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Considering how many people holiday abroad, have sampled tapas and more often than not wax lyrical about its virtues, it’s still surprisingly hard to find a tapas experience worth talking about in Birmingham. Fortunately for anybody who fancies a nibble or two rather than a full-blown meal, the newly refurbished Cafe Ikon has come up trumps in the tapas stakes. Serving a new menu of Spanish tapas, Café Ikon is a relaxed setting for lunch, dinner or after-work drinks. The tapas on offer is simply splendid, the menu featuring some truly imaginative dishes. The chef’s personal favourite is a delightful little number which sees chicken livers being combined with prunes, sherry and cream to impressive effect. The quantity of food provided in each tapas dish is just about perfect - neither too little nor too much for the price. So, what were our favourites? At this point, it’s sensible to say that absolutely nothing we tried even remotely disappointed - and we certainly tried our fair share! Pork meatballs with tomato sauce, piguello peppers stuffed with mushrooms, salt cod fritters, paprika-dusted whitebait and lentil stew were all tested, digested and awarded top marks. All the aforementioned dishes are featured on the venue’s lunchtime menu, along with a range of salads and toasted sandwiches. A selection of three tapas dishes from the menu can be enjoyed for £7.95, or are available as individual dishes at just £3. Dinner menu options are a little more expensive, but again offer great value for money. If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool carnivore, dishes such as chorizo with chick peas, sherry and a tomato sauce are sure to appeal. Fish lovers, meanwhile, can sink their teeth into prawns with garlic and chilli, sardines with capers and olives, and cod with lentils and tomato sauce. Other dishes to delight include bean stew with chickpeas and haricot beans, aubergine with tomato and manchego cheese, and stuffed mushrooms with tomatoes and red pepper. Oh, and not forgetting three tasty paella dishes too! Cafe Ikon is, quite simply, a fantastic option no matter what time of day you’re happening by. And with tapas being a relatively quick meal if you want it to be, you might even have time left in your busy schedule to visit the Ikon Gallery and sample some thought-provoking art!