Infuse, St Albans

Published in The Herts Advertiser August 2019

After the fourth person told me that I had to try Infuse, I took the hint. People often tell me where they have been for dinner, and what they thought of it, but it’s rare for lots of people to be so overwhelmingly positive about a new opening.

So on a quiet summer evening (St Albans empties in the school holidays) I went with glamorous pals to try the new restaurant tucked away on Waddington Road.

We were too late for the ‘Ladies Night’ two for one cocktails offer advertised outside (a little cheesy, but they did sound delicious) but chose a bottle of rose on the advice of the waiter who said it was definitely dry. It was lovely, and went well with the food we ordered. We were given a generous bottle of tap water quickly too.

We loved the short, one page menu organised by snacks, tandoor & grill, curries and biryani, and sides. Our waiter explained that you can order tapas/sharing style or just jump into main courses, and showed us a short video of some of the dishes. I thought it was a bit gimmicky but we did choose a few things we didn’t know from the video, so I was wrong, it was helpful. We chose a range of things, with some as shared starters, and then more for main courses – prices are very reasonable so its a great way to try some new dishes.

Co-owner Sameer came over to say hello, and explained that the ethos behind the short menu is to cook fresh food with lot of flavours typical to the cities the dishes come from, such as Delhi makni paneer (8.50) and Kerala Prawn Curry (14.50). We loved both of these; the paneer was cut into generous chunks and grilled lightly so pillowy inside. The prawns were generous and lightly cooked ,so full of flavour.

The tawa fish ajwani was delicious too; beautifully cooked pieces of fish and well presented. Salmon tikka from the tandoor menu would make an excellent healthy main course on its own, but we all shared a bit – again, perfectly cooked. Each dish was delicately spiced, and you could really taste the flavours, with no overwhelming chilli.

We shared the Chana peshawar with ginger matchsticks (8) and baingan hydrabadi, which had generous pieces of softly cooked aubergine. I think we also had a Jaipuri Aloo, but after the second bottle of rose, I can’t remember. You can definitely eat well here if you are vegetarian. The baingan is usually served with the birianis, which are Infuse’s signature dish, cooked in the proper way with a dum (dough lid); the flavours are sealed inside, and the lid is opened at the table. As we don’t eat meat, we had to pass on this, but Sameer said they are experimenting with a vegetarian version. I will go back for that, and meat-eaters; this is the dish people are raving about. I think one (12.50) is enough for two to share, with a couple of side dishes, which is a steal in this area.

I noticed that they also do a lunch menu, with wraps and curry bowls for £5. You pay more for that at the food stalls in town, so this is a great deal.

Head Chef and co-owner Ganga Dutt has worked with some very prestigious London restaurants in Mayfair and central London like Chutney Mary, Tamarind, Kricket and Indali lounge. I think we are incredibly lucky that he is now cooking here in St Albans. The cooking at Infuse is among the very best I have tried locally; excellent ingredients and with delicate cooking, full of flavour. The location, overlooking the side of a building, isn’t the nicest, but go for the amazing cooking. I think you will love it too.

Mad Squirrel St A & Harpenden

Published in The Herts Advertiser July 2019

I have written about the site in Heritage Close next to Lussmann’s quite a few times over the years; the latest incarnation is a craft beer bar, and it already looks very popular and busy.

Mad Squirrel opened at the start of the summer, and the tree-lined terrace with views of the Cathedral and Vintry Garden has to be one of the best locations in St Albans. If you manage to grab a table, this is the perfect spot to enjoy an after-work beer.

I went along one busy Friday evening when the heavens opened so we had to stay inside (the bar is over two floors) and it was pretty rammed. I had to wait at the bar for a while and was overlooked a couple of times for taller male customers, but managed to order a pint of their bestseller Sumo (an APA) beer, which was excellent.

Mad Squirrel have their own brewery in Potten End, and their list includes Zealous (a pils), a pale ale HopFest, a milk stout De La Creme and a London porter as well as various seasonal specials. You can get around 25 beers on tap in the bar which is a mixture of their own brews and guest beers from other independent producers. They also sell wine, spirits, ciders and prosecco (my pals wanted that so they do cater for all customers!). There is a short pizza menu and the ones I saw going past looked great; I need to go back and try them.

