Really
could porridge become and more pimped? Yes people, it can. 26 Grains, the
brainchild of Alex Hely Hutchinson is a cute café nestled in Neal’s Yard,
amongst the infamous Neal’s Yard headquarters. The location is the sort of
secret only real Londoners know about, all hanging baskets, muted tones and
aged brickwork.
The café (I
think its more café than restaurant) has a hipster vibe to it. Tiny, with small
wooden tables, whitewashed walls and an oblicitory smattering of copper.
Porridge is the only thing on the menu but man do they do it well, its pimped
beyond any porridge I’d eaten before and kicks those pret cardboard pots out of
the water. We sat outside, just next to
the street cleaning man – making the whole experience all the more London – and
cuddled generous bowls of their Nodic Pear option, think coconut milk, oats,
spices, seeds, cacao crumble, coconut yoghurt, pear & maple. And they don’t
even mention the flurry of edible violets sprinkled to finish. Sweet nothings,
it was so good.
And here are
the others:
Hazelnut
& Butter
Almond Milk
Oats, Butter, Hazelnuts, Cinnamon Coconut Palm Sugar and Apple
Banana
Cacao
Almond Milk
Oats, Coconut Yogurt, Cacao Nibs, Banana and Date Syrup
Cardamom
Orange
Almond Milk
Oats and Rye, Cardamom Orange Compote, Greek Yogurt, Pomegranate, Pistachio
Jasper, my
four year old eats porridge every day whether the weather Gods are smiling or
crying. I arrived home from 26 Grains with my phone loaded with pics and we’ve
decided that this is the only café he ever wants to eat at. I think I agree.
