Bagel takes Chelsea

All right! Toss me an apron, let's bagel!

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The strike”)

The other day while I was in Chelsea & Westminster Hospital I spotted a new bakery. B Bagel Bakery Bar specialises in bagels or as the East Londoners will say beigels. Traditional bagel recipes, bagel with your favourite fillings, and different types of bagels for take away is what you will find. On top classic cafe menu, with salads, soups, breakfast, hot drinks, and smoothies.

The place

Decent flavours, different fillings options, the service a bit slow, best thing was choosing different bagels to take home. If you love bagels now you have a nice option in this Chelsea café/bakery. Coffee though not that good even with a nice Rancilio espresso machine.

Bagel Time

B Bagel Bakery Bar

T: 020 7351 2931
Bakery/Cafe

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Chelsea

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

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Pastel de Nata in Hammersmith

How come he's getting so smart? I stopped having sex with Ben three days ago and I don't know no Portuguese?

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Abstinence”)

Do you love Pasteis de Belem as much as I do? If the answer is yes and you live in West London then I got good news for you. There is a new Portuguese café/take away style in Hammersmith Broadway shopping centre only doing Pastel de Nata.

The place

The place is called Café de Nata, high turnaround place, with only a large counter, pasteis de belem, and coffee. The product is quite decent, not the best you will have but decent enough and convenient located to kill any withdrawal effects from lack of this amazing Portuguese sweet treat.

Pastel time

Still my favourite in town is Lisboa Patisserie, but this new café is a good second choice and much closer to my home.

Cafe de Nata

T: 020 8834 7555

Coffee Place

Approx Damage: £5

Area: Hammersmith

Borough: Hammersmith & Fulham

Twitter: cafedenata

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Breakfast in The Larder [On The Road: Edinburgh]

Eggs are eggs. That is very profound

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Stand In”)

We went for breakfast to the Edinburgh Larder. You can have either breakfast and/or lunch in this small no frill no fuss spot, just a few steps away from the hassle of the Royal Mile. Homemade food including amazing scones makes the Larder a perfect spot for breakfast.

Baked eggs

We got the baked eggs with cream and cheese. They were superb, a small portion but full of flavour and goodness. I could have eaten two, loved the sharp Parmesan twist in the egg. 

A great breakfast and friendly service.

The Edinburgh Larder

T: 0131 556 6922

Cafe

Damage: £8pp

Area: Old Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: Edin_Larder

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Brunch time in Broughton [On The Road: Edinburgh]

There are no delicatessens under Communism

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Race”)

If you want a non pretentious and tasty breakfast or brunch in Edinburgh you have to go to Broughton Delicatessen. A deli serving all day + brunch simple but well executed food, definitely my kind of place, rustic, improvised, and edgy.

The Place

We got the Deli breakfast, grilled Ramsay's of Carluke back bacon, black pudding, venison sausage, scramble eggs, potato scones, and special baked beans. Nice, plenty of food, sausage and bacon were great, beans ok, potato scone was crispy and lovely, black pudding was the star of the show.

Deli time

Also tried the Poached egg on toast with chopped chilli, spring onions and coriander. Simple but perfectly executed.

Poached eggs time

Really nice food, simple, mismatched decor, ordering at the counter, and not too expensive option

Broughton Delicatessen

T: 0131 558 7111

Deli /Cafe

Approx Damage: £12pp

Area: New Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: BroughtonDeli

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Drink Me Eat Me

It's hard to understand. Because I've been doing everything I 
normally do. I've been watching my diet very carefully. I
exercise regularly. My only indulgence, I guess would be that 
I eat a lot of frozen yogurt, but it's non-fat

Rudi Giuliani (Seinfeld episode “The Non-Fat Yoghurt”)

We recently got a rare sunny warm day in London so we decided to go for a stroll. Walking back home we bump into this small boutique/cafe/tea shop Drink Me Eat Me.

