Moonbow Jakes
325 Brockley Road
SE4 2QZ
020 8694 9128
www.moonbowjakes.co.uk
by Tommy Kay, Pam Cakes & Sian Flakes
Sitting pretty between the ubiquitous video rental store and local newsagents, it feels like Moonbow Jakes is vying for the title of number one 'Mediterranean-Beatnik-Coffee-House-cum-Caff' in the leafy ‘burb that is Brockley. With its lolloping service (is there table service or not? depends how the staff feel) and saffeast london accent, it kind of manages.
Our tummies were denied the greasy satisfaction that only a fry up can provide, but the sandwich brunch menu on offer proved that if it can’t be done on a sandwich, it ain’t worth doing at all. Between us we sampled the 'Big Breakfast Toastie', containing the holy trinity of breakfast ingredients: eggs (scrambled), bacon and mushrooms, lovingly squashed in wholemeal bread; and the 'Moonbow Muncher': this classic tuna melt probably looked the least appetising but like all ugly ducklings, made up for in taste what it lacked in looks. But it was the 'Double Decker' that was surprise winner of the day. On first inspection the pairing of 2 sandwiches, one with cheese, pineapple and onion, the other a mushroom and sundried tomato seemed like a combination straight out of Abigail’s Party. But it worked - the cheese was suitably gooey, the tomatoes perfectly salty and the bread……oh the bread. As any sandwich aficionado knows, it’s all in the bread.
Our streetside seats provided unexpected entertainment in the form of teenager and traffic watching, and at £9 for 3 of us, you can’t really ask for much more from your local caff; except maybe live music, changing art exhibitions, a wine list and a more grown-up evening mezze menu. All of which you can find at Moonbow Jakes, sliding it into the coveted position of our favourite 'Mediterranean-Beatnik-Coffee-House-cum-Caff' in Brockley.
3 comments:
Just visited Moonbow Jacks for a Sunday breakfast with our two children - don't make the same mistake we did! The venue looks great and has a nice feel.... until you are seen to be holding a child. They have no high chairs, no child options and it is a v. smokey environment even at 10am. On a positive note, it is a great venue for adult only coffee. The food was average but reasonably priced. All in all not quite the experience we hoped for on a family Sunday morning.
I've been going to Moonbow Jakes for years, and like it's laid-back, scruffy charm. During the day it has a relaxed atmosphere, a and a clientele of freelancers, students and, yes, toddlers with their adults. I don't know if they have a high chair, possibly they don't (they don't have many adult chairs that aren't about to fall apart) but it certainly doesn't seem to put off the rest of Brockley's parents. As for the smoke, well, that's sorted now.
According to the website, this place has now closed.
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