Rate My Bistro

On the gorgeous picturesque island of Djurgarden is this sweet cafe! I only discovered Bla Porten as I saw these dark iron gates which were framing a contrasting lush green area!

At first I wasn’t sure if it was private property. It looked like a beautiful secret garden! Once I realised that it was a cafe, I entered the gates and was welcomed by a beautiful garden, with lots of outdoor seats!

Inside Bla Porten Cafe, there was a huge wooden table, filled with so many cakes, pastries, fruits and sandwiches. It was all displayed so nicely and it felt like I was in cake heaven! The only thing that I would have changed was that I would have had all the food covered, as I’m not a fan of open food displays.

So, seen as it was time for an afternoon tea break, I had a cup of Earl Grey tea. Bla Porten used fresh tea leaves which they then put into a tea bag! I was told that I could help myself to the hot water and milk, which was by the entrance of the cafe.

As for something sweet, I had a cinnamon bun. This was fairly big but a little dry. It could have had slightly more cinnamon. I could also taste cardamon!

Bla Porten has a lot of indoor seating but I think that it is a lot nicer to sit outdoors, if the weather is good! The staff were very friendly and didn’t mind taking the time to explain what the cakes were.

At first, I had been very impressed with Bla Porten, more to do with its surroundings and its displays. As for the food, it was ok. Maybe I should have tried one of the other cakes and then my opinion might have changed! Saying that though, this cafe had a good range of teas and coffees and I was spoilt for choice!

Bla Porten Cafe, Djurgarsvagen 64, Djurgarden, 11521 Stockholm

Our Rating:

The Mauve Lounge is so spacious and has luxurious purple seating! There are huge wall sized windows which contributes to the light and airy atmosphere. It’s nice that the “Mauve” theme is displayed through all the décor.

The afternoon tea at the Mauve Lounge is called TLSee! The TLSee is different to other afternoon teas at other venues. This is due to its plate of impressive novelty cakes and biscuits in the shape of London landmarks!

So, to set the scene, there are comfy seats that you can lounge and relax on, lots of light, stylish décor  and bright fresh flower displays! To start with, we were brought out tall shots of fresh strawberry smoothie. A great refreshing way to start off the afternoon tea.

There are a range of Twinings teas to choose from and also lots of different herbal blends. If you want something a little different, then there are also the pretty blossoming teas! I chose the classic Earl Grey tea.

Now, onto the food for the TLSee afternoon tea. The range of sandwiches that we were served with were Mediterranean vegetables, smoked salmon and cream cheese, egg mayonnaise, coronation chicken, cheese and pickle, cheese and tomato and ham. It was good as the sandwiches could all be vegetarian on request. All the sandwiches were fresh and tasty. My favourite had to be the Mediterranean vegetable ones!

The scones were of a hearty size; they were plain and fruity ones. Just one scone with the traditional clotted cream and strawberry preserve was quite filling.

The next stage on the tasty adventure was the delectable cakes! These ranged from mini macaroons, fruit tarts, bakewell tarts to chocolate mousse. The chocolate mousse square was heavenly; a combination of rich chocolate, orange fruit jelly and a thin layer of sponge. The bakewell tart had a lovely dense almondy filling with a thin layer of jam. The pastry was good too. The fruit tart was pleasantly surprising as it wasn’t overly sweet. The combination of the different fruit slices went well with the creamy filling.

The plate of the London landmark cakes was very pleasing to the eye and even more to the palate! There were different shortbread biscuits in the shapes of Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Temple underground sign, the Crown jewels, black cabs and ER postbox. The 3D cakes of Big Ben and St Paul’s Cathedral were very impressive! These cakes were based on white and dark chocolate and had fillings of marzipan and raspberry ganache. The Routemaster bus cakes were also very rich as they were white chocolate filled with hazelnut praline! All very yummy and indulgent!

The staff at the Mauve Lounge were really friendly and attentive, but not at all overpowering. They were helpful with all of our questions and various dietary requests. They kept clearing up the table once we’d finished with certain items, in order to keep the tables uncluttered and tidy! It’s great that the Mauve Lounge is prepared to pack the leftover cakes to take home. They have special little TLSee boxes to pack  the cakes in!

