Kara

I was reminded this morning of two things I hate when breakfasting: being made to wait for over 10 minutes for my caffeine hit and only receiving one piece of toast when ordering poached eggs. Petty, snivelling thing aren't I?

Cafe Kara has been one of my faves over the years. I hadn't been there for yonks so opted to pop in whilst child-free to enjoy a pre-shopping bite and suss out if there were any changes to this inner-city institution. Mmmm, sadly there has.

One thing that hasn't changed is the decor, and it really ought to be. The place seemed overwhelmingly tired, and in need of a refurb. When there's so much competition in the city, one cannot afford to rest on one's laurels and rely on what was looking great 6 years ago. Paint the walls, change the mirror, re-stain the floors: do something!!!

I ordered poached eggs with a side of smoked slamon. They arrived speedily and were pleasant enough, but not great. One piece of toast(unbuttered, why?), 2 eggs, and 3 little swirls of smoked salmon. And of course the obligatory pile of lettuce doused with balsamic. This is another oft-found and irritating feature on many breakfast plates. If I desired a side salad with my eggs, I would order one. In this case, I would have preferred a second piece of toast instead of the greenery.

Coffee was good. I think they still use Grinders, which I find a tad too strong actually, but hubby was very happy with his latte. And the cute latte art.

The service was slow slow slow. We arrived at 9am and although the seated area was quiet, with maybe 2 other tables filled, there was a queue for takeaway coffees about 6 deep. This was keeping the barista busy, but the floor staff were somehow missing in action. I was on the verge of departing in frustration when finally a fellow arrived to take our orders. He was friendly but distracted, and called my beloved 'Sir', which was a bit odd, given they appeared about the same age. Hmmm.

The cafe was pretty empty when we visited, which I guess contributed to the air of neglect; one notices any shabbiness when there's no people-watching to be had or conversations to eavesdrop. Both the other tables comprised women with prams, so I guess it's a good spot for a quiet coffee before you hit the shops with bubs in tow (if you're not in a hurry). The buzzing, pumping Kara I remember from days of old has clearly died. I longingly recalled when Maria used to run the place with flair and passion, and the trouble you'd have getting a table any time of day. There used to be suits having business meetings, lawyers debriefing after a court appearance (yes, that was me before I retired!), all manner of public servants, shoppers, tourists too. Maybe I was just there at the wrong time of day? Who knows, but methinks that Kara's hayday may have passed. Time to re-incarnate please.

Rated 5/10
Cafe Kara, Liverpool Street