How do you like your eggs in the morning...

There is nothing more leisurely than enjoying a late breakfast/brunch with a friend at the weekend, especially now January is nearly over and the retox can resume. Jess and I have sampled several of the favourite sw6 brunch spots and have discovered a variety of options to suit all tastes and budgets. Here is our rundown of the best breakfast in Fulham:

Love Walk

This place is really cute, set in a small premises, an adjoining yard, and sprawling over plenty of pavement place, this little brunch and lunch spot has loads of outdoor seating, pretty nice wooden table and chair sets, hanging baskets galore and a brunch menu that goes on and on. There are all your traditional breakfast options (eggs done every which way, Full English, Veggie English, patisseries, yoghurt and muesli etc...) as well as some more unusual options like the 'Turkish Breakfast'. You could go there with a whole gang of fussy eaters and I reckon everyone would leave pretty happy. The menu is also extremely reasonable and definitely on the cheap end of the scale for Fulham.

Boma

 

Boma, meaning ‘a safe enclosure’ is a much loved local restaurant come bar on Wandsworth Bridge Road. They serve a mean breakfast menu with Bloody Mary's on tap- ideal in the Summer when the weather is nice or when you just are craving a full English. The quality of the breakfast is always high  but it is on the more expensive side, expect to pay £20 for a full English, coffee and Bloody Mary.

Del Aziz

 

The delicatessen is always groaning with goodies and the brunch menu more extensive and exciting than any of its neighbours. When we visited we were surrounded by plates laden with eggs Benedict, Florentine, Spanish omelettes, pancakes, French omelettes- it was unadulterated porn for brunch lovers. The service is very friendly but do expect to wait for a table- this place is popular!

Al Santo

This Mediterranean gem opposite Del Aziz feels truly authentic. The decor of this deli come restaurant genuinely makes you feel like you could be in grandmas kitchen in a farm house in Tuscany circa 1970- there are old black and white pictures in albums of families laughing and smiling dotted around and various terracotta ornaments. Whether it’s more lunch than brunch or a delicious prosciutto focaccia sandwich you crave, this guarantees to excite not only Italians but Fulhamites alike.

Photo Diary: Portobello Market

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, why not play at being a tourist and have a wander down Portobello Road. You'll find everything from fine antique books to boutique fashion, handmade jewellery and loads of vintage finds. It's great for people watching and there are tons of yummy eats too. Just make sure to get there early - it's not exactly a hidden gem and by midday the hordes of tourists have decended.

Last weekend I reacquainted myself with Portobello, one of my favourite London markets, and took the opportunity to play with my new DSLR.

Welcome to La Cave

Nestled amongst the smart boutiques and elegant cafes of South Kensington lies a very smart cheese and wine shop. A very smart cheese and wine shop indeed. La Cave a Fromage is an Aladdin's cave of charcuterie, specialist oils, breads and, of course, more cheese than you can possibly imagine. Laid out beautifully in large refrigerated cabinets, with vintage cheese wheel covers adorning the walls, there are cheeses from all four corners of the globe. Ewe's cheese, goats cheese, blue cheese, red cheese, pasteurised, unpasteurised and everything in between.

Whilst wine tasting might be a tried and tested concept, recently my lovely sister treated my father and I to wine tasting with a twist - expert cheese pairings from La Cave a Fromage's 'exotic' selection.

We took our seats with around 15 other eager foodies on a long table at the shop's centre. Laid out in front of us was a "balanced cheeseboard" beautifully arranged on a simple slate, several wine glasses, and enough varieties bread to make even the most committed Atkins follower turn. As our delightful hosts explained, a balanced cheeseboard is one that comprises the full range of textures, milks, strengths and countries.And that evening we were set to cover the breadth of Europe at least.

That evening we chowed down on everything from a creamy Taupinieres goats cheese from Acquitaine, through to Spanish Manchego, a wine-washed Appenzeller Swiss cheese, an extra mature Italian Taleggio and an unusual Irish Crozier Blue. However, the stand out cheese was a rich and velvety Gratte Paille, which hails from the same region as Brie in France but is infinitely more delicious and complex than its often-dull cousin. Served with a sweet kick in the form of white truffle honey, this cheese packs a shocking 90% fat but is oh-so-good. Perhaps one to eat in moderation and save for the special occasions? But don't forget the truffle honey, that really made it.

Luckily for me, my favourite cheese came paired with my favourite wine: a fabulous Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache blend (and no, I hadn't heard of the latter two grapes either!) called Le Desire (2006, Cotes de Rousillon). It was smooth and clean, and lacked the bitter after taste that in my opinion makes a lot of reds hard work. We tried three other wines that evening, a white Bergerac Sec (also fantastic) a richer red Syrah/Mourvedre and a very sweet dessert-like win Maury Dore (Grenache/Banylus blend) and all complimented the cheese perfectly. I really couldn't fault our hosts on that. I only wish I hadn't eaten a sandwich before arriving because I ate at least my own body weight in artisan bread!

Tastings at La Cave a Fromage definitely get the thumbs up from me. You can order your tickets and find out their dates at La Cave's website (below) or by calling 0207 581 1804

La Cave a Fromage
24-5 Cromwell Place,
South Kensington, London
SW7 2LD
www.la-cave.co.uk