"You Choose" — The Covered Wagon

Venue: The Covered Wagon, 298 Yardley Wood Rd, B13 9JW; website
Choice: Large sizzler (£12.99) Chooser: The owner

Time is the cruelest of mistresses. She carves wrinkles across your weary face, adds pounds to your podgy profile and ultimately claws your last breath from your gasping lungs. Chin up, though mate, because somethings improve with age. Take the Covered Wagon, for example. A year ago it went from being the sort of 'Sizzling Pubs' venue you'd only ever attend when all other football watching opportunities had been exhausted, and became an exquisite independent Desi pub. We've eaten an awful lot of Indian food in this city and it's with no lightness of consideration that we say the Covered Wagon is one of the best pub-restaurants we have. The lamb chops on the sizzling platter packed a punchy heat, the meat distancing itself from the bone like Channel 4 distancing itself from the Birmingham bid. Good as it was though, the prawn curry was next level. At just £7.80 it came with fresh, giant prawns, cooked bang-on; a snap to the exterior, but the sweet meat remained juicy and fluffy throughout. We're told one sous chef left London's luxey Chutney Mary — where the cheapest main course costs £12 more than this dish — to join the Wagon team. London's loss is massively Moseley's gain. Never allow him to leave this city. (Side note: the naan bread scored 10 out of 10 on our Naanometer™). Menu