Review: The Boston Tea Party, Bath, UK

I think I have a new favourite breakfast place. 

Boston Tea Party is a chain of all-day breakfast diners across Bath, Bristol and the surrounding areas. I normally am not a fan of chain restaurants - under most circumstances it would turn me off. However, after having breakfast here, the fact the Boston Tea Party is a chain makes me immensely happy - alas I have the opportunity to sample this menu in multiple occasions as opposed to only when I visit the city of Bath. 

The Boston Tea Party delivers on all front. 

The menu is really very good. There is a wide choice ranging from your standard fry ups (with veggie and vegan options), pancakes with compote and yoghurt or syrup and many variations of toppings on toast.

They were offering sourdough bread, pumpernickle, baps and bagels with salmon, sardines, eggs any way you like, nutella and banana, avocado and hummus…. the choice was really exciting and they are flexible if you want a combination different to what is listed on the menu.

No matter if you are looking for a hearty breakfast or something lighter, there is an option available. The price range reflects this. 10 for the hardcore fry up, 7.50 for the standard (see below), 5.50+ for pancakes and anything from 4.50 - 7.50 for *insert whatever tickles your fancy* on toast. 

The food was top quality. It arrived promptly and all worked perfectly. 

The drinks were also of a very high quality. The latte was silky smooth and the Chai latte was just the perfect winter warmer.

I will be returning as soon as I can to The Boston Tea Party. It is a top spot for breakfast. Whatever you’re in the mood for.

Review: Modern Art Oxford Cafe, Oxford, UK

I so badly wanted to like this cafe.

Salad bar? Check. Wide range of veggie options? Check. Good prices? Check. 

However, there were a number of things which really disappointed me with the cafe at Modern Art Oxford. 

Walking into the cafe early on a Sunday morning, we were the first customers. We walked up to the counter and asked about what is included in the 'meal deal' (salad plate, dessert and hot drink) - the staff didn't really seem too sure. So they called over another staff member who I can only assume was higher up on the ladder. However, he didn't seem to know either. Not off to a great start.

Next we asked what was in the various baked goods. They were serving frittatas and slices of pizza - all looked great but none were labelled and the staff were obviously clueless as to what they were. 

After being told that the pizza was vegetarian, I was pretty annoyed (understatement) to bite into it and find it contained salami under the tomato.

They replaced it quickly, nevertheless, the damage had been done. The actual salad components were tasty enough and if you are looking for a cold plate, it's a good enough cafe to stop by.

However, there are better places to go for lunch in Oxford. And more interesting selections of salad available.

If visiting, I would stick to the salad bar section and avoid the cakes. We ordered the coffee cake and it was certainly not freshly baked. It was sickly sweet, over creamy and did not taste remotely of coffee. Any redeeming qualities of the salad selection were quickly overpowered by the taste that this cake left in my mouth.

Overall, I was disappointed with the cafe here and, with so many great eateries in Oxford, I doubt I will be returning.

✭

Review: Lily Vanilli Bakery, London, UK

I first heard of Lily Vanilli when my Mum bought me 'A Zombie Ate My Cupcake" many, many years ago.

I have since been intrigued by this baker and keen to sample her food. Upon researching her bakery, I was slightly disappointed to discover that she was not serving bleeding heart cupcakes year-round but perhaps I was being slightly unreasonable... (what can I say... I am a total horror fiend...)

Despite this discovery, the constant feed of pictures of sweet treats on Lily Vanilli's instagram page convinced me that the bakery was worth visiting and so, upon making a trip into London, it was the first place that I put on my list to visit.

The cafe opens only on Sundays and is located off Colombia Road in Shoreditch. For a tourist, it is out of the way and really not ideal. This was the major clinch for me. Unless you happen to live in Shoreditch or Bethnal Green, It's certainly not a convenient place to pop for coffee and cake.

Nevertheless, I went... I sampled... and I left - very satisfied.

Although, I do m think after traveling for so long to get there my expectations were a little too high.

However, the friand was yummy. It was really, really, good. Sticky, savory and sweet, gluten free and vegan. It was definitely good. Good enough that it made me start googling similar recipes as soon as I got home. The coffee was good as well.

Pear, parsnip, ginger and chilli cake

It was a little pricey... three and a half pounds for a cake is just about reasonable... bump it up to four pound twenty just to sit on the bakery bench for fifteen minutes and it was enough to raise my eyebrows. I ordered a friand and a coffee and it came to almost seven pounds.

By all means, if you live within a reasonable travel distance, I would go and try it out. If I am in the area again, I will most certainly return. However, if, like me, the yearning for sweet friands, brownies and cupcakes involved taking a tube ride and a tedious bus journey, maybe just purchase Lily's Sweet Tooth book instead.

✭✭✭✭1/2

Review: Cereal Killer Cafe, London, UK

I have long loved cereal.

The cereal aisle of the supermarket is my ~zone~. I can easily pass a good half an hour just walking up and down... looking at all the pretty packaging... daydreaming about sugary goodness*....

if cereal is your thing... then this cafe is a MUST. Actually, even if you have a normal relationship with cereal (i.e you don't spend half an hour trying to decide whether to buy Golden Grahams or Captain Crunch) this cafe is worth going to just for the sheer novelty.

It had been on my list of places to visit in London and I'm so so glad I did. I will most definitely be returning. Asap*.

I went to the branch in Shoreditch. Admittedly, the cafe does not draw attention to itself. I actually walked straight passed it and then had to backtrack to find it (thank goodness for trusty Google Maps...)

I think for the best cereal-eating experience, it's best to go before the crowds start building - perhaps before 11am. It may be nonchalant but it certainly drew a consistent line of customers.

The choice of cereals is insane. It's too difficult to choose. I could have quite happily just sat there all day and sampled them all.

I visited early November and was beyond delighted to see that they had some of the Halloween cereals (USA imported!) still in stock. I thought I had missed the opportunity to sample Count Chocoula as I was unable to attend their week of spookiness, where they decked out the cafe in cobwebs and spiders, but low and behold I just managed to get my hands on some!

So here is my frankenstein bowl of cereal:

Is there any cereal in there? Absolutely! Just Count Chocula buried under very generous (they were certainly not stingy!!) helping of candy corn, reeses pieces and a happy hippo!

It was heaven in a bowl. Ugh. Absolute sugar overload and worth every penny. I was over the moon.

So... the cafe which has generated such controversy and hype... I'm certainly a fan. I would recommend this cafe without hesitation.

Go for the experience. Go to say you've gone.

Go for the sugary, sugary cereal goodness. 

★★★★★


*Ironically enough, despite being totally and utterly in love with cereal, on a day-to-day basis, I am actually a porridge eater.

*I didn't get round to sampling the hot chocolate as I was too full but I am eager to return and try it - from pictures, it looked beyond awesome.