Boulangerie Bon Matin

Arkady

Not a bad shout. But I’d suggest that One Canada Square would be a better bet – I can think of (and have eaten in) a fried chicken shop at the foot of the Shard. So sue me, I was hungry.

miss annie

I think there is a KFC and possibly a Nandos down Canada Square way. Somewhere in Chelsea maybe? @ Misscara, Liberty = *swoon* @Mirandola, Starbucks is not a sign a sign of gentrification it's a sign of people's gullibilty.

kreuzkav

I think gentrification is a process of an area becoming more middle class in a short period of time (say ten years). I think the process has been gradual here in Stroud Green. The top of SGR, from Stapleton hall road onwards was always middle class and really hasn't changed much. I think the change has been on Stroud Green road and around. SGR has become a centre of attraction for the 'eating out' middle class crowd. Go back 20 years ago and there was only the White Lion on the street , a few cafs, Cats and Jai Krishna. La Porchetta was in its planning stage. Then came the Old Dairy (I was at its opening) and a new dawn rose.

Before anyone attacks me, I don't think it's such a bad thing that the street has become gentrified, apart of course from the increase in noise. I think the focal point of gentrification is 'The Seasons' restaurant. It represents it all; new and old money, with a touch of green awareness. Quite good really!

Bon Matin is really just something you'd find on a high street in a small town. Wow, French cafe, must be cool! Reminds me of the 'le regrette rien' in Mike Leigh's 'Life is sweet'. I don't really like his films but that was funny. Let's try the French angle to sell a sterile service.

Samlou

I'm disappointed with Bon Matin too.... and I soooo wanted it to be good. The venue is fab, but the service is slow and chaotic, the menu uninspired and cakes somehow not as good as they should be. I think it's the same owner as the two Sable D'Or, and it has the same mistakes...

Samlou

I'm disappointed with Bon Matin too.... and I soooo wanted it to be good. The venue is fab, but the service is slow and chaotic, the menu uninspired and cakes somehow not as good as they should be. I think it's the same owner as the two Sable D'Or, and it has the same mistakes...

therattle

I said "@Arkady, you and I clearly don't see eye to eye! (By which I mean that I am right and you are wrong)"

I was joking, you know...

Arkady

My sense of humour is limited to sexual euphemisms.

Ali

Krez 20 years ago Cats was a Chinese supermarket, the fish restaurant was a kebab shop , La Porchetta had just opened and was the pioneer for the restaurant side, don’t know how long Jai Krishna has been there ? I think it was the WLM that started this all off, it was the pub to be seen in at the time

Sevlow

@Ali the WLM still is the pub to be seen in for us normal folk

Hopefully the new Mexican will cancel out the hoity-toity ness of BBM

Papa

I like Bon Matin, cakes and stuff are my thing, but it is nicely done, shows care and attention and strives to be attractive, something many businesses could learn from.

I do wish it served some savoury pastries etc. though - that would definitely bring in more of my business, rather than the odd pop in to buy a pain au chocolat for the wife.

I reckon overall customer service in Stroud Green is well above average - and people always respond to a bit of warmth from their customers.

High Street Kensington is a pretty good distance from a chicken shop.

KatieB

Yes, back to Bon Matin - really liked the place, just what's needed. Great decor etc by the service is sooooo slow. Bit of a disappointment when I'm just grabbing a quick coffee (delicious) and a bite on the way to the tube. Will have to think twice about doing that again unless they get a bit more speedy!

kreuzkav

@ Ali, I can't remember Stroud Green road too well about twenty years ago as i just visited here now and again. I do remember it from 1995 onwards as my long term ex-gf moved here then and I hung out quite a bit here from then on. Cats and La Porchetta were fairly new.

The White Lion was all wood beams then and not the sterile airport lounge it is now. The Faltering Fallback was also the place to be.

I think Jai Krishna has been here for about thirty years. Annie Lennox went there back in the 80s.

sg_mike

Nice cakes and tiles
Lots of prams
Horrifically bad coffee

miss annie

Any cafe in SG or Crouch End that imposes a ban on prams so that working adults can have a peaceful cuppa and a cake would be onto a winner. I understand that parents need to go out with their children but it would be lovely to have one lovely, grown up place that was free of bawling babies (that parents are content to leave screaming because they are immune to it) or packs of unsupervised toddlers marauding about.

gardener-joe

...

neilf

Went back yesterday, coffee was MUCH improved. Really nice actually.

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sincers

Tried out BBM yesterday. Service was spot on. Scrambled eggs and salmon was lovely; coffee was fine, although I wouldn't know the difference between Maxwell House and Kopi Luwak - perhaps could have been hotter. There selection of cakes and sarnies looked superb.

graeme

Had a nice French Crepe here this morning, friend had the scrambled egg which was nice too.

Afraid to report the coffee is still dreadful. Americano was just ok/slightly stewed but not too bad, but a cappachino was left about 4/5 full as it was rank rotten. It looked like milky tea under all the froth. The chap who makes the coffee really needs to get lessons or something - pays no attention when drawing the espresso etc. If they're going to do coffee, they'd be as well just getting a pot of filter going and leave it at that.

Cakes looked nice and the place is very pleasant, but if I want a coffee I'll walk over to Coffee Circus on Crouch Hill in future. Shame.

Arkady

Has anyone actually told them what they think of the coffee?

graeme

Would have done, though when paying no one asked if everything was ok. Didn't want to hurt the chap's feelings, and suppose it's a matter of opinion.
Doesn't every shopkeeper read this forum though..?

Ali

Can we invite Joan Podel to comment on the feedback on the coffee as it seem pretty constant complaint and could/will damage the business which would be a shame? Joan, What is the action plan to sort this out

miss annie

I don't think it will damage the business at all. Either people don't know as much about coffee as they think they do or they really don't care as BBM is constantly busy. There were the same grumbles about Front Room and the Dairy too but they are always busy too. As long as the place looks chi chi, has wifi and allows children in you could up any old thing and people will pay for it.

graeme

Agree with Miss Annie, it was pretty busy with mummys and tractors today, quite a bit of passing bakery business and half a dozen people having cooked dishes. I'll be back, but will likely just have the tea.

xxxxxxx

I went to BBM here is my very short review. First off it's very good for Stroud Green. Whatever the food / coffee is like at least the place is not a Country Chicken.

Anyway.

I found the staff ok, the manager was very friendly and obviously very happy to have this place in Stroud Green.

I had scrambled eggs on rye. It was actually quite nice.

The coffee was pretty bad.

For good coffee try Gails in Crouch End (Make sure the Australian girl from Brisbane makes it as the other staff haven't got a clue). That's the best flat white within 10 mins from Stroud Green!

barnesbq

how could you even mention Crouch End in the stroud green forum? - TRAITOR!

Ali

Probably the only Flat White within 10 mins of SGR

mikecabic

Worry not Kreuzkav. Gentrification is still somewhere over the horizon. The traditional wig and fried chicken industries of Stroud Green continue to go from strength to strength. And I would hardly call the replacements for Dudleys and Miso 'chi-chi'.

mikecabic

I enjoyed my first visit, ish, except for cooking alive in the back area, they need some sort of shade/circulation there The coffee is a bit odd, milky, yet overly bitter somehow. Do Costa do a flat white?

Arkady

I'm no coffee buff. But in my experience there is more variation within 'latte', 'cappucino' and 'flat white' than there is between them. All are frothed milk delivered on top of an expresso. I understand that the difference is supposed to be in the kind of froth and the vessel used to deliver the froth, but I have seen little evidence of this when watching them being made.