My Christmas party location revealed

You're not serious?

Time to cancel perhaps?

Sadly I AM serious, and I can't cancel, we've got a meeting before hand and leaving after will mean Birmingham motorways at 6pm on a Friday.

Oh god! THat sounds a nightmare! I reckon you should skip the party and find a nice hitcher in brum to visit to avoid the rush hour as well as the traffic. ?

I would offer myself but I'm far too far from Brum! ?

I think I'd rather face the traffic than a meal in F&B ?

[whispers so no-one can hear] I really like F&B ?

Come and see me, we can have cake.

bless you, i'd like that. Not seen you for aaages and, well, cake sounds good!

I've already said I'm going... before they revealed the final location. There'll only be 10 of us, so it'll be really frowned on if I don't go. I shall just sulk and blame it on the bump.

I've only been to F&B's twice. First time was grim, second time was with lots of lovely NW hitchers, so wasn't too bad. I had the ribs and they were quite nice.

I shall have to arrange a visit to London or surrounds in the new year.

I will clutch to the hope it'll be like your second time.

Actually I've just had another look at the plan and there's 10 pin bowling first, dinner not till 8.30. I'm going to be staaarving. And knackered. I need to eat at 4.30pm these days, and bed by 9. I wonder if I could slope off after the bowling. Oh god I'm dreading this

Is this in Brum? Are you going to star city?

Our still hasn't been booked, and one guy is still pushing for a pub in studentville that does meals for £1 ?

Sausage & chips for our Christmas meal ?

Luckily, in the voting so far he is down 10 - 1 against the Thai place.

Come and see me! I would probably be on your way home [near brum airport]

if not i will wave at you on your way home....

Like Ladelley said, I've been to F&Bs twice, first time was grim (up near Liverpool) and the second time was fine (in Norwich). I also had ribs and they were really quite nice.

No, it's actually in Coventry. There is also the offer of staying over... in the Holiday Inn.

if you are going from brum to coventry you will most likely drive past the end of my road...... let me know if you are going to want to zip in for a bit of r&r ?

And for your delight, this is the christmas menu:

appetisers
CHRI STMAS PATÉ
Smooth chicken, chardonnay and cranberry paté, served with
wholemeal bloomer bread, mixed salad and a red onion chutney.

S LOW ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
Slow roasted tomato and cannelloni bean soup served with garlic ciabatta.

CRI SPY COATED CHICKEN STRIPS
Three chicken breast strips served on honey and mustard dressed salad leaves
with crunchy celery sticks and a pot of our spicy dipping sauce.

GARL IC MUSHROOM CROSTINI
Garlic baked ciabatta bread smothered with garlic mushrooms
and tossed in a peppercorn and cheese sauce.

FRANKI E ' S FRI ED CALAMARI
Tender calamari coated in garlic breadcrumbs and sprinkled with
Italian cheese, served with a warm Neapolitan dip.
mains

CHRI STMAS DINNER
Slices of tender turkey served with chipolatas, stuffing balls, seasonal vegetables,
mashed potato, herb potatoes and finished with a rich seasonal gravy.

BLACK AND BLUE BURGER
A cajun spiced 6oz grilled hamburger glazed with melted blue cheese on a
toasted sesame seed bun. Served with lettuce, fresh tomato, dill pickle, spicy
onion rings, blue cheese dressing, house fries and tomato chilli relish on the side.

NEW YORK CHICKEN
A grilled fresh chicken breast topped with crispy bacon and Monterey
Jack cheese, smothered in our famous BBQ sauce. Served with spicy onion
rings, corn on the cob and your choice of herb potatoes, house fries or a jacket.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA PENNE
Chicken breast coated in garlic and herb breadcrumbs topped with ham and
melted mozzarella. Served on a bed of penne tossed in Neapolitan sauce.

SALMON F I L L ET RI SOTTO
Oven baked salmon fillet served on a white wine and garlic risotto
with a creamy cheese and pesto sauce.

8 o z NEW YORK STRIP S IRLOIN
Finest strip sirloin steak grilled to your liking and served with a whole
oven baked tomato, flat mushroom, spicy onion rings and your choice
of herb potatoes, house fries or a jacket.

CAL I FORNIAN PIZZA
Creamy goats cheese, slices of fresh tomato, mixed peppers, sauteed mushrooms
and red onion, with melted mozzarella on our tomato and nut pesto base.
desserts

CHRI STMAS PUDDING
Traditional Christmas pudding served warm with your choice of custard or cream.

L EMON TORTE
A refreshing and light alternative. Served with your
choice of single cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

E L I ’ S VANI L LA CHE E S ECAKE
Eli's original recipe - deliciously rich and creamy made with real Madagascar Bourbon vanilla and
cream cheese. Baked on Eli's signature all-butter shortbread cookie crust and topped with red berries.

AUNT CARLA’ S REAL DAIRY ICE CREAM
3 scoops of our finest real dairy ice cream. Choose from chocolate,
strawberry, vanilla, toffee, mint choc chip or brownies and cream.

WTF - Calamari with cheese?!

What is F&B's? Is it a new thing?

There's a nice area near the cathedral if you're in that part of Cov where you could get something to eat before the bowling.

Knownowt - It's a chain of restaurants that are usually found in the big out of town retail parks. Not known for its Michelin writeups. Which would be fine if it was a short cab ride home instead of a 2 hr drive.

Swampy - Thanks, i've jsut had another look at the map, and it looks like my geography is shocking up the M40 will be the best route.

Ladelly - I'm not sure I'll get any time on my own. meeting's at 1pm, then onto bowling at 6pm, dinner at 8.30. I'm planning on scoffing tortilla chips at the bowling, that's the sort of thing these places do, right?

Yeah, they might even have a Wimpy Burger. ?

You're mean. ?

Mind you, bendy burger... in a bun!

Waah http://www.birmingham-eating.com/14493.htm

Wehad our department chrstmas bash at F&B in Brighton marina last year and i have to admit i really liked it.The food was lovely i had the new york chicken thing and the ice cream is lush but i do have hazy memeories as i drank a,little too much ?

But overall a good night.Have been since of an eveing but i went once for lunch adn was not impressed

Hmmm. I don't mind F&Bs for a bit of rubbish porn food from time to time. But for a special meal it's not the best. And if you are actually driving afterwards that definitely sucks for a Christmas do - the cocktails would make it more bearable (they come in pitchers you know), but not if you're not drinking.

If it's paid for, i'd just suck it up tbh. it's nice to get a freebie albeit a naff one.

if you have to pay i'd get a mysterious bout of evening sickness (and blame the bump ?)

You cannot possibly be in Cov and not come and see meeeeeee. I'm literally down the road.

Is it at the Skydome in Cov then? The F&B's there isn't toooo bad. I've eaten at worse places. Definitely opt out of the bowling, it does havoc on your tummy muscles when with bump as I found out... x