Birmingham Mail

Gave it a second chance but wont be giving it a third. The limitation of buying the 'crowns' in blocks of ten pounds is wrong - with 'samples' costing minimum 6 crowns - you could be left with between 50p and £4 with nothing to spend it on unless you buy another whole £10 book. Well done 'Aria at the Hyatt' for their duck sausage and Wasabi mash - sadly Hotel du Vin's fatty steak and two whole pomme frites for a fiver was only good for arm exercise - most people cutting through their bamboo plates but not the steak - and Jonathon's disappointing rich chocolate sauce was a bit of grtated chocolate flake! Oh dear - we went back to the Bengal Chaa in Stirchley for a top class balti

Don't bother - stay at home and have beans on toast. Gave it a second whirl as figured last year's first endeavour was a good try - wont be giving it a third. The crowns have to be purchased in books of £10 (20)- however the 'samples' range from 6 crowns (why not 5?) to 10 - some alcohol was at 4 - so you inevitably end up with between 50p to £3 which cannot be 'spent' anywhere - nice little profit! Well done Aria at the Hyatt for their gorgeous duck sausage and wasabi mash. Thumbs down to Hotel du Vin for their rubbery steak and TWO pomme frites (fiver) which most people managed to cut through their bamboo plate but not the steak! And Jonathon's disappointing rich chocolate sauce was a bit of grated flake? Needless to say we walked to the Bengal Chaa in Stirchley for a top quality balti - which cost less between us than the entry fee to the Taste of Birmingham... nuff said :-/