25/08/21
I have never felt like such a freelancer in my life (I am not a freelancer); right now I am writing on my laptop sitting on a very comfortable velvet armchair in a hotel lobby café surrounded by seemingly very cool people also on their Macbooks. The hotel is called the Hoxton (in Shoreditch), and its café (also lobby) is very big and dimly lit with bookshelves and bricks as deco. I ordered an acai and avocado smoothie which tastes very healthy. So far sounds all too good – maybe I have the potential to be one of these people? Absolutely not though, because I have been kicked out of my flat due to construction and because I am wearing my Peterhouse jumper (university college merch) outside of Cambridge... I need to spend a few hours here, so I decided to do another quick blog post about a brunch place I finally went to yesterday, 26 Grains. (I actually have a list of things and places that I want to write about; hopefully I can get through it!).
I have previously tried one of their pastries from the counter, but this was at their second store (in Stoney Street, Borough Market). The store itself was too crowded to sit inside as I had gone to Borough Market on a weekend, which is always busy. So although I loved the pistachio and raspberry danish, it didn't really feel like I properly 'went' to 26 Grains.
The one I went to yesterday was located in one of the most colourful (and hence Instagrammed) areas of Covent Garden, Neal's Yard. I would describe it as a hidden, yet very well-known place in the centre of Covent Garden. I'd always walked past 26 Grains every time I was there to show my friends around, but it never stood out to me as a popular or crowded place especially in the afternoon (it closes at 4pm anyways). I realised yesterday that this was because this place was known more for its brunch than its lunch. My mum, my sister, and I arrived there just past 10 am and it was so nice that the whole of Neal's Yard was basically empty at that time, except for the people at this cafe. So even though we sat outside, it felt weirdly peaceful – like I had never seen it like this!
(Also just a disclaimer to those who aren't the biggest fans of porridge: this place is actually the most well-known for its aesthetic porridges, however please read on – my mum who does not like porridge a lot tried it and surprisingly liked it a lot!). I ordered a 'roasted plum, pistaccios, orange blossom cream, mint' porridge, my sister ordered a 'banana, tahini, sesame seeds, cacao nibs, cinammon' porridge, whilst my mum ordered a brioche bun with scrambled eggs.
The wait felt a bit long because there were only one or two people actually cooking in the kitchen (and because I was hungry), but just look at the pictures - the wait was so worth it! The porridge was not your average 2-minute porridge and was not too runny or too sticky, not too sweet, and all very pretty. Mine was £7 and my sister's was £6, which some may say is expensive for porridge? Perhaps I'm used to London brunch prices, but given that they'd used their ingredients sparingly, I was so content with my morning overall:)
Kathy
P.S. Any ideas on where you guys think I should go next / write about, then suggestions will be welcomed by loving and desperate arms x
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