Beetroot

Say No to Zombie-ism at BeetRoot

Working in the city can be a mind-numbing experience. The other day as I bit into yet another tasteless focaccia purchased from a food court, I realised just how far i had been zombified without my knowing - going through the motions of eating and drinking in the most efficient way possible.

What the hell? I am pretty sure I had at some stage of my life taken a vow never to order coffee from a Star*ucks where operating manuals and students replaced the skills and experience of a barista. And surely even with impending deadlines and milestones there must be time to enjoy lunch.

I decided to stop the decay in it's tracks and look for a place with a lil soul. I searched through my wishlist and picked out Beetroot, recommended by both TummyRumbles and MuteMonkey.

The interior was unique, pages (from a book on food?) formed the decor along the walls, a soft toy sat on a shelf overlooking proceedings. Outside seating is available and blankets are provided for warmth. We had the pide and lamb kofta, which tasted fantastic. Wished we could have fit the soup in, which seemed to be very popular. The coffee delivered a satisfying conclusion to the experience. The service wasn't always fast and might even have needed reminding. But it was 100 percent friendly. The place had an overall vibe and rhythm, much like a heartbeat - Something sadly lacking in most city eateries.

Thanks for the recommendations guys! You are doing more than writing reviews, you are helping to stem the mechanical tide of zombiesm in the city.

But what really made this gastronome's day was the hot chocolate. At Beetroot it comes in either white, milk or dark chocolate, and they use proper rich chocolate at the bottom of the glass and hot frothed milk over the top so you can mix it all together or, if you're like me, try to scoop up as much of the melting milk chocolate as possible with your tall spoon. Visit blog

Beetroot is only open Monday to Friday (damn them - I want a good weekend breakfast!), and only then for breakfast and lunch. But this has its benefits. The same staff are able to work, day in day out. There is continuity. There is developing customer relationships. There is the fact that half their patrons are on a name by name basis. I like that. I hate being lost in the experience. I like to be welcomed and enveloped by one instead. Visit blog