Kings Heath’s popular south east Asian restaurant Blue Ginger is to close after ten years.

Owners Peter and Siew Kuan Hodgson have decided to concentrate all of their time on sister venue The Blue Piano in Edgbaston instead.

Blue Ginger, created on the Poplar Road site formerly known as Gingers Tea Room, will serve its last meals on Friday, December 23.

Peter says: “The news is a disappointment to many of our regulars who are able to walk to Blue Ginger.

Singapore fish curry at Blue Ginger
Singapore fish curry at Blue Ginger

“I have tried to sell it as a going concern but there have been no takers – our menu is very specialised which is why people like us.

“So now I am looking to offload the lease and sell the fixtures and fittings.

“The business was still doing well, so I’m really sorry for our regulars.

Blue Ginger chef Siew Kuan tastes her fish curry sauce
Blue Ginger chef Siew Kuan tastes her fish curry sauce

“I grew up in Moseley, but now think that Kings Heath is more bohemian and more Moseley than Moseley so our Poplar Road site would be ideal for anybody who wants to start small with their own restaurant like we did.

“But with 36 covers we were limited as to what we could do after ten years.

“Instead of being caught between two businesses and home and our eight-year-old son, we now want to concentrate on just one business.

Carrot starter at Blue Ginger.jpg
Carrot starter at Blue Ginger.jpg

“For those who need a fix of our beef rendang or Singapore carrot cake, will be continuing to serve dishes from Malaysia, Cambodia and beyond at The Blue Piano.”

Blue Ginger once rated as highly as No 3 on TripAdvisor, but the site now says Blue Ginger has already closed and has stopped ranking it.

What is The Blue Piano Restaurant & Bar?

The Blue Piano restaurant
The Blue Piano restaurant

Located at 24-26 Harborne Road, Edgbaston B15 3AA, the Blue Piano has been building a winning reputation for live music and is a regular venue for the now 32-year-old Birmingham & Solihull Jazz & Blues Festival.

It also has eight guest rooms which will rise ten by mid January when expansion work has been completed.

As well as a large garden and car parking at the rear, The Blue Piano also has a 70 cover restaurant, with a coffee bar adding more than another 30.

Blue Ginger's chef and owner Siew Kuan
Blue Ginger's chef and owner Siew Kuan

Peter and Siew took the building on five years ago after it had been empty for about 18 months having previously been a law firm and a private house originally.

Peter says: “This area is taking off now as part of the Calthorpe Estate’s village development, with lots of other businesses opening that people can walk between.”

These include Spanish restaurant El Borracho de Oro, new pub The Physician, The High Field gastropub and the Michelin-starred restaurant Simpsons.

Where did the Blue name come from?

“Ginger came from Gingers Tea Room and blue ginger is a translation of one of the ingredients we use in some of our dishes from Singapore,” says Peter.

“The Blue Piano came from a family holiday to Cambodia, where we saw a guest house called The Red Piano.

“Calling ourselves The Blue Piano was quirky but problematic at first, because people thought we were a music institution!”