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Propstore at The National Theatre

7 May

Last Thursday I visited the Southbank, one of my favourite areas of London, to experience the launch of The National Theatre’s pop-up riverfront cafe-bar, Propstore.

Now in its second year, Propstore features a collection of props and scenery from recent National Theatre productions.

We REALLY enjoyed the range of street food on offer, including pulled pork buns, sweet potato and chickpea falafel and literally the best fish finger sandwich I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

We sipped on Sipsmith Summer Cup cocktails, sat on House of Commons benches from This House, followed Luke Treadaway’s original train sets from The Captain of Kopenick around the track and recognised Cillian Murphy’s tape deck from the Misterman production that we saw last year, all whilst watching the world go by on the Southbank and the rippling waves on the Thames.

Whether you’re passing by and fancy a quick drink, need a delicious bite to eat or fancy listening to a live band or DJ (Friday and Saturday until 2am), Propstore is a must visit destination this summer.

Propstore, in partnership with American Express, is open until 28th September.

Watch the video of Lauren Laverne’s visit and chat with the curators here.

Opening hours
Monday – Thursday 12 noon – 11pm
Friday, Saturday 12 noon – 2am
Sunday 12 noon – 6pm

Friday and Saturday nights will see Propstore transformed with DJ’s and live music until 2am.

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The Attendant

29 Apr

I drank coffee out of a urinal last weekend. What? I did! And it wasn’t just me. Around fifteen other people were crammed into a Victorian public toilet in London’s NOHO drinking Caravan coffee and nibbling on sweet and savoury treats. You don’t believe me? Well you’ll just have to go and see it for yourself.

It was a sunny Saturday and Jack and I arrived at The Attendant at 1pm to sample the coffee and French toast. We trundled down the steps and arrived in the small underground room full with good looking youngsters sipping on flat whites, reading papers and laughing with friends.

We took a pew at one of the original urinals, which have been converted into tables and watched the customers pour through the doors to grab a coffee and a cake. As I waited I glanced around the room and fell in love with the design of the place. Beautiful original Victorian tiles adorned the walls and the floor, the door to the kitchen was painted a distressed orange with an old fashioned ‘attendant’ sign nailed into it and a communal table sat at the back of the room, surrounded by original Victorian restored furnishings – The Attendant is a feast for the eyes are well as the stomach.

Our coffees arrived and without even sipping I could tell that it was going to be good. The milk was smooth and there wasn’t a bubble in sight on the beautiful latte art. I took a sip and my initial thoughts were confirmed. Smooth, strong and utterly delicious – in fact, one of the best flat whites I’ve had in London.

My French toast arrived and I was in for a treat. Fresh, sweet and juicy fruit was strewn across two thick slices of French toast, which was drenched in a vanilla syrup and served with a vanilla crème fraîche. I shared half with Jack and we also shared a toasted wrap, which was good but not quite as enjoyable as the magnificent toast.

I loved The Attendant and I think the guys behind it have done a superb job. They have taken a beautiful Victorian landmark and turned it into something for all to enjoy. I can’t wait to go back for another one of those flat whites.

The Attendant
27A Foley Street
London
W1W 6DY
0207 637 37 94

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Inn the Park

18 Dec

The joys of living in London. There is literally always somewhere new to visit. Despite living only a twenty minute walk from St James’s Park in my first year of university I never visited. And despite having worked no more than a ten minute walk from the park for over a year, I still never visited. Until last weekend.

I have heard may good things about Inn the Park, which is a cafe / restaurant from Oliver Peyton of Peyton and Byrne fame. You might also know him off the tele – his face has graced our screens on Great British Menu for a while now.

We visited last Saturday at 2.45pm, which was the last lunch sitting of the day. It was a beautiful crisp (very cold!) day in London and the warmth that greeted us as we walked through the door was very welcome indeed.

We were seated and provided with the lunch menu. Almost immediately I knew what I wanted to order. Jack and I pretty much always share so that we can taste more of the menu and we decided on the wild mushroom soup with girolles and rosemary oil and a beetroot salad with whipped goats curd and a salted walnut praline to start, followed by grilled crown Prince squash with baked barley and chestnuts and grilled herb chicken with bubble and squeak and chestnuts for main. We shared a dessert but I’ll go into that later.