I would highly recommend the TLSee afternoon tea at the Mauve Lounge. The setting is not at all stuffy or pretentious and makes for a wonderful treat for a special occasion or just for a treat!

Mauve Lounge, Swissotel The Howard, Temple Place, London, WC2R 2PR

Our Rating:

Ca’puccino has two floors and the relaxed atmosphere is helped by the spacious seating areas. The upstairs floor has some comfy seating and white leather chairs. The lighting is slightly dark. It would be very easy to spend quite a lot of time here. We liked the quirky decor of tower blocks of books distributed over the two floors!

Now onto the food!!! It all looked really fresh and of a high quality. It was nice that you could go see what was in the counter fridges and then make a decision on what to order. We were impressed with the quantity of items on the menu. Fresh food was constantly being put out in the covered counter fridges. 

Ca’puccino has a range of paninis and we opted for the catania. This toasted panini was made of sesame bread and was filled with grilled vegetables, sundried tomatoes and salad. It was of a good size which made it a filling lunch and was really tasty.

It was hard to decide which pastry or tart to go for. We finally decided to have the raspberry croissant and the mela e uvetta- apple, raisin and cinnamon tart. The croissant was great; flaky buttery pastry with just the right amount of fruit filling. The apple tart had the perfect sweetness and it was served with cream.

Another good sweet treat was the pane burro e crema Gianduja which was a small bread roll filled with butter and hazelnut Gianduja cream. It’s perfect if you fancy something to satisfy a chocolate craving but not too heavy. The bread roll was soft with a crusty top!

It was nice that effort was put into make all the dishes nicely presentable, making them even more scrumptious!

The staff were really friendly and efficient. It was nice that they knew the menu well and were helpful in answering our queries. They had no problem warming the desserts up for us and they made us feel really comfortable.

There were so many varieties of coffee and hot drinks on the menu. The soy latte was tasty and creamy! The tea was served by the pot and there was enough for a couple of cups. As well as all the great cakes, Ca’puccino has a very tempting ice-cream counter!

Ca’puccino, Lower Southern Terrace, Westfield London Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, London, W12 7GF

Our Rating:

Cafe Avenyn is conveniently located in the shopping area of Norrmalm and it is a good place to stop for a refreshing cup of tea!

The interior of Cafe Avenyn was fairly striking! It felt very chic with its floral pink chairs. The cafe was nice and clean as well as being spacious. There were a few outdoor seats as well.

Cafe Avenyn had a range of teas and it also had pastries, breads, salads. It all looked very fresh, especially the bakery items.

The Earl Grey tea was served by the cup and it was made with fresh tea leaves instead of tea bags. I was told by the friendly staff that the hot water and milk for the tea was just at the side of the counter and so I could help myself!

Cafe Avenyn was a relaxing cafe helped by the soft songs and music playing in the background!

Cafe Avenyn, Kungsgaten 51, Norrmalm, 11122, Stockholm

Our Rating:

On one of the main squares in Gamla Stan is this wonderful cafe! Chokladkoppen is quite easy to spot; just look for the two tall colourful buildings, and the orange one is the one that you want! It is a fantastic cafe to sit and watch the world go by, especially on a hot sunny day!

There are two types of seating outside; one on the decking and the other is the seating that comes out onto the square. If you’re having a meal, then it is nicer to sit on the wooden chairs on the higher level. If you’re just wanting to have drinks, then sitting on the comfy wicker chairs is a better option.

Chokladkoppen does a range of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, lasagne, salads, soup, baked potatoes, pies, not to mention the big portions of cake!

I decided to have the tomato soup as I was in the need of a hearty lunch and soup always seems to be a good option. I was served with a big bowl of soup and was just expecting some bread on the side. Instead, the soup came with two open cheese sandwiches!

The soup had big chunks of tomato and it was quite creamy. The flavours of the herbs came through as well as the rich tomato flavour. The cheese was very thinly sliced so didn’t make the meal too heavy. The bread that it was came with was a light wholemeal roll. This lunch was perfect and it definitely filled me up until the evening!

The staff were really friendly and gave service with a smile. They were helpful and gave the customers their time, even though the cafe was really busy.

I can see why Chokladkoppen is a popular cafe! It has a great location  in the old town of Gamla Stan, and is so close to lots of attractions such as Storkyrkan (Stockholm’s 700 year old cathedral) and Nobelmuseet (the Nobel Museum).

