Saturday 26 January 2013

The Kitchen Table - worth finding

The Kitchen Table on Franciscan Road in Tooting is a great place. It's off the beaten track so I guess it really just serves the locals which makes it all the better. It's quite small, and maybe not set up to make maximum use of the space.



I've been a few times now and have always been impressed by the guy who runs the place, he's really trying hard to make the place work.

Every time I've been I've ordered a flat white and every time he has taken much care in crafting the coffee. The coffee is generally good, he gets an intense espresso which isn't burnt and comes through over the  milk.

I've eaten here a couple of times, once having cake which was really good, we think he might be getting his cakes from Dee Light, they're that good. Another time I had a pizza slice which was very nice too and served with a little side salad, which baby Spiller enjoyed.



Flat white was good. I think Mrs Spiller was having a hot choc, which wasn't that flash.

I've not had any of their more substantial meals, they do the standard English breakfast type fayre and I think the last time I was in it looked like they were going to be expanding their menu and possibly a few evenings.

What I love most about this place is that it is set in a small row of shops on Franciscan Road and has a feel of a friendly neighborhood coffee shop, something we're lucky to have. The problem in this however is that they will need a lot of support from the locals to survive. I hope they can maintain their standards and continue to attract the crowds to establish themselves as a vital community venue.

If you do live in the Balham, Tooting, Streatham area it's definitely worth giving this place a go, maybe combined with a walk around nearby Tooting Common.

There's not a huge amount on the web about this place, check out citybumpkin's blog for another view.

Scores:

Coffee
Hot: 10/13
Aroma: 10/13
Flavour: 10/13
Texture: 8/13
Presentation: 8/13

General
Service: 10/13
Food: 8/13
Atmosphere: 8/13


Overall 9/13



Sunday 20 January 2013

Earl Grey and Rose - A real peach

I love coffee shops which do something different and do it well. Earl Grey and Rose does the vintage vibe really well and this is backed by decent coffee and food.

When I made my first trip to Earl Grey and Rose I thought I was about to discover a new gem. Turns out this gem was well and truly discovered by Streatham residents years before me.

On this trip I was worried about whether there would be space for us, with pram and all. We were able to navigate our way to a table at the back. Mrs Spiller did the ordering, flat whites and carrot cake.

Baby spiller and I looked around at all the stuff which gives this place a special vibe. It's not a very blokey place but that doesn't stop local tradesmen coming in for one of the impressive door stop sandwiches and I don't feel less of a man being here either.



The carrot cake was nice, we weren't too sure about the icing, a bit bland but otherwise fine. The coffee wasn't a flat white, it was more like an americao with warm milk but it was a very tasty coffee so I was happy. 

We bought Baby Spiller a babycinno, we thought that would just be frothed milk but it was actually the works, some hot chocolate, frothed milk and lots of marshmallows. Baby Spiller wasn't too sure about it but that suited us just fine, yum. 

Baby Spiller peering over the table to his massive  babycinno
If you've not been to Earl Grey and Rose, get down there, it's one of Streatham's many great spots.

They've got a website under development with some nice photos, check it out... www.earlgreyandrose.com

Scores:

Coffee
Hot: 11/13
Aroma: 10/13
Flavour: 11/13
Texture: 4/13
Presentation: 5/13

General
Service: 10/13
Food: 9/13
Atmosphere: 9/13


Overall 10/13