THE TABLE

London, UK

In an otherwise not very lively street, The Table in Southwark is always bustling with a queue outside around weekend brunch time. It is designed and developed by the architects next door, Allies & Morrison, and draws a creative crowd probably because of this fact. I went with a group of five people on a rainy Sunday, and we waited for about 10 minutes outside before being seated in the simple, bright space. The menu shows that the restaurant is committed to sustainable sourcing and to the use of quality, British ingredients. We started off with some delicious smoothies, and went on to order quite a lot of food. I had the Sweetcorn Fritters with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. This was an interesting and filling alternative to my usual order of Eggs Benedict. The tomato compote and spinach were quite bland additions to this dish, but the sweetcorn fritters made up for it. I received an unpleasant surprise when I broke through to the yolk of the second poached egg, as there was some strange brown stuff in there. This was quite off-putting, and I avoided eating the eggs after that. The highlight of the meal was the waffles. I tried both the delicious blueberry version, and the even better coconut, maple syrup and marshmallows. These aren't big enough to form a full meal (even though the price isn't far from the other main brunch dishes) but they are definitely a must to share or eat on the side.The staff was nice enough to gives us a portion of Eggs Royale wrapped as take-away for someone who didn't make it out of bed on time, a service that they do not usually provide. All in all The Table serves up a decent brunch, where you can tell that the ingredients are fresh, but some of the flavours are lacking a bit of punch. I apologise for going into detail about this; but the weird stuff inside the egg yolk was enough for me to not want to return to this restaurant, even though the waffles might be worth reconsidering for. 

www.thetablecafe.com

PANCAKES!

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is not known as a city for culinary travellers, but there are some gems spread around town along the beautiful canals. One of those is the simply named 'Pancakes!' which I was advised serves some of the best pancakes in town. I headed over on a Saturday morning, and saw a long line of people. I decided I was too hungry to queue, and went to eat at a random restaurant nearby instead. The food there was quite disappointing, so the next day I showed up to Pancakes! again, determined to brave the queueing. Despite the fact that it is a tiny restaurant, the wait was short, so after around 10 minutes we were seated outside on a small table in the sun. The problem, however, was the time it took to get hold of our food. We finished our freshly squeezed juices while waiting, so to the people who were lining up next to us, it looked like we had finished our meal and were just sitting there. We were starting to get some annoyed looks when our pancakes finally arrived. I had ordered a banana-bacon combo, which was just perfect. The balance of sweet and savoury, along with the crisp yet smooth texture, made this a pancake I will never forget. My friend chose a full on savoury version of mushrooms, onions and bacon, which also made for a delicious brunch. The prices are reasonable, and the portion size good, so this place is definitely a recommendation for a weekend in Amsterdam. I am not giving Pancakes! the full score on the Hanger-Meter because of the wait, but otherwise it was great. 

www.pancakesamsterdam.com

CARAVAN

London, UK

While the stalls on Exmouth Market are only open for lunchtime weekdays, it is lined with charming little restaurants that take care of the food crowd on weekends. One of the most popular is Caravan, serving world foods and boasting a basement coffee roastery.  Brunch is served between 10 and 4 o'clock, and compared to a lot of other London brunch spots, the wait is not too bad. It is always packed, but hanging around in the bar for 15 minutes should be enough to get a table. I have been to Caravan for brunch on three occasions, and every time I've ordered the same thing; baked eggs with chorizo. Served in tomato sauce with a runny yolk, these little dishes are amazing. They could be a bit more generous with the greek yogurt, but otherwise it is a perfect meal. As a side I recommend the avocado on sourdough bread, which is quite pricey at £5, but good enough to warrant it. Their baked goods change daily, and I was lucky enough to catch the banana bread once. It's one of the better banana breads I've tried, soft yet slightly burnt, and just sweet enough. It was so good that I got some extra to take home with me. The service at Caravan, on the other hand, is awful. The head waiter was so rude that my friend felt she couldn't leave without informing him of what she though. Not being as brave, I prefer to make my criticisms here on the blog. The lack of friendliness from the staff is what dragged down the Hanger-Meter rating for this restaurant. If you are ok with poor service, like I am, you should still go and enjoy some delicious baked eggs. 

