Lasan Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar — Restaurant in Birmingham

“How about this year?” she asked me, almost with resignation in her voice. We’ve been a couple for almost ten years, and good part of that time we planned this trip.

And before you start rolling your eyes, I know a trip to India does not sound like the most original bucket-list item, but still, fascination with that country seized us both some years ago, and never seemed to let its grip.

It all started quite unexpectedly really, with a Saturday morning stroll on a High Street. We pretended to listen everything that the travel agent was telling us about people, tradition, weather, and temples, but in our mind, we were both very much seeing ourselves on a train taking us from New Delhi to Shimla. Visiting the temples. Meeting new people. Tasting the regional cuisine, that, according to our mutual friend Batsheba, is an experience “out of this world” and is bringing you just a fraction closer to the state of total happiness. Truth be told, she was known for exaggerated statements, and many of her experiences were “spectacular” or “thrilling” or “awesome”, but still, we both knew it is something that must be done, at least once in a lifetime. So, we made our decision.

“This year, we are definitely going!” we both agreed in excitement. “And no unforeseen expenses are going to stop us this time!” That night we went to bed, both determined, that this year we are finally going to make this trip. Darjeeling train, brace yourself, because we are coming!

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Nothing happened. We both knew where this is going.

“We just can’t go now, our car insurance is due, and that old leaky sink now definitely needs changing!” she cried in desperation and defending herself. But to both of us, it was obvious, it will have to be next year.

......

“We’re making that journey tonight!” – I said after we walked our dogs. ……

“Good evening, madam and sir, do you want me to take your coat?” welcomed us young and enthusiastic gentleman in a perfectly tailored suit. “Would you prefer to start with drinks at the bar, or would you like to go straight for the meal?”

I wasn’t exactly sure at what moment it happened, but after all the years of planning, we were finally in India. It was hot, it was humid, it was crowded, and it was all we were expecting, and more. After we walked for good part of the morning, we set for a beautifully decorated restaurant, combination of brass and wood dominated the bar area, soothing light and music and a taste of what a 19th century upper middle class must have enjoyed many more decades ago.

“I could get used to this setting!” she said while indulging in her well-deserved Masala chai. “I am so happy we finally made it!” And I too was feeling as if we achieved something big. “I agree, we definitely deserved this.”

Escorted to the dinning area, and waiting for a meal in anticipation is part of the deal. We did not wait very long time though.

Food was out of this world. Something that must be tried at least once in a lifetime. Or preferably, once in a week, if you’re a foodie like we are.

The whole experience was divine. Starting with the décor and ambient and supported by amazing staff and food that is one of a kind, is something everyone should taste at least once.

We both went for a vegetarian meal options, and it was indeed phenomenal.

It was our time to leave.

We put our coats back on and left the restaurant, amazed, and inspired with the experience we just had. As we stepped outside on the curb, it felt a fair bit cooler compared to only few hours ago. How is it possible the weather changed so much in such short period of time…?

Either way, it was our time to go home.

“Should we take M42 or go straight through the city?” – my wife asked, while her favourite Norah Jones CD started...

I write a lot of reviews and always try to be fair, as such you have to compare Lasan with the likes if Asha's, and many other "higher end" similar restaurants. I have been to them all except Opheem which you could argue wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Lasan. Unsurprisingly each have their plus points, or things I thought could have been better. The service was very good but it didn't make me as special as some "cheap and cheerful" places do. Some waiters were on their first ever shift and they did a very good job. In regards to the food, Lasan is as good as anywhere, but that depends on what your preferences. We really enjoyed what we had, mostly excellent but there were some minor things should have been better. The "complimentary" poppadoms, incl just two teaspoons, or one each, of yoghurt dip and a very plain naan for example. Stunning starters, no complaints there. The meat and fish in our dishes was excellent, I have had gravy with more layers and depth of flavour but that depends on the dish. The desserts really stood out and well worth a try. No pinot grigio by the glass was disappointing for the wife but Bombay Bycicle IPA was a bonus for me. The atmosphere on our Friday night was too loud for us, it was more or less full, and wish we could have been seated in the upstairs area. Indeed it's one of the loudest restaurants I have sat in, perhaps some soft furnishings, curtains would be a good idea. The room was also quite cool, I did mention this when I first walked in but nothing changed. Not just us, the adjacent table thought the same. The entrance and down stairs toilets don't appear to cater for people with mobility issues. I didn't see any alternative provision but could be wrong so worth checking if needed. The stairs are very steep and the wife added that she thought anyone of a larger size would have difficulty in negotiating the layout of the ladies. It had a refit not too long ago and was this not considered or perhaps they just don't have the room. 10% was added to the bill, although I didn't notice this on the BRF Menu, likewise they charged us the full amount for a dessert that we thought would have been included within the set menu. Looking at dishes on other tables I was also wondering if the meals on the set menu are a cut down version of the main menu? Note that the parking isn't great in this part...

Indian food just like it tasted at home! ⁣ Verdict: Definitely deserving of the countless awards. ⁣ Décor: 8/10⁣⁣ Food: 8/10⁣⁣ Service: 9/10⁣⁣ Overall: 8/10⁣⁣ ⁣ Background:⁣ Lasan was opened in 2002 by partners Aktar Islam and Jabbar Khan, in St. Paul's Square (Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham). Aktar appeared on Gordon Ramsay's F-word as a young chef starting out, and won the "Best Local Indian Restaurant" category in 2010. It has also won the "British Curry Awards" numerous times, but Aktar left the restaurant a few years ago and Jabbar has since made a full refurbishment of the venue in Autumn 2017. ⁣⁣ Food & Drink:⁣ We had the Malai Paneer as a starter to share. There were only two mains suitable for our dietary requirements (Vegetable Dum Biriyani and Sweet Potato Kofta) so we had both. For sides we had the Potato Varuval and Cauliflower Angara. In terms of desserts, we had the ice-cream (Strawberry, Vanilla, and Pistachio), and despite the allergen menu not stating as such, the "Bombay Mess" does contain egg, so we asked for it to be served without the meringue. All the food tasted wonderful, and we actually found it to be one of the most authentically Indian tasting restaurants we have visited to date

Service:⁣ We were waited upon by "Shoaib", who was a real jewel in Lasan's crown, with his amazing service and very kind and friendly assistance, in particular in answering our questions around dietary suitability. We asked for hot water with honey to accompany as my girlfriend had a sore throat, and he was happy to oblige and dilligently refilled our glasses throughout the night. ⁣ Decor:⁣ Lasan underwent a full refurbishment and refit in 2017. The new surroundings are very luxurious and tasteful, with a 1920s period feel, however we felt not very true to the Indian theme (despite the tagline being "True to India"). This was hardly an issue however, and the restaurant was an ideal place to spend a cold Winter's evening. ⁣ Timing:⁣ We arrived at about 5:30pm and stayed until around 9pm. The restaurant was quite quiet (Wednesday night), and we didn't feel...