caravan

went for brunch, had the waffles with red berries and mascarpone.restaurantwas really busy so service not the best

we ended up at caravan by chance after therestaurantnext door ( granary square brasserie) oddly decided that they weren't going to serve anyone sitting outside...?

i found the place lively and service was quite quick once we were seated. we shared one of their pizzas which was nice, however probably could have done with a little longer in the oven as the centre was still a little cool and the cheese not quite melted.

the service was fast (although they forgot a plate of food, with no apology after it was chased up and arrived)

overall, it wasn't bad.

had lunch here in a sunday, wer had to wait about 10 min for a table but you can wait at the bar or outside in the sun. therestaurantis a little dark and the music was too loud where we were sitting. but the food was good (i just had the oat and quinoa porridge) and my friend had the caravan fry - which looked great! and the service was very friendly. i think i will give it another try.

caravan is an eclecticrestaurantlocated in the recently revitalised neighbourhood of king's cross. as you will soon notice, i've had a little food tour of restaurants in this area (reviews coming soon). this time round, i was joined by kw for an evening chow. i absolutely loved the atmosphere at caravan. therestaurantactually used to be an old grain store evident by its large space, tall ceilings, wooden interior along with the industrial and warehouse-y vibes. to summarise the ambience, i  felt like i was eating in rather a sophisticated and rustic canteen (if only schools could adopt those vibes).

one might say that for a foodie i should have explored kings cross newrestaurantscene a long time ago .apparently it is quite a foodie destination hot spot with grain store, caravan, dishroom etc...well i was busy eating and dining everywhere else and my only connection to kings cross so far has been the eurostar terminal.so i was pleasantly surprised to find that,  caravan is not just some hipster, fashionable," try to be somewhere impossible to get to" place to eat but actually rather good.to be honest i ended up there because grain store was full and caravan had seats at the communal table by the  bar. i had not booked and it was packed.so the sophisticated lady and i ordered a few cocktails and a few dishes  to share ,tapas style..i must say that our waiter was very friendly and efficient despite the full house and we never felt our "shared" table was a downgrade from the "bookable" tables. in fact it made the experience all the better: proper rustic feel in an industrial, factory like restaurant.the caramelised pork belly was melting in the mouth with crispy skin and a delicious bourbon shrimp butter. the wine cooked beef shin was good but to me was not rich enough. black pudding and apple was disappointing as a bit rubbery. the ham rock croquettes were fantastic though: delicately spicy inside served with a mustard mayo. so good we ordered another plate. the soft shell crab was the big let down: oily and rubbery. i  washed this down with a carafe of pinot noir from languedoc as i was the only one having wine. this was disappointing. however i have only myself to blame as i ordered the wine.the wine list is interesting from a variety perspective and has cheap options but failed to entice me and i went for the grape rather than the producer...ouch! for desert we shared a roasted pineapple, coconut icecream, lime & rum syrup. this was very very good: perfectly syrupy pan fried pineapple with rum and coconut icecream, coconut shreds and that refreshing lime twist cutting through the sweetness.all in all a good experience although the food was hit and miss. i still enjoyed dining there: would i go back ? yes....if i happen to be in kings cross again....

kings cross is fast becoming one of london's premier dining destinations. alongside bruno loubet's grain store and the always excellent dishoom sits caravan in granary square. like the other two it's a beautiful space - large and utilising its industrial heritage to create a pretty sexy, welcomingrestaurantthat sits overlooking the square itself (i'd recommend al-fresco dining on a sunny day if you can swing it).

brunch here is much-hyped but i stopped by for a weekday lunch instead. it didn't disappoint. we began with excellent coffees (jet lag needed fighting) and then moved onto food. the menu seemed antipodean in how wide-ranging it was. oriental-inspired dishes and ingredients sat alongside indian and western ones to name but a few. split into small plates, large plates and pizzas, we stuck to a range of the former two. crispy soft shell crab with red lentil dahl and yoghurt was excellent as was the pork belly (i only got in one bite it was gone so rapidly). a large plate of black bream with samphire was nothing special - better was a slowly cooked beef cheek dish that was rich, unctuous and fatty. some of the lighter small plates we ordered balanced out the richer plates well: a kohlrabi salad comes to mind, as does a runner bean, feta and olive tapenade dish. the cocktail selection was also solid, although few can butcher an aperol spritz.

