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AFTERNOON TEA: UPGRADED
The most ambitious and bestest afternoon tea around these here parts is to be found at Hampton Manor, which possibly isn't the biggest surprise given that the experience comes out of its Michelin-starred kitchen. The menu may include familiar-sounding dishes like "salmon" under savoury, but we're talking here about the cured variety, with diced citrus, pickled red cabbage, crème fraîche and sorrel — not a sad triangular sanger in sight. Starting off the whole shebang? An Earl Grey granita creation that may or may not involve liquid nitrogen and a chef demo (it does). Add in an abundance of single batch teas from Lalani & Co, proper good scones, plus a gorgey parlour to take in the whole experience and we're sort of guessing you're sold. But there's more. Usually £40, book in from Tuesday to Friday until the end of June and get afternoon tea for £30, plus a bonus cocktail or glass of fizz to begin — just be sure to mention us when you book. Starting at 3pm, we thought you might be able to swing a "work from home" afternoon for this one too. Limited availability. Email reservations@hamptonmanor.com to nab a table.
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YOUR NEW JAM
Want to change the world? Global Service Jam does. Happening March 29 to 30, the initiative sees interested sorts in more than 100 cities — from Brum to Brisbane to Buenos Aires —collaborate to develop and prototype completely new services, products or initiatives inspired by a secret shared theme. In just under 48 hours each city creates and tests a concept to present back to the other teams — a bit like a musical jam except insights and ideas are the currency. Beats saying you had a pint when people ask on Monday morning, eh? Though you can also do that. Tickets are £10.
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MONDAY MORRIDGE MATTERS
If you've got anywhere near Instagram in the last month, you don't need us to tell you about Morridge. For the seven of you that haven't, you'll find the proudly oaty breakfast trike in the Great Western Arcade, weekday mornings. And on Monday (March 25), get your vegan-friendly organic porridge topped with dark choccie, salted date caramel and peanut butter, or, rhubarb, blood orange curd and toasted coconut for a much better than half price £1.50 when you mention us. From 7.30am til 10am (or sell out if earlier). We've diarised.
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FILM OF THE WEEK: US
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out doesn’t quite match its conceptual daring, but it does out-do it in actually, you know, being scary. Lupita Nyong’o and Black Panther’s Winston Duke are the parents in a normal family who find their exact doubles in the driveway of their holiday home – and these doppelgangers mean business. Could they be connected to a traumatic event in Nyong’o’s childhood? What do you think? The setup works far better than the payoff (much like Get Out), and the gore is on the fairly tame side for today’s horror marketplace, but there are plenty of both uncanny images and genuine belly laughs to make for a high-end trip to the pictures. Fans of creepy masks in particular are in for a treat, too. Times & trailer
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CUBANO?
CAN EAT!
You'd be forgiven for betting a lot on the great Cuban sandwich coming from a four-lettered, Latin American island in the Caribbean. There are cafes in Tampa that would however challenge that — having served early Cuban immigrant workers a sandwich full of Floridian influence. Whoever is right, we know a cafe where you can get a pork belly, glazed ham, Hafod Cheddar and sriracha mayo Cubano, and it's rather closer to home. From 6pm on March 29, Bun Shop's at Caneat, recreating a variety of the Cubano they found at ledgey Wrights Food Emporium, who's wine arm is also bringing six pours to pick from. And did we mention this is happening the same night beer peeps Cork & Cage open a few doors down? No bookings
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Venue: Wing Wah, 8 Wrottesley St, B5 4RT; website
Choice: Xiao long bao (£4.50) Chooser: Front of House team
Seen these? These are not mushrooms. These are magic mushrooms, but they won't give you cold-blooded Bananaman hallucinations. They're bouncy, soft sweet buns, the whiteness toasted to offer the earthy look. Deep within hides warm egg yoke that lollops out to the bite, down your chin — a wonderful sweet-meets-savoury crowdpleaser. Great fun, but not the best dish on a thoroughly engaging dim sum selection from Wing Wah, who have moved from their 21 year Nechells homeland into an enormous and luxey China Town venue. Hero of the hour was the Three Colours Shanghai Dumplings (pictured) and they have embedded themselves into our 100% unofficial list of Birmingham's best dishes. Eat in one or risk yet more chin-based trouble, the delicate skins encase a porky filling with gelatinised meat broth. During steaming the broth liquefies, poaching the pork in a rich soup. As the dumplings cool, the broth solidifies and the skin hardens, which is why xiao long bao need to be eaten lickety-split. Add a little Chinese black vinegar to cut through the intensity and enter the embrace of a seat-sinking savoury Shangri-La. Bonus points for the beautiful open kitchen that allows guests to eavesdrop on the intricate craft of dim sum. A very welcome addition to the city centre. Menu
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