Caravan, London

In the short time that Caravan has been up and running, news of it's brilliance has travelled fast! I knew if I was ever in the Kings Cross area of London and looking for a fantastic brunch location I'd choose here without a second thought. When that day arrived, a cold and windy Saturday morning, I made sure I arrived early to avoid disappointment.

Outside Caravan

The setting is beautiful, just a stones throw away from Kings Cross Station - a renovation of an industrial scale took place on the granary buildings which now form Caravan, and 'The Grain Store' (another excellent breakfast eatery) situated right next door.

Interior to Caravan

As we waited outside we could see other groups arriving in quiet anticipation, and before long we were stood alongside probably 50 other people all wanting to get into the restaurant by their 10am opening time. Thankfully the inside is huge so 50 people seemed like a drop in the ocean once we had all sat down - the urban vibe continues with warehouse style décor, exposed cables and a kitchen not completely hidden due to careful placement of some metal bars. We were greeted by a very friendly member of the waiting who sat us down on one of many two seater tables around the edge of the restaurant. The centre of the restaurant has many long tables which I imagine work in a sort of bench format whereby you have to sit close to other parties - something I believe adds to the atmosphere but maybe isn't everyone's cup of tea.

My mum and I were aware of how many people were filtering on through the doors as we mulled over the menu, so we were keen to put our order in quickly. Just as we were discussing the vast popularity of the venue and how different it was to any other place we had visited, another cheery waiter took our order and insisted it wouldn't be long. He was right!...the efficiency of the coffees arriving and subsequently our hot food was impressive - and really added to the vibe of the place which was complemented by upbeat music and lively chatter.

Field Mushrooms on toast

My mum opted for the field mushrooms on toast - I have to admit even though she absolutely loved them, I got the impression she wished she had tried one of the more adventurous options on the menu (there were, after all, plenty of them!). Nevertheless, I tried one of the mushrooms and they were delicious, packed full of flavour and exactly as natured desired, without much fuss or pretention.

Courgette Fritters and Feta cheese

I, on the other hand, couldn't resist one of the more unique offerings, a courgette and corn fritter served with herbed feta and tomato sauce. It was fantastic, the crisp fritter went wonderfully with the creamy cheese, and the tomato sauce certainly wasn't like any ketchup I've ever tasted, so sweet and fresh. It was an excellent dish which both retained the rustic feel of the restaurant, but also showed off it's flair and originality.

White Chocolate mousse cake

Before leaving we couldn't resist sampling one of their homemade cakes (mainly because we had seen some bought past our table and we had suffered severe food envy). We opted for their white chocolate and raspberry mousse cake, and it was divine. My mum and I both tucked in, and with audible delight finished off the plate full in no time at all (which was also noted by our table neighbour who suggested it was the fastest she had ever seen anyone eat a cake - how embarrassing!)

Unisex Toilets (!)

I can see why Caravan has gained itself such a great reputation in such a short amount of time and I would happily return to sample another of their interesting breakfast options, and I would suggest you do too! The whole establishment feels very 'new' and exciting, despite, I imagine, the designers best efforts to try and make it seem as rustic as possible (just look at the work which must have gone into making their new toilets look so worn and grimy!)...but I loved it!

http://www.caravankingscross.co.uk/