Who needs fancy cups

Hot day and all we could sea was the FroYo machine. As other venues price is per weight so as we were melting we got plenty. Froyo was really nice, natural was the best one, but I quite enjoyed the passion fruit one as well.

Ready to eat

Drink Me Eat Me

T: 020 7998 0073

Cafe / Tea House

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Ravenscourt Park

Borough: Hammersmith & Fulham

Twitter: DrinkMeEatMe1

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Coffee Enquiry XXXV: Cocomaya [Closed]

You know, if I could get this Coco woman down to Kruger, they wouldn't be able to call me Koko anymore because Kruger would never allow 2 Kokos

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Maid”)

I love to go to Cocomaya in Sloane Square, the main reason is to get their cronuts or as they call them CocoDoughs or Crodoughs. The Sloane Sq place is a relax and lovely café just walking distance form the square. They serve salads, some sandwiches, tea, coffee, and sweet treats, their specialty are chocolates and bakery.

Cocomaya

Last time I visited I got salmon and cream cheese finger sandwich, a small tomato and mozzarella salad, coffee, and of course cornets. Food is nice and simple, good seasoning, and well presented.

Flat White

The flat white was creamy but a bit too much bitterness, and no latte art.

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Monmouth

Score: 3/5

Coffee is ok, but the cronuts are superb, one of the best in London for sure, highly recommended.

Cronut time

Cocomaya

T: 020 7730 8395

Chocolarier & Bakery

Approx damage: £15pp

Area: Sloane Square

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

Twitter: CocomayaLondon

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Indian Breakfast

I can't believe we went all the way to India for a wedding 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Betrayal”) 

I love brunch and breakfast and after noticing Dishoom had a breakfast menu it was a must to go and try it. Bombay café style breakfast in London, quite intriguing offer to have a chai in the second restaurant named after the sound of a hero’s punch impact. 

Full Bombay

Great breakfast the bacon naan roll with the spicy tomato chutney and the herbs cream cheese was the highlight, very nice the spicy kick and the soothing of the cream. Full Bombay really nice if you enjoy your Full English, the twist is in the scramble eggs, mixed with some spices really lovely. Finally, make sure to get the house chai a lovely spiced tea.

Dishoom

T: 020 7420 9324

Indian Cuisine

Approx Damage: £17pp

Area: Shoreditch

Borough: Hackney

Twitter: Dishoom

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Coffee Enquiry XXVI: Colbert French Coffee & Brunch

Elaine, I once told a woman that I coined the phrase, "Pardon my French"

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Soul Mate”)

Nice Paris bistro open seven days a week from breakfast until late. Colbert is a busy restaurant, with a marble bar, classic stools, decor full of old pictures and memorabilia, with a traditional Parisian all day café menu. 

The place

The place was completely packed on a Sunday noon, we got the all day breakfast, including Royale and Benedict eggs, and ham and gruyere croissant.

Breakfast time

Eggs and Croissant

The eggs were superb, perfect execution, runny yolks, and nice flavours. Croissant was nice and simple. Melted Gruyere was lovely.

Royale no cheese!

Ham & Cheese croissant

Benny and the eggs

I got a Cappuccino, really nice coffee, a bit mild, but the cream was excellent, top marks for the latte art. 

Cappuccino

Espresso machine: Gaggia

Beans: Musetti

Score: 4/5

Nice coffee, good food, lovely location, and excellent service. Just remember to be careful with the intrusive photography.

I love intrusive photography!

Colbert

T: 020 7730 2804

French Bistro

Approx Damage: £21pp

Area: Sloane Square

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

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A Week in Wien: Piece of Cake [On The Road: Vienna]

A regular psychiatrist couldn't even help you. You need to go to like Vienna or something. You know what I mean? You need to get involved at the University level. Like where Freud studied and have all those people looking at you and checking up on you. That's the kind of help you need 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Pitch”) 

Capital and largest city in Austria, Vienna is a city of music, long tradition of opera and classical music. Well-known musicians lived and worked there including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, and Brahms. Their gastronomy or Viennese cuisine is influenced by different countries, such as the Schnitzel from Milan or the Goulash from Hungary. Hot dog stands and traditional coffee houses complete the picture. 

