One of only a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants in Birmingham, Opheem is a high-end Indian gaff which is headed up by star chef Aktar Islam.
As well as a spacious main dining room, Opheem also boasts a dedicated private dining room which can accommodate up to 16 people at one time for a sit-down meal. The main restaurant is an exercise in luxury minimalism, showcasing a mix of muted coloured and plush textures, while a stunning cherry blossom tree forms the centrepiece of the separate bar and lounge area.
Opheem’s private dining room is styled in a similar vein to the main restaurant, with the room featuring a contemporary grey colour palette, stunning light fixtures which hang from the ceiling and a modern fireplace that is built into the wall. Here, guests sit around one long table in the room’s center, and the space is well equipped to play host to celebration dinners with friends and family, or even business lunches.
From the menu, you can choose between five- or seven-course tasting menus. The food offering evolves with the seasons, but can expect to feast on an array of beautifully presented Indian fare, both in the traditional and contemporary mould. Dishes you might come across include tandoori carrot which is topped with a grated carrot salsa and served alongside lentil pakora, or Jalfrezi-style chicken sourced from the Cotswolds, that is paired with red pepper and pickled onions.
You can round off your experience with decadent desserts such as Valhrona chocolate and raspberry, or a lighter alternative of apple marigold with sorrel and Granny Smith apples. Vegetarians aren’t an afterthought either, with Opheem providing an alternative vegetarian tasting menu which features the tempting likes of roasted Tandoori cauliflower with spinach, lentil bhajee and tempered coconut milk.
The wine list mainly traverses Europe, but there are a few international flourishes too. If you’re celebrating something special though, surely Opheem’s selection of top-quality fizz is the only way to go.