The mushroom soup was not quite what I expected. The soup itself was a little too thick, lacked seasoning and the girolles that sat on top were a little bland. There was not enough of the rosemary oil and the flavour didn’t really shine through. The beetroot salad however was a different story. Not only did the plate look extremely pretty, the range of flavours on the plate complimented each other very well. The salted walnut praline was dotted about and hidden in the pillowy goats curd so that each mouthful was a joyous mix of creamy goats curd, sweet beetroot and sweet and crunchy walnut praline.

Our mains were just as impressive. Both were presented well with balanced flavours. The chicken was delightfully tender, the bubble and squeak seasoned perfectly. The chestnuts gave the dish a new texture dimension and finished it off well. Both of us adore squash and had always thought Polpo serves the best dish – pumpkin with speck, cheese and pumpkin seeds. Inn the Park has a dish to rival this with the Prince squash. Again, chestnuts featured on the plate but this was no bad thing.

We were full but felt that we just had to try a dessert. We opted for the treacle tart with clotted cream and it arrived very quickly. It was a mini tart for one with a perfectly formed scoop of cream on top. At first I was disappointed that the tart wasn’t warm but then I realised that a treacle tart is hardly ever warm and by the second mouthful I was in heaven. The cream was thick, dense and utterly moreish. The tart filling was sweet, the pastry crumbly.

It wasn’t just the food that I enjoyed at Inn the Park. I loved the decor – Mid Century Modern, all encased in a wooden shell. The view wasn’t half bad either from where I was sitting. We left Inn the Park and had a quick stroll around the park before darkness got the better of the day. I am looking forward to heading back to Inn the Park in the warmer months so that I can enjoy the beautiful surroundings al fresco. Roll on summer.

For further information, please visit the Inn the Park website.

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Wilton Way Cafe

17 Mar

It’s Saturday afternoon and we decided to head to Hackney today to visit a new food market. It’s dreary outside so we stopped off at Wilton Way Cafe on the way to Broadway Market.

Wilton Way Cafe is home to London Fields Radio and we sat down to enjoy a flat white whilst listening to good music.

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I was surprised to find that a flat white is a mere £2.20, a far cry from central London prices. It arrived and was delicious and creamy, just perfect.

The cakes on offer look great with delights such as banana bread, courgette and lemon curd and gluten free plum and almond tart. Suppliers include E5 Bakehouse, Brindisa, Neals Yard and the Ginger Pig. The coffee is supplied by Climpsons and if you don’t fancy a hot drink, you can always enjoy a soft drink from Fentimans.

Furniture is reclaimed and the original wood floors have stayed. The back window looks out onto a lovely garden and the bar is lined with corrugated tin.

This cafe has free wifi so it’s a great little place to come and spend a lazy weekend.

Wilton Way Cafe
68 Wilton Way
London
E8 1BG

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Penks Queens Park

20 Jan

Looking to buy a flat has been a long and very laborious task. London is a big city and over the last year we have found it exceptionally hard to pin down one area where we really want to set our roots. But I’m pleased to say that after what seems like a lifetime, we have found it. The area in question? The lovely leafy Queens Park.

We have spent the last couple of weekends walking around and sampling what the area has to offer. Of course the first test was brunch. And having seen Penks made it into the top brunches in London list on Time Out recently, it was only fair to pay them a visit.

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As we walked through the door at 10am, we were greeted by two staff and an empty dining room. I was slightly confused as the Salusbury café across the road was considerably busier and I had found nothing online about this place. Still, we persevered with Penks and enjoyed a leisurely brunch. The menu consists of the usual cooked breakfasts, a veggie option, and healthy options such as muesli. We both opted for pancakes – one with mixed berries, crème fraiche and maple syrup and the other with hot chocolate sauce and crème fraiche.

I have to say that presentation wasn’t a strong point but the pancakes were light and fluffy and there was just the right ratio of sauce to pancake. My boyfriend polished off the chocolate sauce smothered pancakes and confessed that maybe chocolate sauce and crème fraiche was slightly too much for breakfast.

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I agree with Time Out that the breakfast options are good but I was sadly disappointed with the coffee. We both ordered lattes, which resembled a glass of warm milk more than a coffee. I have become custom to good coffee being served at all good brunch establishments so I’m hoping they can improve on that. After all, a morning coffee is so important!