We went upstairs in search of a table and it didn’t seem to have much furniture up there; it might work better as a dining area? Or a private space for parties? We decided to stay downstairs which had a better atmosphere.

Mad Squirrel is growing fast, and they opened a bar in Harpenden just before Christmas, which is at the top of the High Street with a terrace overlooking St Nicholas Church. Both the Harpenden and St Albans bars hold live music and comedy events, so keep an eye out for those on their insta feed. The next one being advertised is on Saturday 31^st August in St Albans – Kirsty Fuller who sings blues, soul and roots.

Tim Hickford from Mad Squirrel told me: ‘St Albans is a prominent and historic beer city and we are absolutely thrilled to be contributing to that reputation and lineage in our own small way. We have been blown away with the positive response from customers, this has definitely been our highest profile opening to date. We can’t wait to become embedded in the local community and for residents and visitors of St. Albans to become acquainted with our broad range of unfiltered, unpasteurised, vegan-friendly beers.’

The brewery has only been producing beer since 2010 but has grown dramatically and now produces around 2 million pints annually. It holds the title of Hertfordshire’s best brewery in the RateBeer awards. As well as in their own bars and shops (they have a shop at the brewery) Mad Squirrel also sell in shops, hotels, pubs, bars and cafes in the area; you have probably seen their distinctive cans. You can book tours of the brewery for 25 a person which includes six tastings and pizza.

Mad Squirrel just had a very busy weekend at the UK Strongest Man competition in Verulamium park, and I am sure we will see them pop up at more local events and festivals now they have recovered from their two new openings.

Both the St Albans and Harpenden bars are open every day (check the website for specific times), so go along and support one of our local brewers!

Outside at last!!

Published in The Herts Advertiser June 2019

I’m writing this with the rain lashing against the windows, but I am an optimist, and am pretty sure by the time you read this, the sun will be out! So, here is my round-up of some of the new and exciting places to go out and enjoy this summer.

St Michael’s Manor, down on lovely Fishpool Street has opened an outdoor bar for the summer. Located by the lake on the lawn, there is an outdoor bar and huge pizza oven, with seating for about 30 people. I went with the family one Sunday afternoon, and it felt as if we were on holiday; it is such a quiet and secluded part of the city, yet just a few minutes walk down from the Clock Tower. We shared a really good margarita pizza, served in a box, so you can take them onto the lawns or sit by the lake if you like; it’s very relaxed. The bar had a couple of beers on draft, Champagne and Prosecco and a good selection of gins. As they hold private functions at the weekends, the bar is only open to non-residents on Thursday and Sundays at the moment.

St Albans Vegan Market returns on Sunday 7^th July on St Peter’s Street, and there will be over 60 stalls, including lots of street food. Local companies The Green Kitchen and Tara’s Vegan Treats will be there, along with some new names to try: Cake me Happy, Global Fusion Vegan Creole, Replete Flatbreads, April’s Table, Raw Spirit Chocolate Company, Greek Vegan Deli, Home Kitchen Indian, Sun and Moon Juice and The Green Grill. The market is free entry and open 10.30–4.

Darlish ice cream near the Clock Tower is always busy on a sunny day. Have you tried their Persian-inspired ice cream yet? They have just opened a pop-up shop in Covent Garden on Long Acre, which I spotted last week. It is a smart little shop, similar to their St Albans branch, and will be open until the end of September. I love the saffron, pistachio and rose, and the baklava ice cream sandwich is the instragram must-try.

The Childwickbury Arts fair returns on 5-7 July. They always have a quirky selection of pop-up food trucks, along with live music and some seating areas, so you can make a day trip of it. I like the sound of the Dotty Mares, who will be selling gin and Pimms from their converted horse box. Now Now Bunny Chow, MasterCrepes, The Split Screen Ice cream Co, Fired Up Pizza will also be there, along with Harpenden favourites Parker & Vine. Their salads and quiches are always delicious.

