Rayu Pan Asian — Restaurant in Birmingham

Restaurant Review: A Delightful Culinary Experience at Rayu

I recently dined at Rayu, a vibrant pan-Asian restaurant, and it exceeded all my expectations. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was welcoming, with warm lighting and modern decor that set the tone for a great meal.

The prawn chow mein noodles were a fantastic start. The noodles were cooked to perfection, with just the right texture, and the prawns were fresh and juicy. The dish was bursting with umami flavors, complemented by crisp vegetables and a subtle hint of smokiness. It struck a perfect balance between comfort and excitement.

The chicken gyoza were equally impressive. Golden and crispy on the outside, the dumplings revealed a flavorful and juicy chicken filling with every bite. Paired with a tangy dipping sauce, they were the ideal appetizer—light yet packed with flavor.

One of the standout dishes was the pulled beef bao buns. The buns were pillowy soft, while the pulled beef filling was rich, tender, and perfectly seasoned with a slight sweetness that made each bite heavenly. The addition of pickled vegetables provided a refreshing contrast to the savory beef, making the dish feel well-rounded and satisfying.

The meal ended on a high note with the pulled beef fries. Generously topped with succulent, slow-cooked beef, the fries were crispy and perfectly seasoned. The combination of flavors—savory beef, creamy sauce, and golden fries—was indulgent yet balanced, offering the ultimate comfort food experience.

Overall, Rayu delivered an exceptional dining experience with its well-executed dishes and thoughtful presentation. Each plate showcased a mastery of flavors and textures, making it a must-visit for anyone craving pan-Asian cuisine. I’ll definitely be returning to explore more...

Unfortunately another case of Tiktok Hype. Upon arrival, I wasn't expecting a tight and cramped environment. It felt uncomfortable. However looking past this, was genuinely excited for food. Ordered 3 starters, 2 main courses. We initially wanted to get mojitos/dessert as well and was told they're not on the menu. We were advised that this is not their menu and their menu isn't out for 2 weeks. Quite disappointing really. Onto the food, they looked appealing. Everything was served at once. The starters, the bao buns were too big, but had good flavour. But too filing, they tend to be smaller. It's only a starter. The tempura prawns were oily and just not good, they tasted like they were frozen and not fresh. We wanted chicken gyozas and could only have vegetable. These were probably the best thing. The mains, we ordered a rice box and basil chilli, both tasted like they were overdue. The noodles were soggy because they were left in too late and the flavours simply just weren't good enough. You'd at least expect cutlery, but your given disposable and all the sauces come in packets. It wasn't a pleasant experience, and if I would recommend Rayu how to improve, instead of focusing on customer numbers, to focus on the environment. Take out a table or 2, allow for more space. As we were leaving, there was a group of 10 and you simply couldn't walk past them. Minimum should be cutlery, and sauces available. Not ones in packets. And If you can't serve something, maybe not advertise it or display it on the menu. Unfortunately, it's not a place I would come to again. For the price of just under £60, its a bit of a reach when you can't even...

June 2025 - our second visit with the family and my brother in law this time. A few small additions to the menu since latest and thought we’d try some of the new items in addition to what we loved last time. And yet again we were very pleased with all the food and excellent flavour of everything. Huge thank you to the team and response of our last review from last year.

2024 - A great meal after a long time. Everything was just bang on - from the food to the service and deco was modern yet simple. Went with wife and the boys and they all loved the food- we tried a variety of starters and couple of mains and everything was flavoursome with decent portion sizes. Price was also reasonable especially for being located right next to Birmingham City Centre.

The staff were friendly and attentive - maybe a bit too eager too as they the waitress who sat us down was ready to take our order within 2 minutes of sitting down but that can be forgiven. We tried the Japanese Ramune drink was ok and fancy with a marble and push mechanism to release the top and boys when for a bubble tea drink which they loved. We thought we’d try a few different started and we just found the bao bun chicken burger unique to anything we’ve ever tried. The red prawn dumplings were good too and so were the rest with the sushi classed as average. For mains the kung pao stir fry rice and prawn fire cracker noodles were spicy yet filling and so we had to pack and take some home to finish. Definitely will come back In-sha-Allah especially to try the...