I’m not sure I’d hurry back to Penks in the morning, especially not before trying the other brunch offerings in the area (and there are a few) but I will be heading back to check out the dinner menu as the restaurant has a lovely local bistro feel to it and I’m sure there is a great atmosphere when busy. I can imagine cosying up in Penks on a crisp evening with a nice glass of red and good company.

Penks
79 Salusbury Road
London
NW6 6NH
020 7604 4484

Penk's on Urbanspoon

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Coffee at Dock Kitchen

19 Jan

If you were lucky enough to be in London over the weekend, you may have noticed how utterly stonkingly good the weather was. It was cold but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as the sun beamed down and brightened up my days.

We decided to make the most of it on Sunday by hopping on our bikes and cycling down the Regents canal to Dock Kitchen where we enjoyed a cup of coffee on the deck before heading home via Lisboa Patisserie on Golbourne Road to pick up a couple of Portuguese tarts for dessert that evening. I could get used to life around here.

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Dock Kitchen is a fantastic space situated across from Innocent Towers on the Regents canal. Home to designer Tom Dixon and chef Stevie Parle, Dock Kitchen serves a range of seasonal dishes that have been inspired by the chefs travels. I have never been for dinner or lunch but after seeing a number of plates over the weekend, we’re now planning a date to go back and enjoy the grub.

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Although Dock Kitchen doesn’t serve as a café as such, we were able to sit out on the deck to enjoy a coffee, something that definitely would not have been as pleasurable had it not have been such a sunny day. Our flat whites were strong and creamy with hints of caramel. We sipped as the sun shone on our faces and both agreed that we can’t wait to return in the warmer months to make the most of the huge decking area outside the restaurant.

I’m looking forward to testing out the food offering at Dock Kitchen, but for now, memories of good coffee and extreme sunshine last.

Dock Kitchen on Urbanspoon

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Konditor & Cook hot chocolate

18 Jan

There are some things in life I just can’t explain – the fact that I’ve never done a post about the hot chocolate from Konditor & Cook is just one of those things.

I first came across this hot chocolate when I worked at the Grays Inn Road store four years ago. I worked as a sales assitant for a month between jobs and had a great time. Not least because part of the training meant that I was able to spend 1/2 day in the kitchen at The Gherkin with the head chef. I was put in the savoury kitchen, rather than helping the bakers but I was able to see the effort and precision that is put into baking and decorting the large range of cakes that are on sale across all stores. Each store has it’s own kitchen where the cakes are baked freshly daily. It’s a big operation and you can sure tell.

hot choc

But back to the hot chocolate. It’s thick and creamy without being too rich and chocolatey without being too sweet. I know how it is made and believe me it’s not for the calorie conscious out there. Perhaps that’s the reason I put on a few pounds while I was working there, or could it have been the curley whirly cake, or the pecan pie perhaps. The list of Konditor & Cook goodies is endless. But if I could only recommend one thing, it would be the hot chocolate. Seriously, try it and let me know what you think.

Click here for a list of locations around London.

Konditor & Cook on Urbanspoon

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The Espresso Room

12 Jan

Did I really just walk a three mile round trip on my lunch break to get a coffee? Yes, it seems I did. Am I bonkers? Probably. Was it worth it? Definitely. But not only for the fact that the coffee was one of the best I have had in a while, but because it took me to an area of London that I’ve always known was there, but until today had never explored.

So, why did I just take nearly my whole lunch hour travelling to and from a coffee shop? Because it’s been on my ‘to go to’ list for a while after spotting it on the Time Out list of best London coffee shops, a list that I completely trust. And on my walk back, I got to thinking… I had enough time after all. My coffee addiction started just over a year ago when I visited Australia. I can harp on for hours about the coffee over there. My dad also recently took a trip to Australia. Before he went, he was more of an Italian cappuccino man, preferring Bar Italia over Fernandez & Wells but on his return he asked me for my list of antipodean coffee shops in London. He’d heard me talk of such places before his trip but previously hadn’t paid much attention. He obviously saw the light when he was over there.

