Salt espresso, lunch and tea bar – A pinch of proper lunching

After sadly moving out from my North London abode, my old housemate and I decided to meet up and have a good old chin wag over lunch.

This time my café sniffing nose lead us in the direction of SALT espresso, lunch and tea bar in Covent Garden (@Salt_WC2).

Found it!

I’m constantly on the search for London’s best independent coffee shops and Salt has been on my radar for a while now. Luckily I wasn’t disappointed!

A first glance at the café proposed a menu that covered the humble brownie to Moroccan Tagine.

Ooooh tastebud tantalising

Ooooh yum! Righto in we went. The bistro supported a charming modern/classic mash. The exposed brickwork and chalkboards lead into a warm mirrored seating area, cosy but not claustrophobic. We were served by a couple of happy chappies who were happy to bring anything we requested to our table

Oh deary me decision time….

Haha you can see me in my yellow raincoat (top left), looking a bit like a creepy stalker….

Sam and I opted for 2 paninis to share. One a traditional chicken, bacon and cheddar, the other a sweet tomato relish with creamy Bree like cheese (I can’t remember the name!) both were smashing! The bread was all rustic and crusty, and the plates were replaced with natural wooden boards. The relish was really interesting, I was quite a fan.

Ooops drooled on mine, I’ll have to have both 🙂

We definitely managed to find space after for a green tea brownie, which was a groovy unconventional twist on the sweet cakey classic. Had to be done 🙂

YES! Brownie time! I hope that’s not snot in there….

The only downside? A little on the pricey side, Sam and I paid ~£10 each for our lunch. It’s £2.50 for filter coffee, £6.70 eat in quiche, £5.70 for tagine. Not extortionate, but a taste bud tingling treat 🙂

Irrespective of this, breakfast, lunch, early dinner or yummy snack, Salt is a endearing teahouse and gets my vote.

London Love

xoxoxo

Salt

34 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden

Open daily Monday – Friday 7.30am – 7pm

Saturday 10am – 7pm

http://saltwc2.co.uk/

@Salt_WC2

@GollumCrackCorn

Sunday linner in Angel – Fig & Olive x Ottolenghi, a cracking combo

So after a hard Sunday morning packing all the crap I’ve accumulated throughout the year (trust me there was A LOT) we started hearing a-grumble in our tumbles. Flagging plus the naff job of moving all your stuff out 😦 is not a great mix, so we decided to mooch down to Angel.

Doesn’t look the most exciting , but don’t be deceived…..

Having lived so close for over a year I really haven’t utilized this place, and have often oggled at the cakey window displays. There are several establishments I’ve had my eye on, so it was time to test a couple.

I’ve heard great things about Ottolenghi (@ottolenghi), so here was out first port of call. Buuut the sit down Q was mahusive, so we decided this would be our cake/pud noshery.

So we wandered back to Fig & Olive (@TheFigAndOlive). I’m obsessed with figs, and Mummy G with olives. Perfecto!

So many cafes, it was well hard to choose!

Bloody fab choice.
We went for a series of starters:

Where the heck do you start? Took self control not to just use my face instead of cutlery….

• Olives (surprise surprise)
• Garlic bread
• Hummus with pan fried lamb & pine nuts

Yumtacular! I heart hummus 🙂

• Pan fried Chorizo with mushrooms, manchego cheese and tomato sauce

YUUUUMMM!

• Seared scallops with flambeed apple and orange dressing

It was so artfully presented! I was totally impressed

• Breaded fried Camembert with redcurrant & raspberry coulis

Saving the best for last, my fave

Oh by the beard of Zeus it was like a party in my mouth! The sharp and sweet coulis teamed with the creamy Camembert (My fave!). The tender lamb, warm pittas & hummus. Chorizo!! (mums fave) Like drank the soupy bit left in the bottom 🙂 The apples & scallops so juicy, literally the only bad point of all the dishes was the orange sauce was a little sweet. Oh and they had cheeky little figs in the olives! 🙂

We had a cushy little table by the window

The restaurant was pleasantly busy, cushy seats, a nice view. Magic.

Bustling but not crazy

So the desserts looked good…….

