Review: Chez Mal Brasserie at Birmingham’s Malmaison

When it comes to Sunday lunch, I know what I like: my dad’s.

Every week he pulls out a show stopping lunch with all the trimmings, just how I like it, and we all tuck in whilst watching a feel-good movie.

For me, Sunday lunch has always been about being at home, in my cozy slippers, catching up with loved ones. So when I was invited to leave behind my fluffy slippers and the comfort of my dining room table and head instead to Chez Mal Brasserie at Malmaison in Birmingham, I had my guard up.

However, I was about to discover that my dad has a lot to learn…

Chez Mal Brasserie sits on the second floor of Malmaison at The Mailbox in the heart of the city centre.

Upon arrival, I was directed towards the bar where I waited for the restaurant to arrange my table. I was surprised at how many people were coming from outside rather than the hotel itself. The bar was busy but with a relaxed vibe and it was full of families and couples.

I was soon shown to my table in the actual restaurant and couldn’t believe just how comfortable the surroundings were, I almost wished that I had brought my slippers along with me for the experience.

The décor is modern and elegant, but also manages to be warm and homely, with just touches of colour and tables laid out far enough from each other so that you don’t spend your time there hearing about a stranger’s life. It was intimate, but there was not an elitist feel to the restaurant and from a quick look around, it was obvious that many people were there because of a special occasion rather than just a meal. However, this created a family-friendly atmosphere, reminding me of my own dining room table on a normal Sunday afternoon.

The staff were incredibly friendly and they talked me through the menu. The restaurant’s Sunday Lunch offer is a three-course meal for £19.95 per person and this also includes a hors d’oeuvres table which you can return to as many times as you like, where visitors can choose from a wide selection of options for their starter dishes.

The food on offer in the buffet was extensive and for all types of taste buds; from 11 different types of meat, fish, salad, bread and a cheese board. My guest and I chose the soup of the day, which was included in the three-course meal and a selection of meat and salad to enjoy. However, as I learned, it is best not to go too mad as I was full before the main had even arrived.

For the main dish, I ordered a Sunday roast, of course, which was a Whole Normandy corn fed chicken with cranberry stuffing.

My guest ordered the USDA BLACK Angus Pichanha Rump and thyme and rosemary Yorkshire pudding. Both courses came with separate dishes of buttered greens, maple glazed vegetables and roast potatoes to share between us, but there was more than enough.

The Sunday roast did not disappoint. The meat was succulent and the cranberry stuffing I had with mine somehow cupelled me into a Christmas-like jig and alongside a glass of Malmaison’s own Malplonk white wine, the meal went down an absolute treat. Without trying to break my dad’s heart, it was probably the best roast I have ever had.

By the time dessert came around, I was so full I had even considered booking a room in the hotel for a post-roast snooze.

There were six dessert options, including blackberry and pistachio trifle, steamed sponge of the day with custard and a cheese board. My guest went for the Sticky Toffee Pudding and I chose the Hot Chocolate. The sticky toffee pudding was served with a pecan caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

I was very impressed with my Hot Chocolate pudding, which came in a huge mug and was full of marshmallows, white chocolate, vanilla ice cream and a separate pot of hot chocolate sauce. It was gorgeous and sent me into such a stuffed daze that I couldn’t help but order two Bellini cocktails to end the meal nicely.

The Sunday lunch menu is available at Chez Mal Brasserie from 12.30pm to 4pm and offers other main plates including classic burgers, smoked haddock fish cakes, pan-fried sea bass ribollita and roasted pumpkin tortelloni. The restaurant also offers a selection of brunch dishes, like eggs benedict and malted blueberry pancakes.

Chez Mal Brasserie at Malmaison is the perfect destination if, like me, you struggle to drag yourself away from the comfort of home on a Sunday afternoon. The food and drink on offer is incredible, but the upbeat and happy atmosphere of the restaurant is not one that I will be forgetting anytime soon.

Chez Mal Brasserie rating: 9/10.