Tipped

Good Ampersand Bad

May 20, 2008

The first time I went into Apostrophe all I got was a coconut macaroon. I left and ate my macaroon outside because the ambiance felt strangely sterile and corporate hip. Their website actually says "the ceiling and wall designs are a nod to the 'edgy' character of the area" - believe me when I say that the ceiling and wall are not even remotely edgy. However, the macaroon was really delicious and they even stamped a loyalty card just for buying a single macaroon.

Because the macaroon was so good, I went back on another day and got a coffee and a croissant. The coffee had some ridiculous happy face logo imprinted in the foam that made me make a frowny face. Again however I was pleasantly surprised by the food - the coffee was good and the croissant was borderline amazing, despite the fact that I had finally decided that I couldn't stand the place.

Because Time Out declared that Apostrophe has some of the best hot chocolate in London I went back yet again. This time my disappointment lived up to my previous low expectations: the hot chocolate was not good at all - it was thick, but it was actually too thick and not intensely chocolaty. It was essentially chocolate custard heated up until it became liquid. Once it cooled, it solidified into a glutinous brown slick that was about as appealing as congealed gravy. If you get the hot chocolate, drink it as fast as possible.

Tags: coffee, pastries, sandwiches, restaurant chain