www.caravanonexmouth.co.uk

THE LION

New York City, New York

Belonging to renowned New York chef and restaurateur John De Lucie, the Lion sits comfortably as a partner to the New York heavyweights:The Waverly Inn, Minetta Tavern and the legendary Monkey Bar. With a discreet entrance just north of Washington Square Park, the Lion is a charming enclave in the West Village reminiscent of an English tavern with heavy emphasis on dark wood features, round wood chandeliers and a mixture of photos on the walls. Unlike a tavern though, the Lion boasts a beautifully adorned central dining room in a double height space, and different to your typical English tavern, the seats are very comfortable with tables well spaced making the ambience cosy yet spacious. On the matter of brunch, which is when I visited the Lion after a very long night of partying, the experience was par excellence and the food provided the much-needed nourishment for recuperation. To start I ordered the Bloody Mary (the non spicy version), which is sufficiently spicy in its own right, so I can’t imagine what the spicy one contains! It was the perfect pick me up, delicious and fulfilling. Starters were ordered to share and we got the shrimp cocktail, which was very fresh with an excellent cocktail sauce (not as good at Ed’s Lobster Bar though). On a lighter note, we also ordered the heirloom salad that came served with fresh avocado, as well as the avocado on toast that proved to be an exceptional choice. What impressed however were the muffins that were served as a precursor to the meal, a substitute to your ordinary bread and butter basket. The muffins, served with maple honey butter, were freshly baked, warm and divine, and worth placing as a menu item. For mains I ordered the Eggs Royale, while a friend went for the Eggs Benedict with crispy bacon, and my other friend ordered the omelette with salmon and fine herbs. All choices were excellently cooked and beautifully presented, where special mention must be attributed to the hollandaise sauce, which was spot on perfection in flavour and texture. With three starters down, a main and a Bloody Mary, we were unfortunately too full to proceed onto desserts and concluded this great meal with a shot of espresso. The Lion lives up to its hype and it comes as no surprise as being one the hottest brunch spots in the city needing a reservation of up to three weeks in advance. Totally worth it.

www.thelionnyc.com

LEILA'S SHOP

London, UK

Last year when I told people that I was moving to Shoreditch, breakfast at Leila's Shop was the first restaurant recommendation I got. It is located on Calvert Avenue, a cosy street full of independent shops, just off Arnold Circus. Even though it's really close to my home, it took me a whole year to go there. It is always crowded at breakfast, brunch and lunch (it's not open for dinner), and I never bothered to queue up. When I finally had the time to go on a weekday, the tables outside were free, and we sat down in the sun for some food and people-watching. The menu is always short, usually with one vegetarian and one meat-based option. I am assuming the selection is decided by whatever daily produce is available, and thus we didn't have much to choose from. My friend and I both went for the baked eggs with sage, which came served in one pan that we shared. We asked if they had any sides, as I had a craving for avocado, but they didn't. They also didn't have any orange juice, so I went for a freshly squeezed apple juice, and my friend had a good quality cappuccino. After a short wait, we could smell the distinct aroma of sage from inside the restaurant, and we were quite excited to dig in. We meticulously divided the four eggs which had merged into one to make sure we both got an equal share. The organic eggs were great, with an orange, runny yolk, and lots of flavour from the seasoning. Without sides the meal was not big, so we ended up finishing the bread basket and we were still kind of hungry when leaving. The service was so-so; for instance when we asked for butter for the bread they seemed annoyed as if that was an unreasonable request. Despite this, I really liked eating there, and will recommend it to anyone who walks past when one of their few tables are available. Their small grocery shop next door is also worth checking out, full of fresh produce and delicious looking ingredients. 

CAFE 50S

Los Angeles, USA

Cafe 50s is a classic diner with three locations in LA. I had a craving for a typical American breakfast, and found this place online and headed over. We walked through the doors and were met by a welcome gust of cold, conditioned air; a nice break from the Los Angeles heat. We sat down in one of the booths, and a friendly waitress brought us the menu. I went for a short stack of Buttermilk Pancakes with bacon on the side, a lump of butter, and lots of maple syrup. The pancakes were as expected; tasty and much too filling. The bacon was perfectly cripsy; it's hard to come across this type of bacon back in London. My friend went for Huevos Rancheros with all the trimmings. To drink we split an Elvis Milkshake and sweet Ice Tea. They have a huge selection of Deluxe Milkshakes, and our chosen option contains vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and bananas. Everything was super tasty and exactly what I had in mind. The reason I'm not giving Cafe 50s top marks on the Hanger Meter is because it's a chain, and you can tell. Even though it only has three restaurants, it is clear that the decor is planned to look unplanned, and that the diner style is almost too obvious, the walls being plastered with vintage posters and flags. It is a family friendly restaurant, and the crowd is not 'cool'. It's missing some of the charm found in a place like The Apple Pan. The whole experience felt quite rehearsed, but to be fair they have got the American diner down pretty darn well. We walked out into the sunny parking lot full and happy after a calorie packed meal.

