The Brasshouse, Broad St, Birmingham

Mar 6 2008 By Graham Young

FRESH from a three-week closure for its first full makeover in more than 20 years, the Brasshouse provided a surreal experience last Saturday lunchtime.

Outside the listed building, half a dozen policemen were on guard.

The area also featured traffic cones, fencing, a heavy duty barrier and anti-bomber barricades with a camouflage.

With the place almost to ourselves on the inside, we were given a great window table by a 21st century EU role model - Manuel, a friendly Portuguese waiter with an Italian accent.

Though Prime Minister Gordon Brown failed to join us for a liquid break from the nearby Labour conference, the security measures made us feel like we'd joined the shindig.

And watching the unusually traffic-free Broad Street world go by certainly passed the time while we waited for our meals to arrive.

Collette's barbecue chicken on ciabatta with chips scored highly in the bread department, only to lose points for its soft tomato salad.

My two lamb shanks had tender meat and quality mashed potatoes with gravy.

But the mass of previously-frozen green beans were so tasteless, watery and soft I'd have preferred just three 'real' beans cooked to perfection with butter.

Our three children shared two adult hake, chip and mushy pea meals, as well as two J20s.

They were also made to feel much more welcome than on our last visit 18 months ago, when they were told in no uncertain terms not to walk anywhere unless it was to the loo!

A fine pint of Tetley and a glass of Pinot wine (served as an expensive large even though Collette didn't specify the size) completed her pre-Mother's Day treat.

Evenin' all.

The Bill

1 lamb shanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£8.75

1 BBQ chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5.25

2 x hake and chips . . . . . . . . .£14.90

2 x J20...................... £3

1 250cc Pinot wine . . . . . . . . . £4.40

1pt Tetley.................£2.40

TOTAL ...................£38.70

Verdict

PLUS: Thanks to the traffic ban, we almost had this beautifully-restored pub, as well as Broad Street, to ourselves.

MINUS: Would love to have seen G Brown's face had he been served with these beans!