Brunch at L'entrepot

Photography @GaretReidPhoto 2013

230 Dalston Lane, London, E8 1LA

I moved house. Or flat. So that's why I haven't blogged in a while. Sorry. And, in other news, I started writing for recommendations website Twenty Something London (TSL) so have been a bit busy all in all.

The new place is in Walthamstow so I'll start visiting and reviewing places this end of town in the next few weeks. It may sound like I've grown up and moved to the 'burbs' but never fear, I'm only in zone 3 and 15 mins from Liverpool Street on the train. Phew. 

So... L'entrepot. I went for dinner and wine in the week with TSL and then got invited along to a brunch event today (perks of the job) which seemed more down my cafe-lined street. The recommendation will be going up on TSL in the next few days so check that out for the full picture. However, in terms of brunch I have to say I was suitably impressed. For what is essentially a wine bar and restaurant, man, can they do eggs. 

Chef Stefan is French so there's a definite continental twist on the menu with a fair few options it's impossible to pronounce. But the 'gypsy eggs' pulls them back from pretentious by whacking everything that's good about breakfast (eggs, bacon, tomatoes, potatoes...) into a pan and serving it up with sourdough. 

My other half tried the oeuf meurette - eggs and bacon cooked in wine. Don't let the purple hue put you off, the taste is fantastic. If you like red wine, why save it for dinner? 

Right next to Hackney Downs Station, it's an easy enough walk from Victoria Park Village or London Fields and well worth the effort. The atmosphere is laid back, the decor beautiful and staff knowledgeable. Brunch is served until 4pm at weekends so you can lie in as long as you like! 

There's freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee on offer but why not go for a bloody sherry or some Prosecco? You're in a wine bar after all. 

 L'entrepot are on Facebook and Twitter. Or check out their parent company Borough Wines. 

An introduction to Mayfield Farm

Mayfield Farm, Sheering Road, Harlow, Essex, CM17 0JP

I literally could not be happier to finally be able to post about somewhere vaguely close to my hometown of Harlow, Essex. The town could easily be described as a culinary wasteland - saturated with supermarkets, chain restaurants and cafes - with nowhere suitable for a lazy breakfast or a decent coffee.

However... I have recently been made aware of Mayfield Farm Bakery & School (& cafe). I'll let their produce do the talking...

We popped in quickly one Saturday morning and I was absolutely bowled over that this little gem has been around the corner all the time! The breads are understandably incredible (head baker Nick has been doing this for 30 years) but the amazing pastries, cakes and local produce were unexpected!

There's all your traditional loaves as well as several variations of sour dough and flavoured breads - cheese & onion, stilton & raisin and beetroot to name a few. We had about three loaves as well as some fresh croissants and I'm going to make it my mission to come back for more each time I stay at my parent's!

Compared to the same quality produce in London, the prices are REALLY competitive so there's no excuse not to fancy-up your weekend with some artisan fare.

If you want to learn how to make bread you can sign up to their Bakery School - it's a bit pricey but I'm sure the four and a half hour session is worth every penny. Class sizes are small (15 people) so you're likely to get plenty of focussed tuition.

I'm not sure why I wasn't aware of this place before. When I mentioned it to some of my friends they seemed to know about it - maybe it's one of those well kept secrets everyone wants to keep to themselves? No matter their marketing strategy, it seemed busy enough when we were in there so seems like the word is out (or it is now anyway..!).

We didn't have time to stay for a coffee and something to eat so I'll visit the cafe next time I'm home (around Easter) and do a follow up post with details of the menu etc. CAN'T WAIT!

Mayfield Farm Bakery & School have a website, they're on Facebook and Twitter.

A review of J&A Cafe

J&A Cafe, 1-4 Sutton Lane, London, EC1M 5PU

A good thing about how blinking freezing it's been the last couple of weekends? Having an excuse to spend most of the day toasty warm in a cafe gorging on high calorie foodstuffs whilst saving on your heating bills.