F&O: Hmmm tempted but we had our eyes on another prize!

but not quite as drooltastically spectacular as Ottolenghi.

THESE! Ottolenghi style…

So we crossed over the road and nipped in 🙂

Caketacular

However we thought we’d let our din dins go down and wandered into central for some culture/retail therapy.

So when we got home, pretty dog tired there was still more packing/cleaning to do! Doh!

So for the needed sugar zap we cracked into the cake. We had invested in quite a melee….

• Apple, vanilla & sultana cake

Both cake and tart in one splendid box

• Chocolate, mascarpone & nut tart

Mid devouring

• Chocolate smore

Never had a smore before!

• Double choc cookie (peeking into the pic above!)
• Apricot & pistachio cheesecake

Yum my fave 🙂

Mum went for the apple, vanilla and sultana cake plus a bit of cheesecake. I went for err all the rest. Oh berjabbers, so good. I hadnt quite intended on eating all the rest buuut it was just so light and easy! I did remember to save half a cookie and smore for Nina (cakes always appreciated, especially when you’re hungover 😉 but I wish I’d saved some of the others so she could see how A-MAZ-ING they were! I’ve been spoilt with cake the last few days, first Sweet Couture now Ottolenghi, Cornishland is going to have to step up to compete!!!

Verdict!?
Dollar dollar: Okay so when the folks are up you’d be silly to go to PFC (not even KFC….).
So F&G plates were about £6 a pop, which I though actually was rather reasonable. The starters were pretty big! 8/10
Ottolenghi was rather pricey for cake, the cheesecake was £3.80. The 5 puds cost us about £15, so not extortionate, a nice treat 🙂 7/10

Nosh: Both amazing. F&G’s attention to detail was sor-ted. The plates were immaculate, good sides & blimin delicious. 9/10
Ottolenghi’s apricot cheesecake was like err drooltacular! Apricots inside too. Cake yum, tart yum, cookie & smore yum. All sweet but so easy to eat! (Possibly dangerous…:) Sor-ted. 9/10

Vibe: The Fig & Olive was buzzing on a Sunday afternoon, but the wait wasn’t too long. Lovely interior, comfy seat and food people watching angel spot. Plus seats outside. 9/10
Due to its popularity Ottolenghi was super busy. However food from the counter came out a little exit the same side as the take away desserts were. A bit congested. 6/10

Team cohesion: The F&G staff were really friendly and helpful. One chap who was so lovely let us taste the wine and poured our glasses etc. AND he looked like Gok Wan which made me happy 🙂 8/10

However the lady that served us in Ottolenghi was quite abrasive, we changed our mind on one cake and she like made a bit of a fass about it so we just got both. Also as the food was coming out the side where everyone was looking at dessert it was awkward between customers and staff alike. Good job the food was fab 5/10

After hours?

After linner noshing, a quick gand at the mummies in the British Museum (cultured) and erm Primark (don’t judge). After cakey dinner, bed. Theeeen getting woken up to move all your boxes downstairs as your housemate (whose room all my stuff was in) is unexpectedly coming come 🙂 my bad. Then proper bed.

London love
Xoxoxo

The Fig & Olive

Modern European – Open for lunch and dinner each day.

http://figolive.co.uk/

151 Upper Street London N1 1RA

Ottolenghi Deli

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

287 Upper Street
London N1 2TZ

Branches also include NOPI restaurant Soho, Notting Hill & Belgravia.

X marks the spot

Closest Tube: Angel (Northern line, Kings Cross branch)

@GollumCrackCorn

@OnIn_London

Princi Pizza – Bringing the spirit of Milan to the heart of Soho

Cheesy title huh? But its actually rather fitting. ‘Spirito di Milano’ is Princi’s slogan and I tell you what I almost felt like I’d stepped into Milan!

Princi! You can sit in the window and people watch 🙂

Located on the bustling Wardour Street in Soho, Princi is a buzzing Milanese bakery/pizzeria. As soon as you enter the smell of freshly baked pizza oozes from the oven. The counter is overflowing with an array of cakes, Italian breads and pastries.

So upon arrival you have two options.

