Sunday 22 January 2012

Bishopsgate Kitchen - Rustic, casual and modern European restaurant

Bishopsgate Kitchen (BK)
Summary
Snapshot

Cuisine:
Modern European
Price:
Small dishes /Nibbles from £5.50
Main dishes from £10
Drinks from £2
Average lunch spend with service charge and a soft drink: £16
Healthy:
Varied but fresh and seasonal ingredients.
Tasty:
  3/5
Address:       
  4 Brushfield Street,
  Spitalfields,
  London 
  E1 6AN   

Opening times
 Monday to Friday 7.30am - 10pm
 Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm
Eat in/Takeaway:
 Eat-in
Recommended dishes
 It is seasonal so there should be a range of choices to suit everyone.  This will be changing according to the chef’s choice of seasonal flavours.
Vegetarian dishes
 Yes but only two vegetarian options available from the main dishes    of  the lunch menu.
Loyalty card
 No loyalty card scheme but Benugo coffees are served here. From memory, there is a loyalty card for Benugo coffees.
Website


Note
 A no booking table policy is in operation.
 Breakfast and brunch looks appetising.


Lunch Analysis
I work around the City of London and I was really intrigued about trying BK. Recently, there have been many restaurants trying to source local ingredients and to use seasonal ingredients to keep their menu fresh and simple. I am a fan of this and wanted to see what the menu and ambiance of this place would be like.
My colleague and I decided to try out BK and headed here for lunch. The menu has a few choices that reflects simplicity but there should be something for everyone.
I was tempted with the burger as our neighbours at the table had ordered it and it looked amazing but a bit devilish for a Wednesday lunch and with a heavy afternoon ahead, I opted for the lighter option, Salmon and sweet potato fishcakes and a side salad. (£12.50)
Salmon and sweet potato fishcakes

I enjoyed it very much, as it was very fresh and nothing was over cooked in this dish. However, I thought the price is higher than what I would have expected, as the split of the bill came to £16 including service which is at a rate of 12.5%. However, I would come back again as I felt the ingredients were fresh and the dish was cooked well. There were certainly other dishes that I wouldn’t mind trying like the burger with the brioche bun.
My colleague tried the “Winter Cobb salad” (£12.50) which consisted of bacon, free range leg of black chicken in a blue cheese dressing. For a man who never chooses salad as an option, he was very happy. There were chunks of crispy bacon chicken enough to keep him going till the end of the day. I also checked with him by 4pm and he was still very full. Not bad for a salad.
Winter Cobb Salad

There are smaller dishes and sharing boards to nibble on for those wanting the lighter option.
The fact the menu is seasonal and reflecting on fresh local ingredients means that the menu should be changing with interesting and hearty dishes.
 I wasn’t sure if we were able to get a table but we were lucky that we could get one amongst the already busy diners tucking into their lunch. Most were city diners as some were discussing business and or on their lunch break.
Although, not a very a large restaurant, it has a nice warm ambiance. It was great the service was efficient and we managed to finish around 50 minutes which meant we were just in time for our meeting back at the office.
This is also a place to catch up with friends for a cup of coffee and I can see this place being popular for those wanting a casual bite to eat after work but also with the weekend crowd in Spitalfields.

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