The new Mad Squirrel bar in St Albans has just opened, and has a lovely outdoor patio strung with white lights. It has to be one of the best locations in the city, with amazing views of the Cathedral. You will find it next door to Lussmann’s, both upstairs and downstairs. Mad Squirrel specialise in craft beer, including their own Mister Squirrel, Roadkill and Zealous which they brew over near Hemel. Mad Squirrel also have a bar in Harpenden; more on them in this column soon.

See you out there!

Orexi!

Published in The Herts Advertiser April 2019

Harpenden celebrity chef Theo Michaels has written a wonderful book inspired by the flavours of Greece and Cyprus – perfect timing for any of us craving a trip to a warmer country!

Beautiful food sings from the pages of Orexi! (which means ‘good appetite’), with chapters called Meze, Sea, Land, Sun, Fire and Sundowners, which capture the Greek way of life. I like that many of the recipes are simple – in a departure for this column I’ve included a recipe as I think that will give you a real taste of the book.

Theo works locally and in London as a private chef after he changed career after MasterChef in 2014. He also appears regularly on This Morning, writes a weekly food column for Best magazine, and has presented at our own Food & Drink Festival. He is known for cooking ‘elegant village food’ inspired by the flavours of Greece and Cyprus for pop-up suppers too.

The Meze chapter features small sharing plates such as dips, cheeses and meatballs. Sea shows how you can get lots of flavour into simply cooked fish. Meat is a huge part of the Greek diet, with cooking over charcoal part of daily life so if you need ideas to make your barbecues more interesting, this is a useful chapter. Salads and vegetables reflect the warm climate, with peppers, herbs and tomatoes. Horta was new to me, which is steamed green vegetables with plenty of lemon juice, and would go with meat or fish or part of a shared meze lunch. There are also lamb recipes if you want something interesting for Easter, or a pork dish which is more traditional in Greece and Cyprus.

A lovely taste of summer!

RED PEPPER & FETA SALSA

peperia kai feta salsa

A classic Greek dip of roasted sweet peppers complementing the tangy feta. I add a fresh tomato to give it a sweet sharpness that I feel brings it all alive, but if you want something a little more sultry, you can use a sun-dried one. Like many dips, this also works really well as a marinade. I’ll also admit to adding some store-bought chilli sauce to it and pasting it over fish to roast in the oven.

2 red (bell) peppers, halved, pith and seeds removed

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

a small pinch of cayenne pepper

1 ripe vine tomato (or 2 baby plum tomatoes)

100 g feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

SERVES 6

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6. Place the pepper halves onto a baking sheet with a garlic clove and sprig of thyme under each one.

Drizzle with olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until they start to char.

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and drop them into the cup of a blender, followed by the roasted peppers, half the olive oil, the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and tomato. Blend to a pulp. Pour out the mixture, add the crumbled feta, the remaining olive oil and the chopped parsley, and fold through.I

Orexi! Photographer Mowie Kay, Publisher Ryland Peters & Small, Price £16.99.

Smallford Farm Shop

Have you been to the new cafe and farm shop in Smallford yet? You will spot it as you drive towards Hatfield, next to Glinwell’s giant greenhouses.

Stylish and spacious, the farm shop sells a really good range of foods such as bread, cheese, chocolate, wine, beer and much more from local, independent suppliers. The co-owners Sam Cannatella and Joe Colletti have worked hard to find products that you can’t find everywhere else, and it’s a lovely place to browse.

A must-buy are the tomatoes, aubergines and peppers that Glinwell grow themselves. They also make their own Cannatella & Colletti pasta sauces, which you will find right by the door as you go in. I was pleased to see that Hedges Farm supply the meat, and I spotted Twist Teas from Harpenden, oils from Mrs Middleton’s, gin from Campfire and Blackbridge, and Three Brewers and Farr Brew beers. The seeded loaf I bought was very good, and is baked by Seven Seeded in Watford.