Steer right into the more bakery, light eatery side. Here you can indulge in mezze teamed with decadent wines. Think olives, bruschetta & cured meats. Follow this with almondy Cannoncini or succulent Frangipanes.

Oh my goodness the pizza look drool-tastic

The desserts solober-tactular

Buzzing on a Monday evening

Steer left and enter the pizzeria restaurant. With pooosh waiting staff and smell wafting pizza oven.

As I was in the company of old friends we opted for the restaurant, and a table seat (little bit more social) over a people watching window one (would be really cool if there was only two of you). So we were led to our seat by a lovely Italian waiter (all the waiters spoke Italian, it was ace like being on your holz!) and presented with a menu hosting an array of what I call PROPER pizzas. None of this American spicy beef or BBQ chicken malarky, I’m talking olives, capers and meats that I’ve never heard of 🙂

The even had their own stonebaked pizza oven!

As my Italian is a little rusty (sorry did I say rusty? I mean my vocab consists of ciao!) the waiter politely explained a few things on the menu. Bresaola (beef) and Coppa (the back leg of pork) are my new words of the week 🙂

So my two mates opted for the veggie selection and I (wishing to use some of my new found words) opted for the Coppa, which teamed cured pork leg with mozzarella, tomato and rocket (@britalianjob got me on the rocket @backyardcinemas !). They had a couple of beers and I pushed the boat out and errr went for tap water…….I was saving myself for a post dinner cocktail, don’t judge! 🙂

So the pizza was freshly baked and didn’t take long at all! Before we knew it these bad boys were handed over to us!

Look at these little beauties!

This was my beasty!

They were proper good, like the ones from when you actually visit Italy. None of this stodgy Dominoes riff raff (yes we all know they taste good, but you feel a little bit dirty after you’ve polished off a large one to yourself…..). The pork added a well nice saltyness to it, the rocket all peppery and it was slathered in mozzerella. Drool-tacualr! Think the chums enjoyed theirs too.

They were pretty beasty too! Mine actually defeated me! Wasn’t impressed, thankfully the waiter offered me a doggy bag before I even asked 🙂

Tea tonight, doggy bag style 🙂

A little note that I thought was rather cool, they had incense burning in the loos! The smell wafted around and was well nice, and all the loos were clean and wooden and ahhh I want my bathroom like them. I did try and take a pic but there was a queue and I started to get some funny looks……..

Incense in the bathrooms, how posh is that!?

Verdict!?

Nosh: Top notch. Proper pizzas, a thin base in the middle with puffy edges, slathered in mozzarella, chili oil and great toppings. A good choice, not overwhelming but suited all tastes. Only downside were the edges were a little bready (which was fine as I was hungry!) 8/10

Dollar Dollar: For pizza in London a little on the high side. HOWEVER this is good pizza, like proper good, so you pay for what you get 🙂 The Coppa was £11.50 and the Mediterranea was £10, so not breaking the bank. 7/10

Vibe: Really buzzing especially for a Monday. I’d like to go back and try the window seats with the mezze and cakes! Also the attention to detail was really cool, the incense in the toilets etc. really made it nice. Apparently though it gets rammed and the tables were quite close so movement could get a bit hairy! 8/10

Team Cohesion: The waiting staff were really friendly and helpful. Attentive but not on your back. It added to the allure that they were all Italian, and greeted you with ‘ciao!’ the only prob was ordering sometimes got a little hard. But we definitely tipped 🙂 8/10 

Notes: I totally want to go back to try the focaccia pizza and desserts!!!

After Hours?

Head round the corner for a cheeky cocktail at Carom Botanical Gin Garden, hosted in Floridita.

London Love

xoxoxo

Princi serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner every day of the week. They also provide a take-away service and party platters.

http://www.princi.com/menus

135 Wardour Street

London

W1F 0UT

Or if you’re feeling really keen visit one of their chomping stations in Milan, thats how authentic it is 🙂

X marks the spot

Closest tube: Oxford Circus (Victoria line, Bakerloo line, Central line)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Princi-London/149640798430280

http://pinterest.com/spiritodimilano/

A trip down to Cornishland – It’s turnover time

Soooo my full time internship at Jacobs Consultancy has culminated well sort of. I’m still there 2/3 days a week so its not a real goodbye. No tears yet 🙂

It weirdly feels like the end of one era, but the start of another. The summer stage has begun (A period of 3 months from the end of full time placement employment –>start of university FINAL YEAR!)

