If you’re looking for something a bit fancy in Birmingham, The Cube is the place to be. Overlooking the canal and with panoramic views of the city, it’s home to a four-star hotel, luxe gym and a select few bars and restaurants. At the top of The Cube, you’ll find the iconic Marco Pierre White’s (a place I’m still yet to actually visit despite dropping many, many hints to friends, family and James for approx three years); but a few weeks ago I was treated to one of The Cube’s lesser-known delights that’s tucked away on the first floor: Bardolino*.
Bardolino is also a Marco Pierre White restaurant, but offers a more relaxed dining experience than the Steakhouse on the top floor. It has more of a pizzeria vibe, which was perfect for me as we visited the afternoon before my (first ever, no biggie, I don’t want to go on about it) 10k run. I was ready to be CARBED UP – and Bardolino didn’t disappoint.
To start, James and I shared a mozzarella cheese bread (to be honest, I’m starting to wonder whether we’re physically capable of being out to eat together not eating some sort of cheesy garlic bread). This was much bigger than we anticipated, but as I am nothing if not a dedicated food blogger (ahem), I of course managed to tackle it. The thin base made it lighter than expected, but this would still easily serve 3 or 4 people if you were planning to get a few sharer options.
When it came to mains, I had plenty of veggie options to choose from. Baked pasta dishes are some of my favourites to eat out, so I opted for the Cannelloni Spinach and Ricotta (£12.50), which was deliciously creamy and indulgent. James decided to follow his garlic pizza bread with, er, another pizza(!) However when his American Hot (£12.95) arrived, I couldn’t blame him – the fresh, sourdough base and generous toppings could even have tempted me back for another slice (if it wasn’t for all that meat obv).
Washed down with a white wine spritzer and Peroni, the carbalicious mains had definitely filled us up. James couldn’t even manage a pudding (pathetic), but due to my aforementioned serious food blogg-ah status I decided to order the pannacotta (£6.50) to finish. Thankfully this was quite a small portion, so it was the perfect finish to the meal.
We both loved our meal at Bardolino – while the canal-side Cube setting is idyllic, there’s none of the pretentiousness you might find with some upmarket restaurants and bars. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the food was 100% comfort. I’ll definitely be re-visiting soon, and think that the afternoon tea might be next on my list!
This place looks absolutely amazing!
Danielle xx
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