Milkbar

Milkbar.

3 Bateman Street W1D 4AG

I came here once with my parents when they were here in London to visit me. Decided to go back again just the other day. Milkbar is actually a sibling of Flat White, but it is a younger sibling at that. Note how (in the picture above) it says, "Part of the Flat White network". Unsurprisingly, this calls for some comparison between the two. 

This time, the theme of the deco was 'war'. Why, I have absolutely no idea. I swear that sometimes I should be less pre-occupied with the thoughts of having good coffee and ask the staff more about the place itself in general. But in any case, I do hope they keep the decoration up. I quite like it. When it's just the bare walls, drinking coffee can be a little dull on your own, with nothing to look at, if you get what I mean. It's nice to glance around and see some interesting things hanging from the walls. They had tanks up (and I think they painted/sketched on the 'tank tracks' too!) on the walls, with pictures, and toy guns. 

It seems that Milkbar is doing so good that they even have their own merchandise! And yes, I am finally getting around to telling you about the drinks they have here.

The coffee is brilliant (as usual, with all the posts so far). Drawing comparisons with Flat White, I must say that I prefer Milkbar better (once again Flat White is moving lower in the ranks. I feel pretty sorry for Flat White, but this can't be helped!). I ordered my favourite coffee (you should be able to tell what it is by now) and it came out just perfect. Fantastic coffee art. The foam was perfect. The coffee was smooth and velvety with a strong coffee that just lingers in your mouth pleasantly. 

The chairs were really comfortable to sit on and the feeling that you get from this place is just right. They have books for you on the shelf if you feel like reading. They also have light bites (croissants, sandwiches, and the like), and milkshakes! And boy oh boy do they really give you a large cup for it. It was wayyy too much to handle. Good for sharing it is.

On a (not-so-) random side note, I found this site that can be pretty useful for coffee/cafe hunters in London. It's called the London coffee guide. I might be using this to find more coffee places.

Linked it at the side for your convenience. :)

Flat White

Flat White. Supposed to be one of the best places in town for a flat white (as the name says. lol) Went there with a friend of mine after his exam. Like I said in my previous post, I really really wanted to try it out. Been told about it's fantastic coffee and I told myself that if I didn't get it then, the inertia would ensure that I'll never get around to it. 

Hey Dudes.

It's quite a cool place really. Very Arty-Farty, if I may say so. Nice, comfortable chairs. It seems to be full of people who bring in their art work (like the guys in the picture on the right). Some come with sketchbooks and pencils and.. I don't know. Lots of stuff. On the (white) walls behind me are framed pictures of cameras, and it adds a whole other dimension to this place.


They sell retail coffee here too. Their own brand I think. Not too sure about that. It's like, £7 for a bag of coffee beans.

Hmm.. Anyway, the big question from this visit would be.. Whether Flat White really has the best flat whites in London?

Well... This I must say.

The flat white was good. But, it wasn't the best that I've tasted. In fact, I actually think that the one in Wild and Wood was nicer. It doesn't seem strong enough for my liking (yes, I do like strong coffee. I don't particularly like putting sugar in my cuppa either). I guess it'd be perfect for those who would actually like their double shots to fuel their caffeine reliance, but who doesn't actually like their coffee to be so bitter. 

I'd rank this place high for the overall atmosphere though. That is, if you want to enjoy music and if you like the whole arty farty thing going on. If you want a place for a quiet read then maybe Store Street or Wild and Wood would be the place for you. 

More coffee/ travel places to come! Yes, I did intend for this blog to be a travel-cum-food/cafe blog, but I'm having exams at the moment, and blogging about travelling just isn't the most convenient thing for me right now. 

Cheers!

Wild and Wood

And so I decided to take a study break and get myself some coffee and a light bite for lunch. There are times when you just can't be bothered to deal with your work anymore. Or at least, I couldn't. Decided to go to Wild and Wood down at New Oxford Street, which is not a very far walk from Holborn. It's in the same area really. This is still my favourite coffee place in London, and in my opinion, the best cafe that I know of as of yet! Their coffee is brilliant and they have this really nice, old touch to the overall ambience.

I really like the food that they serve here. Light bites they are, but enough to keep you a smile on your face. I particularly like the Gruyere cheese, bacon Quiche. Their carrot cakes are really good too! The only thing about it is that it is a gamble as to what you'd get. They change the cakes on display every now and again. 

I think it's run by a couple, but I'm really not sure. I haven't actually asked them, but I would one day. I've quite a bit of time in this country to strike up a proper conversation with them. 

They really know how to decorate the place as well. Cute little postcards and pictures line the walls, and they have some good music playing too. I like how old school it is. CD's and a small boom box.

