To walk into a restaurant and have a gluten free menu is like receiving a surprise…yes, really…it’s a big deal for coeliacs!
Renato Lounge in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield is perfect for catching up over a drink in a relaxed environment. Think tasselled lampshades in the corners and the kind of patterned wallpaper I remember growing up with in the seventies. There’s an outdoor terrace and a mezzanine level inside the cavernous interior. Enormous white lampshades hang from the ceiling to break up the space.
Having eaten there a few times, I’ve always been happy with the food, the service and the ambience. There’s always a mix of ages including families, couples and groups of friends.
On the food front, the menu includes all day brunch and tapas. They have a separate gluten free and a vegan menu which makes it super easy to choose what is safe to eat. I say easy but actually, there are plenty of options, so it’s still difficult to choose.
This Saturday, I ordered the gluten free chorizo and halloumi hash from the brunch options. This consisted of fried potatoes, red peppers, button mushrooms and sofrito sauce, topped with a fried egg. A feast of flavour crossed with comfort food.
View their menu here: https://thelounges.co.uk/menus/
Don’t worry if you don’t live near Mere Green, Renato Lounge is part of Lounges. They have lounges across the country (all with different names). Follow the link above to search by location.
Another meal I’ve had here was the hot smoked salmon fishcake. A substantial fishcake served with a poached egg, hollandaise sauce and fries.
The tapas menu also offers a wide variety. Over a glass of merlot, I’ve shared these with a friend:
GF Patatas Bravas with roasted garlic mayo, GF Halloumi, Courgettes & Peppers pan fried in rose harissa and the GF Smoked Paprika Pulled Chicken & Chorizo with fried potatoes. Three tapas for £10!