There are some wonderful Easter treats in the shop at the moment. I really like the iced easter chick biscuits and pretty bars and boxes of chocolates, which I thought were reasonably priced. If you are quick you can enter the competition to win the giant (2.5kg!) Easter egg that you can’t fail to spot in the shop. Just go to the website http://www.smallfordfarmshop.com to enter by Sunday 14^thApril. The Jolly Choccy Sticks and Nom Nom bars are really unusual and would make good gifts; bee pollen chocolate sounds amazing!

The big draw is the cafe and on the times I have been it is far busier than the shop; we do all love a coffee shop in St Albans! The menu covers breakfasts and lunches as well as teas, coffees and cakes, and there is a nod to the family roots with some interesting Italian options. Breakfast includes full cooked options (9.95), smashed avocado with eggs, salmon or feta, pancakes with berries or bacon, and porridge and pastries. Lunch has a seasonal soup (4.50), sandwiches such as fish finger or salt beef served with salad or fries (around 7.50), and salads which are displayed in the counter, although they were almost finished when I went in.

Local suppliers are also used in the cafe, with sausages and burgers from Hedges and Glinwell’s own tomatoes feature in the Smallford tomato, burrata and basil salad. My goat cheese, pepper and red onion marmalade panini was good, although the salad needed a dressing of some kind. The arancini were a little oily, but the roasted tomato sauce with them was lovely. Blood orange pannacotta with vanilla biscuits on the specials board sounded amazing; one to try. Neal’s Yard supply the cheeses, and you can buy them in the shop or have a cheeseboard in the cafe, perhaps with some of the Italian wine or local beers on sale.

I think the popularity of the cafe has caught them out as it was a little chaotic when I went in. Customers had to ask for menus while they queued, which meant they didn’t know what was on offer before they reached the till; I wonder if a board up somewhere, or menus on the tables would help? There isn’t much space between tables either, but I noticed they were putting more tables outside on the terrace area, which will help with demand! It is early days though, and it is a nice problem to have.

The farm shop and cafe are open every day, and there is plenty of free parking in front of the shop. A welcome new addition to the area!

Fade to Black

I’ve lived near the Quadrant shops in St Albans for many years and I don’t think I’ve eaten lunch there, or been for a coffee; living just five minutes walk away makes it hard to justify! A new cafe has changed that, and I have now been three times to Fade to Black, as everyone seems curious to try it.

Fade to Black is owned by locals Vicky and Lee, who also own a cafe in Hanwell. The cafe has a great look, with dark grey painted walls, an exposed concrete ceiling, reclaimed wood counter and old school chairs. The space is larger than I expected, and there is seating for about 30 people, and when I went in one morning it was pretty full, with people having breakfast or working away at their laptops. It has a nice family-friendly feel too, and there is a large chalkboard on the wall near the loos that will amuse kids (or adults, of course!) for a while, as well as a box of toys.

Coffee is by Ozone who are based in Shoreditch and it’s great; a good depth of flavour and with the all-important crema. You can get all the usual coffees including flat whites, espressos, long black, cappuccino and latte and my long mac was perfect. They do a good range of teas and turmeric chai latte too; I had a rooibos one afternoon and it came in a smart pot that made enough for two good cupfuls. Prices compare well with the city centre coffee shops.

There is a nice selection of cakes and pastries on the counter; I noticed a gluten-free toffee cake, as well as brownies, flapjacks and carrot cake, and my caramel slice was excellent. Cakes and bakes are made locally by Lucy O’Reilly, and Jane’s Bakes in Wheathamstead.

They can make fresh juices while you wait, and they keep the menu simple, so no staring at an over-complicated menu trying to work out what the green goddess is. Simply choose one, two, or three juices from the list of orange, grapefruit, apple, carrot, beetroot, cucumber and spinach. You can add a shot of ginger or turmeric too. My orange and grapefruit juice was delicious.

The all day food menu has a really sensible range for what they can make in their open kitchen and I think is great value with most things under a fiver. It is mainly toasties, sandwiches and wraps, and my chilli smashed avocado on toasted sourdough for 4.20 was generous and the avos were perfectly ripe. I’ll choose the toasted tuna with tomato, paprika and rocket next time; I’ve never thought to pair tuna with paprika but it sounds good! Service has been good each time I’ve been in.

