tealeaves

August 29, 2015
by tealeaves 1 Comment

Cafe W, Reading

Waterstones, 12 Holy Brook Mall, The Oracle, Reading, RG1 2AQ.

Visited on: Saturday 29th August 2015

A fuzzy photo (sorry) of what the Costa Coffee in this Waterstones used to look like.

View of what the new Cafe W looks like. The plant pots on the tables are a nice touch.

So, here we are. Cafe W. So new it’s not listed on the Cafe W page on the Waterstones website yet. It was advertised as opening yesterday, but when I turned up yesterday afternoon there were no tables or chairs – instead people were running round unpacking things and being trained on how to use the coffee machine. I came again today and low and behold: a new cafe.

Not everything was up and running yet. There were paper cups because there were problems with the dishwasher (apparently it ‘blew up’), but as it’s the first day and things aren’t yet ship shape, all the hot drinks were discounted to £1. Fair enough.

Most impressively, they have a selection of loose leaf tea that includes rooibos. I tasted some of the chocolate cake that was in tasting chunks on a plate on the counter and it was a good strong flavour. I ordered some (instead of a chocolate brownie) on the strength of the taste and the recommendation of the lady behind the counter. It was nice, but very soggy – one of those cakes that are designed to be gooey and pudding like. I wasn’t that keen. I’ll try the chocolate brownie next time.

Rooibos tea, milk in a paper cup and a generous slice of chocolate cake at Cafe W.

There are less tables in here than there used to be when it was Costa. Other changes include the walls now being Waterstones green and the tables being a lighter wood. Overall it feels much brighter. The staff were friendly and chatty and I’d be interested to come back again when they’re more established.

Teapot? No. But perhaps there will be teapots once the dishwasher is up and running?
Leaf tea? Yes, Suki loose leaf tea.
Milk jug? No, but milk was provided in another paper cup so I could add my own and the lady serving me apologised for the lack of jug, so I’m guessing there will be a jug when the dishwasher is sorted.
Price? £1 for the rooibos tea (reduced from £1.80) and £2.50 for the chocolate cake.
Cake? Yes, chocolate cake, carrot cake, croissants, chocolate brownie and some sort of square traybake with jam.
Go again? Yes. This isn’t my favourite cafe in Reading, mainly because though there are windows the windows look out into the corridor of the Oracle shopping centre and so there’s no natural light, but I will come back again because I like the feel of the place and because they have loose leaf tea. Also, if it’s the same as the Costa before it, it’s a useful cafe if you need to get some work/tea drinking done after 6pm (as the Oracle stays open to 8pm every weekday).

August 27, 2015
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Intrigue in Waterstones

I think this is the first time I’ve seen a poster with the words ‘See you there’ and thought, ‘Yes, you will’.

There are two branches of Waterstones in Reading, one in the Oracle shopping centre and one on Broad Street. The one in the Oracle used to have a Costa Coffee inside it, but, in line with Waterstones’ policy of not renewing external coffee company contracts and instead putting in their own cafes, this has now closed.

While I’m sad to see the lovely and super friendly Costa coffee staff go (they’ve gone to the Debenhams a few metres away), I am intrigued by the thought of a new cafe. Waterstones branded cafes are called Cafe W and I’ve never been in one. Not ever.

When I went in yesterday there was a white hoarding around the area where the Costa used to be and a smell of fresh paint. Tomorrow, there should be a whole new cafe there. I’m not sure what it’ll be like, but I’m going to go and find out. And then, dear reader, I’ll post about it on here so you can know too.

August 26, 2015
by tealeaves 3 Comments

Nibsy’s

26 Cross Street, Reading, RG1 1SN.

Visited on: Monday 17th August 2015

The view from my table at Nibsy’s. It’s not normally as empty as this and it got busier almost as soon as I took the photo.

I’ve been coming here pretty much since it opened and keep meaning to blog about it, but never got round to it. When they started advertising their first birthday celebrations it made me realise that I’d been putting it off for far too long.

Nibsy’s is a gluten free cafe. That’s not the reason you should come here though, you should come here because the tea comes in pots, the staff are friendly, there’s a nice atmosphere and the cake is divine. I like writing in here and they have free wifi, which can be useful. Plus, they’re honest – on the menu behind the counter it says ‘TEAS (bagged)’. No surprises here.

There are three seating areas – outside, inside on the ground floor and inside downstairs. There’s a mix of soft armchairs and sofas and proper tables and chairs. There’s also a toilet (necessary if you’re going to spend an hour or so writing and drinking tea). Everything ties together visually, for example, the colour of the light pink chairs match the colour of tiny metal buckets the sugar comes in and also matches the logo and the spots on the loyalty card.

