There’s still a bit of a mixed response to Common‘s refurbishment.
I think I’ve mentioned before, I miss the colour, and the busy walls, the ever changing artwork. It’s now cleaner, with bare bricks, lots of wood and texture. It’s more blank canvas than art work.
There’s no denying, as a venue it’s visually a very different place, but what about the food? They’ve been making noise about their new breakfast menu, so I took the opportunity of a couple of breakfast meetings to give it a try.
The first breakfast was a relaxed affair, multiple hangovers vied with our need to plan – our hunger and thirst for caffeine driving us to coffee and a full Common Fry .
Thick sour dough toast, runny poached egg, sausage patty and smoked bacon soon caught our attention and my caffeine lust was sated by a dense black coffee. There are some times that only a full breakfast will do.
Things fell down a little bit on the service front, and a big contrast to our second visit, where the service was downright lovely. Our server seemed a little out of sorts – perhaps he too was suffering from the night before?
We lingered a little longer than necessary, ogled the baked goods, but felt hangovers a little too keenly in indulge.
Our second visit, somehow managed to be longer, yet less productive. Only one of our party was suffering the after effects of the night before, though this time it was felt more keenly. And she was late.
Very late.
While we waited, two of us tried one of the lighter bites on the menu, mandarins and ricotta on toast, with shredded basil and a drizzle of honey. Soft milky cheese, lightly charred mandarins, unusual, but delicious, perfect post run or gym fuel.
A large glass of apple juice and a pot of tea served in a beautifully sleek pot, was swiftly applied to the afflicted lady, and she slowly returned to life.
Somewhat revived, we prescribed a bacon sandwich – more delicious sour dough, thick slices of bacon decorated with watercress.
Seeking something heavier, my other meeting date opted for the eggs Benedict, adding spinach and bacon to the mix, creating something even more full of flavour and substantial.
One of my favourite breakfasts has also made it onto the menu at Common – a gently spiced tomato and pepper base, with poached eggs, shak shuka is a Moroccan dish, and comes served with slices of rye toast. Skip the toast, add an egg and you’ve got an ideal low carb breakfast option.
More tea was ordered, and as we were regaled with tales of the night before, and coordinated ourselves to visit Bolton for yet another meeting, it was decided that cake was going to be the icing on the, er, cake.
All of the cakes are made in house, and whether you need something gluten free or vegan, there’s something for you – they even seem to have noticed my personal weakness for cinnamon buns, something I happily indulged in with my tea.
My fellow diners opted for chocolate. All the chocolate, with a banana chocolate loaf, so chocolatey it should have probably been renamed a chocolate banana loaf in deference to the main ingredient and a densely rich chocolate and lavender tart, the dark chocolate counterbalancing the heavy floral notes.
Fed, watered and caked out, we’ve enjoyed both our visits to sample the revised menu at Common.
Whether you’re in need of a hangover cure and intend to liberally apply a fry up, or in need of something healthier, the new menu has a little something for everyone.
Time to plan another breakfast meeting I think….
With thanks to Common for one of the breakfast meetings – the other was at our own expense.