Tag Archives: brunch

Goode & Wright, Portobello

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Portobello shoppers will rejoice upon discovering Goode & Wright, a brilliant brunch hang-out in Notting Hill. Westbourne Grove has plenty of options for mid-morning meals, but on Portobello Road it is trickier to find food indoors. I usually grab a snack from the street vendors at the market but last Saturday I was very happy to take a seat at Goode & Wright and indulge in their comfort food.

We squeezed in between the hungry diners and began perusing the menu. The restaurant describes itself as ‘a French bistro with a British twist’, the decor mimics a Parisian eatery with lovely panelling and simply dressed wooden tables; the menu features some classic British flavours. The restaurant was packed and hopeful latecomers were turned away at the door.

I immediately spotted several of my favourite ingredients on the menu: avocado, bacon, parmesan… it was impossible just to choose one dish, so I chose two! Luckily I’d been for a run that morning so my guilt was eased. For a savoury course, I ordered the brioche roll with bacon, avocado and tomato and for ‘sweet’ the Gypsy toast (French toast) with maple bacon and grilled tomatoes. My guest opted for the Austrian inspired Buttermilk chicken schnitzel with avocado and salad. It was all delicious, fresh from the kitchen and smelling divine. The brioche was soft and fluffy with grilled crispy, salty bacon and creamy avocado, I asked for a helping of mayo which complemented the dish. The chicken received a rave review from my guest, a giant flattened chicken breast covered in an irresistible coating. French toast is increasingly hard to find on London breakfast menus so I was delighted to spot it at G&W; the portion size is huge and the combination of sugary thick eggy bread and bacon makes for an indulgently tasty treat.

I was disappointed to hear fresh juice is not available here, so instead ordered a milky flat white, which arrived lukewarm. Despite these minor drawbacks, I thought the food was filling and fabulous, and the service speedy and friendly. A feast here will fuel an afternoon of searching for bargains in the market or just provide a cosy venue for a weekend meal with a friend.

More information and book here.

Shrimpy’s, King’s Cross

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Soon we are to say so long to Shrimpy’s, the pop-up diner in King’s Cross which has occupied the filling station for the last 18 months. When the site is redeveloped later this year, the dinky diner will shut up shop which is a shame considering the delectable design and cheerful food.

For the first 6 months of its existence, Londoners went crazy for crab burgers at Shrimpy’s and the queues were unbearable and reservations impossible. A year on and the place is far from full, a much quieter and calmer venue for weekend brunch. The food, some say, is not as good, but I enjoyed my meal here, a stylish mix of Californian and Mexican dishes.

The soft shell crab burger was famous instantly, it even had its own twitter following, but with rumours that it had dropped in quality I decided to sample some of the other dishes available. From the brunch menu, I can recommend the Chilaquiles with chorizo. Although this was presented messily, a pile on a plate, it really was tasty, a spicier and more sophisticated version of nachos. The cheeseburger in a bonnet was good too, quite petite in size but perfectly cooked with a very soft sweet freshly baked brioche bun and a layering of delicious components on the flavoursome beef patty. We couldn’t resist something sweet to share, Ricotta hot cakes with pecan crunch butter seemed like the obvious choice. Perhaps the star of the meal, the pancakes were thick and airy dusted in icing powder with a dollop of caramelised nutty butter melting temptingly on top.

It was the design and décor of Shrimpy’s that I fell in love with. The exterior has a modern silver sharpness, but with a retro charm that is irresistible to passers-by. It is a mysterious and magical old garage that seems deserted from the street, but explore a little and you find a little entrance. Inside the walls have whimsical coloured illustrations by Donald Urquhart and Jonathan Trayte.

More information here: shrimpys.co.uk

The Fable, Chancery Lane

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The Fable is the newest restaurant from imaginative group Drake and Morgan; each establishment has its own distinctive character and theme but similar food, this new eatery follows suit. The design evokes the atmosphere of fairytales and fantasies with a focus on the Fables of Aesop, there are various indicators: piles of books surround a table, a flower shop occupies one entrance, the bathrooms are mirrored boudoirs. Each of the three floors provides a different vibe and guests can pick their table dependant on intention: a cocktail making class, a sit-down meal, a quick drink with friends. With the capacity to hold over 1000 guests at any time the space is also ideal for events.

We sat on the lowest floor, where the kitchen is based. It was not very relaxing, a bunch of rowdy business boys on one side, and a barrage of loud music from a booming speaker on the other side. Once the group had left and the music turned down, the ambience improved considerably.

Our waitress was perfectly sweet but a little clueless, drifting to and from our table looking bewildered, I found it distracting that she smelt quite strongly of cigarettes. It took a while for our starters to arrive but once they did mains came in quick succession after. The menu offers cuisine from around the globe: Asian inspired starters, steaks and burgers, pastas and salads, Mediterranean style sharing boards. I chose chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce and prawn crackers, the meat was tender and well marinated and the sauce had a satisfyingly spicy kick, though it was disappointingly served cold. My friend chose lobster and parmesan croquettes coated in a golden crunchy layer of breadcrumbs with a soft and tasty filling. Both were served with handfuls of rocket, I wondered if this was for colour or for taste?

Mains immediately replaced the clean starter plates… fillet steak was cooked perfectly for me with a nice chargrilled edge and a good flavour. The chips were sadly just out of a bag and were rather uninteresting, peppercorn sauce was little more than cream with a hint of pepper flavouring despite containing whole peppercorns. The crab and crayfish linguine looked delicious, and my friend was delighted to find chunky pieces of crayfish amongst the strands of pasta. Again both dishes were presented with a helping of rocket, it was becoming a bit of a trend!

For dessert we opted for the selection of mini pudding shots, all exceptionally sweet but tasty. I favoured the knickerbocker glory with whole cherries and honeycomb, though the white chocolate crème brulee was yummy too. Our round of fresh mint tea was completely forgotten about, and after waiting for half an hour we headed home.

I had such high hopes for this new fairytale venue, and though parts of the décor are whimsical and captivating, the atmosphere and menu lack charm and character.

More information here: www.thefablebar.co.uk