Solihull Touchwood is now home to Kibou, a stunning Japanese kitchen & bar that caught my attention before it even opened it’s doors. With its leafy exterior drawing our curiosity and making us want to dine and drink there without even seeing the menu.
My first visit was already well over due and lucky for me I was extended an invitation to come along to try their amazing Japanese inspired afternoon tea.
I feel that I should definitely mention the decor of this beautiful establishment, before sharing the delicious food and drink I indulged in.
The beauty of Kibou is not just climbing the outer walls but in fact flourishing inside, being welcomed by a tree like beam and breath-taking art surrounding it’s diners while they enjoy their meals or drink with family and friends.
If the visual aspect wasn’t enough, the attentive and friendly staff added even more to Kibou’s appeal. The excellent knowledge they have of the menu, as well as doing a matcha tea in a ceremony at our table for me before I got to enjoy my tea.
There wasn’t a single bite I didn’t adore and by the time I reached the sweet section of this tiered goodness, I was sold on the afternoon experience.
Talking us through our afternoon tea as it was brought out to us, suggesting what order to start but leaving that ultimately up to us of course. The middle shelf being the sushi, and technically the first section to dig into.
I myself am very much a fan of afternoon tea, so the sushi aspect definitely intrigued me and I was not disappointed. Also being a lover of sushi obviously helped but I will say my friend, who is extremely selective with their food found it all very delicious and has already expressed the need to go back and sample the rest of the menu!
Swapping the cucumber sandwiches for a prawns California rolls with wasabi sauce and all the other delightful Japanese alternatives was a lovely change from what we are all use to when we think about afternoon tea. And did I mention we ate it all with chopsticks, lucky for us we already knew how but I’m sure the amazing staff would have helped if we asked!
The different flavours all complemented each other as well as the teas we both chose, matcha and my companions was the fragrant and delicious Jasmine tea.
There wasn’t a single bite I didn’t adore and by the time I reached the sweet section of this tiered goodness, I was sold on the afternoon experience. A selection of mochi ice cream, tartlets and custard doriyaki with strawberry compote topped it all off for me, as my sweet tooth takes priority over everything else.
I’m sure the idea of an afternoon tea without scones or sandwiches is an unusual thought and it was a little bit to me too at first but once I saw and tasted what the talented chefs at Kibou had created for us, I am open for any new afternoon tea experience in future.
But I will most definitely be back to have this one again. It was one of my favourites I’ve had so far and I am dying to go with some of my other friends soon, as I know they will enjoy it just as much as I did!
Just make sure if you want to book for this particular menu, then it will need to be 48 hours in advance, so that it can all be prepared to the standards they offer. There is also a vegetarian option available, that you can book for.
Words and Photos by Wallis Brown for Grapevine Birmingham (https://www.instagram.com/wonderfulyou_xo)