Despite the biting winds, I made it as far as Clerkenwell last weekend to meet some friends for brunch. Farringdon station was easiest for us all to get to so I was tasked with seeking out a venue for our afternoon tryst. Luckily, I'd been keeping J&A Cafe at the back of my mind for a couple of months having discovered it after lunching at nearby St Ali (now called Workshop Coffee).

Tucked away down a tiny alleyway, the only clue to its existence from Clerkenwell Road is a sandwich board out on the street. Brave enough to duck through the doorway, I found an 'ever so cutesy' courtyard complete with fairy lights and bunting - and a cafe menu which was worth coming back for.

A year later I returned and wasn't disappointed. Greeted warmly soon after coming through the door, we were quickly seated and contemplating what would best warm our hearts and cockles. Despite deliberating for longer than strictly necessary, the waiting staff were patient and helpful in explaining any quirks of the menu.

It's not a big place but they've made good use of the space with a big communal table in the centre, flanked by smaller tables seating up to four people. The clientele was mostly youngish with a marked (and welcome) lack of children. No yummy mummies here.

Fresh tea, a well poured flat white and fruit juice were swiftly delivered to our table followed by our food order. Sitting directly behind the coffee machine and kitchen, it was a noisy spot that gave us ample chance to watch our brunch being freshly prepared.

The food was delicious, offering something for every mood - veggie breakfast for the virtuous and pancakes for a sweet tooth. I went for fried eggs on a potato cake and enjoyed a side of toast as advised by the waitress - the portion was a little on the small side. We were stuffed after just one course but there were some very tasty looking cakes and pastries had the mood struck us.

The food couldn't be faulted and we were left to our own devices despite staying to chat long after our bill had been paid. For great food, adult company and attentive service, J&A is a winner. Go.

J&A Cafe have a website, they're on Twitter and Facebook.

Festive puds

My favourite festive puds
A friend just asked me for some recipes for festive puddings which weren't Christmas cake, Christmas pudding or cranberry based. Hmm.... a challenge!

Having 'mulled' it over (I'm not going to spare you the puns so stop reading if you can't handle it) - I came up with the following:

Rice pudding with apple compote

I had some really nice rice pudding with spiced apple compote at the weekend from Anna Mae's - it can be quite Christmassy with the right spices: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bakedricepuddingwith_78627

Dark chocolate raspberry banana bread - Sally's baking addiction
I really like this blog for recipes (although it's American so some of the ingredients seem a bit odd). The raspberry and chocolate banana bread is a fail-safe http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/06/06/dark-chocolate-raspberry-banana-bread/ 

Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

A baked cheesecake is always a winner too (you don't have to bother with the fancy toppings, the basic vanilla cheesecake is lovely on it's own as long as you use real vanilla pods) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vanilla_baked_cheesecake_59336

A review of Leila's Shop

15-17 Calvert Avenue  Bethnal Green, London E2 7JP

I'm in love... with Leila's.

Tucked away between Shoreditch High Street and Columbia Road, Leila's is the perfect pit stop for a mid afternoon snack and beverage to warm the cockles at this chilly time of year. Relaxed, homely and not too full at around 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, we slipped in on our way home to grab a cheeky hot chocolate and olive oil biscuit.

Made the traditional way in a good old saucepan on the hob, the hot chocolate may come in a thimble-like glass but believe me, any more of this rich nectar and you would feel decidedly sick. It was the perfect tonic for a freezing afternoon stroll and I'm already planning the next time I can fit a visit into my schedule to have another hit.

The olive oil biscuit was something I'd never tried before and was light, predictably oily, but delicately flavoured with fennel cutting through, giving it a fresh savouriness which I couldn't get enough of. The counter top was piled with pastries, brownies and other goodies so there was plenty of choice. And if you go for the panettone you'll get a slice generous enough to feed at least two!

I love the open plan kitchen where you can watch the chef and waiting staff pottering around and get your taste buds tingling looking at all their fresh produce. Everything on the menu can be cooked up using ingredients bought from the deli next door so you can even take your inspiration home with you!

I can't comment on the food as we'd already had lunch, but I'm more than happy to have an excuse to come back for brunch at some point at by the looks of their menus I won't be disappointed:

Leila's shop are on Twitter and Facebook.

