The Sugar Bar

Once again, just a short and sweet post about yet another scrummy place. I love my eggs. I never used to as a kid, they made me feel ill – like nauseous I’m-gonna-be-sick type of ill. But now, it’s a completely different story. I love it. LOVE. And when I need an egg-fix, if I’m lazy to fix myself breakfast, I normally head to The Breakfast Club which is only like a 5 minute walk from me.

Maybe it’s the sun, or maybe it’s the need to sit outside facing the roads like cafés in Paris, which drew me to this quaint little café in Shoreditch. Not a big menu, not much variety. And served by a lanky freakishly tall dude who looks about twelve. Nice, huh. But the eggs were delicious. The toast, on the other hand, I’m a bit hesitant about. It was certainly good bread but over-toasted and it threatened to rip my mouth apart or break my teeth. Fail.

Nevertheless, lemme stress this again. Eggs = good.

The combination of eggs fried in truckloads of good olive oil, generously seasoned with cracked sea salt and lots of black pepper plus crisp sage leaves on each yolk eager to be dampened by creamy yolk when you break the membrane? Heaven.

Enough said.

Leila’s Shop
17 Calvert Avenue
Shoreditch
London
E2 7JP

Yesterday was my last day with the kid sister C so we made sure to get up early for a good breakfast out. I’d raved about Lantana cafe on Charlotte Place in Fitzrovia quite a bit whilst C was here so it was absolutely necessary to get our sleepyheads over to the café. And get this, it is open for breakfast at 8am! My little C found the menu a little strange at first and a bit too much for an early chow but mind you, that girl is zombie dead and expressionless that early in the morning. She took a while to decide on sourdough toast, roast tomatoes, etc. and pretty much mumbled her order to our waitress Suzie. Somehow the residual sleepiness that she had yet to shake off drowned out her voice. Now we know mumbling gets you nowhere so C unfortunately ended up with only sourdough toast, butter and jam. But she liked it good enough (you can’t fault good bread). Her iced latte was a milky heaven and by the end of the meal, she left with a satisfied belly. It did take a while for it all to register of course. Our breakfast conversation wasn’t that brilliant or lively. In fact, some might consider it non-conversation. The excited chatter only kicked in post-caffeine for me and for C, when she pulled out her polaroid. But we’re sisters. Long spells of silence between us two are allowed. We’re that comfortable with each other I suppose.

On the other side of the table, after a lot of teasing and laughing, my own order arrived - brioche toast with poached pears, ricotta and blackberries. I died and went to heaven. I wasn’t even upset that they’d taken the french toast with pistachio mascarpone off the menu. This baby was composed of my favourite fruits and it felt like it was all meant to be. To revive myself and note, I did have a cappucino to start, I ordered a macchiato to get my heart pumping again. I heart this place. And I heart the coffees they serve. It was a fine way to get our last day started and a nice little café with a friendly setting for C and I managed to take more holiday polaroid shots.

She’s home now all safe and sound with the rest of the family. And I am missing her lots. The house is too quiet, too empty and suddenly just a little less cluttered than when she was here with all luggage. It’s a bittersweet emotion inside me knowing that my little C has grown up just a bit more. This must be what my elder sis A felt when I left home for England years ago. Nevertheless, it’s nice to know the bonds between us three sisters have strengthened and matured. I’ve always wanted a brother. And yea, sure if you’d throw that into the mix I’d happily accept it. But there’s something about sisters and the joys, secrets and annoyances between us that is really precious.

I can’t wait to be reunited with both my sisters when I do finally return home. Breakfast with the whole family, it’s a sweet affair to wake up to. And oh, to be reunited with my beloved oven once again…

Genmaicha in teacup & saucer? Why not.

There’s a street in London called Pudding Lane. That always tickles my funny bone. The word pudding. It makes me grin, it makes me laugh, it sends excited shivers down my spine, gives my sweet tooth a massive itch and also, activates my drool reflexes. And just a bit of trivia: did you know that there’s a breed of hamsters known as ‘Pudding’? That’s slightly weird but suppose that’s kinda cute. My kid sister’s got one of those. Quite adorable, if a little fat, lazy and greedy.

But…the thing the word originally refers to is much more fun, so much more decadent, truly inspiring, and gloriously delicious. I’m sure you’ll agree. No? Who loves pudding, hands up. If you don’t, I’m sorry I think you’re crazy.

SNOG froyo

As you might know, I’m guiltily taking a holiday. My kid sister is here for a short visit and so we’re visiting places in London/England she’s not seen before and eating the city over. Or sorta, as much as my wallet can afford. How ironic that after my wallet was stolen a few months ago, it hasn’t yet been replaced and my credit cards, ID cards, notes and change are all messily plopped together in an ugly pewter-coloured snake-scaled decorated freebie cosmetic pouch from Lancome. Oh dear.

Alright then, enough dallying about. Let me leave you with some pictures of sweet yummies and pudding. It’s nearly 11am, the sister is still concussed in bed like a sleeping dragon, the weather’s so horrid I simply can’t be bothered but things need to be done, and the day needs to go on! Keep safe in this gross weather and let’s hope for more sun this weekend. Until then….. eat pudding.

Hampton Court Palace Foodies Festival

LOVE Red Velvet in a Whoopie Pie

Angel Food Bakery in Brighton

Might get your daily dose of dopamine here in cupcake heaven

Greenwich

Down in the Greenwich Market

Melt-in-your-mouth apple pie in Biscuit Ceramic Café

Ottolenghi – A Necessary Pleasure

In addition to my fav Lemon Polenta Cake, we tried this Chocolate & Rum Fondant bad boy

Afternoon Tea at Sketch with Pam
The Parlour tearoom at Sketch is a wonderfully eclectic and stylish place for tea. To find out more, check out my first post on it here.

Bloody Praline

A Pink Paradise – delicate flavours of raspberry and lime

Olde Sweet Shoppe in Cambridge
Not sure if this counts as pudding, but it’s sugary. So I’m throwing this into the mix too!

More sweet secrets to come. We descend further into pudding underworld.