London, UK
Last year when I told people that I was moving to Shoreditch, breakfast at Leila's Shop was the first restaurant recommendation I got. It is located on Calvert Avenue, a cosy street full of independent shops, just off Arnold Circus. Even though it's really close to my home, it took me a whole year to go there. It is always crowded at breakfast, brunch and lunch (it's not open for dinner), and I never bothered to queue up. When I finally had the time to go on a weekday, the tables outside were free, and we sat down in the sun for some food and people-watching. The menu is always short, usually with one vegetarian and one meat-based option. I am assuming the selection is decided by whatever daily produce is available, and thus we didn't have much to choose from. My friend and I both went for the baked eggs with sage, which came served in one pan that we shared. We asked if they had any sides, as I had a craving for avocado, but they didn't. They also didn't have any orange juice, so I went for a freshly squeezed apple juice, and my friend had a good quality cappuccino. After a short wait, we could smell the distinct aroma of sage from inside the restaurant, and we were quite excited to dig in. We meticulously divided the four eggs which had merged into one to make sure we both got an equal share. The organic eggs were great, with an orange, runny yolk, and lots of flavour from the seasoning. Without sides the meal was not big, so we ended up finishing the bread basket and we were still kind of hungry when leaving. The service was so-so; for instance when we asked for butter for the bread they seemed annoyed as if that was an unreasonable request. Despite this, I really liked eating there, and will recommend it to anyone who walks past when one of their few tables are available. Their small grocery shop next door is also worth checking out, full of fresh produce and delicious looking ingredients.
