After missing several events that a friend had organised, I had to put a date in the diary and meet up over coffee! It had been narrowed down to a choice of two locations, either somewhere near Spitalfields or near Highbury. The latter was chosen and I took up my friend’s suggestion of meeting at Maison D’Etre.

Maison D’Etre with its black frontage, is located on the roundabout of Highbury Corner. I always forget that this place is there as it is on the other side of Highbury Corner and a little hidden away by the roundabout, trees and traffic.

On this particular day, the cafe window was all steamed up, so it was difficult to see in. As I was a little early, I took a seat on the cushioned window seats. Unfortunately, the cushions felt damp and cold, maybe due to the window condensation that had been dripping onto it. This did not get off to a good start in my eyes.

Maison D’Etre is quite a small cafe with an additional room at the back on a lower level. The counter is opposite the wooden seating area. The cakes were all openly displayed and they all looked fresh and of a good size. I still prefer if cafes would keep their cakes and other foods covered on the counter. So, as the cakes were all open and even they were tempting, I did not try any of them. There were also some sandwiches on display.

There was a good range of teas from the Teapigs range on offer and the staff were happy enough to give some recommendations. The Chocolate Flake Tea was chosen. The combination of the black tea, chocolate chips and cocoa beans was lovely. The tea was served in  a pot with a small china cup and saucer. There was something of a vintage feel going on with this cafe! The soya milk was presented in a little milk bottle, like the ones that we used to have at break times at our first school!

For some reason, I just did not feel relaxed and comfortable at Maison D’Etre. I am not sure if it was because it felt quite small, cold or if it felt a little unclean. On a more positive note, the staff were welcoming, friendly and gave service with a smile.

Maison D’Etre, 154 Canonbury Road, Highbury, London, N1 2UR

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It seems like we all go through phases with certain things and that can happen when it comes to going out to eat! There are times when similar types of eateries are gone to.

Brunch was something that had not been done for quite a few months. So I was more than happy to try Jamie Oliver’s Recipease when my friend suggested that we go there on a Sunday.

Recipease do not have a reservation system so be prepared to wait for a table. The staff do not rush the diners even if there is a queue of people waiting. That is a good thing in my eyes as the last thing that you want when you have gone out to eat is to feel the time pressure. When we got there, we opted to wait slighter longer so that we could have the comfy seats instead of the wooden window seats.

The ground floor of Recipease has the shop area with lots of baked items, fresh sandwiches, cakes and gifts. Unfortunately there are all on open display. On both the ground floor and the upper level, there are big areas in the centre that are used for the cooking courses.

While we were there, there were several courses that were going on including a children’s party and a pasta making course. There were good aromas from the fresh cooking and surprisingly it was not too noisy.

The seating area for the cafe on the upper level borders the big cooking area. Huge windows look out onto the streets below. There are displays of books and cooking equipment on the shelves. It all looked very colourful and created a bright and happy atmosphere.

Both my friend and I were considering the Bacon and Egg Sandwich but then we thought that we might as well go full out and have The Works. I had the veggie version and my friend had the normal meat one. The only difference was that the mushrooms replaced the sausages and bacon.

The Veggie Works consisted of oven roasted garlic field mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, egg, toast, Recipease baked beans, spinach and potato tortilla. It was supposed to be a poached egg but I asked for scrambled egg instead. It was a great delicious brunch with a good variety of items. The eggs were softly scrambled and the Recipease baked beans were so tasty and homemade. The wedge of potato tortilla was a big portion. All the food was of a high quality.

Brunch would not be complete without a cup of tea. The Earl Grey tea was served by the pot, with a small bottle of milk on the side. There was plenty of tea for a good few cups.

The staff were friendly and gave service with a smile. They seemed quite busy and once they served us our food, they left us to enjoy it!

Brunch at Recipease was delightful in all aspects including the food, service, dining arrangements, atmosphere and staff!

Recipease, 92-94 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London, W11 3QB

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A lovely Saturday afternoon visiting the National Gallery with my friend involved introducing her toddler to the wonderful painting of Whistlejacket. This huge oil on canvas painting of the young horse by George Stubbs is one of my favourites and always seems to impress me, no matter how many times I see it!

Following on from George Stubbs’ painting, we ventured onto see the beautiful Water-Lily Pond and other paintings by Monet. A visit to the National Gallery would not be complete if Monet’s paintings were not seen! We were lucky on this occasion as the National Gallery had two new acquisitions, Water Lillies, Setting Sun and The Japanese Bridge. Monet’s Impressionist paintings of his garden in Giverny are really special!

After our fun art filled afternoon, it was time to rest and go for a cup of tea. My friend suggested the nearby Cafe in the Crypt in St Martin-in-the-Fields. The cafe is below the church and can be accessed by the cylindrical pavilion entrance, just round the corner from the church.

Cafe in the Crypt is quite a striking cafe. The distinctive brick walls and arches make up this beautiful 18th century crypt. It is quite a large cafe and even when it is busy, there is a sort of peacefulness about it. This is helped by the soft lighting.

There is a selection of food on offer, all locally sourced where possible. Soup, hot food, sandwiches, salads, afternoon tea, hot puddings and cakes are all available. The hot food and the cakes are buffet style, but the thing that I liked was that it was served and not self service.

As we were here for tea, that is what we had. Although, I was tempted by the scone with clotted cream and jam! The pot of tea came as a little silver teapot with a jug of milk on the side. It was nice that the cups were more like the size of a mug!

Even though there is quite a lot of seating, the staff do make the effort to keep things clean. They are constantly cleaning and clearing up the tables, so that the cafe is well maintained.

To get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, escaping to the tranquil Cafe in the Crypt is perfect. This is a hidden gem in the capital! Cafe in the Crypt is also host to Jazz Nights on particular weeknights.

Cafe in the Crypt, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ

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