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So you’re probably wondering where I’ve just been. Well, it’s called The Espresso Room and it is situated on Great Ormond Street, just opposite the hospital. Although owner Ben Townsend is not Australian, guess where he learnt his trade? You guessed it, Melbourne. As I turned onto the street, I instantly spotted where it was. A large wooden coffee cup hangs off the side of the wall and beautiful little wooden stools and tables sit outside. They were empty on my arrival but there were a few cool types sitting in, enjoying their coffee whilst having a good old chat. The shop has an appropriate name as it literally is just a room – with only enough space for around six people to sit in.

Inside you’ll find a tempting range of cakes, which are baked on the premises and a mound of Beas of Bloomsbury brownies. The Keep Cup display is also impressive with a wide range of sizes and colours.

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I ordered a flat white and was surprised when the woman behind the counter asked if I wanted small or large. Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t flat whites one size – small?? I went for the small, which cost £2.60. This brings me on to another point – when did all good coffee shops put their prices up to the wrong side of £2.50?? Probably because they know coffee addicts (snobs) like me will pay it because they can’t make their own or get them anywhere else. Damn.

Next time I visit The Espresso Room, it will be a weekend so I have time able around the area, coffee in hand, admiring the magnificent Georgian townhouses that grace the surrounding area.

The Espresso Room
31-35 Great Ormond Street
London
WC1N 3HZ
07760 714883

The Espresso Room on Urbanspoon

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Granger & Co

27 Dec

It’s the day before Christmas Eve in West London. A black car sits waiting by the curb across the road from a grand London townhouse. Young professionals wander down the streets and into boutiques for a spot of last minute Christmas shopping. Mark Ronson casually walks across the road and clambers into the black car, careful not to knock his large white hat on the way in. Passers by don’t look twice. Such sightings are normal in these parts.

Across the road, a new restaurant buzzes. Granger & Co, the first and long awaited London based restaurant from Bill Granger, Australian culinary God, opened in November.

A long bar runs down the right hand side at which diners sit, casually eating their food whilst watching baristas perfecting their latte art. Objects adhering to the gold and cream colour theme adorn the bar and the windowsills around the room, including a beautiful lamp that I wished I could slip into my handbag. Tan leather banquets line the dining room, which the morning brunch brigade fills, along with a number of tables in the middle of the room.

The restaurant features an all day casual dining menu and is another to follow the ever popular no booking policy. As brunch is my favourite meal of the day, we arrived at 10.30am and snagged a table in the window.

We ordered two flat whites (£2.50) to start and I was delighted to see that the beans are sourced from Allpress Espresso. Anyone who knows me will be well aware that I have trawled London for the last year looking for the perfect flat white. And I think I have finally found it. Never have I had milk so silky, the perfect temperature, the coffee just the right strength.

The menu features sweet dishes such as bircher mueli (£5), toasted grain cereal (£5) and porridge (£5), alongside a range of specials from the bakery, including daily baked muffins (£2.75), toasted coconut bread £4.40) and gravalax & fresh curd with rye (£10.50). Customers can also enjoy ‘Bill’s Classics’ such as sweetcorn fritters with roast tomato, spinach & bacon (£11.90) or ricotta hotcakes with fresh banana & honeycomb butter (£10.50).

If I wasn’t already excited enough about the coffee, I spotted that the bread is supplied by the St John Bakery, which is, in my eyes, the best bakery in London. My sweet tooth would usually beg me to order the ricotta hotcakes but something was drawing me to a dish that I have never seen on a breakfast menu before – mozzarella & sage toasted sandwich (£7). We also ordered the avocado on rye with lime & coriander (£5.60), a dish that I had for breakfast nearly every day when I was in Australia.

The toasted sandwich was served on two doorstep slices of sourdough bread, which was heavily oiled and deeply filled with creamy buffalo mozzarella and fresh sage. The mozzarella left welcome a milky residue on the bread and I enjoyed this dish more and more after each mouthful.

The avocado on rye bread was also a delight. Perfectly ripe avocado placed on a thick wedge of rye bread, lightly toasted and doused in extra virgin olive oil, served with sprigs of coriander and a wedge of lime.

