Granger & Co, Kings Cross
At last, I managed to get myself over to Granger & Co! Since the Kings Cross site opened this summer I've tried at least three times for breakfast, lunches and dinner but since there is the ever-annoying no reservation policy, I've been unsuccessful - even midweek - and headed to trusty Vinoteca instead. You can't even put your name down and go for a drink elsewhere, ugh.
Last week my luck was in for a Friday treat breakfast: the PR I was meeting (not for Granger) managed to sort us a table and I couldn't wait to try it out. Bill Granger is an absolute breakfast champion (the Aussies always seem to do it so right, don't they?) and my mouth was watering at the thought from at least Wednesday.
There were only a few tables occupied on a rainy Friday at 9am, so go then!, and whilst we were welcomed warmly, toddler in tow, I have to say the service ran at an absolute snail's pace after that. God knows what they were doing, but we had to work some serious eye contact to get anything. At least the room is pretty - all rosy marble and banquettes and a nice sweeping bar that would be good for perching at whilst you wait for an evening table.
I ordered myself an 'iced all-press cold drip coffee', which is a trendy kind of slowly brewed coffee - I think it takes about 18 hours - that is naturally sweet and lower in acidity than usual. It's all the rage and I can see why. I need some more of that.
It was so hard choosing what to have as the menu is just brilliant; I was utterly torn between the Ricotta Hotcakes, Banana & Honeycomb Butter (£11.80), the Buckwheat Bowl with Poached Egg, Kefir Goats Milk, Rose Harissa, Avocado & Alfalfa Sprouts (£11.00) and the Sweetcorn Fritters, Roast Tomato, Spinach & Bacon (£13.50), but as you can see from the title picture I eventually plumped for the latter. The fritters were just delicious, and so refreshing not to feel that they had been fried within an inch of their lives - they were crisp rather than heavy and greasy, but still incredibly filling. The bacon was tangibly high quality, and nicely lean but still well flavoured.
My PR pal had gone for a tried and tested combo of Soft Boiled Eggs & Sourdough (£6) with a side of avocado (£2.80). You can't go wrong:
The sides at Granger & Co are almost as good as the whole menu: things like Jasmine Tea Smoked Salmon, Wild Greens, Chorizo or Avocado Salsa for around £3 mean you can easily construct yourself a mix and match breakfast of dreams.
Their bakery is not to be sniffed at either. I didn't dare look too closely, for fear of ordering one of everything, but funnily enough Leo wanted to try the brioche (£3.50) and who am I to refuse him? It was lovely. So buttery. Especially when I added more butter.
Our server kindly brought him a banana to nibble on too, after many demand of 'nana' were made. They were very nice indeed.
I'd like to say I'll be back some other time for a more leisurely weekend brunch, or maybe even dinner at some point, but who knows. Maybe when the queues die down.