Phoebe went to LANTANA 31/1/2015
Specs: 👓
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Average Cost pp: (coffee, main) £12
Nearest Tube: Goodge Street
Aware of the no reservation policy operating at Lantana, I intentionally arrived half an hour prior to the scheduled meeting time. As I approached the cafe, I could see a rather ominous looking queue snaking from the door. The lady taking names for the waiting list informed me the wait could be up to an hour. An unsuccessful attempt at getting a table the weekend before nurtured determination to persevere. In the cold and wet, I defiantly stood waiting for my friends. The 25-minute wait was not as grueling as originally conceived. Many of the evidently less stubborn brunch goers, presumably thought better of it and left. Their successive submission rapidly bolstered our position in the table stakes.
After seating, I fully grasped the motivation behind their booking embargo. I felt a sense of achievement (and relief), like we had accomplished something. Survival of the fittest. The exterior, and interior for that matter, was unassuming and modest. One would be forgiven for walking passed without acknowledging it’s existence, well despite the huge queue of competitive foodies impatiently loitering outside. The inside was minimalist and uncomplicated. A pretty grey print over the back wall is about the only discernible design feature. Without a clandestine tip off or rogue divergence from Oxford Street there would be no rationale to end up there.
I customarily ordered a flat white and the girls got hot chocolates. The coffee was delicious, a caffeine connoisseur’s dream. The only imperfection was its shortage. I usually judge a fully grown women who orders hot chocolate, but these were sumptuous and a far cry from the infantile tinned powder and milk mix. The menu was clean, concise and interesting. It wasn’t too long and overwhelming but appropriately diverse. Breakfast, lunch or brunch. Hungover, health conscious and greedy. I ordered mushrooms on potato bread with baked ricotta, parsley and a poached egg and it didn’t disappoint. Food alchemy. There was a liberal pile of mushrooms and plenty of ricotta. The bread was porous, an efficient sponge to the perfectly poached egg and yolk. It was fresh and substantial, not stodgy or greasy. Elo had courgette bread, halloumi, tomatoes, avocado, creme fraiche and a poached egg. Mel had avocado, poached egg and rocket on sourdough. Mel’s was delicious and “beautifully presented,” perhaps a little to avocado laden but only if she was seeking fault. Jenny had something very similar but with the addition of bacon. She loved it, but wanted the option of some condiments.
Everything was equally as well executed, and there were many things I would have ordered. The menu is a collection of quirky classics that are neither too fancy nor pretentious. It also offers more simple breakfasts such as muesli and fruit but I honestly cant fathom why you would over the abundance of other more experimental things. The staff were neither under nor overwhelming. They were smiley and efficient, with little else of note. The atmosphere was lively and upbeat but not manic. It had a chilled vibe despite the hysteria I can only imagine is generated once clinching one’s table. I feared we might feel obliged to sit down, order, pay and leave, especially considering the demand for table space. This was not the case at all. We would have stayed longer, had they provided dairy free cake. We fancied something sweet and Mel’s intolerance encouraged relocation to a vegan-supplying confectioner.
The food was divine, well balanced and averagely priced. The waiting system is about my only criticism. But having said that, the ordeal was not that unpleasant. In fact, it made the experience all the more rewarding. It would be unfair to censure a little cafe based on its lack of vegan cake, as it is rather niche. Instead of seeking alternative brunch locations, in the future I should perhaps be more selective with whom I go to brunch with!
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