Exmouth Market Grind Brunch.

Sundays. In my opinion they can be spent one of two ways. Either not waking up till noon, lounging around in comfy clothes; eating your body weight in food and binge watching Netflix series. Or...popping out for some breakfast to kickstart a productive day. I chose the latter and went to try the new kid on the block of Grind's ever growing spots in London.

After seeing on Instagram that a new site was launching this week 'Exmouth Market Grind' near Angel I was more than keen to pop along. They had what's known in the trade as a 'soft' open, where the restaurant opens it's doors to the public but monitors the amount of covers to get the staff used to service etc. This week was also 50% off food and drink which was an added bonus!

Waking up Sunday morning ready for my caffeine fix along with a craving for eggs in any form I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

The restaurant/cafe is located a corner of the famous Exmouth Market, in Clerkenwell. It's hard to miss with it's bright interior and instantly recognisable pink neon inside. Since visiting Clerkenwell Grind in Shoreditch, the interior keeps the same theme running with marble tables, airy spaces and soft comfortable furnishings.

All of the staff are so friendly, which has became a thing to expect from Grind. I ordered a coffee to start whilst I looked through the menu.

The 'Baked eggs, ndjuga, peppers, whipped feta' immediately caught my eye. As did the porridge with roast apple, blood orange and streusel. I thought I may as well order both as it would set me up for the day. 

Usually I go for some kind of juice to have with breakfast however seeing their cocktail list, I picked out the non-alcoholic apple style mojito. It was so refreshing, perfect to drink along side a strong coffee.

The food was honestly incredible. The baked eggs were runny, had a lovely spice to them and were served with some rustic crusty bread. The porridge too was delicious. I know some people would say porridge is porridge but this was next level. The apple and streusel topping was fantastic. 

This breakfast is up there with one of my top picks in London. Purely based on the level of flavour the dishes had, the service and just generally the overall experience. 

Grind has became a dependable spot for breakfast where you know you are going to leave satisfied whether that be for a quick coffee or a full dining experience.

Here is a link to their website which has a list of their locations along with their weekday and weekend menus. http://grind.co.uk/

Thank you so much for reading,

Luke. 

Breakfast at London Bridge.

Surprise surprise, I am back with another breakfast post. This comes at somewhat of an obvious choice however, if any of you have ever been to The Breakfast Club, you will know exactly why it deserves a mention. I was around London bridge area on Thursday morning as part of a university project we were working on for Borough Market. I will be writing a post soon all about the joys that is Borough Market so keep a look out for that.

Never one to turn down the chance of a quick bite to eat, I thought I'd fit in a visit to one of my favourite places to get brunch in London. I have been a fan of The Breakfast Club for a few years now. Ever since I first went back in July 2014, I can say that it has become my 'go to' choice for a bite to eat in the morning. The thing that makes The Breakfast Club amazing aside from it's food, coffee music...pretty much everything really is it's decor. They have a certain quirkiness to each and every site, it is completely un-pretentious and you feel like you've been transported back to the 80's!

I have never visited the restaurant near London Bridge as I have always opted for either Soho or Spitalfields. As some of you may know, it is popular for a reason...and with popularity come queues. However, as we approached the lunch time rush, we got seated in roughly ten minutes, which is excellent.

Now to the serious business. The Breakfast Club's menu is extensive to say the least, with plenty of hot and cold drinks to choose from. There are the usual tea's, coffee's and juices along with some rather exciting shakes and even fizz if you feel that little bit fancy.

Pancakes are an absolute must if you ever have the chance to visit. They are truly some of the best in London. Adorning a five stack of these fluffy pillows is a generous portion of cream, strawberries and a good pool of syrup. God bless America.

My friend went for a classic 'Vegetarian Full English' or in this case the 'Reggie the Veggie' which came with; Veggie sausage, homestyle fried potatoes, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomato, beans & toasted multigrain bloomer. It was huge, they certainly don't let you go hungry. 

They also have a lunch and dinner menu which I am yet to try however I caught a glimpse of a table's food on the way out and it looked mouthwatering. 

There is something so satisfying about grabbing some breakfast and coffee with a friend. The Breakfast club offers that perfect balance between an amazing menu and a perfect spot to relax and enjoy.