Chokladkoppen, Stortoget 18-20, Gamla Stan, 11229, Stockholm

Our Rating:

Bluebird Cafe makes up just one part of the Bluebird Courtyard, which includes the cafe, restaurant, shop and bakery. It has a lovely outdoor seating area with the heaters to stop you getting chilly!

The interior has a black and white theme with its black wooden chairs and chequered floor. It feels like quite an informal dining environment, perfect for a Sunday brunch!

The homemade tomato soup was flavoursome and thick but slightly peppery. It had basil pesto drizzled through it. The soup was served with a few slices of walnut and raisin bread. The bread was fresh and delicious!

The breakfast tea was served by the pot. The teacup was quite small compared to regular sized tea cups! The staff were really friendly and we got service with a smile! The food and drink were served fairly promptly as well!

The cafe is a good place to sit and watch the world go by on Kings Road. It is also nice as it at the quieter end of Kings Road!

Bluebird Cafe, 350 Kings Road, London, SW3 5UU

Our Rating:

If you want to go for a traditional English Afternoon Tea, then you must try the Tea Room at Brown’s hotel. It is quite formal and an excellent treat for a special occasion. This venue and its Afternoon Tea was awarded the “Top London Afternoon Tea 2009″ by the Tea Guild.

Brown’s has an extensive range of teas; a total of 17 teas to choose from. We finally decided to go for the Cornish grown tea and Brown’s Afternoon Blend. I was intrigued by the Cornish grown tea as it is the first true English tea, which is grown in a tea plantation near Truro! Both teas were great and were served in silver teapots. We were given additional hot water and a jug of milk. The staff also replaced our cups and refilled our teapots halfway through our Afternoon Tea sitting!

The selection of sandwiches included egg, ham and mustard, cucumber, smoked salmon, chicken; all were really fresh. We could have had more, as the staff did ask us if we wanted another plate of them, but we thought it best to have some room left for the cakes and pastries!

Both the fruit and plain scones were delicious. They were just the right size and were perfect when topped with the clotted cream and strawberry preserve. The strawberry preserve was some of the best that I have ever had! Brown’s gets a lot of compliments about its strawberry preserve and the staff told me that they are now looking into ways to bottle it up, so that it could be made available to purchase!

There were a choice of two cakes from the cake trolley. One was a classic Victoria sponge and the other was a fruit cake. The Victoria sponge was light and was filled with cream and jam.

The final plate consisted of assorted cakes and pastries and we were spoilt for choice! The orange macaroon had the right crunchiness and a great chocolate filling. The other cakes were lemon tart, cream filled profiterole, chocolate cake topped with chocolate cream, and a rhubarb compote topped with cream. All of the cakes were yummy and it was a nice selection to have.

The English Tea Room has two open fires, wooden panels, soft lighting, big arm chairs and sofas. There was live soft piano music playing in the background which suited the relaxed atmosphere. It was nice that the Tea Room felt quite spacious.

The staff were excellent and very attentive. It is essential to make a reservation and on weekends, you are only allocated an hour and a half in the Tea Room. We still had not finished in that time, so it was really great that the staff allowed us to take our cakes through to the bar area! A bonus is that you are given a small sample of the tea leaves to take home with you!

English Tea Room, Brown’s Hotel, Albermarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4BP

Our Rating:

For some unknown reason, Med Kitchen has not been one of those places that I have wanted to try. I’m not sure why this has been the case for so long. But I’m so glad that we went to this restaurant and gave it a go! We really did have such a pleasant dining experience at this particular Med Kitchen in Islington!

The roasted Mediterranean vegetables with couscous and chickpeas was very filling and tasty. It had plenty of strips and chunks of courgettes, peppers, red onion and aubergine. It was supposed to have harissa  in the dish but I wasn’t sure if it would be too spicy for me. So the waitress kindly suggested that I could have it separately on the side. That was great as I could add it to my suit my taste buds. The whole dish and the flavours worked well together. I was glad that the couscous was not coated in olive oil, as it did not need it at all.

My friend had the slow roasted lamb, feta and onion stew and she thouroughly enjoyed her meal too. The chunks of lamb were perfectly cooked and were tender. This dish was served with sesame and onion flatbread. This fresh bread was perfect to dip into the gravy of the stew!

