Cocktail of the Week - Week three!

Cocktail of the Week - Week two!

Cocktail of the Week - Week one!

Cocktail of the Week

We like to think our bartenders know a thing or two about cocktails. So we've challenged ten of them to develop a masterpiece and we'll add one new cocktail to the menu for one week only for the next ten weeks to see whose is the best.

Starting on 29th August and running through to the early days in November, we'll showcase the finest creations our bartenders have to offer with tequila, vodka, rum, whiskey and gin cocktails all getting a look in during the up and coming ten weeks. It'll be up to you, our esteemed customers, to vote for your favourite with your wallets - that is, the cocktail that sells the most in the week it's on offer will take first place and we'll award that bartender with something nice.

Each Monday we'll let you know what the cocktail for that week is, a little bit about who made it and what they've put in the drink. So check back every Monday to find out what's new...

Where are you going tonight?

Where are you going tonight? The answer I would guess depends on many factors, whether or not it is the weekend, what you like to drink, do you need to eat or are you celebrating. The list is endless but surely there is something in our city to suit your needs – or is there?

What will be the next big thing to re-invigorate our drinking culture? And how long will it be before we see the end of bland beige and brown replicas of everything that has gone before?

It is unclear where the future lies but first let us tackle the existing problem of lack of originality. Now, large chain venues have always done great work in providing a cheaper drinks and food offering for the mass market. However, these venues are suffering. This could be because their clientele base has less expendable income or, as I suspect, they are bored of the generic. On the opposite end of the scale we have many smaller independent venues that have opened over the last six months promising originality but in fact creating poorer copies of ideas seen in other cities. Thankfully some smaller venues have brought great ideas to the city and prospered, thanks to thorough research, consultancy, recruitment and training, for originality will not carry you alone.

One particular bee in my bonnet surrounds token menus, be it food or cocktails; for example surely you cannot put cos lettuce, croutons, parmesan and dressing together and call it a Caesar salad if it does not contain either lardons or anchovies or both – and as for the Cosmopolitan containing only vodka, cranberry and a squeeze of lime do not get me started. I digress.

We need venues for all different occasions and different incomes mixed with variety, but more importantly we need evolution such as the regeneration of the canals and the Bullring. Now if we can bring the dining and drinking culture up to par then we could truly be called the Second City.

Here is an original cocktail for you.

All in good Thyme Cocktail created by Ed Shawcross - The Victoria

40ml Chivas Regal Whisky

15ml White cacao

10ml Butterscotch schnapps

15ml lemon juice

1 Thyme sprig

3 dashes orange bitters

Shake and strain

Rocks Glass

Garnish with a Thyme sprig next to straw - enjoy, responsibly of course.

This article, by Julian Rose-Gibbs, GM at The Victoria, was originally published in the March edition of Brumnotes magazine.

NEW YEARS EVE

The Victoria and Island Bar presents: NEW YEARS EVE!

★Two Venues
★Four Floors
★One Ticket

From Rock 'n' Roll to 80's classics and beyond!


★Island Bar:★
CLUB PRIMATIVE
Primitive music for Primative people. Playing 60s Garage, Rockabilly and Rock 'n' Roll. From the Sonics to the Trashmen, to Elvis and Eddie Cochran

THIS IS NORMAL
Our Friday night resident bringing you the finest in Indie, Electronica, Pop, Garage Rock and genre hopping party tunes from 70s to 00s


★The Victoria:★
THATCHED
80s/90s DJ Greg Bird (This Is Tomorrow/Tropical Hotdog) presents his ever popular clubnight playing tunes from 1979-1990. From Soft Cell to David Bowie, Talking Heads to Spandau Ballet!

HARD CHEESE
Saturday night residents at The Victoria take you on a journey of 50s Rock 'n' Roll, 60s Soul + Motown, 70s Funk + Cheesy Rock, 80s Pop + Hip Hop true Victoria genre mayhem mash-up!


Tickets are £8 until Christmas Eve and £10 after. 8pm - 3am Access to both venues, all four floors with just one ticket!
Tickets: https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/buy_tickets/events/?id=10013771

Burger Safari

Welcome to The Victoria's Burger Safari.
From the 15th-20th November we will be serving exotic meats from around the world:

●Ostrich burger with tomato chutney●
Ostrich is a large flightless bird that is native to Africa. Ostrich meat tastes similar to lean beef and is low in fat and cholesterol, as well as high in calcium, protein and iron.

●Wild boar and apple burger with smoked cheddar and bacon●
The wild boar is the ancestor to the domestic pig. It is native to large parts of Euorpe, Asia and some parts of North Africa. The lean meat of wild boar can range in flavour from mild and delicate to gamey, depending on variety, season, diet, and age.

●Venison burger with red onion marmalade●
Venison is the culinary name for meat from Deer. It has a flavor reminiscent of beef but is richer and can have a gamey note.

●Bison burger with wholegrain mustard mayo and Monterey Jack cheese●
Bison meat is another name for buffalo meat. The animal is native to North America. Bison tastes like beef, but a little sweeter. There is less of a heavy feeling, with no game or wild taste.

●Kangaroo with grilled pineapple and a fried egg●
The kangaroo is a marsupial native to Australia. Its growing appeal stems from its well-flavoured, slightly gamey taste. Kangaroo meat contains very little saturated fat relative to other meats and is high in protein, zinc and iron.

All served with side of salad and chips.
£7.50 per meal