Ok as it was for work, it was technically more whirlwind MoscowMetroland than Vodkaland, but it was every bit as crazy and exciting as I thought it would be.
Somewhere in between a quick Midnight trip to Red Square and wall-to-wall meetings strung together with trips in 'Funny Cars'*, I mentioned to my colleagues that I love breakfast and write a Blog about it. My Russian colleague (who for reasons known only to he and I shall be called Jason Donovan for the purpose of this Blog), artfully managed to squeeze in a coffee and late breakfast snack for us at one of his favourite breakfast places so that I could see it.
It is a cafe called Кафе Шоколад (you have no idea how impressed I am that I managed to google and find that!). Translated, it means simply 'Cafe Chocolate'. Breakfast AND Chocolate? Hell yeah. There are so many reasons to love Кафе Шоколад...
#1 For workaholics (or late night party animals) they start serving pancakes at 4am #2 Talking of pancakes the Russians aren't famous for Blinis for nothing. I ate two different kinds - one a delicious variety made with curd, the other a more tradional thin version. Both were served with lovely fresh berries and compote. #3 You could easily have blinis, caviar and vodka. For Breakfast. #4 They have a whole section of drinks called 'Hot Winter Non Alchoholic Cocktails' - the perfect warm, sugar recharge you need after a busy winter's day in Moscow. Predictably I had the Winter alcohol Free Mojitto #5 If you aren't lucky enough to have your own Minister of Transport, Catering and all things Russian like we were, they have menus in English (not as common as you would think) #6 The range of coffees is extensive and the coffee is delicious #7 There are several branches all over Moscow #8 They have play areas for kids #9 They serve eggs and pastries too if pancakes aren't your bag.
I hope I get a chance to return soon - if with the help of Jason D. I managed to find this gem in two days, who know how many could be discovered on a longer trip!
*Funny Cars: In Moscow, common practise for getting around by road involves a unique 5 step plan: Step 1: Stand on the side of the road with your thumb out Step 2: A car will stop Step 3: Negotate a price to take you to your chosen destination Step 4: Jump in Step 5: Pay I believe they call this supply and demand. Caution: This not to be attempted in any other city in the World and I strongly recommend against doing it without a Russian Minister of Transport with you,
Turning the ripe old age of thirty ni-aarrrg, I definitely wasn't looking forward to this particular birthday, which is unlike me. Traditionally I start warning my friends 6 months out from the big day, and issue frequent count down reminders until the dawn of Day 1 of a 7 day celebration.
This year, I planned to stay well below the radar and stay at home to eat chocolate and hide from any activity that involved green bottles or little glasses of black gloop beginning with J and ending with Meister.
Breakfast Partner Numero Uno Missy wasn't having any of that and insisted that I meet her outside Highbury & Islington Station on the morning of my Birthday. Not too early mind. She knows me better than that.
So at a leasurely 11.30, we took a meander into Dalston. For those of you not from London, Dalston is rapidly creeping up on Shoreditch and nicking it's CoolashellHipsterEastLondon crown. Missy had accidentally discovered a special little secret there a few weeks before when returning from a gallery and had decided that it was the perfect antedote to my Birthday Blues.
Honestly secret doesn't really do the art of finding LBOWYF justice. From the outside, you would have walked straight past it thinking it was an illegal gambling den. The only tiny clue is a chalkboard with a hastily scribbled 'A Little Bit of What you Fancy' outside.
Inside however, it's charming. Chunky wooden tables dressed with cheerful little buckets of yellow flowers. Crates of fresh vegetables and fruit stacked next to the days fresh breads and pastries. Definitely a sunny pick me up on a very drab and baltic London Winter's Day.
As it was midweek, we had the place to ourselves. Which you'd think would bode well for brilliant service. Well you'd be wrong. Luckily, we were in Thelma and Louise Carpe Diem mode and were happy to lose two hours there and so it didn't bother us. If the service was on the 'we're far too busy being cool' side and the Bubbly we ordered suspiciously lacking bubbles, then the food and environment happily more than made up.
There are several things I mention regularly in this Blog as being my favourites, but untill now, I don't think I've mentioned Chorizo. As far as I am concerened the EU Parliament should declare that cheeky little spanish sausage a mandatory part of all breakfast menus. Everywhere.
It stands to reason therefore that we each chose a dish with the afforementioned Spicy Sausie. Mine was a combination of a perfectly cooked poached egg on sourdough, topped with roasted vine tomatoes (and yes they were actually still on the vine), avo, chorizo, a drizzle of greek yoghurt and best of all a bigass bunch of fragrant basil. Yumtastic.
Missy chose the more simple but still delicious scrambled egg on sourdough with chorizo, tomatoes and rocket. The breakfast menu isn't huge or massivley creative, but there are still things to tempt everyone. Even the healthy option rhubarb in greek yoghurt served in a tin plate with strawberries, almonds and lashings of honey looks moreish.
The coffee was great and as we were able to eat Breakfast after 12 'A Little Bit of What you Fancy' earned big love from Beedub. The service was rubbish, so if you are in a rush or find disinterested service annoying then possibly this isn't for you, but if you are out East and want somewhere relaxed and different then boys and girls jump in!
And it made me feel warm and fuzzy on a less than sexy birthday to boot.
A Little Bit of What you Fancy 464 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AE 020 7275 0060 Nearest Stations: Haggerston and Dalston Junction Website How to Find it
