist, The Gentleman & Scholar opens onto Broad Street with a relaxed heated terrace.
The menu offers a cool and sophisticated array of options, from burgers to Black Country classics all served in a relaxed pub environment.
There is a welcome nod to the city’s industrial heritage in the general design, and on the walls, which adds to the dining experience. Mainly The Lunar Society, think James Watt and Matthew Boulton.
As I walk in first thing that catches my attention is Steve Miller – Going To Mexico playing over the speakers. This kind of sets the scene for the rest of the night’s vibes. A playlist as diverse as prog rock, 60s, modern soul, classic funk and latin jazz. I think The Doors – People Are Strange played next.
There is a really festive cosy atmosphere in this place, with a huge Christmas tree in the large atrium en route to the pub – beautifully decorated.
I am seated and begin with a sharp yet sweet cocktail with fresh Black Berry, which I find refreshing and delicious. The cocktail menu is quite something at The Gentleman & Scholar. With classics and a few interesting additions such as the Banana Old Fashioned (banana infused bourbon, sweetened with banana liqueur. Stirred down with a good helping of walnut bitter then
garnished with dried banana) which I also sampled.
The chefs at the Hyatt take pride on using only the best ingredients sourced from local suppliers and I think this showed in the food I tried.
The beetroot and mushroom was a fantastic marriage and left a long lasting taste..
To begin, I opted for Moving Mountains Vegan Burger. This is made with mushrooms, peas, coconut oil and beetroot. It sizzles like a real burger, served on a sesame seed and
charcoal bun, lettuce, tomato, sticky tomato chutney, with fries and a side salad.
I found the crisp bun encapsulated the burger perfectly which dare I say it, tasted meaty, with spicy sweet sauce added. I would normally go for a beef or chicken burger but I honestly must say that this was just as satisfying. The beetroot and mushroom was a fantastic marriage and left a long lasting taste – quite filling with fries! There was a pleasing texture to the burger too, something sometimes missing with vege burgers I find, either too dry or too soggy, this was just right!
Once this had been washed down with my cocktail, I tried the slow cooked BBQ pork ribs with skinny fries. Oh my, what a feast! These are sticky and sweet and every scrap of meat was prised from the bones, crunchy and moorish. It was a great contrast to the vege option and I would definitely order both these again given the chance.
With my food slowly digesting I managed to catch some of the live music which The Gentleman & Scholar now host every Thursday from 9pm. The singer that played on this occasion was called Esther Turner who had a fab repertoire. They have a different singer every Thursday throughout the year plus some on a Friday or a Sunday depending on events in the hotel ect.
In all, this was a great experience and a busy atmosphere with the hubbub of Broad Street passing by outside. A bit of an unexpected hidden gem in the the heart of the city.
Full menu can be viewed here.
Review by Nick Byng for Grapevine Birmingham.