www.cafe50s.com

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

London, UK

I decided enough time had passed since I had a mediocre brunch experience at the Breakfast Club in Angel, and I was ready to give the chain another chance. I had a craving for pancakes after seeing them all over Instagram and Snapchat when I woke up, and I’d heard the Breakfast Club does pretty good ones. We called and asked if we could pick up take away, but unfortunately they don't have this option during the weekends. I headed over the Hoxton branch with a friend, and we lined up outside. It was sunny and warm outside, and as this East London outpost is much bigger than the one in Angel, the queue moved very quickly. We were in after about 15 minutes, which is not bad at all for a Sunday brunch.  We got a tall table by the large open windows, as close as you get to outdoor terrace eating there. They guy at the door was friendly and funny, but the rest of the waiters got on my nerves. It all started when I asked a waiter if they had nachos (as it’s not listed on the brunch menu). He said ‘Yes, we do!’ and I got all excited to have a side of nachos with my pancakes, but then he said that although they have it, they don’t serve it. His “funny” jokes continued, and the other waitress who served us was simply sarcastic and slow. However, the general atmosphere of the place and clientele was happy and cool. I ordered the pancakes with berries and cream, with a side of bacon. The portion was generous, and the cream and berries perfectly complimented the American style pancakes. Although the bacon was streaky, it was undercooked and had that distinct pork smell that can ruin any meal. My friend is less picky with bacon and was very happy with her bacon and banana pancakes. That is, until she found a hair in it. She got her dish for free, and that’s all they can do I guess. To drink we had an Elvis smoothie and a Virgin Apple Mojito. Both of these beverages were amazing. The smoothie had a light texture, but a deliciously indulgent flavour of vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and banana. The juice had pressed apple, mint and lime, and it’s so refreshing that it’s a good step on the way to curing a hangover. This eating experience had its ups and downs, but I’d go again if the length of the queue was reasonable like on this occasion.

www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com

HOI POLLOI

London, UK

Hoi Polloi is a restaurant on the ground floor of the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. It opened in Autumn 2013, by the Bistrotheque group. I went there for Sunday brunch with a friend. They serve weekend brunch from 12-6, which is a reasonable time for when you’ve slept in and don’t want to wake up to a dinner type meal. We called ahead, but they said there was no need to book because there was lots of room. A bad sign perhaps? The room was large, dark and a bit too gloomy for daytime. I do like the floor tiles a lot though, and the timber panelling and furniture do a good job in creating an atmosphere I’m sure I would enjoy at dinnertime. Considerable thought has gone into the details of this place, including the waiters’ specially made jumpers, the menu printed as a newspaper, and their logo on the table ware. We looked through the menu and started ordering a bit too much. I had a Ruby, one of their ‘cleansing’ juices, which is a blend of beetroot, apple cabbage and carrot. I didn’t love it, but that’s not to say the juice isn’t good, it’s just that I’m not a big fan of beetroot, yet for some reason I keep ordering it. To start we shared Chickpea Fritters with Tarragon Yogurt. These were some rather chunky pieces that we didn’t manage to finish. The dip was very good, but the chickpea chips thing didn’t really work. It would have been delicious with potato chips instead. We then moved onto Eggs Benedict, where we had requested that the ham be replaced by streaky bacon, an important detail for a successful brunch. I also had Buttermilk Pancakes with syrup, which were yummy but a bit too hard in their texture. I’m sure there are plenty of better pancakes within a 1 km radius of the Ace Hotel. When my Food Grid partner asked if it was worth travelling to from across town, I couldn’t really say yes. I’m very happy to have an all-day brunch place where there never are queues in my area, but there was never a moment in the meal when we stopped to give each other that look showing how good the food was. It was just convenient, safe and did the job. I’d rather meet up for brunch at Cecconi’s or Tom’s Kitchen, but when I don’t feel like moving too much I’ll gladly walk over to Hoi Polloi.

www.hoi-polloi.co.uk

AUTOMAT

London, UK

A long-standing fixture on the Mayfair scene, Automat continually draws Londoners and visitors alike through its doors under bright yellow canopies on the ultra-chic Dover Street. Long considered as one of London’s original gourmet diners, Automat still manages to set itself apart from its competitors by offering delicious food in a comfortable and uniquely London ambience. The restaurant is laid out in three sections, where the front section facing Dover Street is a casual brasserie style section. Past the brasserie is the old school ‘American glamour’-style diner space, reminiscent of New York in the 1930’s with velvet booths and dark wood panelled walls and dim lighting; perfect for dinner on a gloomy London day. On the rare sunny days, the section towards the very end is my favorite dining spot, as it sits under a glass roof flooded with natural light and bustling with energy, making it the perfect getaway for a weekend brunch.  Typically the cheeseburger is my go-to order at Automat, as it serves an excellent burger, but on my latest visit with a friend I ordered the Eggs Florentine, whereas my friend ordered the Waffles, and we both opted to share a Truffle Mac n Cheese. The food arrived swiftly and with no fuss, and in moments we were devouring our entrees and side dish. The Eggs Florentine were very good, the brioche bun was well toasted, both the spinach and eggs were perfectly cooked and the hollandaise was made to a very good and expected standard; though it did not blow me away. However to be fair it can be hard to be blown away by Eggs Florentine, nevertheless I was very pleased with my choice. The Waffles were also very good; some of the best in London actually, and came served with cream, strawberries and blueberries. The Truffle Mac n Cheese on the other hand stole the show. I am usually very picky with mac n cheese as it can be hard to get it right with the accurate amount of cheese and correct texture. This small side dish was exploding with flavours and deliciousness and had just the ideal hints of truffle; it wasn’t overwhelming as truffles can be. Be warned though it is small but it’s very heavy and I do not recommend ordering it as a main dish as it can get a bit too much. Our meal left us happy, stuffed and satisfied, and as always unsurprised (in a good way) as Automat consistently delivers excellent food and great service.

www.automat-london.com