A late start and a decent flat white

I started this blog at the beginning of October, and it's taken me almost until November to make my first proper post. The weeks have flown by in a whirl of cooler days, auburn leaves and darker afternoons, Winter is truly on it's way. Each degree the mercury drops get's me a little more excited for Christmas. It will be my first "White Christmas" in over a decade so I'm allowing myself to fully indulge in the festivities, even though we still have a few months to go. I've had to reign myself in a little bit, as a friend basically staged an intervention after I asked if it would be bad form to get two advent calendars, one for November and one for December... I think I'm turning into a Christmas junkie.

Moving on from my bordering-on-unhealthy-obsession with Christmas, I've decided to do a wee Cafe review. Having done most of my growing up in Wellington, Cafe Culture is as engrained into my DNA as DIY (Mitre Ten reference over) and the ability to successfully open car doors in 140km/ph winds. We Wellingtonians are accustomed to great coffee, and are more than comfortable returning sub standard cups of espresso. My coffee observations in London tell a slightly different story. There is no doubt that Londoners enjoy their coffee (or maybe just the caffeine kick it gives them) but the overall quality is remarkably lower. In Wellington, you can pop into pretty much any cafe you find - excluding Starbucks - and expect a well extracted espresso. In London, it's really hit and miss. Perhaps it has something to do with the English* "keep calm and carry on" attitude that drops complaining for a good cup of coffee off their list of priorities. 

This is the part where, strolling down Fulham Broadway with a fellow antipodean, a sign advertising flat whites creates a mad rush to the entrance of said cafe with a bewildered and confused me flailing along behind. Labi's Deli delivered us with an amazing flat white in that first encounter, followed by delicious cupcakes that were more than a little bit naughty. The barrister asked if we took sugar whilst he was extracting the espresso - always a good sign. It was the best flat white I've had since I left home. 

I've been back to Labi's a few times since, once on a bustling Sunday morning where, despite a queue formed out onto the pavement, we were seated relatively quickly and never felt forgotten amongst the busy Sunday rush. I love the wide range of selection on the menu, and Vegetarians and Vegans need not worry - Labi's has a great range of food to suit. It's clear that the food you are served is not only freshly prepared, but contains great quality ingredients and as much seasonal produce as possible. I also love their range of cold drinks, which you can add a sneaky dash of something extra to if you wish. In my opinion it's never too early for a Pimms laced smoothie. The atmosphere is fabulous, with a relaxed interior and mix of comfortable chairs and proper tables it's the kind of place you can sit in for hours, indulging in cupcakes and gossip. On further research (read: on my way to find the loo)  I learnt that Labi's has a "kid friendly" room with chalkboard walls, books and toys to entertain your offspring whilst you enjoy a well deserved cuppa. 

Labi's is fast becoming a regular spot for me, and I probably get way too many takeaway coffee's than should be allowed. It's crazy to me that I've been in London long enough to establish a "Local", and one with a dangerous selection of cupcakes to boot. I should probably mention that Labi's is very well priced, hence the frequency of my visits! I haven't actually taken any photos of Labi's yet, I always get distracted by the food. I'll grab a few snaps the next time I go (which I'm sure will be pretty soon). 

I'm off to ogle some too-early-than-should-be-allowed Christmas ornaments and completely ignore the fact that I may have a problem. 

*I'm aware I'm being terribly stereotypical, indulge me.