Label Lust : Another 8...

Another 8 is a new fashion brand that we stumbled across a few weeks ago. We were ambling past The Boxpark in Shoreditch when we caught sight of a powder blue oversized blazer in the pop-up shop's window. The pastel hues drew us in and kick-started a whole host of ohhhs and ahhhhs from Middle Mouse and me!

Take Zara's colour palette and their clean, crisp, stark style and mix in some leather, studs, cutwork and BAM! Another 8 is born! 

This is highstreet with an edge - easy to wear fashion with chic finishes. The label's aim is to close the gap between run of the mill highstreet and high end design...and we think they've go it spot on!

Here are some of our favourite pieces that we very nearly purchased, only stopped by the fact that it was the day before pay day...but, now our salaries have landed and we're ready to spendddd!!!

Brooke Dress, £150

Nicks Dress, £55

Lana Jacket, £65

Rita Top, £45

Jamie Rucksack, £135

Cream Of The Coffee: Ozone

We've officially found our new favourite place, the perfect canvas for a lazy Sunday flicking through the papers (who am I kidding Style and Stella magazine is more like it) whilst polishing off plate lickingly good brunch and all washed down by the best cup of coffee London has to offer. If that sounds right up your street, then pay Ozone a visit immediately! 



Ozone is famous for it's coffee, they roast their own beans on the premises, act as providers to businesses in the UK and Europe and provide training and equipment to start up ventures. The Ozone Coffee Roastery originated in New Zealand around ten years ago by a couple with the vision to make a difference after visiting remote villages in El Salvador with their main income relying on coffee plantations. Although one of the founder sadly passed away in 2008, the  heart of the business he built lives on, with the drive to offer quality without compromise whilst creating income for the families and growers at origin. 

It not only has a lovely story behind it but really does come up with the goods. We ordered two skinny cappuccinos which I devoured in less than a minute...I can't explain why it was so good but it defiantly didn't taste skinny and the coffee flavour was intense, smooth and rich but not too much so. If this was on my work route I would be in that queue every morning without fail! 

The decor has been executed beautifully - high ceilings, exposed brickwork, hanging light bulbs, hand painted signs, huge windows and an impressive wrap around coffee station overlooking the baristas and chefs. 

 

 

 

 

 

The shabby chic design makes you feel right at home and like you could quite comfortably spend a day chatting and sipping away! The large dining area is situated on the ground floor overlooking the basement which is authentically full of all the coffee bean roasting equipment. The key to great coffee is freshness and Ozone can guarantee this in abundance - it all happens right here on site...

The attention to detail made me fall a little bit more in love - the cute jam jars of flowers, labels on the sugar pot and teeny tiny pegs on the bill...I'm a sucker for such things! 

And lastly the food...that never comes last on my list but there is too many great things to cover when it comes to Ozone! We ventured down on a late Sunday morning...

 

After a cup of their heavenly coffee we greedily gobbled down some much needed grub!

 

Eggs benedict...

And french toast with rhubarb and creme fraiche...

We didn't have room but the pastries looked pretty scrum too...

They have a combination of 'Lunchy Things' and then a separate section dedicated to eggs which is served all day...my kind of place! We were perched at the coffee bar overlooking the chefs at work and after seeing some of the other culinary creations leaving the kitchen I'm getting my next booking in quick smart! 

Fear not, if Shoreditch is too far for you to venture, they supply many other businesses in London - so you can all sample the amazingness for yourself. See their website here to scout out where's close by and become hooked just like us! 

And remember...

3BM Eats : 8 Hoxton Square...

If you've heard of and experienced the supremely tasty food from 10 Greek Street in Soho then i'm happy to share that there's a new sibling in town - 8 Hoxton Square. Even better it's a stone throw away from our East London Mouse pad! We decided to check it out by day AND by night, why not, to see if it lived up to the high standard's set by 10.

Firstly: by day, on a Saturday morning when the sun was shining...

Similar vibe to 10 - cosy, industrial, achingly cool and shining happy staff. The only big difference is 8 is double the size and has an outdoor courtyard for alfresco dining - my fav! 

More room = amble room for sweet details...

Milk bottle water bottles - tick!

Mouth-watering breakfast treats - double tick!

School style tables and chairs...

Mini mouse salivating over the menu in her Tom Ford's, statement Zara necklace and 'Do Epic Chic' tee ever so beautifully...

It was a tough choice with lots of scrummy creations to choose from but we both ended up opting for a full english breakfast which was super duper yum...

...And by night

I'm happy to report it's just as spectacular! On a Friday night after a tough week at work, this is the perfect spot to catch up with friends over some red wine and look forward to two blissful days to come...

Our favourite dishes to report were asparagus, egg yolk ravioli topped with truffle shavings for starters...

Followed by Welsh black beef, duck fat potatoes, St George mushrooms and horseradish. Rare, pack full of flavour and served up on a sweeter than sweet floral platter...

In summary. Go. You won't regret it!

8 Hoxton Square 

London 

N1 6NU

020 7792 4232

Rip-Roaring Rita's...

There's so many newbies opening up in London I just can't get round to trying them all! Firstly whoever comes as my dinner companion has to accept that I will be snapping away throughout and no one can dig into any course until I have my perfect picture! Secondly there aren't enough days in the week for working, sleeping, the gym as well as this level of socialising.

Those two combined make it hard to find the right date and time... however I made it happen last week with a visit to Rita's in Hackney.

After a successful run as a pop-up in 2012, Rita's have found their permanent stomping ground and opened the doors on Mare Street late last summer. 