Meat-lovers might choose the croissant with ham and cheese, or the pastrami, swiss, pickles and mustard – a taste of New York right here in the Quadrant. As we go into spring, the two salads on the menu are bound to be popular too; they do a Greek-ish salad with feta, spinach leaves, tomato, olives and cucumber, and the mozzarella and basil salad, with avocado and pesto oil dressing sounds good, and again, both are under a fiver. Dolce Forne supply the breads, and ES Hulse & Son, the vegetables and fruits.

Vicky explained that they chose the name Fade to Black as the plan is to open in the evenings too, and the cafe does have a bar feel; keep an eye on how that develops. They already sell some almost-alcohol cocktails during the day including Seedlip-based English Garden and Citrus Zest.

Fade to Black is a great new addition to the Quadrant and I am sure I will be back.

The Refill Pantry

Published in The Herts Advertiser February 2019

Are you horrified by the amount of single-use plastic that you bring home from the supermarket (or comes in via Ocado)? Did you watch the Blue Planet documentary that showed how our sea life is being killed by plastic? If you would like to reduce the amount of plastic that you buy (recycling is good, though reducing the amount we use is better), you should check out The Refill Pantry on London Road, up near The Peahen. It is a brilliant idea for a shop; you take in your own containers to refill with dried foods, or use the paper or fabric bags that are supplied. You can buy as little or as much as you like, so its ideal for trying something new, or buying just a small amount which helps to cut down on food waste.

Neighbours Celina Mendoza and Tania Trovatello had the idea for the shop after visiting similar places, in particular, one in Totnes owned by former Manchester United player Richard Eckersley. It’s a really stylish shop, with the food beautifully displayed around the walls including rice, nuts, cereals, pasta as well as herbs, oils and vinegars. It’s fun to turn the handles and get what you need; you then weigh it and pay at the counter. I thought the prices were very good and the quality is excellent – my cashews were crisp and far nicer than the last bag I bought in a supermarket, which went soft quickly. My chocolate buttons were divine and it felt nicely old-fashioned to have a little paper bagful to take home; the labelling is smart so I think would make a nice gift too.

I was really pleased to see so many local suppliers represented, including Dizzy Bee Granola, rapeseed oil from Sawbridgeworth, teas from Bishop Stortford, coffee from the Hertfordshire Coffee Lab in Hitchin and flour from Redbournbury Mill, along with many more. Tania showed me the large 25kg paper sacks many of the ingredients arrive in; they must save the equivalent of thousands of plastic food packets each year. I was amazed to see that some of the lentils are grown in Hertfordshire!

I really liked the baking corner which contained all sort of things from mixed peel to goji berries. It is ideal if you like to make your own muesli or want to try a new recipe without buying a whole bagful of something. I must go back and buy some nutritional yeast flakes, which I’ve never tried; apparently they sell well to veggies and vegans and you can sprinkle them over mac and cheese, pizza, pasta etc.

Tables around the shop sell well-priced eco-friendly products including water bottles, beeswax wraps, bamboo toothbrushes, fabric pads, bamboo cotton buds, deodorants, washing liquids, bath and beauty products.

They don’t mind what containers or bags you bring in to use; Tania told me that one customer made fabric bags that she uses, but jam jars, old plastic wrappers, cereal boxes, kilner jars, oil bottles and anything else you can think of work just fine. The Refill Pantry was shortlisted for the Chamber of Commerce Community Business Awards in the category of Green Business 2018.

If you live or work in the city centre then shopping at The Refill Pantry is a no-brainer. Parking might be a little tricky if you want to buy a lot, although it isn’t far from the Maltings car park. You can find The Refill Pantry at 26 London Road St Albans AL1 1NG. It is open every day.

The Reading Rooms

Published in The Herts Advertiser, August 2018

Have you spotted the new micropub The Reading Rooms in Wheathampstead, right on the high street? It is a very cool addition to the village and could have come straight from Hoxton. It’s run by Nick and Matt, the Farr Brewery duo who brew their award-winning beers in nearby Coleman Green Lane. You might also recognise Ellis Tofalli who runs the micropub day to day and is the niece of Christo at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and used to work there. It only opened in June and has already proved very popular with the village.