They have a little corner at the side (I didn't manage to take a picture of that) which looks as if it was made for people who would just like to come to a cafe alone to read. Might be nice if you'd like to read undisturbed. It's called 'the nook'. lol.

That's their selection of coffee. I personally think that they have the best Flat White that I have ever tasted. Their latte's are not too bad, it's really quite good, but I'm just a flat white person. haha.

I heard that there was a cafe down Soho called 'Flat White', and as their name implies, they're supposed to have one of the best in London. Well, when I finally make my way down there I'll definitely see if Wild and Wood would still top the charts, or if Flat White would remain supreme.

My friend says that Wild and Wood's Cappuccino is really good too. I'll take her word on that. I don't particularly like that style of coffee.

But all in all, Wild and Wood, definitely the place to go.

Patisserie Deux Amis

And so we went on a trip to the cafe down the road! When our friend first told us about this place, I kind of assumed that it was somewhere far, far away. It was actually, to my surprise, just 5 minutes away. Literally.

It is a quaint little place. The ambiance there is simply lovely. It has a good feel to it, with part of the counter designed to look like a french oven. The chair I was sitting on was a tad shaky, but really, who cares about these sort of things?

The counter

We ordered baguettes for our lunch, and some coffees and tea. If you're coming to this place looking for a heavy meal, you might be slightly disappointed. The only filling things were these baguettes. However, if you're looking for a light meal, or perhaps a nice breakfast, then this would be a great place. It's quiet, and very.. English. Haha.

I suppose that the only thing you might want to prepare beforehand is a little bit of patience. This shop is run by just two people, and it can get pretty busy. Imagine a game of Diner Dash. Yup. That's how it is. Just two people cleaning, washing, cooking, serving... gosh. It's a wonder that these two can make it without looking like they broke a sweat at all! They're really nice, and very jolly, these two. Service is brilliant if you're willing to wait for about 20 minutes to get your baguette (note, we came in at peak lunch hour time).

On our way out, I ordered take-away. I got a lemon tart, and the chocolate hazelnut cake. There are no pictures simply because I forgot to take my iPhone out.  But anyway, it was the best lemon tart that I have ever tasted in a long time! The chocolate hazelnut is very unique. It's not as heavy as you would imagine. It's somewhat like a honeycomb (yes, you can taste the honey), and it's somewhat like a macaroon. Light, with a layer of chocolate on the top. I can't wait to come back another day to check out the other kinds of cakes and pastries they serve in this cafe.

You can find this place at 63 Judd Street, London, WC1H 9QT. And I quote, from the postcard that I picked up from this place, it is "for Continental bread and pastries, light snacks, excellent cappuccino and fine teas to have in the cafe or take away".

The coffee was quite good actually.

It's just that it was overshadowed by the cakes and the food. 

Store Street Espresso

And so I started off my day looking for a cafe to sit down and study for a bit. And as usual, not just any coffee would do. It had to be good. And so I did what I always did; i consulted my good friend, Google.

This particular place got my attention simply because it's relatively near to where I live, and not far away from Senate House library. It's called Store Street Espresso, and as the name indicates, it's on Store Street.

It's a place which makes you feel really happy inside. The decoration plays a major part I think. Frames on the wall with modern art, books for customers to read, tables that are at just the right height.. the list could go on. But what they definitely got right, is the quality of their coffee.

I got myself a flat white. God that was amazing.

It looks like an ordinary cup of coffee all right, but I assure you that it isn't.

Sounds like I'm raving about it too much? Maybe.






You can probably tell that all the other customers in there probably loved it as well. I did try to find a nice and quiet cafe to study, but if you were looking for a quiet place to concentrate and do your work, this would probably be the wrong place.

Though, it is perfect to just chill out with a book, or some friends for a nice chit-chat.

Try it out some day. 

All in all, it's a great place to grab a bite. I was so blown-away by the coffee that I had a second cup to take away! Got myself a latte this time. It was just as good, but I think the flat white trumped it. Hands down.

And the guy has really nice handwriting too. 

These days of bliss

On a bright sunny day in London

 Sitting by my desk while the cool wind blew

I gazed out of my window

In pure and utter wanting.

It seemed to call out to me

Like honey to bees

It seemed to sing to me

Like a lover's dream. 

I have decided to revamp this blog of mine. I think that from now on it'll become somewhat like a traveller's blog. I will be reviewing the places I went to, the food, the sights, the sounds.. Just keep tuned. :)

Note: I will admit that I've been inspired by a good friend of mine, who has a food blog with a friend of hers. I've linked them at the side. Enjoy. :)