My new locals - Penk's and Gail's in Queens Park

Penk's

79 Salusbury Road
London
NW6 6NH
Nearest Tube: Queens Park
Website
How to Find It

It turns out that maintaining a Blog when you have a grown up job is harder than I thought it would be. Luckily I have discovered a few absolute gems close to my new apartment and so beating Saturday sloth isn't too tough.

So having left my beloved Tinto's behind in Fulham, I spent my first month in Queen's Park scouring my new hood to find a replacement. My friends know how much of a Starbucks addict I am, but as happy I was to discover one on my doorstep, ye olde Green Mermaid is no replacement for Tinto's.

Luckily Starbucks and Sainsbury's are about the only major chains to be found on Salusbury Road. Everything else is individually owned and lovely. It's a little slice of country life that feels about as far from the crack fest of Kilburn High Road as Mars.

Penk's and Gail's are neighbours on Salusbury Road but Post Code is where the similarity ends.

Penk's describes itself as a Bistro, but it's more quirky than that. By night, it is an arty, velvet-curtained boudoir. By day, the glass doors and curtains at the front are thrown open and it becomes a light, bright cafe that could be in Paris. I've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner there and no matter the time of day or night, the lovely owner is always there, presiding over his tiny gourmet kingdom.

It only opens for breakfast on weekend's (just as well or I think the poor man would collapse) but oh joy it serves breakfast until 1pm - which suits my lazy ass to the tee. The breakfast menu isn't massive, but there are some special treats there including - to my delight - Kedgeree!

Growning up as the african child of a Scots father who was raised in Burma, I have been fascinated but so many quintessentially colonial food traditions.  I have been desperate to try Kedgeree as long as I can remember. In case like me you aren't British, Kedgeree is a slightly bizarre but yummy spicy rice conncoction made with smoked haddock, bacon, egg, yoghurt, parsley and sultanas. As a Kedgeree virgin, I am no expert but it was lovely and a really unusual breakfast.

Iain had a good solid full english which was brilliantly cooked. Other things we could have had - pancakes, healthy mueslie bits and pieces and my standard heroes Eggs benedict, Florentine and Royale.

Oh and a Bloody Mary. Good to know for the itchy scratchy Sundays...

BTW - if you're in the area, give the 5.30 pm cocktail tasting menues a whirl.

Gail's
79 Salusbury Road
London
NW6 6NH
Nearest Tube: Queens Park
Website

Gail's is part of a slightly preteniously named chain of Artisan Bakeries, Darling. Which is fancy pants speak for a deli bakery combo. It's pretty busy on weekends so you might struggle to get a seat. If it's a nice day, my suggestion would be to grab one of their amazing sandwiches or the sundried tomato quiche or delicious gruyere pastry corner thingy and head for Queen's Park to sit in the sun.

If its a bit miz outside or you just feel like a sit down, then hustle your way to the back to find a seat. Relooking at the website writing this, I realised that there are a lot of scrummy things to eat which I missed as I had a slightly strange egg dish with the hollandaise served solid on the side (sound weird and it was!). I would definitely give it a second chance though as I have had the sandwiches a few times and they are brilliant.

* Gail's photo borrowed from the website