Last week I was kindly invited to the Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham to try out the food of Big Papas Beautiful South, who are currently resident in the kitchen there. I haven’t been to the Sunflower Lounge for a long time, probably the last time was about 10 years when I spent a rather raucous New Year there. Its recently undergone a lovely renovation, but I digress, I was there for the food and nothing else! Big Papa’s have been around on the street food scene for the last 6 months or so, we have seen them out and about at venues such as BrumYumYum in Kings Heath but not yet tried their delicious sounding food.
I joined a host of Birmingham’s finest bloggers to try their wares for the first time. It was nice to catch up with a lot of familiar faces and also to meet a couple of new ones. Head Chef Anthony was in the kitchen, cooking up for us a selection of their dishes. I chose the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which came with 2 sides of your choice, all for £10. I went for the Sweet Potato Fries and the Greens for my sides, but you could also have Mac n Cheese.
My chicken was beautiful and tasty and the sweet potato fries were outstanding and some of the best I’ve tried. I wasn’t as keen on the greens, although they had a lovely spice to them – I admit I was lusting after the Mac n Cheese which looked delicious. I think I should have given in to the carb fest! The food all came served on a tray which was a nice touch for those who are fans of quirky presentation. A little pot of hot sauce, made with mango and chillies and homemade by Anthony was also really excellent. Maybe a little spicy for some, but not for me!
Other mains included a Pulled Cola Brisket Bun or Blackened Pork Chops, and they also have a vegetarian offering. If you’re after a starter too, options could include Blackened Shrimp, Buttermilk Hot Wings or Spicy Okra.
Big Papas is only a stones throw from the BullRing and the Theatre district and Chinatown, so perfect for lunch or dinner after a spot of shopping for before heading to the Hippodrome or the Alex. I definitely want to try their Cola Brisket, so I’ll be back soon.
Disclosure: Big Papas hosted this even as they were after some honest feedback from mad keen foodies, and on this occasion the food we ate was free of charge.