Estado Da India serves a creative blend of Portuguese and Indian dishes in tapas style portions. The restaurant which is still fairly new to Harborne caters to everyone with a selection of meaty options, veggie options, and dare I say it, even something for those who struggle with spice like myself.
On my Sunday night visit I ate with a group of people who have very different tastes and so I'd like to think we put the Estado Da India menu to the ultimate test.
We ordered :
- Wild Mushroom Croquets £5.25
- Prawn Rissol £7.95
- Iberico Vindaloo Pork Ribs £6.95
- Pork Arroz £9.95
- Tomato Naan £4.50
- Goan Cauliflower £4.95
- Masala Fries £3.95
- Goan Lamb £9.75
- Lemon Rice £3.95
- Duroc Pork Belly £8.95
- Lamb Espetada £8.95
Our waiter recommended each of us to order two dishes and then a further two to share across the table. As we don't often order tapas we were grateful for the recommendation, however we did order an extra sharer which gave us the perfect amount for the four of us to gorge on.
We also ordered a few drinks between us :
- Limao Spritz (Mocktail) £5.50
- Tropic Like It's Hot (Mocktail) £5.50
- Madri Excepcional Beer (Pint) £4.95
So what did we think of the Estado Da India...
The food really was full of flavour, and although sometimes it was on the cusp of what I could tolerate when it comes to spice I was pleasantly surprised. I asked for all of my dishes to come as mild as possible and without chilli which I did worry would potentially ruin the taste, but I can confidently say no flavour was lost. I will mention that some of the meats are soaked in a chilli marinate so it's impossible for them to be completely chilli free, but I found the dishes much milder than I was expecting. My family was also surprised by how mild the Vindaloo Pork Ribs were which was perfect.
The Pork dishes really were the stars of the show for me, the Pork Arroz in particular was fantastic. A juicy Pork skewer which is served resting on a bowl of curried rice, both of which were full of flavour. Although I'd admit this isn't the cheapest dish I left wishing I had ordered two as it was just so mouthwateringly tasty.
Another of my favourite plates from the Estado Da India menu was the slightly less adventurous Tomato Naan. Everyone in our group enjoyed a quarter of this fluffy bread which complimented our other bits very nicely. I would recommend ordering at least one of these to share with the table, or even eat completely to yourself.
For the drinks I usually order something fairly boozy, however I opted for a mocktail on this visit and I am very glad I did. I chose the Limao Spritz which according to the menu is a mix of Raspberry, Lemon and Lime, and topped with a sparkling soda. It was very refreshing but after trying a sip of my sisters mocktail (Tropic Like It's hot) I wish I'd have ordered one of those too. Hers was a combination of Passion Fruit, Coconut Cream, Pineapple, and Mango juice which is something I would never pick myself but it just worked so fantastically well together. The creaminess of the Coconut was extra delicious after wolfing down so much savoury spicy food.
All in all we had a fantastic evening in a beautifully decorated environment which we all admitted would be a lovely spot for a birthday treat or other special occasion.
Have you been to Estado Da India, the perfect Portuguese Indian in Harborne? I feel this one might soon become a favourite of Birmingham food bloggers.
Thanks for reading!
It's no secret that I've always struggled with my mental health. Ever since I can remember I've been plagued with the dreaded anxiety, and more recently I've been suffering low moods. So how have I been trying to tackle these mental health issues without medication? I've taken up several hobbies which I believe are really helping to improve my moods and keep demons at bay.
Here are the hobbies that help with mental health...
Gardening / growing vegetables/ house plants
As a 27 year old I never really thought gardening would be my thing, it's for old people right? But actually I've found gardening not only quite enjoyable, but I also believe its helped a lot with my mental health. Spending time out in the fresh air tending to plants I've grown from seeds is just really pleasant, and don't even get me started on the feeling of accomplishment that comes with growing your own veg. I've been a happy gardener and plant mom for months now and I don't intend to stop anytime soon as this is one hobby which is definitely improving my mental health.
Listening to and collecting music
Listening to the right music can lift anyones mood but there's something different about curating your own physical music collection. Lately I've been collecting and immersing myself into the world of records. Relaxing to a soundtrack of records you've compiled yourself really hits differently when your mental health isn't the best.
Walking
Exercise! The first thing any doctor will prescribe when you tell them your mental health isn't great is to get out there any exercise. I know this isn't a possibility for everyone but for anyone who is able, walking is a great way to get some gentle exercise without spending any more. I often go for walks for fresh air and to wind down after a stressful day. Last summer I even walked to the top of a few peaks including Snowdon which gave me such a huge sense of achievement. I know mustering up the energy to exercise is incredibly difficult when you're feeling low, but even a short stroll can help ease those demons.
Tidying
I'm not entirely sure tidying the house counts as a hobby, but my god has tidying my living areas improved my mental health. They say your mood mimics your surroundings and I can vouch for this as doing a 10 minute tidy each day has helped me so much when I'm feeling down. For a lot of people with depression especially, cleanliness isn't a priority so things may be a challenge but nothing beats the feeling of living in a tidy happy space especially now so many of us are working from home.
Blogging / creating
I've been a blogger for years now and whilst it's always a hobby I've enjoyed, when I'm struggling with my mental health I find it helps. For me blogging is a kind of online diary, which I'm able to pour my feelings and creativity into. while I know sharing emotions with the world isn't for everyone, this is how I've chosen to process some of my darkest times. Journaling is another great way to transform any bad thoughts into something creative without oversharing online.
