MR SOUVLAKI - A TASTE OF GREECE IN THE HEART OF ENGLAND

One of my favourite things about travelling is definitely gorging on new types of weird and wonderful foods. I love trying out new things, and even though I'm the fussiest eater known to man, I always leave a trip having eaten something I've never tried before. The only problem with this is that when I'm not able to travel I find myself pining for my favourite foreign foods, and usually, nothing that I, nor my local restaurants cook will suffice. You cannot beat traditional meals cooked by the natives who grew up eating them, it's a fact.

Grace is sat to a table inside Mr Souvlaki Restaurant in Stourbridge. In front of her is a plate of Chicken souvlaki, a bowl of salar, and a mixed grill platter.

So when I saw Birmingham Eats tucking into a banging portion of Souvlaki a few weeks ago my interest peaked. Chicken Souvlaki has been one of my all-time favourite meals since I first tried it over 10 years ago on the beautiful Island of Crete. It's a fairly basic meal, but done well it's absolutely delicious. So where had the pair behind Birmingham Eats managed to nab an authentic-looking Souvlaki dinner? Mr Souvlaki in the centre of Stourbridge.

Now Stourbridge isn't exactly on my doorstep, it's around a 40-minute drive away from Birmingham, but that's a hell of a lot closer than the nearest Greek island so I was prepared to make the journey to feast some traditional greek food.

On entering the cafe-style venue, you're almost transported to a beautiful whitewashed Greek town. The interiors are done in such a way that it looks as though you are sitting on the outside of a small Greek taverna, it's just a shame they weren't able to also capture the Mediterranean weather.

Inside Mr Souvlaki restaurant in Stourbridge. The interior is decorated to look like a white-washed greek town.

But the feel of Greece doesn't end with the decor, oh no, its with the food itself that you are really taken on a trip. The menu is pretty straightforward - Souvlaki, Gyros, Burgers and more are all on offer here, and available at greek prices too! The only thing over £10 on the menu is the mixed grill which comes in at £19.50 but feeds two!

After what seemed like an age of starting at the menu (we really were spoiled for choice) we opted for a couple of Mixed Grills, a portion of Chicken Souvlaki, a Village Salad, and 3 pots of Tzatziki. We thought 2 portions of Tzatziki would do at first but believe me that stuff is so delicious you'll want a scoop of it with every bite!

First impressions of our meals were good. The portion sizes were generous, everything was well presented, and the smell, well that was just something else. I'm not sure how I managed to take any photos before we all jumped into our dishes because the scent of the warm fresh meat in front of us was beautiful.

And the taste didn't disappoint either. My Chicken Souvlaki was cooked perfectly and the pitta bread that arrived with it was the best I've probably ever tasted before. I can only assume it was cooked fresh on the day because I've never had pitta bread that was quite as soft and fluffy as this - not even in Greece! I also tried a few bits and bobs from the Mixed Grill Platters which tasted just as good as my meal if not better. I didn't get the chance to munch on everything from the platter but I was assured by my family that it was all as good as it looked.

A plate of Chicken Souvlaki, a mixed grill, a bowl of salad, and a bowl of Tzatziki at Mr Souvlaki Restaurant Stourbridge

The only criticism I have with the food was that it wasn't as warm as I would have liked. Although the cooked meats were warm, the potato sliced chips were actually quite cold which we raised with the staff at the time. This wasn't a huge issue but the meal would have been perfect if they were a little bit hotter.

Would I visit Mr Souvlaki again? Without a doubt! I've never had a more delicious and authentic Greek meal outside of the country itself before, and I doubt I will come across one again for a while. Although it's not exactly local to me, the quality of the food and the crazy low prices would definitely bring me back to Mr Souvlaki's again in the future, especially while travel is off the cards!