Land

At first sight, Land doesn't look like one of the most consistent addresses for plant-focussed dining in Birmingham city centre. Sensibly dressed in muted grey and green, the small, shop-fronted dining room sits discreetly in an elegant Grade II-listed Victorian shopping arcade – the penny only drops when you take a look at the menu. The food may be strictly vegetarian/vegan, but leave any preconceptions behind – it’s a real one-off. A broadly based clientele gives the place plenty of enthusiastic support: ‘The food looks great, tastes great and is great value for money – and I'm not a vegetarian either,’ is a common refrain. Expect a choice of four- or six-course tasting menus offering a mix of global ideas and a galaxy of flavours, kicking off with bites of potato crisp layered with fragrantly spiced pumpkin, coriander, beetroot and apple, topped with yoghurt and tonburi seeds. Elsewhere, a boldly flavoured char siu carrot with spring onion and delicate rice mousse, sprinkled with crisped wild rice set the tone for our lunch. If the kitchen strains under the challenge of working without butter and eggs, it doesn’t show – the standout for us was a delicate, tender leek dish with a luscious, rich tapioca and dashi sauce topped with beads of seaweed caviar. And the ‘non-butter’ that arrived with the bread was a revelation. We loved the finale, too – a delectable chocolate, balsamic and blackberry confection. Service hits just the right note, and staff give sound advice when it comes to the thoughtfully constructed list of mainly low-intervention wines.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence