Review: Affogato Bar
Fenwicks have a sneaky and rather brilliant tactic to keep you shopping. Between rails of clothes, islands of products and shelves of pretty things, there are discreet but hugely appealing eateries. You can wander from beauty to fashion to home ware, stopping for sustenance at regular intervals. Basically, you never need to leave.
I had a charming lunch at Bond & Brook last year, and this time ventured to the third floor to sample the delights of Affogato Bar. This cute little corner space serves up coffee and cake and lighter meals, and is ideal for when you want a little sit down rather than a full blown meal. Visiting late morning (after a good two hours of arduous shopping) my friend and I opted to go for a bit of coffee and cake, with an affogato-twist. My bakewell tart was the best kind of stodgy, its rich butter and almond subtly balanced by the sweetness of the icing. My friend ordered the carrot cake and although initially vexed by the lack of icing, she was won over from the first bite by the moist and textured sponge. As far as elevenses go, it was a storming success.
Following a cappuccino (which came with lots of chocolate powder – always a winner) we couldn’t leave without trying the café’s namesake. The affogato came beautifully presented in three glasses on a gleaming white plate, one filled with espresso, another with ice cream and the final one with water. Custom dictates that you tip the espresso over the ice cream, but I couldn’t resist trying them individually first. The espresso was rich, fruity and a little bit sharp, while the ice cream was smooth and incredibly creamy. Together the dish was at once decadent and light, sweet and bitter. Taking tiny sips of the water was handy for stringing out the pleasure.
It must be noted that you enjoy the dish while staring at displays of this season’s swimwear, which is slightly sobering, but as far as puddings go, at least it’s on the lighter end of the scale (sadly the same can’t be said for the bakewell tart).
Unless you’re already in the store it’s unlikely that you’ll venture to the Affogato Bar, but it’s certainly worth the trip up the escalators. I was interested to observe a gentleman sat on another of the tables who was enjoying coffee after coffee while quietly reading the complimentary papers. Just as we were leaving, his wife came to collect him laden with Fenwicks bags.
And therein lies the genius. Whether a spot for ladies who shop – or a crèche for their reluctant husbands – a visit to the Affogato Bar is the sort of thing which quickly becomes habit. Fired by caffeine and sugar, you’ll never want to shop anywhere else.
www.rhubarb.net/Venues/Bond-Brook/The-Affogato-Bar
I had a charming lunch at Bond & Brook last year, and this time ventured to the third floor to sample the delights of Affogato Bar. This cute little corner space serves up coffee and cake and lighter meals, and is ideal for when you want a little sit down rather than a full blown meal. Visiting late morning (after a good two hours of arduous shopping) my friend and I opted to go for a bit of coffee and cake, with an affogato-twist. My bakewell tart was the best kind of stodgy, its rich butter and almond subtly balanced by the sweetness of the icing. My friend ordered the carrot cake and although initially vexed by the lack of icing, she was won over from the first bite by the moist and textured sponge. As far as elevenses go, it was a storming success.
Following a cappuccino (which came with lots of chocolate powder – always a winner) we couldn’t leave without trying the café’s namesake. The affogato came beautifully presented in three glasses on a gleaming white plate, one filled with espresso, another with ice cream and the final one with water. Custom dictates that you tip the espresso over the ice cream, but I couldn’t resist trying them individually first. The espresso was rich, fruity and a little bit sharp, while the ice cream was smooth and incredibly creamy. Together the dish was at once decadent and light, sweet and bitter. Taking tiny sips of the water was handy for stringing out the pleasure.
It must be noted that you enjoy the dish while staring at displays of this season’s swimwear, which is slightly sobering, but as far as puddings go, at least it’s on the lighter end of the scale (sadly the same can’t be said for the bakewell tart).
Unless you’re already in the store it’s unlikely that you’ll venture to the Affogato Bar, but it’s certainly worth the trip up the escalators. I was interested to observe a gentleman sat on another of the tables who was enjoying coffee after coffee while quietly reading the complimentary papers. Just as we were leaving, his wife came to collect him laden with Fenwicks bags.
And therein lies the genius. Whether a spot for ladies who shop – or a crèche for their reluctant husbands – a visit to the Affogato Bar is the sort of thing which quickly becomes habit. Fired by caffeine and sugar, you’ll never want to shop anywhere else.
www.rhubarb.net/Venues/Bond-Brook/The-Affogato-Bar