Pot of rooibos tea and the marvellous chocolate brownie in Nibsy’s.

The visual impact and physical space of a cafe makes a big difference to how you enjoy your tea and cake. Beautiful surroundings do help a sense of restful calm. No matter how high quality the food and drink, I bet afternoon tea at the Savoy would not be so enjoyable if you had to eat it in a portacabin. Nibsy’s is a nice place to be as well as somewhere that sells nice food and drink. I hope they celebrate many more birthdays.

Teapot? Yes.
Leaf tea? No, but Whittards tea bags, so we’re in safe hands.
Milk jug? Yes. There’s a choice of different milks as well, all at no extra cost.
Price? £1.65 for a pot of rooibos tea and a £2.85 for a chocolate brownie.
Cake? Yes, oh yes. It’s all gluten free and it all tastes amazing. Some of it is vegan. They have four different types of chocolate cake (including the brownie). I’ve tried three of the four and the brownie is still my favourite, but there are other things too. Fruity frangipane, bakewell tarts, flapjack… It all looks good. I would try more except I keep going back to the chocolate brownie. There are also savoury tarts and pasta and sandwiches, but I’ve never got any further than the cake, so you’ll have to try that lot yourself.
Go again? Without a doubt.

August 21, 2015
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Urban Tea Rooms

19 Kingly Street, Soho, London, W1B 5PY.

Visited on: Saturday 13th June 2015

The view from my sofa at Urban Tea Rooms.

This was a happy accident of a tea room find. I’d been in Liberty’s, intending to go there for tea, when I suddenly decided I didn’t feel like tea there after all and wanted to find somewhere new. I wandered towards Carnaby Street and found a handy map displayed on the wall showing all the different eateries in the area. The Urban Tea Rooms seemed an auspicious name, so off I went.

The Urban Tea Rooms seems to be a cafe and bar. I wish the UK had more places like this; it makes sense to me that you could start off with tea in the afternoon and let the day stretch into an evening celebration. As long as they would still sell me tea in the evening, of course.

I have to confess that I no longer buy caffeinated tea. I know, I’m letting the side down, but that’s how it is. I still have the same exacting standards – but they now apply to rooibos (AKA redbush) and decaf tea.

The salted caramel brownie was too tempting to resist and I paired it with a pot of organic rooibos. I know that chocolate has caffeine in it and I tried to give up chocolate as well, but I couldn’t do it. A side effect of giving up caffeinated drinks is my new obsession with chocolate related things, especially chocolate brownies. This was one of the best ones I’ve had, very rich, very sweet and a good gooey consistency.

Rooibos and incredibly decadent salted caramel brownie at Urban Tea Rooms

Another customer (who was getting a takeaway coffee) recommended sitting on the sofa by the door and I took her advice. It was a squashy, comfortable place to sit and people watch, but with a teeny tiny table so you had somewhere to put your hot drinks and snacks. You might feel a bit hemmed in there if it gets busy, but at the time there weren’t many people in so it was lovely.

Teapot? Yes.
Leaf tea? Yes, but in a tea bag – as in, they scoop in the loose leaf and put it in a tea bag. I can’t decide if this defeats the point of having loose leaf tea or not. I suppose you get better quality tea. And it tasted nice, so perhaps we’re okay after all.
Milk jug? Yes.
Price? £2.80 for a pot of organic Redbush tea (one of the most expensive teas on the menu). £2.80 for the salted caramel brownie. £8.90 for an Earl Grey gin and tonic, if you’re that way inclined.
Cake? Yes. The divine salted caramel brownie, plus the normal Victoria Sponge and a carrot and walnut cake (I know, it should be coffee and walnut, but it was the second carrot and walnut cake I’d seen for sale in the last few weeks, so perhaps it was a new trend), scones, muffins, pastries. Also sandwiches and what might have been a stew.
Go again? Definitely.

August 8, 2013
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Shed

The Old Forge, Merchants Place, Reading, RG1 1DT. (View on map)

The spacious upstairs seating area at Shed.

I’d seen adverts for Shed around before, but only got round to visiting it today. It’s tucked away down a side street with a small downstairs and a large and roomy upstairs seating area, with some big windows and comfortably sized tables.

They have a number of salads, sandwiches and toasties available for lunch and a range of tea and coffee. For drinks I chose a redbush tea and tap water and for lunch I fancied a salad. I picked my salad after asking advice from the lady serving: hot cous cous, chicken, chorizo and coleslaw.

The salad had a lot of chicken and chorizo in it, so I was pleasantly surprised. The tea was good too.

Salad and tea at Shed.

