Orchard Café, Sicilian Avenue, Holborn

After my first vegetarian experience at the Indian Veg Bhelpoori House I wanted to find somewhere that was a bit less ‘in-your-face’ in terms of its ethical message, and I think I found just the place at Orchard. The Café (I’m not going to call it a restaurant because it’s quite small and isn’t really a dinner kind of place) is situated in the beautiful Sicilian Avenue, opposite Holborn tube station.

Built in 1910, the avenue is short but like most small things, it is beautiful with an exquisite Edwardian archway and arcade. It caught my eye whilst I was passing by on the bus and I knew I had to visit this road, loving all things Italian.

I was hoping to find some kind of exciting Sicilian restaurant, but instead I was faced with a choice of Patisserie Valerie (a large French café chain) or the Spaghetti House (a London based Italian chain). Even though I did quite fancy a pasta Carbonara, this blog is all about eating something unexpected, so I had to resist. Orchard was the only other option and I was feeling sceptical, but the rustic, country-garden décor enticed me.

I am happy to admit that I thought all vegetarian food was boring and would never fill me up, but after eating at Orchard, I stand corrected. I don’t know what they do, but they make vegetables taste amazing.  After doing a little research, I found out that the owners started a restaurant called Vanilla Black at Chancery Lane. It was apparently a very famous and ambitious vegetarian restaurant with a British theme, and Orchard was supposed to be a Café-style version of this. Perhaps that’s another one for me to visit.

At Orchard I ordered a vintage Cheddar pudding and smoked potato croquette with caramelised red onions, homemade tomato ketchup and roasted garden vegetables.  Need I say anymore… The meal was so delicious, even the non-Heinz ketchup was great, and that’s really saying something because, for me, ‘it has to be Heinz’.  Others things on the menu included a ‘3 salads’ plate, homemade soup, sardines and a tomato and chervil tart, all served with their freshly-baked bread. The puddings include various fruit dishes and a selection of cakes baked daily. Sadly, the cakes were so popular that they had all been eaten by the time I arrived, so I had to suffice with an Eaton Mess, which ticked all my boxes.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone – vegetarian or carnivore – looking for somewhere to grab a quick but highly delicious lunch. It’s perfect for professionals working in the area, but equally an excellent spot to meet friends for a cup of herbal tea and a healthy-sized slice of cake. It’s not particularly cheap for a lunch, but it’s worth it as a lot of thought and effort has gone into the preparation of each dish.  The café is charmingly furnished and the staff are pleasant.

Scores:

Food: 8/10, a small menu but creative and filling. I love the homemade bread.

Ambience: 8/10, its relaxed with a buzz of chatter.

Value for money: 7/10, its expensive but not over-priced.

Would I go again: Yes.

http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/

(the restaurant linked to Orchard - looks divine)

Directions to Orchard: It's in a small lane opposite Holborn tube station on the Central Line