Aysha's reviews
Review of Club Hidden
13 Nov 07, 15:23
Hidden 
As the name suggests, Hidden is tucked away opposite the Arcadian Centre, and is popular with a more clubbing-dance crowd than most of the Arcadian bars. It's invariably got a queue outside it on most weekend nights, and as such it can be annoying trying to get in. Then paying around £10 for the privilege of waiting outside kind of adds insult to injury. Once inside it would be nice to say your forget this because it's great, but that's not true. Sadly, the layout is tight and confusing, there's lots of dark corners, not enough bars, too small toilets and always far too many people inside to make any kind of venture outside your immediate area virtually impossible. It is frequented by people whose attitude to dressing themselves seems to be the less is less theory, and as such be aware that you may not be let in if you do not prescribe to such stupidity. Not a fan!
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Review of Apres Bar
13 Nov 07, 14:32
Apres
Part of a chain, this place is pretentious and so up itself I have no idea how it functions as a successful business. Situated in what is essentially Sainsbury's car park in Mere Green, Apres is full of snobby footballers' wives wannabes and middle-aged men with Bentley's and sports cars they can just about fit into. I have been here a couple of times and have been victim of the obssessively fastidious door policy (I wasn't allowed in because the skinny black trousers I had on were classed as'jeans'- on a Thursday night.)! The place is pretty tight on seating too, and it can be difficult negotiating your way through the crowds to the toilets, or to the bar. If you're lucky enough to get served, you may well find that you pay through the nose for your drink because the barman has added it up wrong, as has happened to me twice, so be careful with what they charge you for it. I am not a fan of bars like this, they take the fun out of going out and turn it into much more of an ordeal than it should be!
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Review of Bella Italia
13 Nov 07, 14:19
Bella Pasta
Like any chain, Bella Pasta is one of those places that seems to use the term'Italian' quite loosely. The food is average, the service is average and the place is, surprisingly, average. It's not like the food is inedible, but you do get a sneaking suspicion that it's just reheated stuff from a freezer. It's not exactly cheap either, so I'm not sure why it always seems to be packed whenever I go past it. I have been here a couple of times and each time has been thoroughly unremarkable. Like so many places, Bella Pasta seems to fall into the category of a forgettable restaurant, and as such, makes it a forgettable experience. I wouldn't say don't go here, but I would say why bother, when there's so many more interesting and less'beige' places to go and eat?
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Review of Las Iguanas
13 Nov 07, 14:03
Las Iguanas
I don't know what it is about Mexican restaurants in Birmingham, but this place really shouldn't bother to be honest. It's rubbish- the food is vile, the service is abismal and the prices are sky-high to compensate for the fact that no one ever seems to return to the place once they've been there. I went there for a friends' birthday and we'd all arranged that we should try and each spend about £30 each on food/drink etc to keep the bill sensible and easy to work out at the end. As it was, the bar staff seemed to delight in confusing drinks orders, sending the same drinks over twice or constituting a cocktail when someone asked for a beer. As a result, our total bill came to something ridiculous like £500, for 8 people. Needless to say, I did not pay for most of mine, as by this point my mouth had been violated by food that was virtually inedible, and overused talking to waitresses who didn't even attempt to help us. Avoid, if you possibly can, and go somewhere else instead.
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Review of Zinc Bar & Grill
13 Nov 07, 13:54
Zinc
Didn't like this place from the moment I entered and clocked the ridiculous minimalist decor and the too beautiful bar-staff with chips on their shoulders- not a fan! Zinc is expensive to drink in and the atmosphere is a bit like being in an expensive clothes shop- it's not the kind of place you could have a wild night out in and the drink costs make this prohibitive anyway, so I wouldn't bother! One thing I will say for this place though is that it is immaculate, and as such, doesn't attract the undesirables you get in so many of the Broad St area bars. However, if it's atmosphere you're looking for, I'd recommend stumbling a bit further up the road and seeing what you can find!
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Review of Jessicas Restaurant
13 Nov 07, 13:14
Jessicas
Jessicas is another high-end restaurant situated in Edgbaston, just outside the city centre, and, similar to Simpsons, has an extensive menu catering for those with more discerning tastebuds. However, unlike Simpsons, I didn't have a great experience here. I found the staff rude and unhelpful, and, dare I say it, a tad patronising and arrogant. No effort was made to discuss the food with us, which, at £40 per head, you'd think they'd try to do! Nor was any effort made for use to taste or sample wines, we were merely asked what we'd like to drink, and then had the wine list slapped unceremoniously down on the table in front of us. The food was nouveau cuisine-y, and as such, wasn't very satisfying. I don't need to feel full after a meal, but if I'm paying that much, I want it to at least taste satisfying. This, however, was lazy cookery at its worst, and I very nearly left without even finishing my meal. I wasn't happy with my experience here, but I know many others who have been, so perhaps it was an'off' day for the staff?