The vibe is laid back, fun and hits the perfect mix of trendy without being try hard. You could rock up in a ball gown or pyjamas and nobody would bat an eyelid...it's basically a chic cafe minus the grease!

The menu is one made for sharing and jam packed full of a wide variety of cuisines and flavours. You get anything from Fried Chicken to Spiced Noodles with Pig Head Ham...quirky but delicious! Personally, I love a menu like this, making it a bit more exciting with an element of not really knowing what will arrive in front of you. 

On our visit the dishes were bursting full of Asian favours with coriander, chili, garlic and ginger being main contenders but then paired with goat and ox cheek. As I mentioned, interesting combinations but don't be scared - everything we opted for was very tasty and the flavours were incredible.  

The exterior doesn't give much away with a small shabby shop front with only a glowing sphere light outside emblazoned with Rita's to confirm that you have arrived. As you walk in you are hit with an impressive aroma which instantly made my stomach rumble. The decor is modern and simple but true to the Rita's ethos - unfussy...it's all about the food!

Sharing menus are always hard to gauge but I would say 2 - 3 dishes per person would be ideal. We picked a couple of mains and sides to ensure we had enough room left for dessert...I strongly recommend you do the same!

First up the steamed sea bream with ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chili - simple fish cooked perfectly but with incredible punchy flavours fighting through...a true party in your mouth!

We couldn't resist going for the green chili mac & cheese which didn't disappoint...calorie central but wickedly moreish with a bold kick from the chili...

Maybe not something I would usually order from the menu, however we'd heard rave reviews about the Miso Grilled Aubergine and Mushroom Toban, so we decided to go with it. Once again amazing depths of flavour, textures and also nice to have a lighter meat/fish free option to throw into the mix...

We also couldn't resist ordering a side of the fried potatoes - basically mini mouthfuls of the perfect crispy outers and fluffy inners - everything a potato should be! All topped off with a garlic mayo drizzle and spring onion - nothing unusual but a delish side...

Finally seeing as we'd saved ourselves (!!), we got our pudding order in quick smart...two of the legendary ice cream sandwiches! Toffee ice cream wedged between 2 of the most delicious cookies...crunchy yet soft in the middle with ribbons of chewy marshmallow throughout. Something only dreams are made of...

All the above with a cocktail and glass of red came to £25 each - superb value for such delicious food with immense flavours...we left very happy diners. 

I've heard on the grapevine that they also do a killer brunch...one for the little black book I think...I shall keep you all posted my friends! 

 

The Ace Trumps Again With Hoi Polloi...

You can't beat the anticipated excitement that comes with a new restaurant opening and especially when the much hyped eatery in question is in your fricking neighbourhood! Yes people I'm talking about The Ace Hotel's Hoi Polloi restaurant in Shoreditch. 

If you're thinking you recognise the 'Ace' name then you'd be right, it's a small American chain with hotels scattered across NYC, Portland, Seattle and Palm Spring's. I stayed at the Ace Hotel in New York back in 2012 and shared a post trip rave review - I've been recommending it to anyone and everyone ever since! Well, I'm now back to make yet another Ace-shaped recommendation...

So more on the Ace Hotel Shoreditch... The plot where the Ace now stands loud and proud used to be Crowne Plaza territory. The hotel itself isn't quite finished yet with some rooms still needing more work and the lobby and basement bars still a work in progress. The brand spanking new restaurant however opened for business on 3rd October so in true 3BM style I was straight on the blower booking myself and Mini mouse in for dinner. 

Pablo Flack and David Waddington of Bistrotheque and Shrimpy's are the brains behind this new brasserie masterpiece. This was music to our little Mice ears as all three of us are great fans when it comes to both of these restaurants. 

A word of warning, the restaurant and hotel exterior still very much appears Crowne Plaza-esque but don't let this deter you because the inside more than makes up for this. For starters the flower shop entrance to the restaurant is a refreshing touch - it wasn't a great surprise to me as it mirrors that of the NYC hotel. Filled to the brim with beautiful seasonal flowers and foliage all sourced from British growers, your first impression of the space is instantly uplifting and heartwarming...

Once you've passed through the secret garden, you then enter the world of Hoi Polloi - spacious, bold with a design-led edge. We're talking brass, low-hanging pendant lights, wooden panelling, smart lino floor tiles and black minimalistic furniture...

 

We were very briskly whisked off to our table and greeted with a freesheet nestled in between our knives and forks - the restaurant's take on a quirky menu very much in keeping with the cooler then cool surrounding Shoreditch vibe...

Next up - the grub! As a taster we opted for the puffy scratchings with green sauce AKA posh pork scratchings (which the waiter likened to Quavers) alongside the chickpea fritters with tarragon yoghurt - both lip-smakingly good...

For our main course, we decided to share dishes - the pressed lamb, jerusalem artichoke, radish and Madeira was mini mouse's pick and I choose the skirt steak with dripping chips. The cauliflower cheese side sounded too good to resist so we ordered that up too! Again all were outstandingly tasty...

 

This was all complimented with a delicious crisp bottle of white and multiple celeb spots including Graham Norton and Will Young interrupting their meals to greet each other with showbiz obligatory air kisses! I know, I know - I should be above being entertained by this level of shallowness, but I'm sorry it's always going to be a guilty pleasure of mine!

All that's left to say is 'cheers' to this new little east end gem - bring on the bar openings and then we'll be able to enjoy a full house...

 

Hoi Polloi

100 Shoreditch Highstreet

London

E1 6JQ

020 8880 6100