As both of us were eyeing up the banana & chocolate bread with fresh ricotta (£4.40), we ordered a portion to share for dessert, along with another couple of flat whites. The bread was light and fluffy, although ever so slightly dry, but the fresh ricotta was on hand to correct this minor problem.

The bill arrived (no, not that one unfortunately) and we were pleasantly surprised to see that it came to a mere £30, including service charge, for a whole load of delicious, fresh and unbeatable breakfast dishes in a calming and beautiful surrounding. I’ve already planned my trip back next week.

Granger & Co
175 Westbourne Grove
London
W11 2SB
0207 229 9111

Granger & Co on Urbanspoon

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Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Café revamp

29 Nov

When I think of Harvey Nichols, the line ‘Harvey Nicks darrrling’ immediately pops into my head and stays there on repeat until something else grabs my attention. Thanks Jennifer Saunders. Ab Fab was always on in my house when I was growing up. I loved it. I would have been so proud had I known at the time that I would one day be following in Edina’s footsteps and working in PR darrrrrling. But I can safely say that I don’t quite live the Ab Fab lifestyle, honestly…

Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Café has just undergone its first refurb in twenty years. EDGE Architecture + Design has designed the interior and created distinctive features such as a new horseshoe shaped Espresso Bar and an open plan kitchen. Executive Chef Jonas Karlsson and his team have created a range of new dishes, many using new and seasonal produce from The Foodmarket and I was invited to test it out last week. I arrived early and sipped a jasmine tea (£2.95) whilst I waited for my friend. Upon arrival, all flummoxed, he asked why I had ordered jasmine tea. I think I may have panic ordered as it’s not something I’d normally go for. And I didn’t really enjoy it. I found it a little watery and after peeking inside the pot to see why, I saw a lone tea bag floating around. It perhaps could have benefitted from two bags to create a stronger taste, considering the pot was large enough for over two cups.

We perused the menu and after I forbid him to order a Full English, because it’s too boring, we settled on Fried Eggs with Chorizo and Eggs Benedict with brioche. Having been out for breakfast every day so far that week (and this was Thursday), I was hoping for a moderate portion.

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But first we ordered a couple of juices. I opted for the Green Juice (£5), a mixture of cucumber, apple, celery and lemon as it sounded healthy, just what I needed after a hectic week. Also, another friend had tweeted an image of her super green juice the day before, which also contained cucumber and celery and I thought I’d try it as I’ve never been big on vegetable juices and was on the verge of being persuaded that they’re a good idea. My friend went for the Glamour juice (£5), which turned out to be a beautiful orange carrot and apple juice with a huge ginger kick – perfect for waking you up in the morning. I didn’t enjoy mine quite as much – but I think that’s because of my personal taste. I adore cucumber to eat but drinking it is a different story.

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The breakfasts arrived shortly after and I was happy to see that my wish for a moderate portion had come true with the Fried Eggs and Chorizo (£7.95). Baked chorizo and tomato is one of my favourite combinations but add eggs and a thick slice of toast and I’m in heaven. The Eggs Benedict (£9.75) was also delicious, although I think I prefer the dish with English muffins. That’s not to say that the brioche wasn’t a good addition, because it was.

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The café serves Illy coffee and my latte was smooth, creamy and topped with a nice bit of latte art. I’m always impressed by latte art, I think it shows that the barista has paid attention to my creamy cup of goodness and has lovingly prepared the pretty image, rather than just spilling the milk out of the jug into the cup willy nilly.

After breakfast, my friend decided that he wanted pudding. Interesting. So he ordered a bowl of yoghurt and honey, which wasn’t actually on the menu. It cleanses your palate apparently. The waiter obliged and soon after placed the bowl down on the table. I tasted it and was impressed – very soothing and I have to say it did clean my palate.

I’d like to go back in the summer and sit outside on the terrace, which overlooks Knightsbridge, although it’s not overly large so I imagine it’s hard to snag a table. The new Fifth Floor Café definitely gets a thumbs up from me – the environment is pleasant and calming and you have the bonus of being able to browse the fantastic produce of The Foodmarket on your way out. If you visit I bet you end up buying something. I just bet.

Breakfast served Monday – Saturday 8am – 12 noon.

Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Café
109 – 125 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7RJ
Tel: 020 7235 5000

Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Restaurant, Cafe & Bar on Urbanspoon

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