A stand-out Indian restaurant in Birmingham

The best curry house in Birmingham? A bold claim, but one that I think is pretty justified. Nestled amongst the heart of the jewellery quarter in Birmingham, Milan (pronounced Mil Lun) is not very near to the rest of the so-called ‘Balti Triangle’, so it has to have something a bit special to attract the crowds. The restaurant has recently been refurbished- gone are the Indian decorations, music (and waiters for that matter) and instead are simple elegant table placings and a wealth of beautiful Eastern European waitresses, who are very attentive, if sometimes a little baffled by the menu.

The wine list and draught beers are pretty impressive, as is the sheer size of the place. Arrive early evening and the place will seem deserted – a window seat can be all yours. However, it soon fills up, and tends to be very popular with people wanting a late night curry in the Jewellery Quarter. The vegetarian dishes are astounding, the saag paneer and daal dishes are highly recommended, and the lamb and seafood curries are also particularly good. All the usual suspects are there too- Balti, tikka masala and so on, and the menu seems to go on forever with a plethora of tempting side dishes to pick at.

The chefs bring such flair and attention to those all-important spices that you are easily transported to bustling India. I even think the poppadoms are the best I’ve ever tasted! The only tiny complaint would be that there is only one ladies toilet to serve a restaurant that can hold about 80 people, but Milan definitely deserves top marks for food and ambience.

Milan
93 Newhall Street,
Birmingham
B3 1LH