A couple of weeks ago I went on a date night with Mr B to recently opened pub gastropub The Highfield in Edgbaston.

Birmingham has been crying out for a place like this. Smart, relaxed and serving lovely food in a gorgeous setting. You know I am a sucker for good decor and good food, so I was quickly sold on this place.

The bar is well stocked and buzzing, and the place has been full since it opened. Groups of friends, families and couples mingle happily, with the attentive staff making sure they have everything they need.

The menu is full of local and British ingredients, with loads of homemade stuff - not the microwaved rubbish you get in some pubs.

They very thoughtfully (and cleverly) placed a bottle of their ‘wine of the month’ on the table, which for people like me who really don’t know where to start on a wine list made life a little bit simpler, and I quickly ordered a glass of it.

We went for a sharing board to start with a veggie scotch egg, freshly baked mini loaf, crudites and deliciously gooey melted cheese.

The scotch egg was a great touch for veggies and it was perfectly cooked.

I then went for pan-fried sea bass with Bombay potatoes, Indian salad and cucumber and mint yoghurt. It was fresh and tasty and a new flavour combination for sea bass for me which I thought worked really well.

Mr B went for some kind of steak, which he said was excellent and tucked in before I had a chance to get a decent photo. He really doesn’t like it when I make him wait to start his meal to get a picture!

We were pretty full so we didn’t stop for pud but they had some nice autumnal options that I’ll need to make sure I have room for in my next visit.

They are pretty busy especially on the weekends, so book a table if you want to have a meal here.

We headed back to the car, only to be stopped in our tracks by the glittering lights of chandeliers through a window of a grand building. A discreet sign let us know this was The Edgbaston; a very cool, new boutique hotel and cocktail lounge that I’d heard about.

Well, we couldn’t rightly just walk on passed so we popped in for a cheeky drink.

We were immediately floored by the glamour of the place. Decked out in full art deco style, this place really makes an impression and they didn’t skimp on chandeliers!

The main bar was full, so we sat in the smaller lounge and had the place to ourselves with our very own mixologist. We were treated to a run down of the cocktail menu, the ingredients and a history of some of the cocktails they had on offer.

We sat spellbound, sniffing different spirits, learning about them and generally being utterly fascinated by the incredible knowledge and friendliness of the bartenders.

They make a lot of their own ingredients that go in the cocktails, from liqueurs and cordials to foams and sprays. It was like a science lab with exciting potions and lotions in glass bottles. I half expected labels to say ‘drink me’ with liquids inside that would make you grow to ten times your size.

In the end, I went for what I think was a rhubarb and custard crumble cocktail with actual custard. Well, a custard spay that was spritzed on the top of the cocktail so when I took a sip I was transported to Sunday dinner on a winter day.

Mr B was driving so reluctantly went for a virgin cocktail (possibly a mojito), and he was surprised he couldn’t even tell that it didn’t have alcohol in.

I can’t wait to come back to this place, dressed for the occasion and with a group of friends as eager as me to try more of the fabulous cocktails.

They strongly suggest booking a table, here’s the website. I strongly suggest giving this place a go, and don’t be shy to speak to the staff. They are friendly and eager to share their incredible knowledge about the world of spirits and cocktails.

Have you ever stumbled across a secret gem?