 It's a gorgeous place, it really is! 
Delicious Food In A Gorgeous Setting
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Recommendation added: 06/05/2006 23:29
By: dewberry (YSUK rating +816)dewberry has been thanked 16 times for this contribution
"I remember visiting the Peacock Inn as a child, probably two or three times a year, and it was a real occasion. We only lived a five minute drive away, but because it's set slightly into the country it seemed a million miles away. When I moved away from South Birmingham, I just never thought to revisit the Peacock until recently when my fella and I had an hour to kill waiting for my mum and daughter to call for a lift back from the cinema.
We wanted a meal and a couple of drinks, but somewhere a bit different from the usual pubs we visit in the area. For some reason The Peacock Inn popped into my head, I'd heard rumours that the country pub had now been transformed into a bit of a swanky restaurant so we thought we'd try it out.
Although it's located in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham, you have to drive down some narrow country lanes to get to the Peacock and this makes the place seem secluded and kind of exclusive. There's no public transport which will drop you anywhere near, so it's definitely the kind of place you need a car to visit. It's possible to catch a taxi from Cotteridge High Street or Kings Norton Green, but it'll cost you £7 as the Peacock is so out of the way. You'll also have problems getting a taxi to pick you up when you're ready to go home because a lot of the local firms won't venture off the beaten place to get to the Peacock.
When I walked into the Peacock, I was astounded at the change in the place. I remember this as a quaint little country pub, where I could eat scampi or a bag of scratchings then go and play outside with my sister. No more. Walking inside is like stepping into another world, this place looks posher than posh. We were shown to a table for two as soon as we walked in and were immediately given a menu, and also directed to a large chalkboard which listed some very delicious sounding chef's specials.
The table service was fantastic from the very outset of our visit, we were given a wine list and the candles on the table were lit as soon as we sat down – the waiter even pulled my chair out for me when I sat down! He left us for a few minutes with the menu and I didn't feel as though I were being rushed at all, in fact he managed to leave the perfect length of time before coming back to take our order. I bought our first round of drinks from the bar but subsequent drinks orders were taken at our table and added to the food bill. This kind of personal attention really makes a restaurant visit feel special, especially not having to leave the table halfway through the meal to go to the bar.
We both ordered Pork & Apricot Pate for our starters. This was a delicious light meal; good quality ingredients had obviously been used as the taste of the pate itself was extremely delicate and fresh. The apricots made the pate gorgeously fruity while the saltiness of the pork added a nice savoury flavour. The generous slab of pate was served with lightly browned toast, apple & onion chutney and a small pot of salty butter. I absolutely adored this dish; it was light and left plenty of room for my main course, but substantial enough to take the edge off my appetite. My partner also loved it, despite the fact that the most adventurous starter he usually has is battered mushrooms!
The main courses in the Peacock are generally fish based, and there are some wonderfully unusual choices. If you're feeling adventurous then definitely order from the chalk board as there is a selection of six or seven very exotic combinations, consisting of a selection of unusual fish and seafood. The standard printed menu is both extensive and inspired, again being mainly fish based although there is a small selection of meat and poultry dishes.
I ordered from the chalkboard and my partner ordered from the printed menu, between these two menu options you're bound to find something which will stick out as being *the* meal for you.
I ordered the wonderful sounding 'Salmon, Lemon Sole & King Prawns with Penne Pasta in a Champagne and Dill Dressing'. This was a sauce based dish, with the three perfectly cooked types of fish being tossed with the good quality pasta and slivers of buttery new potatoes. The Penne pasta is a perfect addition to this meal, as the tube shape catches a good amount of the sauce as well as little pieces of fish and vegetables. The sauce is absolutely delicious. I was surprised that I could actually taste the champagne while I was eating, as champagne and wine is usually smelled rather than tasted in restaurant food. The champagne flavour was very distinctive, although the cooking process had brought out a fruiter taste which was complimented perfectly by the subtle flavour of the dill. The combination of sauce and fish was fantastic; the sauce was light enough to not mask the delicate flavours of the fish, especially the lemon sole as this is a particularly tasteless fish if not perked up with a wonderful sauce such as this. Considering what an expensive dish this must be to produce the portion size was very good and more importantly the food was fantastic, with all aspects of my meal cooked to perfection.
