Mawal Express

In a small arcade of shops in Longbridge, largely free from the devilish grip of the corporate money grabbing mega chains (barring the William Hill bookmakers) is the Mawal Express. Now, many businesses would relish a location away from the business-​sapping effects of the major stores, but you get the impression that the Mawal Express probably wouldn’t be that bothered, largely because they specialise in a type of food that not many others do — Lebanese cuisine (a mix of seafood, lamb, chicken, often with a lemony flavouring). If you’re looking for something off the beaten Birmingham track of curry houses and fish ‘n’ chip shops (such as Longbridge Fish & Chips directly across the road), then I’d heartily recommend the newly opened Lebanese affair. Better yet, there are several special meal deals on at the present time, meaning you can dip your toe into unknown culinary waters without having to worry about breaking the £5 barrier.