Star Rating:⭐⭐⭐
A stylish new restaurant and bar comes in Birmingham City Centre
Mi Amore, Birmingham, is bright and very welcoming from the outside. The windows are wide and allow light to shine into every part of the restaurant/bar.
When I came up to it, I saw the entrance was level access — though there was a slight incline to it. Some wheelchairs may need assistance with the slight incline but will still be able to enter the restaurant and bar.
I was able to get inside and have a good look around. There was space to move around without much difficulty but at the time that I visited it was quite busy. People had come to watch England in the World Cup.
Instead of exploring while there were so many people, I went and sat in the new pristine bar area. This path to the bar was clear and though I didn’t move around the restaurant area too much, it showed me that the designers had considered the space with it, making sure things weren’t too close together or people didn’t feel cramped.
I was pleased and relieved that if I did decide that if wanted to move around, I wouldn’t have to move through too many people or get someone to move items; something I have become used to do and expect.
Mi Amore’s bar area and restaurant was vibrant and full of colour. It was in a very clean and pristine condition, which reflected how new and looked after this restaurant/bar was.
There were bar stools positioned next to the bar, so you are elevated next to the bar and can enjoy a fresh drink and bar snacks.
In the restaurant, there were plush sofas, where people could enjoy drinks and chats with their friends, while watching whatever is on the television for that day’s entertainment.
Whatever your reason for coming to Mi Amore, Birmingham, you can enjoy all what the restaurant/bar has to offer.
From a personal point of view, I find these plush sofas and seats good to look at and can see why they can be loved by other customers. But for me, I struggle to benefit from them.
At the time that I visited Mi Amore, Birmingham, my parents and I sat at the bar, enjoying watching England in the World Cup knock-out rounds.
I thought about it practically and if we sat near the plush sofas, it would mean that my mom and dad would be sitting on t and I would be leaning forward and down, all the time we would be there, in order to talk to them. This would not be good for my back, I would be in a lot of pain, by the time I got home.
As well as the problems with sitting on the plush sofas, there would also be trouble if we decided to sit at the tables to eat, the tables were quite low.
Though we would move a chair aside and I could get close to the table and ask to move furniture and asking people to move, the tight space between the tables and the lowness of the tables would prevent me getting close enough to eat comfortably.
While the three of us sat at the bar, I had to get very close to the bar stalls, mom and dad sat on in order to be able to talk to them and them being able to hear me. Though I was as close as I could be, I was arching towards them, hurting my back.
When it came to place our food order at the bar, I was arching, so they could hear me properly. The staff were very friendly and helpful and luckily, I had my parents to call up, if the staff didn’t hear me.
While we were there, watching the World Cup, the three of us decided to order a margarita pizza to share.
I was expecting a margarita pizza with a thick crust, like I have had in similar Italian restaurants.
But the base of the margarita pizza was thin and crispy, it was light on my tummy and it emphasised and increased the level of taste, with the toppings.
The pizza was delicious and highly recommended it when you go to Mi Amore.
Then I thought about it and this was fine when I was with someone, but what if I wasn’t with anyone?
I like being independent to the best of my capability as do everyone, but this is not easily down wheelchair users like me can’t get close enough to order and they can’t be heard over the busyness of the restaurant/bar.
While we were at Mi Amore, Birmingham, we got a chance and went to inspect the disabled toilet and the facilities.
I was a bit cautious to find out that the disabled toilet was on the lower level than the building. I was unsure to how disabled costumers could get down there to use the facilities.
But I was relived to find out that there was a lift which went down to the lower levels and to where the disabled toilet was.
Seeing the size of the disabled toilet, I was disappointed, but not surprised that the disabled toilet was of standard size, according to regulations.
Unfortunately, according to my dad who is an architect, this toilet is of regular size as expected by building regulations.
In other words, it is suitable for those in manual wheelchairs who can transfer independently. This is good to some extent.
But for me who is in an electric wheelchair and has to rely on two people to help me transfer me, it is difficult for me and almost impossible to use this ‘standard’ size of a disabled toilet.
This is the way it is until the regulations are changed or a ‘Changing Place’ is required to be put into place in every restaurant and bar.
The Life of Sophie 