Annexe

Bit of a fall from grace after visiting again (2+ years after the first time).
The menu has changed now where you have to get either a 3 or 5 courses, prices are quite steep.
The food was not as high of a standard as I would expect for the prices, and the portions were definitely far too small; I never think you should leave a restaurant after 3 courses hungry enough that you need to eat again right away.
The presentation could have been better; for as small as the ice cream portion you receive, the plate is massive which just looks awkward.
The staff were very friendly and the restaurant setting is still fantastic, however I wouldn’t return due to the above.

Annexe looks like a very small establishment from outside its Corporation Street location. Stepping through the door, though, transports you to a 1920s style interior that is surprisingly large.
If the décor and music evoke thoughts of early– to mid– 20^th Century, the dining certainly does not.
On our recent visit for our wedding anniversary, my wife and I were treated to the following:
Garlic & chilli king prawns and Greek lamb & beef koftes to start — All expertly cooked, well seasoned and punchy in flavour without being too «over the top» for a starter.
For the mains my wife opted for the Blackened swordfish loin on a bed of coconut lentils with crab and ginger parcels. The swordfish was cooked to perfection — Not under, not over. The coconut lentils were a perfect accompaniment and the crab parcels were a nice touch. I couldn’t resist the Annexe Rossini and I wasn’t disappointed. The beef wasn’t, perhaps, the most tender that I’ve ever had, but the flavour was excellent. The porcini, thyme and fontina fritti in place of the traditional croûton or biscet was a surprising and delightful twist on a traditional formula, and the truffle bordelaise? Worth the price on its own.
For desert we dove into the «Chocolate Indulgence» sharing desert selection. All I can say is that I want some of their hazelnut ice cream!
All of this was accompanied by an interesting bottle of Italian white wine (my wife can’t drink red). It took her a while to get used to it as she is used to New Zealand Sauvignon but I fancied trying something different. I thought it was lovely — A bit more well rounded than the very crisp Sauvignon flavour.
Over all we had a lovely evening. The food was great, the service was excellent and discreet, and the ambiance was exactly the kind of thing my wife loves. As she mentioned in her review, they even played the song she walked down the isle to for us, which was a wonderful finishing touch to an already excellent evening. I would definitely recommend a visit to anyone.

The atmosphere and décor of this place is great and perfect for me. It has a 20s — 40s cinematic feel to it with a lot of consideration going into the interior design.
The cocktail menus is limited but the cocktails are good and there is an extensive wine list to suit most tastes.
The food was fantastic, cooked and presented well and served quickly. The puddings are to die for, the shared chocolate desert was worth every penny with enough to stop you both fighting over it.
The biggest positive of the place is the staff. they were very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. You didn’t really notice them except when they topped up your glass before you realised you needed it! Finished plates were cleared away before you even noticed they had gone!
We went here for our wedding anniversary and I could tell by the style of music they were playing that they would probably have the song I walked down the aisle to. I asked on the off chance and the man I spoke to wrote it down and asked when I would like it played. They found it and played it within 5 minutes of my asking.
It was a fantastic dining experience with great food in a wonderful setting with amazing staff. What more could you ask for?

Me and my partner love to go here for a romantic date night. The food is excellent and I can only describe it as Michelin star quality but without the price tag. I love the music and décor in here, very parisian. We keep going back! They also do theme nights which I am keen to try.

This little gem hidden away on corporation street is worth the extra walk to. The art nouveau décor (and that beautiful vintage piano in the corner) is a welcoming image, the jazz softly playing and the black and white film showing by the dining part of the place really sets the scene. It’s a very intimate place to eat, me and Charlie were hidden away in the corner by low lights and candlelit tables.
We only went in for coffee (which is illy!) and ended up talking to one of the Italian staff members, one of the French staff, two starters and a glass of prosecco each. The starters were amazing, and it would be great to try a main there.
The only mishap was they brought a different starter to our table, we said we didn’t order it but it’s ok it happens, to which the member of staff sternly said «it’s not ok» and proceeded to bring us the right dish straight away.
They also do events there with live acts and dress up possibilities; gonna be going back there.
Price wise our starters cost £6.50 each, so it’s not the cheapest place but seems well worth the money. Our whole bill came to just over £30.

The 40s movie Double Indemnity is playing in the dining room. You get to see Barbara Stanwyck plan fraud and murder. It’s the near-​perfect crime — the only thing here to fall short of perfection. And like director Billy, I’m Wilder too; wilder for this place right now than any other.
As if to take the cue from ‘film noir’ and ‘femme fatale’, France seeps into English life here. From the long, mirrored bar to the elegant restaurant, it’s a home from home for any Brummie who left their heart in Paris. And so authentic is the feel, it’s a surprise on leaving to find yourself back in Corporation Street.
If you’ve never been sure of the boundary between restaurant and bar, have no fear here. It works firstly as an honest-​to-​goodness Parisian-​style pub, where you should feel free to bypass table service and carry your own drink to your table, all bathed, of course, in a dusky, romantic light. And yet there is no pretension here, nor pressure to eat. But, should you be looking for something truly memorable, the restaurant is not to be missed.
Forget gastro pub, this is superior dining which deftly walks the line between special experience and lightness of touch, where attentiveness is only outdone for charm by décor. In fact the only thing free of aesthetic delight is Edward G Robinson’s ugly mug. But once his kisser combines with a jazz soundtrack (which plays instead of dialogue), it’s enough to make you think you’re in a film too. Movie merges with real life. Where does your table end and celluloid begin? Come for Scarface, stay for the scallops. And should they ever project that lovely tribute to independence, Casablanca, I’d be first on my toes for La Marseillaise. With Annexe, you too can always have Paris.
Surely there’s nothing else to love. Well, it would be amiss not to mention the staff again, in particular the manager who oversees helpful and genuine service. He asks for your name and remembers it. He says ‘bon appetit’ and means it. And I mean to return as often as I can. After all, I’d regret being a no-​show. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of my life.