OBICA SOUTH KENSINGTON: NEW BRUNCH MENU!

It feels like weeks since I had a proper weekend brunch, although I should probably confirm this by referring to my Instagram feed ...
This was thankfully rectified last weekend, when I had the pleasure of trying out the new weekend brunch menu at Obica South Kensington that showcases their signature Mozzarella di Bufala DOP with a food to share menu that celebrates their passion for authentic Italian cuisine.

 Designed to encompass the Italian spirit of conviviality with a selection of traditional Italian dishes for sharing amongst friends, their a la carte menu also offers guests the option of two set brunch menus: Classic (£22) and Premium (£29).
We ordered the Premium brunch which includes a choice of main dish, 'Insalata Piccola' (small salad), 'Fritelle' Italian doughnuts, unlimited filter coffee or tea, and a choice of signature Italian-inspired cocktails and fruit-based mocktails. 

We started off with some Bellinis, one of my brunch cocktail favourites - other options included the classic Bloody Mary, Prosecco Argeo, and a couple of fruity mocktails. 
My main was a hearty portion of the Prosciutto Cotto Arrosto: a crunchy crostini topped with generous portions of roasted ham, stracciatella di burrata and roasted marinated artichokes - I also added on some black truffle for extra measure ...
 The smoked salmon was equally as indulgent, served with mozzarella di bufala, avocado, and herb ricotta. 
Poached eggs were en pointe with their oozy runny centres, that would be worthy of the #yolkporn hashtag ...

The salads included Cavolo Riccio (curly kale, ricotta di bufala, pomegranate, toasted pine nuts, baked datterini tomatoes and crostini) and Quinoa (with lambs lettuce, mozzarella di bufala, avocado, baked datterini tomatoes and blueberries). Both of them were really light and refreshing - perfect for those warm summer days. You can order them either as a side or as a larger main portion.

If you're looking for something more indulgent, there is the Mozzarella in Carrozza which is a fried mozzarella sandwich with lambs lettuce and datterini tomatoes - the perfect fix if you've had a rough night before, apparently!

We finished off with the Degustazione which was a taster portion of the three varieties of fritelle (sweet homemade Italian doughnuts): creamy ricotta di bufala with mixed berries, chocolate and honey. I liked that they were sweet yet not too heavy, especially after all that food.

The venue is spacious and airy with a lovely casual ambience, and an outdoor terrace that would be ideal for the summer months (which should hopefully arrive soon!)

The new brunch menu is served every Saturday and Sunday from 11am until 3pm at Obica South Kensington, Charlotte Street, St Paul's and Poland Street.

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

THE AUTUMN EDITION MENU AT CAFE ROUGE

It didn't seem that long ago since I last visited Cafe Rouge Hays Galleria to try out their Summer Edition menu. This time, The Autumn Edition menu is filled with warmer, heartier dishes as we move on into the cooler months,

You'd think that we would be tucking into some healthy (sad) salad/smoothie after yoga, but we just skipped that and went straight for the good stuff: warmly welcomed with glasses of Rose Champagne before starting off with the Tarte Flambée, a savoury flat bread with cream cheese, sliced onion and bacon.
Comfortingly warm and crisp, it is also available as a sharing board  which can be shared between 3-4 people.

Moving on to the starters, I have always liked their soupe à l'oignon, but decided to go for something different and instead had one of the new additions to the menu - the Salmon Rillettes, served with pickled fennel and chargrilled sourdough bread. Emma had the twice-baked Brie soufflé which was light, airy and delicious, topped with melted butter and toasted hazelnuts, served on a bed of salad with fresh apple slices.

Sticking to my seafood theme that evening, I ordered the salmon fillet as my main, which had a nice, crunchy skin. It's usually served with buttered spinach but they had unfortunately run out of it. The manager was however nice enough to replace it with french beans which I was happy with, drizzled with lemon and beurre noisette. I had this alongside a glass of chilled Muscadet.
The Steak Frites, using premium Charolais breed, British beef, was tender and pink on the inside, served with garlic butter and frites. There was also a a selection of sauces to add on: both the Bordelaise gravy with bone marrow, and the beef dripping Merlot gravy sounded equally tempting.

For those of you who are in the mood for some meatier dishes, another new addition to the menu is the classic Bœuf Bourguignon that would be perfect for chillier autumn/winter days. And I've also been told that the Poulet Breton is pretty good too ... you'll definitely be spoilt for choice.

They have a good selection of sweet desserts, but we narrowed our choices down to the Rum Baba , a light sponge cake soaked in rum sauce, and the Tarte aux Pommes, a scrumptious warm apple tart with tarte tatin ice cream.

