Mildred's, Soho
Mildred's, on Soho's Lexington Street, is an institition. It's been there since the late 1980's and is consistently busy - annoyingly it's one of those no-bookings types, but there is always the take-away section if you're not in a waiting mood. It also happens to be completely vegetarian, so is perfect for #meatfreemonday.
I went last week for a dose of fresh veggie nutrition after FAR TOO LONG of living off of solely microwaveable goods and too many takeaways (FYI this is not my usual diet, I'm in kitchen renovation hell), so when the PR I was meeting suggested Mildred's as she has a current addiction to their salads, I jumped at the chance. It was busy as usual when we got there for 1ish - and we had the cumbersome buggy/toddler combo to accommodate - but they were really great about it and I'm pretty sure they moved us to the front of the queue before helping carry it all up the two flights of stairs. Thanks guys.
I'd glimpsed the impressive array of salads on display on the way in, so I immediately knew I wanted one. I went for the Fattoush (one of my all time faves) which was also served with homemade labneh and pomegranate as a massive bonus. It was crunchy, fresh and full of flavour and had been perfectly dressed with good olive oil, mint and plenty of citrussy sumac. The labneh was incredibly good and has renewed my resolve to try and make my own at home.
(Pic taken from Mildred's Instagram)
I'd opted for the small version of the Fattoush, so I also ordered the Fritto Misto of artichoke and French beans with a lemony aioli to go with it - both dishes were around the £6 mark, which was pretty good value. The batter was a little denser than the tempura-like stuff you tend to get, but it felt a lot more wholesome on the upside. The veggies were well cooked and the sauce was really smooth and rich.
My PR pal had some other delicious looking salad that I can't quite place - perhaps spinach and pecans or something - plus some really good grilled aubergine.
The table next to us had ordered some of the giant main courses and I'd definitely recommend ordering the portobello mushroom pie from the look of it. Also, next time I'm making it my business to order a cocktail as they looked phenomenal and you could 100% pretend it was healthy.
Ooh also, they've got a cook book out that is firmly on my list. Thanks for a lovely lunch Mildred's.