Twigs
There are lots of interesting concepts in the restaurant world.
For example, themed restaurants, like the ninja restaurant I visited in Tokyo a few years ago. To obtain entry into this mysterious den, you had to traverse a labyrinth with a friendly ninja. Yet a major problem arose towards the end for the well heeled. A moat with no way across. A trip in the mud would not do. However, ninjutsu came to the rescue and after a few choice Japanese words, a drawbridge mysteriously appeared.
Then again, there is that restaurant combined with a shop at the Rainforest Cafe. However, the issue is it does neither well.
Yet perhaps the most interesting I have come across (virtually) is the toilet restaurant. Everything there is themed with toilets in mind. All the seats are like your toilet throne at home. The table reminds you of the bathroom. Various sanitary paraphernalia decorated the walls. I hope that the toilet doesn’t have you running for the sink soon.
Yet here was something different. A nursery and a cafe all together. Twigs – it styles itself as a plant shop and lunch spot. Kind of rolls off the tongue.
Kombucha. I thought to go a bit adventurous this day with a canned drink from Japan of something I have never tried before. Now I will never try it again. It tasted like water that had been left fermenting with various objects for far too long. It was fizzy too.
Rice waffles, ponzu dressing, pickled carrot, daikon & cucumber, herbs, sesame seeds & chilli with salmon. I was tempted by the description of a rice waffle. As for what it is, the name gives it away a bit. It is cooked rice shoved into a waffle maker for a few minutes and then pulled out to create an interesting base to things. Then just slap on some salmon, Japanese dressings and assortments, smother with mayonnaise and you have created something new. That’s all I really have to say about it, it was new but not great and the flavours seemed rather underwhelming. I ate it all though but my excuse was that I was somewhat hungry.
The decor was great, with potted shrubbery all around and happy cacti to greet you. With an open and airy room, it radiated peace and happiness. It got at least one part of the restaurant start up right. If you can’t figure out which part it was through my cryptic clues, I’ll give you a hint. It wasn’t the food.
A quiet eating 6/10.
Lunch (1 dish) was GBP 8 excluding drinks and service.
12 Broadway Market Mews,
London E8 4TS, UK