Say bonjour to a renovated and relaunched Café Rouge

Café Rouge is set to relaunch as ‘Rouge’ in its city centre premises in the Bullring and Grand Central.

Following a £250,000 renovation, the restaurants are the second sites nationwide to trial the new menu and design.

The Bullring’s 3,758 sq ft unit seats 143 people and will feature a private dining room. Rouge says it aims to create an ambient location with a more modern relaxed dining experience.

Executive Chef Bruno Balle wants to celebrate Parisian dining but will “reimagine” dishes with a “modern twist”.

Featuring escargot and bouillabaisse, scallop starter and a variety of vegan-friendly dishes including a cauliflower steak and pretzel burger, the new menu will be delivered by head chef Graham Phillips.

Steve Worrall, chief operating officer at Rouge, said: “Having traded as Café Rouge since the grand opening of the Bullring in 2003, we’ve always been proud to have been one of the centre’s first restaurant residents and have served hundreds of thousands of guests.

“Rouge will provide its guests with a modern slice of Parisian culture and cuisine: Birmingham is a thriving, cultural hub that is host to one of the best food and drink scenes in the UK, so it seems only right that it’s the next place to bring our second-ever new concept restaurant.”

The former Café Rouge restaurant is set to retain all 26 of its original employees.

General manager Thamir Abdul Hameed, who has worked within the company for 14 years, said: “We cannot wait to bring to Rouge to life in Birmingham: introducing new products such as a signature Champagne cocktail range as well as retaining guest favourites such as the Beef Bourguignon, we’re so excited to be serving up a brand-new menu and experience for our guests.”

Founded in 1989, Café Rouge is owned by Big Table Group, which operate more than 150 restaurants across the UK and Ireland. Rouge Birmingham will be open seven days a week and will begin serving from 16 March.