Culture Editor Ilina Jha reviews HeyBrew’s brand new brunch menu, launched at the end of September
HeyBrew Espresso is a well-known and popular café for students, situated very conveniently on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, and ideal for coffee, brunch, or lunch. After hearing about Hey Brew Espresso having launched their new menu on the 25th of September, I made two trips to try out their new recipes.
I had high hopes for this bagel and I was not disappointed
With pastel coloured walls and large windows, HeyBrew is a light and airy space. The staff are friendly and courteous, and looking around you can spot fake plants hanging very prettily from the ceiling, and even HeyBrew’s very own piano!
Choosing a bagel from HeyBrew Espresso’s brand-new range was a challenge, but eventually I settled on the ‘Hash Stack’ (£6.95). Containing hash browns, halloumi, avocado, and chilli jam (which I removed). I had high hopes for this bagel and I was not disappointed. The crunchiness of the hash brown contrasted superbly with the soft avocado, and it surprisingly held together very well, with not too much falling out of it as I ate. I would not have thought to try hash browns with avocado and halloumi, but it makes for a delicious combination.
Again, I had some trouble choosing a sweet treat from HeyBrew Espresso’s impressive line up. I decided on a ‘Cherry Bakewell Cookie’ (£3), which was absolutely divine. The texture was soft and melt-in-the-mouth, but not so soft that it would crumble apart in your fingers. It struck the perfect balance of sweetness and overall, was a delicious treat.
On my second visit to HeyBrew Espresso, I opted for one of their specials: the ‘Avo Smash’ (£6.95). This dish was composed of a slice of sourdough bread, topped with smashed avocado, sweetcorn, raw red onion, balsamic vinegar, and sumac. You could also add feta as an extra topping (£1.50). For my taste, I chose to remove the sumac and did choose to add feta. Upon its arrival I was impressed by the simple, neat presentation of the dish. The sourdough was well-baked and the sweetcorn was a surprising but welcome component of the ‘Avo Smash,’ and the added feta worked very well with the dish. My only complaint was the inclusion of raw red onion which wasn’t listed as an ingredient on the blackboard. Personally, I am not a fan of onions and felt it overpowered the dish a little. Next time, I think I’d ask for it to be removed.
All in all, HeyBrew Espresso offers a delicious (though not cheap) range of dishes and has a wonderful atmosphere.
However, a major problem with Hey Brew Espresso lies in its accessibility. Lacking step-free access, a disabled toilet and with limited space for wheelchair users, those with access needs may find the cafe exclusionary. I hope that in the future, HeyBrew do make modifications to their premises so that everyone is able to enjoy such a wonderful cafe experience here in Selly Oak.
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