all in all, lunch at caravan was rather good. the wide-ranging menu with its many influences made for interesting eating, with hits and misses. arguably though it was the restaurant's vibe and decor that stood out - i'll be back for what is supposedly one of london's finest breakfasts (or brunches on the weekend)

once waiting for more than 2 hours, we were finally seated. i was able to overlook the menu. first i ordered a fruit juice, cheese and onion jam on toast, and middle eastern poached eggs alongside berry compote with waffles. the freshly squeezed watermelon and mint juice were the first to come, a refreshing taste following on from the waiting with a large amount of people. next the cheese and onion jam on sour bread, which melted in your mouth and warmed your inside. the eggs seemed to be done in a middle eastern style, which was unusual as therestaurantdid not have seem to have a middle eastern them, anyhow, they were still delicious. to finish of the meal were a berry compote with waffles and a dollop of cream, eaten as a trio, it was amazing. settings review: the location is set on the edge of a square encased within a large warehouse. the interior is very minimal with a side room where the chefs are on show preparing the food and a bar at the back stretching around the corner, completing the rustic look. positives: big flavours, good coffee negatives: long queue 3 words: appetising, flavoursome, delicious

caravan kings cross, serves up “well travelled food, and mighty fine coffee, located in an old grain store”.

the words ‘caravan’ and ‘old grain store’ automatically made me think dark and damp however this could not have been further from the huge open premises that therestaurantwas housed in.

despite its vastness caravan was also hugely popular, however waiting 45 minutes for a table was not a problem due to the glorious sunny weather; we simply chilled out and soaked up the rays at the edge of regent’s canal whilst awaiting a text to let us know when a table was available.

there was still a small wait when we arrived but the waiter came and chatted with us to pass the time and to make us aware that we had not been forgotten about. the staff, though all incredibly busy, were both chatty and efficient which added to the buzzing yet chilled atmosphere. though the tables were tightly packed together the high ceiling and industrial decor made the place feel bright and airy.

the menu was not your standard brunch and had many combinations that excited me so much that i had to go half and half with my long suffering boyfriend.

to start i had a morning gin which was a zesty, refreshing way to wake up. the boys all went for bloody marys; i am not usually a fan as often i feel like it is drinking salty salsa however these were light and to my surprise delicious.

next it was onto a stack of jalapeno corn bread, fried eggs, black beans and guindilla pepper. the corn bread was amazing, the zingy chilli and sweet corn created a wonderful depth of flavours rather than being overly spicy. they also had a well balanced egg to bread ratio which i have a great appreciation for.

time to swap plates and try poached eggs, aubergine puree, yoghurt, sumac, parsley, toast. the poached eggs and aubergine came served beautifully and the puree was sultry and smoky. my only small critique would be that unlike my first dish the toast ratio was all wrong – one small slice for 3 eggs just didn’t add up.

to finish we all grabbed a coffee made in their on-site roastery which was bittersweet and strong (just how i like it).

all round caravan kings cross is a really great place serving up unique food, smooth coffee in a beautiful and convenient location.

"she's a bit late in the game, it's been around for ages!" i hear you protesting. yes. yes it has, but i hadn't been until this morning so for any other latecomers...

make sure you know which caravan you're meant to be going to. of my brunch party of five, three of us went to exmouth market whilst the other two waited, hungrily, in granary square. i'm not a fan of granary square; the last time i went (to the grain store) i had to park far away so took a "shortcut" through a housing estate then had to climb over a railing to get back onto the main road. had i known i was going back i would not have driven, but even then i think it's far from the tube, slightly eerie and oversized, and laid out strangely. they were already in the queue though so granary square won.

we waited approximately 45 minutes for a table; i had high hopes, thinking that a busyrestaurantequals fantastic food.

the breakfast appropriate foods are split into several sections; baked goods, fruit and cereal, 'on toast' (standard breakfast foods served on toast), and brunch (a variety of interesting sounding dishes). baked goods were an obvious no (lots of calories but gone in a very short space of time), as was fruit and cereal (too healthy/boring). on toast vs brunch was a tricky decision as you can't go wrong with eggs on toast but since you can have that anywhere i decided to be adventurous. i settled on river farm smoked salmon with goat's curd, pea vierge and fennel toast. i was as impressed with my dish as i was the parking situation there.

i was given three narrow pieces of smoked salmon and a portion of toast that would have been suitable for thumbelina on a low carb diet. it tasted perfectly alright but wasn't exciting or satisfying in the slightest. i also had a berry and yoghurt smoothie which was far too yoghurty. there wasn't even anything in the baked goods display that was enticing enough to indulge in afterwards.

at £16 per head (including a coffee and a smoothie), i personally won't be rushing back. i do however feel morally obliged to conclude with the following saving graces:

a) one of my party ordered courgette and corn fritters with chilli jam; they looked damn good and apparently tasted it too.

b) several friends have been for dinner and spoken highly about it.

great casualrestaurantin kings cross. had lunch with a friend and the food was delicious whilst not expensive. i had the burrata with some salad and hazelnuts and octopus with peppers and paprika. they were excellent choices but the whole menu looked incredible. service was fast.

caravan is a coffee, bar andrestaurantlocated near the popular station king cross. 
the kitchen in therestaurantis mostly international, contemporary. 
can recommend to try their breakfast menu and most specifically the two eggs any style, skeaky bacon, slow roast tomatoes and creamy soy mushrooms on sourdough or grain toast or the cornbread french toast with bacon, rocket and avocado!
as a drinks can advise you to order the hot chocolate or the mochaccino. 
great venue to have you breakfast or late brunch!