I was hungry and concentrating on lunch, but even so some of you will be shocked when I tell you that I didn’t notice what cake was on offer. I have a vague memory of triangular millionaire’s shortbread and a banana and chocolate loaf, but that’s all I can tell you. There may have been more, there may have been nothing else, I may have dreamt the shortbread. I can only apologise and pledge to do better next time.

Teapot? No, a mug and saucer with a tea bag.
Leaf tea? No.
Milk jug? Yes.
Price? £1.60 for the redbush tea, £5.90 for the salad (the most expensive salad they have, so it’s easy to eat for less if you’d like).
Cake? Yes, I think (see above).
Go again? Yes. I’d like to try some different food and check whether they have cake. Plus upstairs looked like a useful place to go if you needed to get some work done.

February 1, 2013
by tealeaves 2 Comments

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off

I missed The Great Comic Relief Bake Off when it was on TV but thankfully it was my work Christmas meal last night lots of colleagues were talking about it. Some people weren’t making any sense as they were laughing too much, so I thought I’d check it out on iPlayer. I’m halfway through the first episode and already I’ve learnt some very important things:

Paul Hollywood’s nickname for Mary Berry is ‘Bezza’
We have the same kitchen timer that they use on the programme
If puff pastry catches fire in the oven don’t use a fire blanket to put it out

Well worth watching.

December 9, 2012
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Claridge’s documentary

Just a quick post to let you know about the ‘Inside Claridge’s’ documentary on the BBC.

Episode One has been and gone but at the moment you can still catch it on iPlayer. I’m hoping that at some point we’ll get some inside info on their afternoon tea.

Thanks to J for letting me know about it.

October 22, 2012
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The Breakfast Club, Spitalfields

12 – 16 Artillery Lane, Spitalfields, London, E1 7LS. (View on map)

The cup is not really this small, it’s just that the pancakes are big.

Outside was grey but inside The Breakfast Club it was a bright, shiny morning. Even the toilets were cheerful – the ladies toilet is decorated with ‘My Little Pony’ wallpaper. The cafes are a homage to breakfast and the 1980s and this works well.

I plumped for the pancakes with berries, maple syrup and vanilla cream; along with some English Breakfast tea. I was a bit disappointed that the tea came in a cup, but at least the cup was big and the tea bag was teapigs.

The only American style pancakes I’ve ever had for breakfast prior to this were from McDonald’s and so I wasn’t expecting much. These were amazing – light yet filling, sweet yet savoury. I don’t know what vanilla cream is exactly (maybe just vanilla flavoured whipped cream?) but I’m now a big fan.

Teapot? No, a cup and saucer with a tea bag.
Leaf tea? No, though it was a tasty tea bag.
Milk jug? Yes.
Price? £2 for the tea, £6.50 for the pancakes with berries.
Cake? Not when I went, it was too early in the morning. They did have some cake listed on their lunch and dinner menu.
Go again? Yes. I would like to go again and try the ‘All American’ pancakes – pancakes with bacon, eggs, sausage, potatoes and maple syrup. I’ve always been sceptical about this combination, but I think I trust The Breakfast Club enough to give it a go. I’d also like to try going in the evening. After I’d been EM told me that the fridge I was sitting next to opens up in the evening and you can walk through it into a club. I’d like to be able to say I’ve walked through a fridge.

September 30, 2012
by tealeaves 1 Comment

EATIN

Birchanger Green Motorway Services (Welcome Break Group Ltd), Junction 8, M11, Old Dunmow Road, Essex, CM23 5QZ. (View on map)

The tea at EATIN was expensive and made with a teabag, but at least the milk didn’t come in a plastic pot. The really interesting thing about this tea stop was the triangular Toblerone pastry. I like Toblerone and although it didn’t look that great I thought I should try it for blog research purposes.

R ignored the pasty in favour of a fry up.

It’s triangular. I like triangles.

The inside of the mysterious triangle.

Unfortunately it didn’t taste that great. The pastry was very heavy and solid – as if it hadn’t been cooked properly – and there was a lump of Toblerone-style filling in the centre. It may have tasted better if it was warm. I wouldn’t recommend it but I applaud the attempt to create something new.

It is apparently the ‘UK’s first branded pastry treat’ and the photos on the supplier website look very different to the one I had – far lighter. If I see one that looks puffier I’m willing to try it again and let you know.

Teapot? No, a mug with a tea bag in.
Leaf tea? No.
Milk jug? You helped yourself to milk from a big urn thing, presumably designed so people could add milk to cereal as well.
Price? £3.15 for the tea and the pastry (as I had the tea-and-any-pastry-for-£3.15 deal). £2.15 for tea and £1.99 for the pastry if you don’t get the deal.
Cake? Yes, normal muffins and pastries.
Go again? Not by choice, but then service stations are more about location that provision and so I may end up here again at some point.

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