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Thread: Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

  1. #1

    Default Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

    At the gathering this weekend Marrers insisted I post about my experience with the Bonnington Café. I was going there that night as I am so totally popular I had two social engagements in one day.

    The Bonnington Café is a small place near Vauxhall and Oval – walking distance from my house – with the novelty that there's a different chef each night. Their website lists email addresses and mobile numbers for their chefs. I phoned to reserve a table on the day. This was awkward; most restaurant reservations do not begin with "Erm, I got your phone number from the web – I understand you're cooking tonight?" But the lady at the other end (Anya) was cooking, and not the victim of an elaborate practical joke. The table was reserved.

    I met my friend on the north end of Vauxhall bridge and we walked from there. It's a 5 minute walk from Vauxhall tube, or maybe an 8 minute walk from Oval. The interior reminded me of a public school's art department – single glazed windows in rickety wooden frames, an eclectic range of wooden furniture, a variety of photos and pictures on the wall. There's no background music and there were only a few people there, making it a poor choice if you wanted to discuss the results from the GUM clinic. The menu choices were limited – one starter, two main courses, two desserts – but I imagine this varies depending on the chef (and don't forget the menu will differ daily). Prices are flat-rate: £3 for a starter, £7 for a main course, £3 for a dessert. Neither of us ordered a drink so I don't know how reasonable they are.

    My starter was a generous bowl of lentil & sweet potato soup. It was served with a bowl of french bread. It was creamy and tasty, and not too hot. I hate it when soup scalds my tongue. My friend and I ordered different main courses and split them. We had a raw 'pizza' and a vegetable stew. Both came with two varieties of side salad. The raw pizza was pizzaesque; the stew was unexciting but pleasant. In other words: the food didn't excite me, but it didn't disappoint me either. The stew was the kind of thing I would imagine making at home, if I could be bothered to do side salads. The raw pizza was more of a novelty. The base was crunchy, the cheesy sauce was nice, the vegetable toppings fresh. For dessert I had a raw banana pecan pie, and my friend got a fruit crumble. We split them again; the pecan pie was sweet but not insipid, with a weird moussey texture I've found common with raw food. The crumble was great – delicious, fruity, with cinnamon. I am a sucker for good crumble.

    In summary: it's definitely worth a visit, and I'll be going back. It's the kind of place you visit for the overall experience – each meal is a one-off. The food's not going to knock your socks off, but it's reasonably priced, unfussy, and tastes good. If I ever try to seduce an art student, I'm taking her there.
    Loose leaf for life.

  2. #2
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

    Thanks for that creature (though I expect it will be moved to the London thread).


    Quote creature View Post
    The menu choices were limited – one starter, two main courses, two desserts – but I imagine this varies depending on the chef (and don't forget the menu will differ daily).
    It's some time since I was last there but as I understand it sometimes there will only be one vegan option depending on who the chef is and it's advisable to mention you are vegan when booking.

    http://s208303316.websitehome.co.uk/diary.htm

    I like the look of Draeyk's vegan Thursdays though!
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  3. #3
    Boodler pusskins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

    My partner and I are going here on Sunday for lunch, as it is our 1st anniversary (blimmin' heck, where has the time gone??). The menu is all vegan that day. We were actually recommended this place by a lovely lady we met briefly at the London vegan festival a couple weeks back. I shall let you know what it is like!

    AND of course on Saturday I will be having my (becoming regular) serving of tiramisu from Inspiral lol Mmmmm, tiramisuuuuuu...
    "You're right, Jackie. The Fonz could beat up Bruce Lee."

  4. #4
    Gwydion's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

    AND of course on Saturday I will be having my (becoming regular) serving of tiramisu from Inspiral lol Mmmmm, tiramisuuuuuu...
    It is mighty nom, no doubt. Congrats, hope you have a great day.
    Let the music mend our minds. Let the music bend our minds.

  5. #5
    Boodler pusskins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eating out reviewette: Bonnington Café

    The lunch we had on Sunday at the Bonnington Cafe was s-u-p-e-r-b. Starter was mung beans and root vegetable soup with a spicy twist, served with a home made blackcurrant and grain bun. Main was Passtiya - crunchy pastry filled with puy lentils, cashews, peanuts and dried prunes, served with black sesame runner beans and green salad in a fruity dressing. Dessert was chocolate quinoa tahini dates and walnuts energy balls. And to drink, we had Pomegranate Lemonade.

    Very friendly community cafe. Very cosy!

    I have tried to add photos - never had a problem before with photobucket, but even though I have resized and rotated the pics, they still come on here as massive and wrong way round. Hmph!
    "You're right, Jackie. The Fonz could beat up Bruce Lee."

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