The Meat & One Veg Podcast

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Honest and insightful look into the Birmingham food and drink scene from one of the UK’s top food writers, Simon Carlo. Featuring top chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, Brummie luminaries, artisan producers, and restaurant owners; we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of the food industry by pairing fine wines with junk food, rating meal deals with MasterChef winners, and making cocktails with the dregs at the back of the cupboard. https://meatandoneveg.blog/

Episodes

  1. S01 E08 - Manning the Chow Mein Section

    05/10/2023

    S01 E08 - Manning the Chow Mein Section

    Welcome to another episode of the crumbliest, flakiest food podcast around, presented by food writer Simon Carlo. This episode has it all: Base humour, a Gregg Wallace impression and moaning about how far away Solihull is. Where else can you get all that that in one place? Stu Deeley makes a triumphant return to the podcast and this time we find out who he is, what he does and why. He won Masterchef: The Professionals a few years ago and we discover what went on behind the scenes. He also confesses he hasn't been to the foodiest country on Earth and his disbelief that he has his own cooking academy. Then Simon packs his bags, gets his jabs and makes the arduous journey down the Warwick Road to the mean streets of Solihull. This time he drops in to Tap and Tandoor to chat to owner Ajay Kenth over a mixed grill. And butter chicken. And garlic naan. In between mouthfuls he gets to the bottom of what the green, mixed grill chicken is, and why quality and provenance are an important part of what Tap and Tandoor do. If you don't like jokes about onanism, close your ears around the 48 second point. And if you don't like strong language, then other food podcasts are available.   Stu Deeley is doing amazing things at Smoke at Hampton Manor. Make sure a trip is on your to-do list this spring: https://hamptonmanor.com/smoke/ And find out about Stu's Professional Chef Academy at Halesowen College here: https://www.halesowen.ac.uk/news/stuart-deeley-professional-chef-academy-launches/ If the sizzle of the mixed grill arriving made you drool, then a trip to Tap and Tandoor is the only thing for it: https://tapandtandoor.co.uk/pages/location-solihull And some of this episode was recorded at Taco Fest at the Bond in Digbeth. Burger Fest is the next Seasonal Markets event on 3rd June, and there are events right throughout the year. http://www.seasonalmarkets.co.uk/events

    43 min
  2. S01 E06 - Sunday Roasts are Overrated

    04/26/2023

    S01 E06 - Sunday Roasts are Overrated

    For what we are about to receive... This week, food writer Simon Carlo has a (semi)serious chat with Roberto Ortiz of sensational Peruvian restaurant Chakana in Moseley. They discuss tigers milk, chillies and an unexpected visit from a restaurant critic. Then on to the Indian Streatery to find out about a recent royal visit from one of the owners Dhiraj. Who's the chilli-head in the 'Wales' household? THE ANSWER MAY SUPRISE YOU. Finally, another trip to the Custard Factory to challenge the great Tommy Matthews of Passing Fancies to make a killer cocktail from a random bag of bottles we present him with. Will he come up with the goods? You wouldn't bet against it. You may begin.   Please drink responsibly. Find out the facts about alcohol here: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/   The best Peruvian restaurant in the country? That's not for us to say. But it is. https://chakana-restaurant.co.uk/ But don't just take our word for it: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/oct/24/jay-rayner-restaurant-review-chakana-birmingham-it-is-all-kinds-of-fabulous   If it's good enough for the heir to the throne... https://www.theindianstreatery.co.uk/ Here's more on the royal visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65339317   If you don't sample Tommy Matthew's sensational cocktails next time you're in Digbeth, you are a right silly billy: https://www.passingfanciesbar.co.uk/   And we recorded some of this episode in Eighteen. The views! The martinis! https://www.103colmorerow.com/eighteen/

    35 min
  3. S01 E05 - The Wigan Kebab

    04/19/2023

    S01 E05 - The Wigan Kebab

    We know, we know. The Meat & One Veg Podcast might be better named The Wine & Two Pints Podcast. And it's in that vain we go big on beer in this episode. Food writer Simon Carlo chats to beer guru Laura Hadland. Beer doesn't agree with Simon and Laura doesn't agree with some beer, hence the 'bleeps'! She guides us through the wonderful world of hops, barley, water and yeast and teaches us a few things that will help even the most beer-phobic find something to suit their taste. Then we have a quick catch-up with Sai from god-tier, Brum, street food stalwarts Buddha Belly. They're about to open their first bricks-and-mortar restaurant, so find out about that along with some of the BB origin story. More food in the next episode. Promise. CHEERS! Contains strong language and adult content.   Please drink responsibly. Find out the facts about alcohol here: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/   All of beer guru Laura Hadland's endeavours can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/LauraHadland If you want to take a Shrewsbeer tour, this is where you need to look: https://shropshiregoat.com/shrewsbeer/ Pure Craft Bar in Birmingham city centre hosted us and kindly provided the beers for our tasing. It's an absolute must for any visit to the city: https://www.purecraftbars.com/ Most of the beers featured were from the magnificent Purity Brewery in Warwickshire: https://puritybrewing.com/ Find out all about Buddha Belly here: https://www.buddhabellystreetfood.co.uk/about-thai-food/

    40 min
  4. S01 E03 - A Couple of Cans of Carling

    04/03/2023

    S01 E03 - A Couple of Cans of Carling

    Here we are again with more delicious morsels from the Birmingham food scene. I this episode, Sonal - possibly the world's coolest sommelier - pairs fine wine with fast food. So if you want to know which vintage champagne goes with your KFC, this is the feature for you. If you're into hot sauce, then Simon's chat with Pip Bradley should pique your interest. He treats her to pizza at Peacer in Moseley, and somehow gets talked into taking her to Carters. And it's all washed down with a quick catch up with James Wong from Chung Ying. He chats about his award-winning dumplings and how his choice of restaurant when eating out is decided by his children. Contains strong language and adult content.   Featured in this episode are: We paired fine wine with fast food at the amazing Wilderness in the Jewellery Quarter. Don't just take our word for it's greatness, The Good Food Guide say it's the 10th best restaurant in the country: https://www.wearethewilderness.co.uk/ Pips magnificent hot sauce - a really Brummie institution - can be found here: https://pipshotsauce.co.uk/ Peacer is one of Birmingham's finest pizza places. Make a trip to Moseley to sample their sublime slices: https://www.peacer.co.uk/ Come on, we all know Chung Ying! If for some reason you've never sampled their incredible Cantonese cuisine, rectify the situation immediately: https://www.chungying.co.uk/ And Pure Craft Bar kindly hosted our chat with James Wong. If it's on when you go, try the raspberry tiramisu sour: https://www.purecraftbars.com/

    47 min

About

Honest and insightful look into the Birmingham food and drink scene from one of the UK’s top food writers, Simon Carlo. Featuring top chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, Brummie luminaries, artisan producers, and restaurant owners; we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of the food industry by pairing fine wines with junk food, rating meal deals with MasterChef winners, and making cocktails with the dregs at the back of the cupboard. https://meatandoneveg.blog/