Do you have any hobbies that help with your mental health? I'd love to hear about what keeps you happy!
Thanks for reading!
*AD - This post contains PR samples. Gifted products have been marked with an asterisk.
For me Autumn and the chasing of the seasons also means changing up my skincare routine. The colder weather encourages me to start using more gentle cleansing products and requires me to go in heard with the moisturising ones. As someone who suffers with dry skin, finding rich moisturising creams to combat the changing temperatures is no easy task but I think I've found a combination that works well.
I'm no expert when in comes to skincare, and I like to keep it pretty simple, after all who really has time for a ten step routine every day? My morning and evening routines are also pretty identical for this exact reason, I do however switch up my moisturiser.
So which products do I use in my Autumn skincare routine?
Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Purifying Cleanser - This cleanser can be used by all skin types to wash and purify your skin before moisturising. I use this to wipe away my makeup and even though it isn't advertised specifically as a makeup remover it does a pretty good job. It even removes my waterproof mascara which can be a tricky job for other cleansers.
Simple Moisturising Facial Wash - This gentle facial wash is soap free, alcohol free, contains no artificial fragrances or colours, and doesn't contain any harsh chemicals. It's my every day face wash that cleanses my skin without drying it out and it's probably one of the best budget facial washes I've ever used.
Lyfe Night & Day Face Moisturiser * - The Lyfe moisturiser is a vegan cream for all skin types. While it does have a mild citrus scent, it's still a very gentle but rich moisturiser that I use each day after cleansing. So far I've found that it keeps my skin feels smooth and hydrated without any of the greasiness that sometimes comes with heavier moisturisers.
Tea Tree Skincare Anti Spot Stick - This small Superdrug own product helps me to keep any angry spots at bay. It also helps to reduce redness and on any spots that do appear. While it's not the best spot product I've ever used it's still pretty good and super affordable.
Dr PawPaw Original Balm - The multipurpose Dr PawPaw balm moisturises and provides relief to irritated skin. It's fragrance free and while most probably use it simply as a lip balm, it can be used on skin, hair, and nails too. Recently I've been applying it to my top lip after waxing as it soothes the skin and prevents the dry waxing rash I used to get the day after.
Ethica CBD Nourish & Restore Night Cream * - This CBD infused, cruelty free moisturiser is designed to be used at night to help moisturise the skin. It's an incredibly thick and creamy product which it perfect for leaving on overnight, though the cream does sink into the skin fairly quickly. The cream is slightly scented, though similar to the Lyfe moisturiser, I haven't found this to be a problem.
So those are the skincare products I'm currently using to help my skin battle against the colder Autumn weather.
As always I am open to skincare recommendations, moisturisers in particular, so please feel free to leave them below or tweet me!
Thanks for reading!
Every now and then you visit a restaurant where things go a little bit wrong, but the friendly staff and the service they provide makes you want to go back regardless, and that's exactly that happened when I dined at The Encore in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
The Encore restaurant is located in central Stratford-Upon-Avon, a mere stones throw from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and easily accessible by car, bus, train, and even boat. It houses two floors of beautifully designed dining space and is a lovely setting for lunch, dinner, or just drinks.
There are several menus to chose from at The Encore (lunch, brunch, vegan, etc) but as we dropped in on a sunny Sunday afternoon, it would have been rude not to order a traditional Sunday roast. Whilst I eat a mostly vegetarian diet these days, I do bend the rules for certain meals, roast dinners being one.
The options for the Sunday roast include:
- Trio of roasts (beef, pork, chicken) - £18.50
- Roast beef - £16.50
- Roast chicken - £14.75
- Roast pork belly - £14.95
- Fig & dolcelatte roast - £14.95
I chose the roast pork belly and my sister opted for the roast beef. At that sort of price we were expecting good things and we weren't disappointed, mostly.
Once our dinners arrived we were presented with two large plates of meats, roast potatoes, and giant Yorkshire puddings, and one sharing dish of mixed veggies. The portion sizes were certainly not small. We were delighted at the sight of the meals we were about to dig into, until I spotted a hair in mine.
Accidents happen from time to time, and although most restaurants have high hygiene standards things like this do happen. That being said its never nice to find a hair in your dinner even if you haven't started eating yet. I raised the issue with the waitress straight away and she swooped the dinner from under me to replace it as soon as possible.
As my dinner was so impressive I did worry it would be quite some time before another was brought to the table but to my surprise I didn't have to wait too long at all. I would estimate that a fresh pork belly roast was plonked down within 10 minutes of the waitress taking the original away. After bringing a new meal to the table, our waitress apologised quite sincerely and said that the meal would be complimentary. Whilst I expected maybe a small discount, or the offer of a drink after such an issue, I didn't expect the whole meal for free. For this reason and the genuinely good customer service I received from our waitress that afternoon I would not hesitate to return to The Encore again.
We soon wolfed down our meals which were equal parts delicious and filling, and went on our way discussing another possible visit for December after spying their festive menus earlier in the day.
Despite the little blip I was quite impressed by my experience at The Encore, and the way they dealt with the situation ensured we left the restaurant as happy customers.
The Encore
1 Bridge Street
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6AB
Thanks for reading!