The Reading Rooms is a micropub (and it is tiny, with three small rooms) that serves their own Farr Brew beers on draft, as well as cider, wine and a few spirits, so there is something for everyone. It also sells bottled beers and wines to take away and their own draft beers in various size containers. The Farr Brew beers on tap including Golden, Chief Jester, both great summer beers, and also Black Listed which was created for the Fighting Cocks.

The building is a lovely Grade 2 listed former shop, so took over a year to sort out the redevelopment. I love the feel of the place; there are books and papers to read so you can pop in on your own, but there are also cosy places to sit with pals. You can probably only seat about 10 in the downstairs bar, and maybe 15 upstairs so don’t all rush there at once! Ellis told me that they already have regulars who buy the beer to take away, rather than go to the brewery, so it is ideal for summer barbecues and parties.

I went with two pals to a gin tasting evening which was held in the lovely upstairs room, full of comfy armchairs and a sofa. It was a very warm night and they had packed the room with gin enthusiasts, but we enjoyed the presentation and tastings by new local gin distillery Black Bridge, who are based just up the road. We tried four gins and a moonshine, which was a first for me. The gin is sold by the bottle or glass at The Reading Rooms, as well as at local indie shops including The Fleetville Larder, Tomoka Spirits and Carpenters. We loved the signature house gin which had grapefruit flavours without the strong gin kick – lovely with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic. The Blue Admiral was a big hit too (it changes colour as you add tonic). The moonshine is a potent whisky with quite a vegetal aroma, which my pal loved, but might have been the reason for my dizzy head that night! Black Bridge make a bespoke gin for the pub called A Bridge to Farr, so maybe choose that one if popping in to The Reading Rooms. Black Bridge only started this year so is a very new company and everything is made by the small team so they sell out quickly.

If you need something to eat the pub does a few freshly baked sausage rolls, pasties and scotch eggs which are made locally again in Wheathamstead by Brimarks Butchers. I’d always love a veggie option so didn’t try them but others said the sausage rolls were excellent.

Situated next to the church at 36 High Street, in what I think was the florist, The Reading Rooms is open 12–9.30. It is a terrific addition to the village, and well worth the short taxi ride from Harpenden and St Albans.

Clothes and coffee

Purple Coffee Shop

Published in The Herts Advertiser Feb 2019

The indie coffee shop craze hasn’t quite swept Harpenden in the same way it has in St Albans; Costa and Cafe Nero seem to have quite a stronghold. But I’d like to tell you about a new coffee shop that unless you are out shopping for men’s clothes, you might have missed.

Eight Ounces opened in November as part of Purple menswear, just up near Godfrey’s. Owned by Paul Monks, it is a stylish stop that sells designer menswear at the front (including a range by David Beckham) and has a Menspire barber shop at the back. The coffee shop is in the middle, and has seating for about 10 people, and more when the weather is good, as it has a great little secret garden area.

Paul won Young Entrepreneur of the Year in a local business awards last year, and has been featured in Drapers. His sense of style is evident in the coffee shop. It is a bright room, with funky green banquettes and a large vintage-style mirror which makes the most of the space.

They sell Campbell & Syme coffee, which is roasted and ground in King’s Langley. My partner’s flat white was perfect. It is the same coffee that Hatch in St Albans sell, and Fred and Ginger in Berkhamstead. Paul told me that they serve glasses of tap water with coffee too, in the Italian style. I chose a Moroccan mint tea, which was by Brew Co Tea – it had a good flavour but needed to be served in a small teapot which is usual for that brand; then you can get two cups out of it. The coffee and tea prices are good, with most at the 2.00-2.70 mark, which is similar to the chain coffee shops. I like the smart coffee cup branding.

There is a small range of pressed juices too and I was intrigued by the charcoal lemonade, which contains lemon, lavender and activated charcoal.

