filini bar and restraunt

thurs 22 july 6pm
just 2 of us nice menu starters or gratis olives and dipping flatbread whcih was warm and very fresh had very acceptable sea bass with spinach and green veggie side dish bass was delish and my friend had veal which looked very soft and tasty to eat garlic roast potatoes very nice good service nice wine charonnay 1^st wine on the list £17.00 fine nice with my fish

Finally Italian has come to Birmingham!
I have eaten here about half a dozen times and although its not perfect (its no Locatelli (London)) it is far and away the most authentic Italian restaurant in Brum.
The restaurant is very stylish and works well being light and spacious with tables well spaced (as opposed to many Italian restaurants which will put you so close to the tables next to you, you may as well become a table of four rather than two twos!).
Service is always spot on — staff training is very evidents as waiting staff have an excellent knowledge of the menu and the wine list as well as being friendly and attentive.
The food is as discussed as authentic as you will find in Brum. Antipasti is not just a case of a few slices of meat with some olives as is the case in lesser establishments — but a fine selection of meats, cheeses, fine green beans dressed with balsamic, peppers stuffed with home made pesto and all of this is described to you by your waiter. Bread selection is better than avaerage (and free!) when I last went there was foccaccia, anchovy bread and bread sticks.
Of the starters I have sampled the crab spagetti with white wine foam and chilli which was excellent as well as a carpaccio of tuna. Usually I have had red meat with beef and lamb always cooked perfectly and very tender. Parmesan polenta is to die for if its on when you go!
Once tried pud which I must say was a huge letdown. Tiramisu could have been slurped through a straw without the need for a spoon!
Finally the espresso arrived and was excellent — crema over the coffee, not overly bitter — so simple and yet so evidently unobtainable to over 80% of the places I eat out. Its all about cleaning the machine regularly and grinding your beans correctly but so few places can do these very simple tasks.
In summary Filini is a very very good place to eat Italian in Brum — it would not stand up in London but is head and shoulders above San Carlo and (slight shudder at the thought of how busy (£!!!) this place always is when I pass) Pasta de Piazza (st pauls square) both of which are poor. You do however pay the price here with main up to an eye watering £28 for fillet steak that I could hide in my palm if I curled up ny fingers (6oz at best)! Good but you pay for it!
I am addding a second review as I dined there two nights ago and it was not as good as times previous. Change of personel? Head chef night off??? Who knows! The dishes we ordered were average at best — mussels for myself — far to spicy and so small that they were inadequate. Canneloni for my gf again poor at best. The worst thing about it all was that the staff were loudly setting up the tables for breakfast around us — par for the course in a hotel but surle the tables directly ajacent could have been left alone! My review drops down now to FOUR STARS and that is only on previous merit!

visually stunning– great building.
Staff were extremely and appropriately attentive, and the music was just right– chilled but jazzy. the food was what you would expect, and not at all disappointing.
I had the mussels in chilli and tomatoe followed by a crab spagetti. just delicious.
only problem was the taps were so high tech i couldnt get them to work!
lookingforward to enjoying one of their 10 quid lunches which come with a glasss of wine.
How civilized!