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Jacket & Scarf: H&M
Jeans: River Island
Boots: Belstaff
Watch: Armani
Bag: Herschel

Here is the link to their site which has a full list of locations, their menu and contact details. 

https://www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com/

Thank you so much for reading,

Luke. 

Oreo and Nutella Fudge Brownies

Yes. The baking blog posts are back. Spending a lazy Sunday ill inside has resulted in me doing one thing...baking. Brownies are the ultimate comfort food, and this recipe is honestly amazing. It is from a book called 'Baking Made Easy' by Lorraine Pascale. I can take no credit for how faultless it is. I have made one optional addition however and that is a few teaspoons of Nutella marbled through the batter. You don't have to include this however it makes it that extra bit indulgent. Peanut butter would work well too.

Ingredients: 

• 
  
• 165g/5½oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g/7oz dark chocolate, grated or finely chopped
• 3 free-range eggs
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds only (or alternatively 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 165g/5½ oz soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 154g/5½oz pack chocolate biscuits, such as Oreos, broken into quarters
• 3 tbsp Hazelnut Spread (Nutella) optional. 
• icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in square baking tin with butter, then line with baking paper with the paper overlapping the sides a little.
2. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the grated (or chopped) chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes, or until the chocolate melts, and then stir together. Alternatively, you can put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 25-second blasts, stirring well each time.
3. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla together in a large bowl until the eggs begin to get light and fluffy. Add the sugar in two additions, whisking between each. Pour it around the side of the egg mix so as not to knock out the air that has been whisked in. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes stiffer. Once the egg mixture is ready, pour the chocolate into it - again around the sides so as not to knock the air out.
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and a third of the biscuits and stir until fully combined, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter the remaining biscuits over the top, pressing them in slightly. Add the optional Nutella and marble through the batter.
5. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes. The middle should be very so slightly gooey. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin - the top will sink and crack a little.
6. Pull the brownies out using the overlapping paper and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve. 

Thank you so much for reading,

Luke. 

A fresh start | A week in London

So admittedly I always seem to be motivated when a new year comes around. There is something really refreshing about a new start that really gets me excited about possibilities. I guess I've never been one for new years resolutions however; this year I knew I needed to make some changes. I want 2017 to be the year of happiness, and for me, blogging makes me so happy. I moved to London in September and since then I felt myself getting sucked in to the world of work and earning money that I forgot how amazing the city I fell in love with actually is. So 2017 is going to be spent discovering new parts of the city, eating some amazing food, drinking some fantastic coffee and just generally living a more positive life.

I came back from my Christmas break to London on January 9th. I was nervous that I was making the wrong decision, that home was where I belonged. But having been back over a week I've felt never been more excited to explore London and get back into the swing of things.

Saturday: Brunch. 
It always takes people by surprise when I tell them that breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. I could give or take a bowl of cornflakes any day, I mean good breakfast, eggs with sourdough, french toast, fluffy pancakes and bacon. That kinda breakfast.

I've been a fan of Grind for a while now. Grind is a London based coffee company with 'Shoreditch Grind' being the original site, they have over 8 different spots in London, with each location having it's own special something to make it unique. Having seen some amazing photo's online, I chose to visit Clerkenwell Grind. Just down from the Old Street roundabout.

Clerkenwell has an amazing vibe inside. With beautifully upholstered seats and marble tables. Saturday brunch is always going to be crazy so I was extremely lucky to grab one of the last tables. Their menu is extensive, so you wont struggle for choice. I went for an 'Amber Juice' a Flat White and an incredibly indulgent Banana French Toast with coconut frozen yoghurt.

I popped into Shoreditch Grind on the way back to the tube station for a coffee to go. It's clear why they've done so well. The coffee is fantastic and there is an amazing atmosphere inside. Also how cool is this 40's style cinema sign? 

Sunday: Explore
Nothing makes me happier than being an ultimate tourist and wandering the streets of London. Even though I have lived in London for over four months now, I still sometimes have to say to myself that this is my home. It never fails to amaze me how crazy London can be.

Whenever I have no plans for a day, I refuse to stay inside. Rain or not, I love packing my bag, crabbing my camera and heading out to take some photos. 