Due to the proximity of the clothes shop and barber shop, Paul has decided not to sell hot food, and I think that makes perfect sense for this small shop. Instead, they sell a small range of filled bagels, yoghurt pots and cake slices. I like that the bagels are made fresh each day by Silver Palate, just a few streets away. Paul calls them each day to order for the next day. When I went in they had tuna melt bagels, turkey and cheese and ham. I was surprised not to see a veggie/vegan option and Paul explained that they usually have a hummus, aubergine, red pepper and spinach bagel, but had sold out. They offered to toast the bagels, and ours was nicely served on chequered paper in a paper box.

The cakes were mostly chocolate-based, which isn’t a problem for me. You could choose millionaire shortbread, fridge cake, cornflake cake or Italian filled twists. Something gluten-free or lemony would be a good option.

There is a small selection of branded tote bags and sweatshirts with the Eight Ounce logo on, I guess for any teen customers popping in, and a few reusable coffee cups for sale too. I was pleased to see that they are supplying paper straws and napkins made from recycled paper. The bathroom needs a good clean – hey, this is Harpenden, and people are going to notice.

A useful addition to Harpenden High Street, that supports local suppliers. This is the way to keep shoppers visiting small, indie retail spaces as we shop more and more online; making it a lifestyle space to visit often, whether you want to buy a gift, get a whole new spring wardrobe, or just pop in for coffee. A clever idea.

St Albans Museum and Gallery Cafe

Published in The Herts Advertiser June 2018

I feel quite emotional writing about the new St Albans Museum and Gallery – the transformation is, at last, complete, and we now have a terrific cultural space right in the centre of our city. I had been to the old cafe in the Town Hall, as it was known then, over the years and it was always busy, especially on market days when people would sit outside. I think it looked dated with the swirling fans and dark panelling everywhere.

The new cafe space feels very different. As you walk into the Museum and Gallery, the counter and kitchen occupies the right-hand side of the entrance, leaving space opposite for tourist information and the shop (with the poshest tea towels ever). Queue up with a tray along the smart, marble counter, and order lunch, cakes and drinks as you move along to the till. Seating is either outside under the four large umbrellas, or you take your tray into the courtroom, which now has seating. I love the new use of the courtroom – when I went in people were really exploring it, sitting in the judge’s chair and standing in the dock before heading down to the cells. Tables are located as you walk into the courtroom so there is flat and easy access if you need it (cafe staff will help you with your tray if you need it). You can also sit at benches that wrap around the courtroom or sit in the ‘pit’ area; light floods the room and there are fresh flowers on the table. Surely this must be one of the quirkiest cafes in the country? The loos are in the old cells so go and check those out!

We went in last week for lunch and the cafe has a short and seasonal menu that changes most days. The chefs you see working in the kitchen make all the food (save a few baked goods) so they can vary the menu easily. There is usually a soup (good value at under 5 a bowl), a couple of cooked options and hearty sandwiches. I chose stuffed pepper with two salads for under 8; I thought the watermelon salad was delicious. The potato salad was pleasant but together they were an odd combination. The pepper was very good but I would have liked both halves for the cost. The feta, rocket and chutney sandwich looked lovely and generous, and I saw a few people choose the sausage turnover with date and ale chutney (a nice British touch). The queue moved along quickly and the staff were smiley and keen to help.

I’ve been in twice for cake; the first time was towards the end of the day and they had run out of nut-free cakes (for my partner), but the second time the selection was excellent. Bakewell tart, pistachio and blueberry buns, carrot cake, raspberry and oat slice, chocolate brownie, and with prices from 2.50 to 3.95, good value. I shared an almond and raspberry cake, which was divine and you could pick up a free recipe sheet if you want to make it yourself. Coffee was very good and I like that you can get a mug of tea for 1.50. The herbal teas were a little pricey at 3, but you get enough for two cups. There are jugs of tap water with proper glasses (yay, no plastic). It was easy to find somewhere to sit, and there was a lovely atmosphere outside on market day, with music from a nearby stall.

Keep an eye out for the late night events at the Museum and Gallery; the bar will be open and the plan is to offer food specially themed to the touring exhibitions. I love that the cafe team run by Leafi (who also run a cafe at Somerset House, Turner Contemporary and Burgh House in Hampstead) can offer this flexibility – the large chains just can’t. I look forward to going again.