So as a little break I had a weeks trip back home to Cornishland to visit the folks and some old chums 🙂 The weather was siiiick and made it feel like I was proper on my holz!

So rolled down on the bus, armed with a cake large enough to feed the 5000!

Such good cake, toffee and chocolate. Sugar rush!!!

Okay so my week was dominated by:

1) Surfing, sadly on the only shite weathered day……

Polzeath + shite weather + choppy surf = ice cream

All Pointy prim and I wanted to do was mooch behind the waves and swim in circles (fair weather surfers). Buuut it was mega choppy and there was a massive rip underneath so we totally sacked it off and went for immense ice cream at Vanilla

Vanilla = Best ice cream ever!

But then we tried again in the Saharan heat that was Thursday! Bejabbers we went in the sea in our bikinis at Polzeath, (well actually due to a wardrobe error my bikini was replaced with old pants…..) buggery bollocks it was fahreezing! I then promptly got stung by a Weaver fish, little blimmer. So had to hobble back, soaked, in my pants, to the lifeguard who then dunked my foot in boiling water. Fantabbydooby. But the afternoon was salvaged by it being so hot we just sunbathed the rest of the day and err ate more ice cream 🙂

Busty Moos is the place for surf hire baby

 It was B-Laszing-ly hot, I was slightly charred…

Oh shizz we also saw Ollie Locke drive through Polzeath! Didn’t stop and sign our pants though, miserable bugger.

2) Lots of riding.

Starry head

This video is pretty damn cool, like something from Barbie Race and Ride (ummm like I totally didn’t use to play that on the PS1….), give me 5 seconds at the start for me to turn the corner as she felt like going home. Then it gets good 🙂

Starry in the woods!

Teamed with more ice cream…..

Chilling on Gem with a Cornetto 🙂

And a cute mini cousin 🙂

Think mums gunna trade me in for a cuter/cheaper version

3) Chumming…..

Pointy Prim! What the hell are we wearing?

4) A ridiculous amount of BBQ-ing…….

Uncle Art doing his thAng, don’t let him near the steak though…

We also played Rummy (cards) until like 10.30pm, I know party animals or what!? We tried to pretend no one cared who won, but it got intense! I bailed out spectacularly in the first game and won the second. Swings and roundabouts 🙂

Uncle Arts meerkats hiding in the garden

Evening highlight? When mother let one rip and Hils coffee came out her nose 🙂

5) Penultimately some amazing home cooked grub filled my tum this week! As I/we could actually be assed to cook something other than pumpkin pasta 🙂

Philly prawns, gnocci and pak choi. Mothers concoction

Butternut squash, mozerella, olive and sundried tom bake. Al la Abi 🙂

Even managed to get some chomping in catching up with some old school friends beef and bowl. I think they may be the first of my good friends to get married!

  Home made pizza with Camembert and pepperoni!

Oh no I’ve turned into ONE OF THEM. That annoying person who takes pictures of their food!

5) But mainly we just enjoyed the rare British sunshine 🙂

Aloha Cornwall!

Oh and it was randomly Bodmin Heritage day, where like a million years ago the major got hanged in the street. Now its just a massive jolly where kids blow up condoms and play volleyball in the park (oh no just us then?), people sell their wares (nooo not like that even if we have the highest pregnancy rate in the south west…) and a poor chap dresses up at the beast of Bodmin and gets dragged through the streets.

Who drew the short straw here then?

The whole week was ace. Sun, sea, horses, friends and fam. Definitely went too quickly! But excited to be back in the city, bring on the summer and its adventures!

London/Cornish love

xoxoxo

Oh p.s! I’ve been called for jury duty! Deferred to next July as I’m not back in the Deep South properly till then, rather excited!

‘Summoned’ for Jury duty!? errr cool 🙂