Mark ate 'Duck with Red Braised Cabbage' which looked amazing on the plate. The cabbage gave the dish a remarkable red colour which looked really pretty, the large slices of duck sat on top of this and was served with sautéed bacon, shallots and potatoes. I pinched a piece of duck off his plate and it was cooked to perfection; tender and it literally melted in my mouth. The bacon, shallot and onion mixture was deliciously savoury and complimented the sweeter flavour of the cabbage perfectly. Braising is, by the way, possibly the best way of cooking red cabbage. I can't cook this type of cabbage at all, as I find either it'll go nice and soft but lose all it's flavour or stay rock hard and taste too strong. The chef at the Peacock has braised the cabbage in what tastes like a wine based stock, it's still slightly crunchy to the bite but has retained a delicious sweet flavour.
The Peacock has gone for adventurous dishes, but they pull it off very well. The chef uses a inventive combination of ingredients and pairs some very weird foods together, but he's got it right. Who would have thought red cabbage could feature so heavily in such a delicious dish? And using dill with champagne?
The dessert chalk board was brought to our table when our plates were cleared, I was stuffed full but (for the erm… purpose of this review) I thought I'd better have some Chocolate Walnut Gateau. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. This is the lightest, most delicate gateau I've tasted. The sponge was richly chocolate flavoured and a thick chocolate and walnut cream filling was covering all visible areas. A decadent dessert which rounded off my meal perfectly.
The drinks menu at the Peacock is also extensive. As well as the usual draught beers and spirits, there's a good wine list which contains bottles from around £9 to upwards of £25 a bottle. You can buy all of the wines by the glass, which is unusual as a lot of the more upmarket restaurants will only sell the expensive wine by the bottle. Drinks prices are average for Birmingham, and there is no extra charge for the table drinks service.
When we asked for the bill, we were offered a complimentary coffee and mints which I accepted while Mark finished off his Kronenburg. The coffee was fabulous quality; a rich and dark fresh coffee, none of your instant rubbish which seems to be the norm in Birmingham pub restaurants these days.
The cost of our couple of hours in the Peacock, including food and drinks, was a few quid short of £50. My meal cost £15, as it was from the specials board, and Marks cost £10. I think this was excellent value as the meals were both absolutely delicious; cooked to a high standard and containing the highest quality ingredients. The starters and dessert menus range from around £4 - £7, depending on what you go for.
The Peacock has a large grassy area at the front which is great in the summer as there are plenty of tables, this is really the only time you can come to the Peacock as a family as children aren't really encouraged. This is very much an adult's restaurant, and although children are allowed in there's no kids menu or any kind of allowance made for the fact that they may be having children dining. I don't think my kids would particularly appreciate the quiet atmosphere which the inside of the restaurant has, but in the summer they can join us in the garden and have a run around while we eat al fresco.
The car parking is good, the only problem being that the Peacock and the car park are separated by a very narrow blind country track so after you've parked the car it's a case of racing across this lane and crossing your fingers that no-one decides to turn in while you're crossing. It's as well lit as I'd expect for a country pub (ie. not very well lit) but is spacious enough to comfortably park your car. There are no designated disabled spaces, so people with mobility problems will have to negotiate the same dangerous lane as everyone else to get to the Peacock itself. The restaurant is fully accessible to disabled visitors, although some areas have stepped entrances there are plenty of tables which would accommodate wheelchair access on ground level.
To find the Peacock Inn by car get onto the A441 Pershore Road (one of the two major roads in South Birmingham), turn left at Cotteridge main island and head into the countryside section of Kings Norton. From here follow the only main road through this sparsely populated area, keeping your eye out for a sharp turn on your right which is clearly signposted as Icknield Street. The Peacock is 300 or so yards down this quiet lane.
Peacock Inn
Icknield Street
Forhill
Kings Norton
Birmingham
B38 0EH
Tel: 01564 823 232"
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