Ben's Canteen

Ben's Canteen has been on my to-do list for a while now. For months, it's name has been popping up randomly whether it's my Twitter feed showing a constant barrage of people going there or colleagues at work mentioning it. When my best friend demanded that we go, who was I to refuse? 

Now, although the name makes it sound like a truckers stop, it is anything but. With locations in Earlsfield and Battersea, they appear to cater only for us South-West Londoners but I recommend people stepping away from their postcodes in order to try it out. 

We decided to try the Earlsfield one situated on a corner of the never ending Garratt Lane. Inside is quirky yet classy, with stripped wooden floors, long cushioned benches, a ton of mirrors and some pretty cool wall features. It has an intimate feel to it, without being at all suffocating or cramped - perfect for date night (kind of needing Tinder to pull through right now...).

Food wise, there's something for everyone. Steaks, salads, fish, pasta... "nothing out of the ordinary" you'd think, right? Wrong. The nachos come with a pestle and mortar to smash up your own guacamole, the fish & chips manages to be guilt free and just wait until you see the doughnuts for dessert. There is also an extensive drinks menu and they always have offers on such as 2-4-1 Tuesdays, a free espresso martini, bottomless booze brunches... awaiting payday really isn't necessary at Ben's Canteen.

Here's a little snippet of what you can expect:

Cajun Prawn & Baby Gem Lettuce Sliders. These are served on a mountain of guacamole and sour cream to give the whole thing a Mexican feel. Use a knife and fork or pick them up, wrap them up, and do your best not to get it all down you. Guess which option I went for?

Spring Shoot Super Food Salad with Chicken. It's nice to find a salad that can actually fill you up. This plate is piled high with quinoa, beans, lentils, asparagus, broccoli and chicken. You could choose to have it with smoked salmon instead or just plain. Either way, it'll always come topped off with some nice edible flowers which is all that matters really.

'Healthier' Fish & Chips. I could not fault this. I tried. But I couldn't. The hake was cooked perfectly and the polenta made a great alternative to your standard potato chips. With a side of avocado and tomato, this felt like an indulgent meal but had the added bonus of not actually being one.

Doctor's DIY Doughnuts. These are the sole reason my friend wanted to come here so it would've been criminal for her not to have them. Served up are a bowl of mini doughnuts and 3 syringes of gooey deliciousness for you to inject into the doughnuts at your hearts content. The custard one was definitely a winner between us but you could also play around with chocolate sauce and strawberry jam. If you're having a family meal and want the kids to shut up, just order these. It'll keep them occupied for a while at least!















If you're not convinced by the above then go to Ben's Canteen and try it for yourself. The service here is not to be sniffed at and if nothing else, you'll just want to stay and chat to the staff here. We had a young waitress who answered a gazillion questions and was incredibly helpful, and the waiter who took our orders definitely adds to the character of the place. I will absolutely be making this a regular spot, especially as my friend organised her entire birthday night here before we even left the place. In fact I might work my way through the menu by the end of the year. Game. On. 

Nic
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Hotbox - Bottomless Booze Brunch

Being in my twenties, there's no place I'd rather be living right now than London. As much as the hustle and bustle can sometimes get on my nerves (the morning commute will never be fun), I still have the freedom and enthusiasm to enjoy London whilst I can. After all, it won't last forever. However, with busy lives, relationships, work, moving etc. it can become increasingly difficult to spend some quality time with your nearest and dearest.

That's why, when the opportunity FINALLY arose, my best girlfriend and I decided to check out the bottomless boozy brunch at Hotbox. We wanted something relaxed, relatively inexpensive and fun, but also something we wouldn't do every day of the week. Hotbox delivered on all accounts.

Located a 3 minute walk from Aldgate East station, Hotbox is close to the hubbub of Spitalfields. Normal people following a map would find this very easily, being the only outlandish black building in sight, but two blondes together? Not so much. It would help if the neon red Hotbox sign was on the outside as well as the inside but who am I to judge the creative!

Hotbox is known in the area more for its grill and BBQ angle than for the brunch. Look up any review and you will see them all raving about the succulent meat, generous portions and overall great atmosphere. I can safely say the brunch standard is just as high.

So what's the deal? With statings up until 2pm, you pay £25 for two solid hours of unlimited prosecco/mimosas/Bloody Marys (we opted for the prosecco purely because I'm very particular with Bloody Marys and mimosas would get too sickly!). Food is paid for on top of the £25 but, with the majority of items coming in at under £10, it's still a great offer. Compare it to some other bottomless brunch venues(£50 charges, restricted drink choices, less than two hours of boozing) and I'd say Hotbox is a winner.

Once inside, the wooden interior, bench tables and open kitchen make for a really relaxed feel. As soon as we were seated, we had our first glass of prosecco poured which was topped up by the attentive staff without prompting throughout our time there. God knows how much booze we actually got through but it was well worth the £25!

The brunch menu itself spoils you for choice. Our waiter was so patient with our incessant questions and seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the food; a rarity in many restaurants these days.

I went for one of the veggie options: Mushroom Taco with Crispy Shallot, Rocket and Chipotle Mayo. I also got a side of poached eggs as I had no idea what the tacos would turn out like. They were AMAZING. I never thought I'd say that about something which, on paper, seem pretty bland but whatever they'd sauteed the mushrooms in worked a treat. The shallots added a much needed crunch to the tacos as well as adding to the flavour combination with the chipotle. A surefire winner for any vegetarian but also for the non-veggies it would seem! The presentation couldn't be faulted either. Why use plates when you can use a tree trunk?



For the non-veggies and aspiring New Yorkers, this next offering should appeal to you: Buttermilk Pankcakes with Maple Syrup and Bacon. As requested, the bacon was cooked until crispy and was presented on a stack of four super-thick, super-stodgy pankcakes. Just how they should be. The maple syrup is definitely needed to add moisture to the overall dish but, if this doesn't appeal, you can always go for the berries and banana option. It's safe to say you no longer need to travel across the pond to get some good old-fashioned American-style pancakes.


Having not seen each other for a while, time ran away with us and our two hours of prosecco was up. The great thing was we weren't rushed out. We stayed there for a good half hour longer just catching up and deciding what to do next (just an FYI - do not decide it's a good idea to go and get something pierced after drinking solidly for two hours. You will be laughed and at given a firm "no"). 

There's been a few places across London now that I have reviewed for this blog and, apart from the odd few, I generally give positive reviews. However, if you are looking for the whole package eg: great food, good prices, great atmosphere and great service, I would put Hotbox at the top. I will definitely be going back in the not too distant future.

(And just for those who were wondering what we did end up doing after being rejected from the piercing place, it basically consisted of booze, booze and a tad more booze, topped off with a good old game of scrabble in the pub. Pure class).

Nic

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Royal Parks Half Marathon

After cruelly being forced into taking part in this half marathon at the last minute last year, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually really enjoyed it! As much as I love getting to the gym as much as possible, I am the first to admit that I can become stuck in a rut with my fitness routine. Signing up this year will (hopefully) give me the bit of oomph that I need to get off the treadmill and start pounding the pavements in preparation for this! 

If you're feeling generous then click on the link below to sponsor me (it's for a good cause, trust me) or, if not, just come along on 12th October to soak up the atmosphere, have a laugh (at me) and enjoy the drink stands whilst the rest of us do the hard work...

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=nicmac88