Both of them were really tasty, but if I had to choose, then the tart was definitely my favourite.

This was my second visit to the Hays Galleria branch which is a lovely central venue situated on the bank of the River Thames. Service is good and they also have relaxing outdoor seating that would be great on warmer days, or maybe whilst sipping away on a warm glass of mulled wine - it's not too early to get excited about Christmas, right?

Feel free to read my previous posts about Cafe Rouge Hays Galleria and Cafe Rouge Kew Bridge. 

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

JAZ & JULS CHOCOLATE BRUNCH

Love brunch AND chocolate? Then Jaz & Juls Chocolate House will be the ideal destination for you. Located just a few minutes walk from Angel tube station, at the far end of Chapel Market, Jaz & Jul’s new weekend brunch menu features an array of tempting delights that are perfect to indulge on during the weekend.

Start off with one (or two!) of their award-winning hot chocolates that are made with real chocolate shavings, using single-origin chocolate sourced from small producers. These are available as pure chocolate or in a range of natural flavours. You can even go full out with toppings of artisan marshmallows and whipped cream, and even add a shot of liqueur to make it boozy.

If you prefer something cold to cool down in the summer months, they have some thirst-quenching chilled drinks on offer.

There are both sweet and savoury waffles to satisfy both parties. I tried my first cornbread waffle which was topped with Mexican-inspired black bean chocolate chilli and avocado, and the farinata which are chickpea pancakes. My sweet-tooth cravings were then satisfied by the sweet waffles: plain waffles with baked cinnamon-apple slices with Kentish cobnut ice cream, followed by the decadent chocolate-stout waffles with banana, chocolate sauce and crushed peanuts.

French toast lovers can also get their fix with their (vegan) coconut, almond and banana batter French Toast - extra delicious when drowned in maple syrup ...

For those looking for some lighter options, they do a couple of granola-topped smoothie bowls which includes the Chocolate Avocado, and Berry & Almond - both just as tasty and filling. 

Some of you may be glad to know that almost all of Jaz & Jul’s new all-day breakfast dishes are also vegan - so there's something for everyone to enjoy. 

A selection of special brunch cocktails will also be available at the Chocolate House during the day on Saturdays and Sundays to accompany the new menu, as well as the renowned independent producer’s full collection of handmade single-origin drinking chocolates served hot or iced with whipped coconut cream. 
And ONE last thing not to miss out on - gourmet ice lollies and choc ices - I missed trying one of these that day, but it sure looks and sounds good!

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

AUSSIE BRUNCH AT BEANY GREEN ROMANCE

Stuck on ideas on where to head next for brunch? Then look no further, because Beany Green has got the answer. Part of the Daisy family, Beany Green Romance is located in the charming Little Venice by Regents Canal, and their Aussie inspired brunch definitely proves to be a strong contender amongst the multiple brunch options in London.

I started sensibly with my regular flat white, before moving on to the bottomless mimosas - it was the weekend after all (my daily dose of Vitamin C!) ...

Our feast began with some savoury hot dishes - after much indecisiveness (because everything looked so good) I settled for the broccoli and corn fritters, served with avocado, a poached free range egg, and that delicious house made chilli pesto, which added a slight hint of spiciness to perk things up. I also requested for some bacon on the side - because bacon goes so well with everything ... 

The portion size was very generous, I actually struggled to finish the second fritter (shocking, I know) - and I also had to make sure that I had space for the sweet bits later on. Priorities and all that ...

The other savoury dishes around the table looked equally as good, such as the Avocado on Charcoal, Smoked Salmon Royale, and the Fancy Bacon Roll served with The Ribman's Holy Fuck Hollandaise (!) on paratha roti.

With just about enough space for dessert, we shared a couple of the sweet dishes. The Famous Banana Bread Sandwich is not to be missed, loaded with creamy mascarpone, flaked almonds, honey and fresh berries - which logically makes it balanced and healthy, right?

I love french toast, and the Coconut Bread French Toast was as good as I had hoped, served with thick Greek yogurt, berries, griddled mango, shaved coconut, bee pollen and pure maple.

I also couldn't resist trying the Caffeine Hit smoothie, which is great for those who like coffee AND smoothies - one for those who can't decide between the two loves ...

The Aussie Brunch is served from 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday, and all day during weekends. The BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH in particular is served from 10am onwards Monday to Saturday, and from noon on Sundays. At a bargain price of £35, you can be sure that you'll be filled and energized for the day! ... or ready for a lazy afternoon nap ... either way, it's definitely a good idea to go on an empty belly (!)

Check out their website/menu here for more details.

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.