The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

It's been open for a week and The Breakfast Club's Speakeasy cocktail bar, The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town, behind the Smeg fridge, Spitalfields, is a MUST!

In a similar ethos to The Breakfast Club's 80s retro American kitch, this cocktail bar recreates that downtown Chicago/Boston bar with an air of underground exclusivity. This is partly to do with the promotion (if any) for its opening has been a simple website only giving contact details, a few hidden clues on Twitter and (mostly) word of mouth. Then there is the password 'Let The Bees See The Knees' to get 2 for 1 drinks; and of course the big question...'What's Behind The Smeg Fridge?' These little utterings can't help but inject you with a feeling of importance and guaranteed enjoyment that awaits!

So what is behind the Smeg Fridge?

The barmaid opens the fridge door to reveal a walkway down to the small low-lit bar.

There were roughly 30-40 seats, and the right level of buzz so that the music and chatter never needed to get too loud. Speaking of which, a constant selection of good tunes played, from James Brown to Roxy Music to Amy Winehouse (and a few gambles, like Hot Chocolate's 'Everyone's A Winner'), and a huge part of enjoying bars comes down to a decent soundtrack!

The menu (including a handful of food dishes and bar snacks) is designed for a manageable selection of cocktails with a black leather cover and a simple Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town logo on it.

We had a few cocktails each:

The Old Fashioned - with Woodford Reserve bourbon, orange zest and brown sugar

Rosie & Gin - with Bombay Sapphire Gin, pressed pineapple juice, rosemary and lime juice

Red Lady - with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, raspberries and egg white

Tommy's Chilli - with Jose Cuervo Traditional Tequila, red chilli, lemongass, agave syrup and lime juice

Mexican Mule - with Jose Cuervo Tequila, ginger beer, lime and sugar

Linchberg-Leith Lemonade - with Baili Nicol Jarvie Scotch, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and Fentiman's Victorian lemonade

The Rosie & Gin was stunning. Definitely my favourite! Smooth and fruity with a hint of rosemary. The Old Fashioned was also mixed well...I guess you know it is when the barman says he needs at least five minutes to make it!

Old Fashioned and Rosie & Gin

Mexican Mule, Red Lady and Tommy's Chilli

TIP: Don't get too carried away as the alcohol kicks in after cocktail #2!!

Cakeline (a sort of dateline for cafés)

I've been going to a few cafés of late so thought I'd reveal their credentials to you in one go.

Café #1...Trendy, playful and ready to please. This nostalgic café is big on style.

The Breakfast Club. I've already posted about these guys and their delicious brunch offerings, however this time I sampled their pancakes (mainly because it was Pancake Day!). This café is fun-loving and knows how to satisfy a grumbly tummy with their American diner-style menu. You'll find their Soho, Hoxton and Angel branches all get pretty busy, but it's for a good reason.

English breakfast tea

Banana, Nutella and ice cream pancakes

Café #2: An arty type, this modest lover of vintage decor is the reliable type.

The Candid Café in Angel is a hidden gem. Behind Angel station off of City Road, this café is above the small Candid Arts venue. Full of intriguing paintings and vintage furniture, it's a lovely place to unwind, stop off with a friend, have a relaxed meeting or just sit and read a book for a while. They serve food all day and also have some lovely cakes on display (yes, I had one). Good and dependable this café certainly is.

Coffee and blueberry cheesecake

Café #3: Host to a busy lifestyle, this one's all about satisfying in a short-stop, no questions asked sort of way.

The Fleet River Bakery is tucked away behind Kingsway Road in Holborn and doesn't fail to attract a crowd. Selling Monmouth coffee and a lovely array of teas, along with some dangerously tasty cakes, (the peanut butter cheesecake in particular is a must!) There's freshly made salads, tarts and quiches if you're in the mood to take it one step further with lunch.

Eight butterflies green tea (cranberry, rose petals & chrysanthemum)

The Breakfast Club - Angel

Brunch. Good weather. Sunday...all three in their own right are pleasant. But together they're a pleasure!

I went for a spot of brunch with a friend (on their recommendation) at the branch of The Breakfast Club in Angel. The chain of little yellow cafes serving breakfast, brunch, light snacks, milkshakes and cocktails are worth a visit if you like the following:

• bizarre decorative interiors (think posters of 80s pop stars, furniture that doesn't match, massive cardboard cut-out of Elvis etc)
  
• friendly staff who wear false eyelashes, just cos they feel like it
• well made breakfasts, brunch and light snacks

Although the service was a bit slow - it was a Sunday at midday, their busiest time - the staff were helpful and infectiously happy. This may have been helped by the good weather, but I shan't complain.

I ordered the Eggs Florentine (£6.80) and a pot of Earl Grey tea, which was a treat! The salad garnish that accompanied it had a tangy dressing and the Hollandaise sauce was one of the nicest I've tasted. Not too strong to overpower the subtle flavours of the poached eggs and spinach. Yummy!



My friend Clara ordered the Scrambled Egg with Smoked Salmon on toast. This looked like a decent portion for £6.20 and well cooked. I'm not a fan of gooey scrambled eggs.


The only thing I regret was the food envy that kicked in when someone on the table next to us ordered a banana milkshake and the pancakes with fresh strawberries and blueberries. AND came with a separate pot of maple syrup to add however much you want! Why did I not order these?

This can only mean one thing...to go back and sample said pancakes and milkshakes. (There's a Cadbury's Caramel one!) Considering it was quite cramped inside, when I do go again I think it'll be to the branch in Old Street which is more spacious.

NB: You can check TheBrekkyClub on Twitter too.