Last month, I was contacted by the lovely PR team at McCann to see if I would like to visit The White Swan, Edgbaston after celebrating their new refurb. I never had the chance to visit before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when walking in through the door. I live in Stirchley, Birmingham and the drive to The White Swan on a Monday night took us about 20 minutes in rush hour traffic, so it’s pleasant to know it’s not too far away for my next visit. Everything from the luxurious sofas to the roaring log fire places screams elegance and sophistication. You wouldn’t actually believe it’s a pub chain, would you?
The restaurant is airy, modern and spectacularly spacious. On arrival we were seated nearest the window and the table was beautifully set with glasses, plates, velvet chairs and candles. This place definitely has a modern vibe and I especially loved the till section with gorgeous tiled slates. As you can see from the picture above, it’s definitely a cosy place to sit and have some food and drinks, I’m already planning on returning.
As part of the review, myself and Josh were kindly given a complimentary three course meal, all drinks included. Obviously I chose a glass of Malbec as I’m obsessed with the stuff. They have a variety of wines and spirits to choose from, as well as an additional range of beers. The White Swan dinner menu is extremely varied, with starters and nibbles ranging from rustic breads, to mezze and meat platters with chorizo and pulled pork croquettes. Even more so, they serve soup of the day, peppered squid, mushrooms and more. I’d definitely suggest looking at the full menu if you’re interested in dining here.
The White Swan Starters
For my first course, and after browsing through the menu for a good 5 minutes, I opted for the Deep-fried Somerset Brie in panko breadcrumbs with apricot & cumin chutney. It’s a vegetarian option and comes in at £5.95. It’s a very delicious starter but I don’t think I’d pay more than £4 for this type of starter as it isn’t a very big portion. Nevertheless it was a very tasty dish, and I loved how the cheese oozes out of the breadcrumbs. Combined with the apricot chutney, this is a tantalising starter and is something I’d love forward to again.
For Josh’s starter, he ordered the Lebanese-Style Beef Kabobs (yes, kabobs) served with pine nut tabbouleh and harissa hummus. You receive three sticks, presented beautifully and this comes in at around £6.95. I really do love the presentation of the food at The White Swan, you can tell that the chefs take pride in their food and this shows. Again, I think the portion is small but perhaps it was the big plate that gave this effect. Nevertheless, I tried a bite and it was perfectly cooked, slightly salty and complimented the hummus well.
Main Courses at The White Swan
As mentioned before, the menu at The White Swan, Edgbaston is incredibly varied. There’s so many gorgeous sounding dishes so it kind of makes choosing hard. There’s a whole section of pizzas and salads and steaks, in addition to a mains section with options of scallops, chicken, roasted pork belly, burgers and more. As I was drinking wine that night, I thought my drink would go well with a meaty pasta dish. This King prawn, crab and chorizo linguine dish with white wine, tomatoes, garlic & chilli (£14.50) was honestly one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in a long time. And considering I’ve eaten well in Italy this year, it speaks volume. It had a hint of spice, and was full of lasting flavour. I was so full by the end of it that I asked to take the rest away.
The same as me, Josh found it a little difficult to choose a main course as it all sounded so good. Eventually josh went for the Breaded Buttermilk & Rosemary Chicken Burger with Amarillo chilli mayonnaise and fries (£13.50). It was a little odd as his burger came without any bread, but the crunch of the chicken sounded delightful. This dish wasn’t as colourful as my pasta dish but we both still enjoyed our meals fully.
The White Swan Desserts
As we did throughout the whole night, choosing a dessert was a hard choice. We considered getting the The House Sharer (£11.95) which combines of a few desserts to share. Although something was pulling me towards the Melting Golden chocolate bomb with caramel ice cream, chocolate popping candy and hot Devon cream toffee sauce (v) (£7.95). At this point my belly was full of pasta, but there’s never not an option to eat pudding. Hot toffee sauce is poured over the chocolate to reveal caramel ice cream underneath.
Naturally, Josh opted for the Warm Belgian chocolate brownie with bourbon vanilla ice cream (v) (£6.50) as he likes to compare the brownie to each restaurant we visit. It came out warm, drizzled in chocolate sauce and ice cream, a perfect end such a fantastic night of comforting food. Huge thank the team at The White Swan as their service was impeccable and they really looked after us during the night. Although the restaurant seemed quiet for a Monday night, I wouldn’t rule out going back as the food was superb.
If you’re thinking of visiting The White Swan, they have a booking system which makes it easier to reserve a table. Definitely something to consider if you’re looking to reserve a table near Christmas or the new year. Food service times vary throughout the week so it’s good to check their booking page to find out more. Please note: I was invited to The White Swan to review their new menu. Me and +1 received a three course meal and complimentary drinks in return for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Address: Harborne Rd, Birmingham B15 3TT