This is everything I carry around with me on a daily basis around London.
Notepad: Moleskine 
I always keep a notepad and a pen with me just incase some random inspiration or ideas hit.
Wallet: Zara
Recently I've switched from a traditional wallet to a card holder. Purely that it means you carry around the bare minimum, but also this one is brilliant from Zara that means you can carry coins too.
iPad: iPad Mini Retina 64GB
This is not an essential but always comes in handy when you need to pass some time on the tube or bus. I've gotten into iBooks a lot more and really think it's better than carrying around a physical book.
Headphones: Kitsound - Manhattan 
These headphones came into my life in the boxing day sales and I love them. They're bluetooth for a start so long gone is that annoying cable. But they're the first pair of headphones I actually don't look like stupid in. Props to having a big head!
Glasses: Glasses Direct - Scott
I've had these glasses for about a year now and they're amazing. Super light weight, durable and have a different frame from the usual square frame you see on most men's glasses. Glasses Direct also allow you to order multiple pairs to try on at home to find your prefect pair.

Winter is definitely here, London has gotten down to the low two and three degrees so I went out in search for a thick winter jacket. Zara has been my go to shop recently, I really like their simple take on classic items with some really out there pieces. I also got some boots in Topman that I probably didn't need but you can never have too many pairs of chelsea boots.

Wednesday: Shopping Day

Now to unwind. London can be a bit full on at times. I vowed to take more time in 2017 to take time out. To relax, and not be constantly rushing. For me, that's going for a nice walk, grabbing a warm drink and listening to some good music. I've been loving the Spotify Playlist 'Infinite Acoustic recently.

I'm thinking about making these posts a regular weekly thing where I round up my week in photos. It's a nice way to reflect back on the week you've had.

Thank you for reading,

Luke. 

Granger & Co. | Brunch in Notting Hill

It's always funny when I tell people that breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. They always look at me in disbelief. There is something so satisfying about waking up and starting your day with some eggs and coffee...well for me there is anyway.

The weather has been pretty miserable in London recently, putting that 'January blues' phrase well into practice. Armed with an umbrella, I headed out none the less to West London. Notting Hill is one of my favourite places in London. It kind of reminds me of how London used to be with the hustle and bustle of the market traders.

I've heard great things about Granger & Co, with their fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs making people swoon. And recently seeing fellow blogger Lily Pebbles vlog, it sealed the deal for me.

Visiting on a Saturday in the peak lunch rush there was bound to be a queue. However I got seated relatively quickly and managed to dodge the worst of the rain.

The decor is classic London brunch. The huge service bar dominated with a selection of delicious baked items, drip coffee on display and a flocks of people wanting their breakfast fix.

I sat at the bar, a lot of people don't take well to this seat but I love it. You get to see the staff at work making coffee's and juices and it's a really communal way to eat.

Studying the menu, I opted for the "Granger’s greens" which had green apple, cucumber, ginger, silver beet, chia and coconut water in. It had a really fresh, earthy taste to it. Perfect with a coffee.

Of course I went with my usual flat white. Granger & Co. use a coffee bean brand called 'All Press'. Having visited their roastery in person in Dalston, you can tell their product is quality. It has a lovely rich, nutty flavour to it.

See - I told you sitting at the bar is cool. You get to see the amazing drinks and coffee's flying out to customers.

Their selection of baked items looked amazing too. With your classic muffins and savoury pastries being offered alongside cookies and cake.

Now to food. I opted for what they're famous for. Eggs. As tempting as the pancakes were, I was in a savoury mood. I added some optional sides, grilled Wiltshire bacon and avocado. 

The food arrived promptly. Eggs piping hot I dug in. I now understand why people queue. Rick, buttery and topped with a sprinkle of salt and spinach leaf. Delicious. The sourdough was crisp, bacon fantastic quality and with the fresh avocado and lemon I could do nothing more than enjoy.  

Can't recommend Granger & Co. enough. Get there early if you don't to queue but it's well worth the wait. They also have locations in Clerkenwell and Kings Cross. Here's a link to their website https://grangerandco.com if you want to look at their menu - I suggest you do.

Thank you for reading.

Luke.