A review of Dishoom (breakfast)

I feel I should provide a disclaimer here that that the marketing manager at Dishoom is a very good friend of mine. I have eaten at both their Covent Garden and Shoreditch restaurants in her company but on the occasion I am going to reference here, was in neutral company. 

Disclaimer aside, I am probably still going to sound like she is whispering in my ear while I write this as I have no complaints to make at all about the service or food. I hope you will believe that what I write is an honest account:

7 Boundary Street, London, E2 7JE

London's very own Bombay Cafe, Dishoom opened the doors to its new Shoreditch premises in October. We went along for one of their dry runs for dinner and were suitably impressed with the decadent cocktails and fresh, fragrant dishes on offer. From grilled paneer tikka to their slow-cooked pulled lamb this is not your typical East End indian restaurant. 

So, on a cheeky Friday off work we thought we'd try something different and give Dishoom's breakfast a try. They serve the breakfast menu until 11.30 on weekdays and until 1pm for a more casual start at the weekend. 

We rocked up 20 minutes before the end of service and were greeted with a smile and a sun-filled booth at the front of the restaurant. Given how busy the cafes on nearby Redchurch Street get during the morning's breakfast meeting rush, it was surprisingly quiet. Perhaps the city boys haven't cottoned on to the delights of a bombay breakfast. It won't be long. 

I ordered English breakfast Assam tea which came loose leaf in a large pot with my choice of milk and sugar on the side. My fella ordered the chai which was absolutely delicious. It wouldn't usually be my first choice for breakfast but on a cold November morning, its delicate fusion of spices couldn't be more comforting. 

To eat, I had the Bombay Omelette which was subtly flavoured and beautifully light for that time in the morning. Balanced with grilled tomatoes and Dishoom's own variety of 'fire toast' (first buttered, then thrown onto the grill) it was perfectly proportioned and very reasonable at under 6 quid. 

Fella had the bacon naan roll which was quite small, but at £3.70 you could always have 2 if you're that hungry! The chilli tomato jam, smoky bacon and fresh cream cheese were brilliantly balanced to create a tongue tingling combination, and along with the chai was the star of the show. 

Reasonably priced, more tasty than your run of the mill eggs on toast and all in the stunning surroundings of Dishoom's new Shoreditch location, I felt extremely spoilt on a Friday morning. Happy happy girl. CHECK THEM OUT SOON!

You can take a look at Dishoom's website, follow them on Twitter and find them on Facebook. 

Ideas for the weekend...

Still stuck for something to do on Saturday? Why not wrap up warm and wander over to Borough Market? Yes, it's full of tourists and much more expensive than most neighbourhood markets, but it makes for a great afternoon out if you combine it with a visit to nearby Maltby Street and polish off your day with a locally brewed pale ale at Bermondsey's Kernel Brewery.

Speaking of tourists, this is exactly what I did with some Dutch friends visiting London recently and they loved the cross section of London on show. The photos below will take you on our journey around South London:

Borough Market. At the top - a tower of brownies. Not much risk of running out at least. 

Above - More cheesecake than you can shake a stick at and those are cinnamon doughnuts at the top there. YUM. http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

The ever-busy Monmouth coffee. Still haven't had a drink from there - I can never face the queues. 

Bermondsey Street - a quaint little street with boutique shops and trendy restaurants. Families with small children eating tapas and drinking wine at midday. You know the sort. 

Maltby Street market - although this is actually along an alley called Ropewalk. Looks like a cute little cafe? Nope. That is a gin shop. Had a very tasty pulled pork bun (not from the gin shop).

More on Maltby Street (from Nigel Slater no less) 

http://www.maltbystreet.com/

The Kernel Brewery - yes it's hidden away in a housing estate but it does sell tasty ales brewed on the premises and you can sit on a lovely long communal table sipping your beer (exhibit A below). There's also a butcher and green grocer next door. Who knew?

Unit 11, Dockley Road Industrial Estate, London SE16 3SF

http://www.thekernelbrewery.com/index.html