For what seemed like ages (and, to be fair, it was literally months) The Man Bird and I had been counting down the days until we were going to see RAYE at the BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham, but the day had finally dawned! We’d got accommodation sorted, too, as there’s nothing worse than being in hours-long queues to get out of car parks, is there? To read more about our overnight stay at the Moxy Hotel.
Anyway, the journey down was nice and smooth - yay! – and we pulled into the E5 car park, which is designated for Moxy guests and then made our way over to Las Iguanas in the Resort World Complex. We decided to buck the trend and go for a late lunch before checking into our accommodation; a) you skip the pre-gig crowd that usually book a table 5.30pm onwards, and b) you aren’t at the gig suffering from indigestion and/or feeling queasy with a full tummy. With age comes wisdom, young padawans!
Las Iguanas is decorated in bright colours, its modern feel inspired by Aztec patterns and, with views out across the lake, is the perfect place for those catch-ups with friends, family chill-times, or even relaxed dates. Nathaniel was our server, and he was a super-friendly, polite chap who wasted no time in getting us sorted with a sharer jug of Long Island Iced Tea (£26). You can enjoy 2-4-£15 on cocktails (not the sharers, obvs) anytime except between 7pm-9pm on Friday and Saturday, and there plenty to choose from.
With drinks sorted, we turned our attention to the food menu. Our initial thoughts had been to go for individual starters, but then we spied the Nachos; you can opt to have a portion for two (£15) and load even more toppings on for £3.50 per choice. We liked the sound of the slow-cooked Chipotle Beef Brisket, so we chose to add that to our Nachos.
We were seated adjacent to the open kitchen so we could see all the action as it unfolded, so we knew when our Nachos were on the pass and waiting to come over to us. Nathaniel brought them over and double-checked we had everything we needed before leaving us to tuck in. Served on a Las Iguanas logo paper-lined tray, there was certainly plenty to get stuck into and the crunchy Nachos had generous amounts of Soured Cream, Guacamole, Salsa, Spring Onion slices and the Beef Brisket studded around the tray. A generous layer of melted cheese covered the whole like a gooey blanket and we pulled the crunchy Tortilla chips apart from its grip, dipping them into whatever we fancied. Much finger- and lip- licking later, we finally ate the last scraps and sat back happily.
For mains, we’d gone for the Taste of Mexico (£20.50, my choice) and Chicken Enchiladas (£18, The Man). At this point, things were livening up – maybe from guests who’d checked into their hotels first to freshen up and then wander over in search of food? – so we had a bit more of a wait for the main courses. If truth be told, it was nice to have that extra bit of ‘breathing room’ before eating again. It was one of Nathaniels’ fellow team members that served us this time, but she was just as friendly and thorough at checking to see if we needed extra sauces etc.
His Nibs’ Enchiladas were piping hot, the steam billowing out when they were cut into! Large pieces of juicy Chicken breast meat were nestled with Rice and Refried Beans to make a hearty dish, tucked within a corn Tortilla that was loaded with a mix of Chipotle sauce and that tangy, melted Cheese. Flavours whizzed around The Man’s mouth like a bucking bronco, paired with even more of those rich-tasting Beans. This was a beautifully satisfying meal; one that should easily see His Nibs through the evening until after we got back from the RAYE concert.
The equivalent of an Indian Thali, my ‘Taste of Mexico’ was a veritable one-stop feast on a plate. A pair of Pork Quesadillas was the first morsel to hit my lips, and jolly good they were, too. The Pork was lovely and soft in texture with a gorgeous creamy taste. All the components for making my own Chicken Fajita were in evidence so, without any further ado, I assembled the Salsa, Guac and Sour Cream in a soft Tortilla and then laid the seasoned Chicken in the middle before folding it all up and scoffing it. Chef doesn’t muck about with his seasonings, which was fine with me; there’s nothing worse that ‘hint of’ in a cuisine that’s noted for its boldness, and this was a trap that this team weren’t going to fall foul of. Everyone associates Chilli with Mexican cuisine, and this particular one (in miniature portion form) was spot-on; hearty minced Beef was partnered with Onions, Peppers and the distinct oomph of Paprika and a mid-potency blend of Chilli powder. I would happily have this as a main course (with bread for dunking, obviously!), and the rice that came as part of this feast was fluffy and seasoned. If you’re in one of those moods that you don’t know what you fancy, this ‘picky tea’ type offering is ideal; it certainly hit the mark for me, anyway.
Tempted though we were to have dessert, common sense won out and we skipped it; our tummies were nicely full and we didn’t want to feel over-loaded or podged sitting down in the BP Pulse Arena. Hot Wings happily given to this fab Resort World Birmingham restaurant.
To book a table call 0121 273 1000 or visit www.iguanas.co.uk, go to ‘locations’, scroll down to Resorts World Birmingham, and hit the ‘book now’ button. This particular ‘Iguana’ is open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, and Sunday 11am-5pm – others may vary so, if you visit another site, check the times.
