It’s Bank holiday Monday. No hangovers since my date and I decided to skip the weekend chaos unlike the rest of you alcoholics, and headed to The early Bird Bakery in Kings Heath.
Even before we entered we could see through the windows that it was busy. It’s popular, I’ve heard good things about the place or maybe all these couples had the same idea as us? The early bird definitely does get the worm. Since it was busy the waitress explained it could be a 15-20 minute wait for a table, but we weren’t in any rush. Luckily after five minutes we were sat, given menus, and explained how to order. Pastries are ordered at the front counter, while items off the brunch menu are ordered table side.
Now I apologised to my date and to myself, but there was no way I could’ve ordered brunch. My stomach was doing front flips on a motorcycle through a ring of fire. I don’t think the cheese & truffle toastie would’ve went down well with my body. However, dairy and sugar why the hell not? We made our way to the front counter where we debated for five minutes on what to order.
The cheesecake tart was delicious. A golden, crisp, flaky vehicle for a filling that was both rich and refreshing – it was an instant yes.
Just like its sister Perch Bakery, the pastries on display are incredible. Large in size, technical details, but simple enough to give clarity on what you’re ordering. I ordered the cheesecake tart with strawberry and elderflower, while my date went for the croissant supreme filled with a yuzu creme pat and topped with meringue and poppy seeds. As for the coffee order it was far simpler. Chai latte for me, oat cappuccino for my lady.
We returned to our table salivating. Perch was great when we went, so we were excited to see how early bird matched up. The cheesecake tart was delicious. A golden, crisp, flaky vehicle for a filling that was both rich and refreshing – it was an instant yes. The floral notes of elderflower paired extremely well with the rich cheesecake flavour. Sliced strawberries on top to keep it fresh, with little pellets of meringue were great.
My dates croissant supreme was interesting. Flaky exterior, soft buttery interior, it was making sense. As she took a bite into it expecting a filling, to her surprise nothing was there. Not until we realised it was on the other side. I don’t think this was intentionally done since I’m sure you’d want it to be evenly piped throughout. Even though it was nice, very light, with flavours of yuzu, it fell short on points here. The meringue was torched and poppy seeds were sprinkled on top. My date loved this as she described it to be like a marshmallow texture, while the poppy seeds added a mild nutty flavour which worked a treat.
All this before the coffees arrived, can you believe it?
The chai latte arrived in a water glass something which I’ve condemned in the past however, the size was acceptable so I won’t kick up a fuss this time. It came piping hot and dusted in cinnamon for that extra layer of warmth. The flavour was good – the right kick of spices, almost as sweet as my date, but just enough to let the flavours shine through. Each sip felt like a warm hug.
It was clear to see, the oat cappuccino was well made. We tried to work out if they use the same blend as perch but couldn’t figure be sure. Silky, with a strong punch of coffee it wasn’t trying to be anything it’s not. No complaints at all.
Overall we left Early Bird impressed. Although we only tried pastries it was still a great experience. I paid £18 which for coffee and pastries may sound a bit expensive but for the skill and flavour it’s worth every penny. Service was friendly, speedy and the place was clean. It’s not over engineering on decor, it’s simple. And I like that. We’ll definitely be returning to do a part two on the food.
Words by Jordan Johnson