A testament to its superior cuisine and 35 years of service, Shababs usually has a queue out the door. There’s no better place to sample Birmingham’s proudest culinary invention: the balti, served piping hot in the same steel bowl it was cooked in. You can’t go wrong with the chicken classic, but Shababs also does a mean prawn version. Try it here, then treat yourself to an authentic balti bowl and cook it at home. —Richard Franks