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Review of Topshop
01 Nov 07, 13:33
Topshop in Brum
This place should be fantastic- light, bright, chok full of fast-fashion trends and loitering bright young things, but to be honest it's a bit of a pain to shop in. I'm a big fan of Topshop's clothes in general, but I very rarely go into this place as it's generally packed, it's a nightmare on the weekends, the changing rooms are like a greenhouse and also house the most unflattering mirrors in the world. Top this with nonchalant and arrogant staff and it doesn't really make a great shopping experience. I will give Birmingham Topshop something though- its Tall range is usually very good, and it makes a nice change to see things in store that you generally would only usually see in its Oxford Circus store. However, I'd give this place a miss, unless you fancy a really early morning or late evening shop!
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Review of Bar Academy
16 Oct 07, 13:12
Bar Academy
Attached to the bigger Birmingham Academy, Bar Academy is a pre-bar for people going to gigs at the Academy as well as a standalone bar and small gig venue itself. It's pretty tiny, though upstairs there is a larger bar and stage area for acts who in the past have included Amy Winehouse, The Enemy and Embrace. Be warned, this place can get rammed beyond belief. It can be difficult to get in if it's a gig night (though once you're in, and if you've seen a gig upstairs, you'll get a stamp on your hand which entitles you to free/discounted entry to the Academy next door if there's a club night on), and once in, it can be difficult to get out! Drinks are expensive- around £3.20 for a pint in a plastic cup- not good, especially when sometimes the lager comes out of a can rather than draft- particularly galling when the can blatantly cost the club around 60p. It can take ages to get served and even then you can't be guaranteed the drink you want will be there (no tonic water for some reason, and only 'house' whisky on occasion- revolting). I wouldn't go here unless I had to go to a gig to be honest- it gets too busy, the bar staff aren't particularly friendly, given how busy they usually are, and the drinks are far too expensive. Recommended only if you want a quick one before a gig, otherwise walk up the road to the Square Peg and partake in exactly the same beer for less than half the price.
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Review of Ikon Gallery
10 Oct 07, 19:05
Ikon Gallery
The Ikon used to be a great gallery, with an exciting programme and lots of interesting artists exhibiting their works in this wonderful converted Victorian works building. However, in the past year or so, Ikon seems to have lost its mojo, and with it, my enthusiasm for it. It might be because the staff seem to be spectacularly rude, or that the spaces seem to be frequently filled with audio visual installations rather than paintings/sculpture. It might be that the cafe has stopped serving excellent mediterranean inspired food and replaced it with the kind of rubbish you'd find in a canteen. Whatever it is, the Ikon seems to me unworthy of a trip out to Brindley Place at the moment. It's not all bad- when they have a good artist exhibiting, the Ikon does make great use of its spaces, filling them with artworks and encouraging visitors to engage with their surroundings. Ikon do know how to encourage the public to engage with contemporary art on some level, as they frequently offer tours and talks to accompany exhibitions. However, I have now been a couple of times in recent months and not experienced this same feeling, rather, I have been put off lingering too long in front of an artwork by overzealous staff who just appear generally irritable and rude whenever a member of the public gets between them and the art. It is a shame, as it is a really great space. These things can be overlooked when they have good exhibitions on, but of late the exhibitions that are good have been thoroughly undermined by the bad ones. I would love to be able to recommend Ikon as a place to meet and greet, as it used to be, but sadly, not anymore.
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Review of Arca Bar
03 Oct 07, 10:40
Arca Bar
Arca Bar is one of the more mainstream bars in the Arcadian, though it does seem to cater for the rather more chavvy element than the others. Once you enter the place, you're aware that you are being stared at by the numerous men who seem to be stationed around the place looking a bit suspicious, or by their girlfriends, who eye you with contempt. When you finally manage to get to the bar and order it can be a bit annoying when the bar person either a)ignores you, b)gives you a vodka and coke in the smallest glass in the world or c)tries to get you to buy a vodka jelly, or whatever other promotion is on that week. It's not all bad- there's a great size dancefloor upstairs, and plenty of places to sit. The door staff are friendly (though I am a girl, so this may have something to do with it), and there's a good mix of men/women inside (but only after about 11ish). However, it's loud, the music is for the garage/house hardcore and the lairy attitude of some of the clientele is really rather scary, quite frankly. I have been to Arca far too many times for me to recall now, and have had some okay nights there, but nothing amazing. I would recommend this place for the people who are really into their clubbing type music, and who just want to get drunk and have a proper dance. It's not for those who, like me, can't really tolerate music that isn't my taste, or scary girls who just look like they want to fight.
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