We visited a new waterfront restaurant in Birmingham - and it was like being on holiday

Brightsmith on the Water is the latest addition to the huge Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel by the NEC.

It officially opened its doors last September as part of the hotel’s multi million pound refurbishment and sits next to the lake with views of Resorts World - modelled on a ship - on the other side.

It’s a remarkable setting - and one that you may not expect to find living in the metropolis of Birmingham. The gentle ebb and flow of the water against the dining deck and super luxurious interior of Brightsmith on the Water transports you off to another land. It’s hard to remember that you’ve only travelled 10 miles outside Birmingham city centre.

We visited on a sunny Saturday evening and were greeted with the warmest of welcomes after we made our way through the charming woodland walkway after exiting the NEC.

The restaurant is inspired by jewellers from Birmingham’s world famous Jewellery Quarter. Apparently Brightsmith was a crafter who specialised in highlighting the beauty of the ‘bright’ metals - silver, brass and tin.

And this is evident in the glimmering interiors all around you as you visit this stunning 120 cover restaurant, which also had an American feel similar in other Hilton venues.

Likewise, it prides itself on showcasing the best food the West Midlands has to offer - so it uses local produce and quality ingredients carefully curated to show off Birmingham’s exciting emerging food scene.

So here’s what happened when we visited

The bar

Our dining experience began with a pre-dinner cocktail in the huge gleaming bar which runs almost the whole length of the restaurant.

We chose to sit in the high stools, right in front of the optics and soaked up the relaxing vibes surrounding us in the charming setting.

The cocktail menu featured some classics and some new drinks that neither I nor my friend had heard of previously.

As a coconut fan I opted for a Coconut Daiquiri which included Havana 3yr and Koko Kanu coconut rum shaken with lots more coconut - and a vibrant splash of blue curacao syrup.

It was a good choice. Not too sweet and not to sharp - the coconut shavings gave it a tasty texture and the mellow coconut milk added depth of flavour.

My friend chose the pineapple and apricot margarita with 1800 muddled with fresh pineapple chunks and shaken with apricot liqueur. It really was difficult to remember we were next to the NEC!

The dinner

Our table was directly in front of the lake, and we could not have asked for a better spot. The location was wonderful with the waters stretching out before us - in front of the full floor to ceiling windows which opened out onto decking.

The lush planting, soft teal velvet banquettes, panelled wooden tile floors and floral patterns brought the outside in. A most relaxing setting - and amazing holiday vibe.

This was complemented by the superbly attentive staff who were so helpful. The menu oozed quality. There were plenty of dishes to choose from - but not too many, if you get my drift.

For a starter I opted for scallop & crab which was served with broth, chorizo oil, hollandaise, and salmon caviar. Our waiter helpfully poured the broth over the generous portions of warm, rounded fish discs - packed full of flavour. My friend chose the char-grilled vegetable terrine and was equally impressed.

For my main I opted for the cornflake coated lamb rack served with green pea puree, fondant potato and charred baby gem lettuce.

The lamb was a triumph - it was quite a novelty enjoying the crunch coating surrounding the perfectly cooked meat, not too rare and not too overdone. The potato wasn’t the best I’ve ever eaten, but it added a wholesome touch to the magnificent meat.

My friend was delighted with her fillet Casterbridge beef steak served with triple cooked rosemary & garlic chips, peppercorn sauce and a juicy flat mushroom, and vine tomatoes.

Other mains included chicken masala, cider marinated pork belly, seafood tagliatelle and quinoa and beetroot winter salad - but we both agreed we had made the perfect choices.

Our thoughtful water asked if we would like to wait a while before choosing our desserts. It was a lovely opportunity to soak up more of the luxury vibes and waterfront views - and enjoy another glass of wine.

We had decided to keep it simple and go with the house white and were served with a supremely delicious Rare Vineyards Marsanne-Viognier. Such a nice change to the old Sauvignon Blanc (savvy b) that is so popular. Like the dinner menu, the wine list wasn’t extensive, but was packed with quality and our wine was smooth, flavoursome and full of real, tasty vino.

When we did get around to ordering dessert I opted for the Lemon and Blueberry posset, served with lime jelly and coconut macaron.

It was one of the nicest desserts I’d ever tasted. The posset served in a tall glass was beautifully creamy with a fruity zest, which was a perfect way to finish my meal.

My friend chose the cheese board featuring Warwickshire Truckle, Worcester Blue, King Stone Dairy RollRight Soft, Herefordshire Finn, Goats Cheese Ash - served with chutney, celery, grapes, balsamic onions and crackers. My only regret was that I was too full to help her make more of a dent in it!

What happened next?

After gazing out across the lake at Resorts World and its numerous bars, restaurants, shops, spa, cinema and more - it was a wonderful opportunity to continue our evening further.

So as dusk began to fall we left our waterfront view and headed out of the huge Hilton.

We took a peak at the super swimming pool there and its other numerous bars and restaurants and headed back through the wooded frontage to the other destination.

It really was like a mini holiday. Resorts World was buzzing and we headed to the Sky bar - where we had a fantastic view, with our favourite destination just within sight - Brightsmith on the Water.