The waitress that was serving us was really honest and we truly appreciated this. When I asked her if the fish was fresh, she told us that it was on some days but on other days, it could be a day or so old. Also, when it came to the coffee, I was originally going to order a mocha. I asked her if this was going to be a big drink, like a latte usually is, but she told me that it was more like an espresso. So, I had a cappuccino instead.

As I mentioned I had the cappucino to end the meal. It was a really good rich, creamy hot drink. A nice touch was that the hot drinks were served with a little biscuit! The tea was served by the pot which is something that I always prefer!

Med Kitchen was a relaxing place to come for our evening dinner. But I can see it being a good restaurant to come to for breakfast or lunch as well. The atmosphere was nice with the soft music playing in the background. There was a range of seating with the cosy cushioned seats along the back wall. I also liked the open kitchen area making up part of the restaurant area. It was great that the waitress was so truthful and didn’t just give us false information so that we would order quickly. It made a huge difference to our whole evening dinner. It made us feel that it was a more of a personal and friendly evening out.

Med Kitchen, 370 St John Street, London, EC1V 4NN

Our Rating:

This is Carluccios flagship restaurant and it is spread over two floors. The entrance and interior reminded me of a grand home. It has high ceilings, stone floors and a big spiral staircase. We were seated on the upper level, which looked like the private dining area. There are huge windows that overlook the surrounding streets of Covent Garden. It felt like we were dining in a stately home!

The starter of foccacia bread was a big piece. It was a little heavy and plain to have as a starter dish even though it was served with olive oil to dip in.

The Arancini Di Riso Siciliani are two fried rice balls served with a red pepper sauce. One of the rice balls has a mozzarella filling and the other has meat ragu. I found that even just one of the rice balls is quite filling but what would complement this dish would be a salad.

The Pasta E Fagioli soup is described on the menu as being a thick soup with vegetables, borlotti beans and pasta. It was more of a broth based soup and not as rich as I would have expected it to be.

I have tried two different main dishes at Carluccios and definitely have a preference. I would recommend having the Penne Giardiniera. The pasta is served with a nice mixture of courgettes, fried spinach balls, chilli and comes with Parmesan and garlic. The flavours and textures of this dish really work together!

I really did not enjoy the homemade ravioli. The filling was spinach and ricotta. This dish was not at all filling. It tasted really bland even though it was served with butter and sage. Also, the side dish of spinach with garlic was average.

The Tiramisu is a fantastic dessert! It has the perfect combination of coffee, cream and chocolate. The portion was enough to share!

If you fancy something sweet, but don’t really want a dessert, then you should try the Ciocolatta. This is a satisfying thick hot chocolate with frothy milk on top. If you don’t want the spoonable hot chocolate, then you can always ask for extra hot milk on the side and dilute the chocolate down a bit!

The cappuccino is good and creamy and a nice drink to have at the end of the meal. Carluccios do not serve soy milk.

The staff were really friendly and the service was good. Carluccios have a shop on the ground floor where you can buy lots of Italian goodies and treats!

Carluccios, Garrick Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9BH

Our Rating:

Melanzana was one of those places that we weren’t sure whether to go into or not. This was only because we thought it may just be a take away deli and we wanted somewhere that we could sit in and have hot drinks.

As soon as we entered, we were impressed with the colourful displays and the range of food in the deli. Little did we know that Melanzana was a restaurant as well! It’s a shame that some of the food was open on top of the counters. They had a range of breads, pastries, cold meats, olives and roasted vegetables.

The staff were friendly and allowed us to sit anywhere that we liked in the dining area. One of the staff didn’t speak/understand English very well, so when we asked for a hot soya milk, she brought us a hot chocolate made with soya milk instead. The mango fruit tea was served by the cup not the pot.

The foccacia bread was good and was topped with onions. It all tasted fresh and was a good portion. There was a lot of pizzas and pasta dishes being brought out to the other tables and they all looked delicious. If we are in the area again, then we will return to sample some of their hot dishes.

Melanzana is a little gem of a place in Battersea! It felt like it was run by a nice tight knit family group. All the food seemed to be fresh and looked like it was made on a regular basis on the premises.

Melanzana, 140 Westbridge Road, London, SW11 3PF

Our Rating: