The Oxford Caffeine Chronicles: Society Café

I grew up in Oxford and as my parents still live just outside the historic city, I often get to go back but I don't always have a lot of time to visit new coffee shops and old favourites. Last weekend, though, I had a whole afternoon free and made it to three new-to-me coffee spots. I will review two of them this week and will then be posting an updated guide to Oxford's rapidly changing speciality coffee scene in the near future.

First, though, I'm going to talk about Society Café, which is one of the few good speciality coffee bars in the city centre, thus making it one of the most accessible to casual visitors. There are two sister Society Cafés in Bath and the Oxford location has sprung up since my last visit home at the start of the year. Society Café is located on quiet St Michael's Street, which is also home to a cycle café, a good lunch spot, a second-hand book shop and the Oxford Union. It is also a one-minute walk from Cornmarket Street, infamous for its unloveliness, but once you are inside Society, you feel a world away from the hustle and bustle.

Late on a Saturday afternoon, Society was still bustling. There is a large, attractive seating area upstairs and more tables in the basement. Upstairs, there is plenty of natural light and nice design touches: copper pendant lamps, local art, a living wall, a geometric coffee bar and the pièce de résistance, the sleek turquoise espresso machine that reminds its customers to "keep it sassy." You can also sit at the brew bar if you would like to chat to the barista or admire the copper grinder.

But Society Café is by no means all style and no substance. The coffee menu is substantial and impressive with two single-origin espressos and two single-origin filters, supplied by Bath-based Round Hill Roastery and the always excellent Origin. They also have an impressive tea and gourmet hot chocolate menu. The bar was also stocked with plenty of tempting sweet treats, although I was still stuffed from brunch at GÄF.

I had also already had plenty of coffee that day, but I wanted to try both the espresso and the filter coffee, so I ordered a piccolo (£2.40) and an Aeopress-brewed filter coffee (£3). I tackled the former first, while the barista was working on my Aeropress, and it was beautifully made. The El Salvador Origin coffee was chocolatey and nutty and worked very well as a longer piccolo. The Aeropress, also an Origin coffee although this time from Colombia, was excellent too, the variety's subtler, fruity notes coming through very nicely.

The staff were very friendly and Society Café is a lovely place to hang out and savour a well-brewed brew. It ranks up there with another Oxford favourite of mine, BREW, but the latter is a bit of a jaunt from the city centre, making Society a much-needed addition to the central coffee scene.

Society Café. 12–16 St Michael's Street, Oxford, OX1 2DU. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

At Padella, Simple Pasta Pans Out Perfectly

Lining the shelves of the central, open-plan kitchen at Padella are dozens and dozens of steel pans. This is hardly surprising: the Borough Market restaurant's name means 'pan' and the main section of its menu consists solely of pasta dishes. I'd never been to the restaurant's older sister — the hugely successful Highbury-based Trullo — but Padella's stylish but unpretentious restaurant and superb pasta has already won it plaudits.

My family and I arrived at 6:30 on a Monday evening and there wasn't yet a queue, but we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table for four. Spaces for smaller parties opened up more quickly. By the time we left, the line was much longer and the photo above was taken at 6:45 last night. The lesson is clear: go early and go in small groups, unless you are happy to queue.

There are two dozen seats on the ground floor, most at the bar that circles the kitchen, although we landed a small booth, which lined with sleek black wood and marble. The view of the pasta chefs wasn't as good but it was a much better seating arrangement for a group of four. The atmosphere was lively and the service never felt rushed, despite the growing queue.

They serve a few (Italian) cocktails and a few beers and wines on tap, which were reasonably priced. It felt too early in the week for a negroni, so I had a glass of prosecco (£4.50). The menu included a handful of antipasti, six pastas and three puddings. Between us, we tried almost everything. The antipasti were mostly around £5, and although the burrata and salame were delicious, the marinated spinach with chilli, garlic and anchovy was the real standout. The sourdough was very good too, although given the carb loading that was about to ensure, it may have been a tactical error.

The pastas cost between £5.50 and £9 and the waiter recommended that three dishes shared between two people was about the right amount (one would probably be enough if you also had a couple of antipasti and/or a pudding). We all wanted to try the pappardelle with beef shin ragù (£9), so we ordered three servings between the four of us. It was as good as I was expecting with a really rich, flavourful ragù, perfect pasta and a healthy grating of parmesan.

I also tried the pici cacio e pepe (£6.50), which I had heard was one of Padella's signature dishes. Cacio e pepe is a classic Roman pasta dish that is as simple as it is delicious: cacio means 'cheese' and pepe 'pepper' and it involves little more than a ton of parmesan and black pepper. Padella's take was seriously peppery, which made it a perfect partner to the richness of the ragú. Pici are a Tuscan pasta that resemble chunky spaghetti; they are made from flour and water but no egg.

We didn't really have room for pudding but somehow my sister-in-law and I ended up ordering a cherry and almond tart to share (£4), which was sweet, sharp and rich. I tried a few mouthfuls of my mum's salted caramel ice cream (£4), which had a delicious, complex flavour.

Our meal was excellent and very reasonably priced for the quality of food. I just hope that when I go back (because a prompt return is inevitable) the tagliatelle with nduja, marscapone and parsley is still on the menu because I would really like to try it.

Padella. 6 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TQ (Tube: London Bridge). Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Weekday Brunch at Friends of Ours

When I took last Friday afternoon off work, I didn't have grand plans, but culture, coffee and brunch were all on my shortlist so naturally, I headed to Shoreditch. I had heard great things about Friends of Ours, a cosy, Aussie-style neighbourhood café located a few blocks northeast of Old Street roundabout. I was particularly pleased to hear that their brunch-ready menu is available throughout the week.

It was almost 2 pm by the time I arrived (I did the 'culture' part of the afternoon first, but, Humpty Dumpty-like, I will come to that later) and although Friends of Ours was bustling, there were a couple of free tables. The café itself if bright and colourful with red, black and grey accents (the tiled coffee bar is particularly stylish) and a cheerful mural on the back wall. There are a few small tables next to the bar and in the front window as well as a larger communal table at the back.

The coffee is from Hackney-based Dark Arts and there are a few options on offer, including cold brew and batch-brew filter coffee, as well as the usual espresso-based drinks. I ordered a piccolo (£2.40) and thought about getting a cold brew too, but I wanted to try one of the cold-pressed juices instead (£4). My piccolo was very well-crafted and had a smooth, well-balanced flavour and a neat little latte art heart. The juice — I went for 'the purple one', which involved beetroot, apple, carrot and lemon — was refreshing too.

It took me a while to work my way through the food menu as I was choosing among nine of the dishes (there were nine dishes). I was tempted by the huevos motelanos (£8.20), a combination of fried egg, smoked ham, chorizo, chipotle and veggies on arepa bread. But it was the corn fritters (£9) that won the day: sweetcorn and beetroot fritters, with a poached egg, smashed avocado, feta, mint and coriander. This sounded like a lot of food, so I didn't add a side of streaky bacon, although with hindsight, I probably could have managed.

The fritters were really tasty, the beetroot adding some interesting colour, flavour and texture to a brunch standard. The egg was small but perfectly poached and the avocado, tucked away from sight, was tasty too. I could have done without the feta, but otherwise, this was a delicious and creative dish. There were a few cakes, cookies and doughnuts on the counter but I decided to save room for my next coffee stop instead.

Friends of Ours is a really lovely café with friendly staff (of course), a relaxed ambiance, and great food and drink. They open every day until 5 pm; they don't take reservations but if there's a queue, it will be well worth the wait.

As for the cultural component of my afternoon, I went to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Victoria Miro gallery, a few blocks west of Friends of Ours, near the City Road canal basin. I was looking forward to seeing the Japanese artist's golden pumpkin work (All the Eternal Love I Have for the Punpkins), which required a 30-minute wait even on a rainy Friday. When you reach the front of the queue, you and up to one other person head inside the room where you are allowed 30 seconds to enjoy the art. I spent about 20 seconds snapping photos and then spent 10 seconds just enjoying the infinite reflections and stunning light and geometry.

Downstairs, there was another work (Chandelier of Grief), which you could look at for one minute in groups of four. My photos didn't come even close to capturing how beautiful it is: it was like being inside a sparkling kaleidoscope. If you're in the Islington/Shoreditch area and aren't in a particular rush, I'd recommend stopping by the gallery, even if there is a bit of a queue. Entrance is free.

Friends of Ours. 61 Pitfield Street, London, N1 6BU (Tube: Old Street). Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Victoria Miro Gallery. 16 Wharf Road, London, N1 7RW (Tube: Angel or Old Street). Website. Twitter.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Vagabond @ Trade Union (CLOSED)

UPDATE (April 2018): The whole Trade Union complex, including the Vagabond coffee shop, has permanently closed. You can still find Vagabond coffee at their Holloway home in N7.

The St Katharine Docks, nestled next to Tower Bridge's eastern flank, are lovely and lively at the weekend but Thomas More Square, a few blocks further east, tends to be much quieter. Although it's only a 25-minute walk from home (and houses my closest Waitrose), I've never had much reason to go there, save for the odd meeting with journalists.

The arrival of new all-day venue Trade Union changes all that: now you can go for coffee, lunch or cocktails, buy flowers and even have your hair cut all under the same roof. Friday was their first full day and coincidentally, I had the afternoon off work. I was too late (or early) for lunch or dinner and not quite ready for a cocktail, but I was keen to check out the coffee shop, which is run by north London roaster Vagabond. I've heard great things about Vagabond but rarely find myself in Finsbury Park or Highbury, where there first two locations are based.

The lobby at Trade Union is large and high-ceilinged with décor that marries industrial chic with art deco. I turned right and headed to Vagabond, which occupies a long and attractively decorated space that was bathed in natural light on the sunny afternoon of my visit. A long wooden bench runs along the length of the wooden counter, which is accented with white geometric designs, a monochrome menu and pops of vibrant yellow.

It is the gorgeous Conti espresso machine sitting in pride of place at the head of the counter that you first notice when you walk in, however. The back of the machine is fitted with a transparent panel so that you can see its inner workings. Very cool indeed.

Espresso-based drinks dominate the coffee the menu. I saw a Chemex on the counter but I don't think it was in use. Instead, I ordered a piccolo (£2.40) and a huge slice of banana bread (£2), and chatted with the baristas for a few minutes before taking a seat. There were a few other customers but it was fairly quiet, which I quite enjoyed. I can imagine that once business takes off, it will be hard to find a seat there during the week — very nice for the local workers to have an infinitely more interesting place for a coffee break than Pret. The soundtrack was very cool too: it was the first time in ages that I'd heard a great song called Chamakay by Blood Orange.

I forgot to ask what was in the hopper — Vagabond roast their own coffee — but in any case, my piccolo was made with great care and it tasted great: chocolatey and very smooth. The banana bread was also nice, although could perhaps have done with a few more minutes in the oven; it was, however, very moist and fruity. A wide range of sandwiches and salads are also available — again, the perfect antidote to endless cycles of Pret lunches — and the prices are reasonable.

On my way out, I peeked over at the restaurant and bar. The former is serving salads (including one called Kale, Caesar!), pizzas, and a few large plates (burgers, steaks and fish). The cocktail menu also looked impressive, both in its design and its contents. Trade Union is a really interesting concept and I hope it does well. I am, of course, delighted to have another speciality coffee spot just across the river.

Vagabond @ Trade Union. 3 Thomas More Street, London, E1W (Tube: Tower Hill). 

Etc — June 2016

Jika Jika
Although I spend more time than I would like walking between King's Cross and Euston Square, I was surprised not to have found out about Jika Jika until relatively recently. I was helping to run a conference across the road from the coffee shop's North Gower Street location and just had time for a quick coffee before we kicked off. Small and cheerful with mint green walls and a La Marzocco to match, Jika Jika was a welcome respite from the chaos of the Euston Road. I had a piccolo, which was very good, although the breakfast menu was also rather impressive; it was just a shame I had already eaten.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler
One of my all-time favourite Shakespeare adaptations is Gil Junger's 10 Things I Hate About You. I saw it as a teenager with my family and we all loved its smart but sweet take on The Taming of the Shrew. In Anne Tyler's new retelling of the play, Kate Battista is a 29-year-old preschool teacher who still lives at home to look after her teenage sister Bunny and grumpy scientist father. Kate does everything for her father and sister but her father still wants one last favour: for Kate to marry his brilliant Russian research assistant, Pyotr, so that he can get a green card and continue to work for Dr Battista. The eponymous vinegar girl isn't going to be won over without a fight, though, or without plenty of bile being spilled along the way.

Tyler's reimagining is charming and enjoyable, with its tongue firmly in its cheek (watch out for the 'shrew' joke and Cole Porter reference). Kate herself was perhaps too sympathetic and neither feisty nor truculent enough for the role. Will the shrew be tamed? Will Pyotr run out of proverbs from his country? And will any of the other characters learn to say his name correctly? All of these will be revealed in due course but, like, the ending of the novel, you probably have a good idea.

Disclaimer: Vinegar Girl is out now, published by Vintage Books. I received a pre-release copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.


White Mulberries
Every time I go to White Mulberries, it reinforces my view that the diminutive café is one of London's finest. It's actually pretty close to home for me — just the other side of Tower Bridge in St Katharine's Docks — but because it's slightly tucked away, out of sight occasionally becomes out of mind. White Mulberries really shines on sunny days like last Sunday, where you can enjoy your coffee with a view of the boats bobbing in marina. This time I had a piccolo, which was pretty close to perfect with the latte art running all the way down, but I've always had great coffee here, whatever I order. My only problem is that I get distracted by the toasties on the counter and forget to order the avocado toast. A rookie error.

Eleanor by Jason Gurley
I was drawn to Jason Gurley's novel Eleanor by the stunning, ethereal cover, which jumped out at me from the shelves of Portland's wonderful Powell's Books. I didn't have room for the weighty hardback in my suitcase but I borrowed it as soon as it became available in my local library. It's a hard novel to describe — it is better experienced — but essentially it tells the story of three generations of women from a single family (two of whom are called Eleanor) and set on the Oregon coast during three different decades. Each one is haunted by loss and seeking redemption, meaning and perhaps happiness. Ripples of tragedy seep across the generations, wreaking consequences for decades to come.

There is also a strong fantasy component interspersed within, and in fact integral to, the story — strange, other-worldly beings may offer some form of redemption. I was less interested in these elements and think Eleanor would have made a stronger story if they had remained more ambiguous, more implicit. Gurley's prose is beautiful, poignant and haunting, however, and although I wasn't always sure where Eleanor was going, it was an imaginative ride.


Game of Thrones season six
After The Good Wife ended, I was feeling hugely uninspired by TV. I wasn't even going to watch the latest season of Game of Thrones at all as I hadn't been impressed with season five, but I persevered and boy am I glad I did. The whole of season six was great entertainment, especially the last two episodes and, in particular, the spectacular opening sequence of the finale, which was fantastic television. The music is spot on as usual, but most importantly the audience finally gets some pay-offs for years of loyal viewing. If you aren't yet caught up to the latest season, it's worth doing. Besides, you have about ten months now until season seven starts.