Vienna from the sky

Things to do include walk across the Innere Stadt and enjoy the magnificent architecture of Albertina, Hofburg palace, Stephansdom, Rathaus, and the Vienna State Opera. Go shopping in Kärntner Straße. Eat a Sachertorte at any of the famous coffee houses such as Demel or Hotel Sacher. Wander around Schloss Belvedere. Immerse into their arts and culture at the Museum Quartier. If you’re a Third Man fan visit the Prater and take a ride in the Riesenrad to have a panoramic view of the city. Get some street food and local produce at the Naschmarkt. Go to spend a sunny summer day by the Danube in one of the Alte Donau bathing complex. Have Venezuelan rum or a cocktail at the Loos American Bar. Try the biggest schnitzel in Vienna’s popular Beisl Figlmuller, just remember that they don't sell beer to wash it down but you can have wine from the owner’s vineyard, and get early as the queues are as big as the schnitzels. Finally, to burn the schnitzel calories try to do some exercise and climb the 343 stairs on the South Tower of the Stephansdom. 

Tram quite convenient method of transport

Stephansdom

Loos American Bar

Klimt's Kiss

Rizzi art gallery

Riesenrad

Sacher where is my Torte? 

If you’re in Vienna you can’t leave without trying some cake. So after long hours of research and following advice of Anthony Bourdain and the Lonely Planet I visited three cafes in order to get their sweet baked dessert. 

Sachertorte

Hotel Sacher / Café Sacher 

Long queues and packed with tourists to try the Original Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher. The hotel opened in 1876 but the recipe of the cake dates from 1832. Funny enough it wasn’t the first place that served the Sacher Torte. Let’s just say it’s fault of Emperor Franz Josef to endorse the chocolate cake with apricot jam improved by Eduard Sacher while working at Demel bakery. 

The Cafe beside the Hotel

Inside

The History

The famous cake

We got the Sachertorte, quite lovely the cream refreshing the dense and sweet chocolate. 

Piece of the pie

Cafe Sacher

T: +43 1 514 560

Coffe House

Approx Damage: €8pp

Area: Innere Stadt

Vienna

Twitter: HotelSacher

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Cafe Mozart

Nice café, Cafe Mozart opened since 1974, and almost besides Sacher, decent outdoor tables to see people wandering around in front of Albertina. The menu has 26 cakes to choose and 18 coffees. 

Mozart place

Mozart Torte

I got the Melange, half espresso half hot frothy milk and the Mozart Torte. Nice cake less rich than the Sacher but still quite lovely. I can easily get used to this sweet tooth revelation.  

Marisol's hot mint chocolate

My Melange

Another cake bites the dust

Cafe Mozart
T: +43 1 24100 200
Coffee House
Approx Damage: €7pp
Area: Innere Stadt
Vienna

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Demel 

Demel is another famous coffee place in the heart of Vienna founded in 1786. They were the first one to serve the Sacher Torte but lost at court the claim to Original Sacher Torte. Favourite bakery for Empress Sissi in order to get sweets and the violet sorbet. The place is like a maze, well designed for tourist with an open (glassed) kitchen so you can see the master bakers and pastry chefs creating the cakes quite lovely except for the 200 tourist me included wanting to get a snap. 

Demel

Cake in the making

Cake time

Service was quite bad, in fairness it didn’t help the overcrowd café. Finally we got a table in front of the kitchen, and ordered the Anna Torte and Marisol the violet sorbet. The cake was really nice, great the combination of chocolate with nougat, it was moist and amazing, but the highlight was the sorbet, it was unbelievable, the violet blossom extract with champagne is worth the wait.

Annatorte

Violet Sorbet

Demel
T: +43 1 535 17170
Coffee House
Approx Damage: €8pp
Area: Innere Stadt
Vienna

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