Brunch has solidified itself this year as my favourite meal of the day. It is versatile, modern and acceptable to drink alcohol frugal.
What I also love about brunch is that is makes a great outing for all occasions whether it be a meeting, a date or a catch up with friends. A great brunch place also caters well for vegans, vegetarians of the health conscious.
I’ve become quite a gem finder and my most recent find is one of my favourite so far. A mere stone throw away from my house, hides a quaint cafe called Carpentier & Co just off Pinner High Street in North-West London.
It’s fairly small and cosy, so we were lucky to get a table on a Sunday afternoon. You could almost walk right past the cafe, which looks more like a cool vintage store than anything.
Stepping inside felt like stepping into a house from Alice in Wonderland (if Alice was a rebellious teen from the 50s.) The cafe has so much character which is refreshing with most restaurants opting for minimalistic decor these days.
The first item I tried was their Spanish hot chocolate which is thicker and more chocolatey than your standard hit chocolate. Topped with a thick layer of cream and mini marshmallows, this made the perfect indulgent start to my meal.
As well as the hot chocolate, we ordered two bottles of prosecco. Both were delicious and fairly priced. What is brunch without prosecco?!
We ordered a range of items between us as well as some individual options. These were: The Greek sharing board and the antipasti sharing board. The foods on the sharing boards were of high quality and hand lovingly made.
One of my favourite things about the cafe quite instantly was the fact that everything is made in front of you. I get sensory satisfaction from seeing all the elements of my dish come together.
The star of the visit for me however, was the avocado, halloumi and chilli jam toast drizzled in a balsamic glaze. This was nothing short of divine. It’s always interesting to me how simplicity and quality products can create some of the best dishes you’ve had. This was no different. The saltiness of the halloumi balanced well with sweetness of their homemade chilli jam. The chilli jam deserves its own mention. It had just the right amount of kick; it’s unique blend made me crave more.
As well as the food and the atmosphere, the ladies who work in Carpentier and Co are some of the sweetest women I’ve met along The Food Doll’s journey. They were really helpful and explained everything thoroughly.
Overall, Carpentier and Co easily slides into my list of top venues. Our meal was cheap yet blew some of the more high end, costly brunch spots out of the water.
I can’t wait to re-visit the venue who also offer private hire. You can check them out at http://www.carpentierandco.com
The Food Doll 