if you are with some friends this place is simply the best where to go

thisrestaurantsent four foodies (my friends and me) into a spin of joy! the atmosphere inside this place is what will leave you amazed. food is great too and absolutely inexpensive.

we shared 6 courses and we ordered eggs, fish (which was really good), a soutsouki pizza some desserts with apple and ice cream. all this stuff made us wildly happy.

the design of this place is simple but nice. it’s most of times super busy but if you can put aside your impatience you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.

price is just right! so, don’t miss this place if you around.

what: brunch

where: kings cross, london

value: £15pp

food review: upon entering at 11am on a sunday for brunch, i was told it would be a 2 hour queue. i then decided to wait with a coffee ordered from a very packed bar, also people waiting, the coffee itself, woke me up instantly which numbed the pain of waiting. once waiting for more than 2 hours, we were finally seated. i was able to overlook the menu. first i ordered a fruit juice, cheese and onion jam on toast, and middle eastern poached eggs alongside berry compote with waffles. the freshly squeezed watermelon and mint juice were the first to come, a refreshing taste following on from the waiting with a large amount of people. next the cheese and onion jam on sour bread, which melted in your mouth and warmed your inside. the eggs seemed to be done in a middle eastern style, which was unusual as therestaurantdid not have seem to have a middle eastern them, anyhow, they were still delicious. to finish of the meal were a berry compote with waffles and a dollop of cream, eaten as a trio, it was amazing.

settings review: the location is set on the edge of a square encased within a large warehouse. the interior is very minimal with a side room where the chefs are on show preparing the food and a bar at the back stretching around the corner, completing the rustic look.

positives: big flavours, good coffee

negatives: long queue

3 words: appetising, flavoursome, delicious

caravan - great space, friendly staff (not efficient, mind) and good food - if you make the right choice.

when you order well in caravan the food is fantastic (fried soft shell crab, i'm looking at you) but quite often dishes are a bit disappointing (why lamb tongue, why?!)

they have some of the best and most delicious desserts i've had in london for a while (lemon meringue with sago) and i hear the coffee is great.

warning - do not expect to get the bill anytime soon. it's nearly impossible to pin a sever down, but then again i thinks it's just that they need more. therestaurantis never quiet

karen from smashing the glass suggested caravan, one of her favourite dining destinations, well known for their excellent coffee and brunch offerings as well as a fantastic lunch menu that fuses mediterranean and middle eastern cuisine. 

therestaurantis based in a converted grain store and the decor is industrial-chic with a high unfinished ceiling, open pipe work and concrete floor. the look is similar to caravan's neighbouring restaurant, grain store, which i review earlier in the year and absolutely loved!! smells of coffee and freshly baked bread drift around therestaurantand despite the urban decor, it still manages to be homely. 

the menu is packed with unusual ingredients, many of which neither of us had heard of. i love menus like that, where you're almost certain to be trying something new. i opted for a starter and main course, whereas karen, who prefers to graze, chose a selection of small plates. 

karen started with heritage carrots, ras el hanout, kale, goat's cheese and sultanas. we both agreed that we would have never guessed that it was a plate of carrots! karen enjoyed the starter, which was quite piquant but the goat's cheese helped to neutralise the spice. 

i chose smoked salmon with apple jelly. for me this dish was incredible, a generous portion with a very light dressing and the added spice of a bit of pepper. the apple jelly didn't add much in terms of flavour but it did make the plate even prettier. 

karen and i had so much to talk about, our own weddings, developing our blogs and our love of nice hotels! we discussed the stories behind some of the real weddings that appear on her blog and some of her beautiful creative ideas for decor, stationary and food that really add personality to a wedding. 

chorizo and octopus was the first of karen's small main courses and unfortunately she found it a little too spicy to eat. i also noticed there was very little octopus and it was rather heavy on the spanish sausage.

her second small plate was a soft boiled duck egg, served with baba ghanoush. the middle eastern dish fared better and the egg opened to a perfect runny yolk complimented by the mildly spicy chilli oil and coriander.

my main course was a black sea bream with a balsamic glaze, orange pesto and a side salad of fennel. the zesty and refreshing dish went down a treat for me and the combination of flavours is a favourite of mine.

karen needed to get back to relieve her babysitter of duty so our lunch flew by all too quickly. we really enjoyed most of the food but the end of the meal was spoilt a little as the staff were very slow to bring the bill and we were in a hurry to leave. i had been very keen to try the famous coffee from caravan but because of our rush i had to take it away instead.


it was fantastic to meet karen and to find out we have masses in common! i loved caravan too, despite some patchy service, and i'm keen to come back to try the famous brunch and salted caramel hot chocolate!