Ellen Manning passes by Rob Wood and Kyndra Vorster’s latest Birmingham creation.
Hidden away in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Rob Wood and Kyndra Vorster’s Lucky 7 has the same Asian inspiration as previous projects, but while Atelier felt Scandi-chic and 18/81 speakeasy, this has the dark, frenetic feel of a Tokyo izakaya.
It’s small, like their previous bars, but close enough to other watering holes that people can be sent away with the promise of a text when a table comes free.
The drinks menu promises to showcase ‘esoteric’ Asian ingredients in ‘recognisable ways’, with a list that almost reads like a food menu.
I can’t resist Kimchi Party – a practical joke that got serious when people liked it. An opinion-splitter, but its sheer gumption is enough to make me smile, while a Sticky Rice mocktail based on the classic South Asian dessert is a reminder that a bit of sweetness in your life is actually allowed.
Lucky 7 has plenty of precision but some fun and freedom thrown in, with a more relaxed feel to Wood and Vorster’s previous projects. Let’s hope it’s here to stay.
Score 8/10
53 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HS