Homa
71-73 Stoke Newington Church Street
Stoke Newington
N16 0AS
020 7254 2072
by Mariah Dairy
I went whilst still recovering from the trauma of a fry-up a few blocks down at a place called Lydia's. Lydia, or someone who had been trained in her cruel ways, served me the worst breakfast I have ever paid for, leaving me entirely paranoid about this cupcake-heavy stretch of eating establishments. But despite (somehow it's never "because of") conforming wholly to the liberal North London cliché of sourdough, bugaboo pushchairs and locally smoked salmon, Homa turned out to be a tremendous place to eat breakfast.
There's comfortingly spacious minimal décor, all big elegant bay windows and a nice front garden. My Italian sausages were wonderfully fennel-y, nestling against perfectly grilled tomatoes and some sweet little button mushrooms fried in herby butter. The sourdough passed the squishing your tomato-on-top-test with flying colours, holding firm against the omnipresent threat of decomposition. And to top it off, my god, two of the best fried eggs imaginable: the Ritz compared to Lydia's Travelodge.
My companion was very pleased with an Italianised Eggs Benedict - sourdough topped with poached egg, speck ham, provolone cheese and hollandaise. And we were both pleased by the coffee, which had that proper, caramel coloured layer of crema rather than the silty, burnt offerings of too many cafes in the area.
Homa is a good place. It's worth coughing up the extra £3-4 for the Italian sausages alone. Never again will I be tempted to risk the terrifying fingers of brown meat so beloved of Stoke Newington's less reputable haunts. I sipped fresh orange juice: it made me feel as if I too could obtain the rosy glow of our fellow diners, gleefully bouncing angelic chubby cheeked children on their knees.
6 comments:
Oh God, Lydia's is such a horror. I went in there with a hangover once and had to leave because of the offensively loud radio, and the smell. It was sort of... damp. Sort of cabbagey. No no no.
Pleased to hear Homa was good. Recommend trying the Fat Cat too, if you can avoid the native children. Their beans are a revelation.
Wish you'd tried something with the superb smoked salmon made at the Stoke Newington smokehouse of Ole Hansen-Lydersen. Intense but not overpowering, if such a thing is possible. http://www.stereostokey.com/2010/09/stokey-smoked-salmon/
On the strength of this review (I bloody love this blog) myself and my good lady strode forth to HOMA a couple of weeks ago (we just live up the road), excited at the prospect of a decent cooked brekkie in Stokey. Something we haven't really enjoyed outside our flat since the Bird Cage stopped serving its cracking cooked breakfast about 5 or 6 years ago.
Now I'm a big fan of the poached egg and I'm quite particular... I like my poached eggs to be runny and by that I mean i want the yolks to be runny - not the whites as well. That's how they arrived at HOMA. All translucent and slimy. I sent them back. A good ten minutes later (my missus had long since finished her breakfast) attempt number two hoved into view. One was (under)cooked exactly as the first batch but thankfully the other one was spot on. Although by that point I didn't really feel like eating the damn thing. I'm not sure I've had a poached egg since. Sad face :(
I must of been lucky as the brekkie I had in Lydia's was pretty good, and well worth another visit.
I thought the Fat Cat Cafe was pretty crap. Didn't think too much of the food and the service was worse.
Not tried Homa but it's on the list .....
Sure this was the same Homa? I went about six months ago and was devastated with the service. The staff just didn't seem to care. I asked for my eggs with hollandaise on the side, and it came drowned in hollandaise as if they were trying to annoy me. My girlfriend didn't get what she ordered, and when it was taken away, we couldn't get someone giving us the correct dish for about fifteen mins.
In the end I left money for my eggs, and we just walked off. The food is ok, the surrounds are lovely - especially the outdoor area - but it's not worth the terrible service.
A far better option are any of the Turkish cafe's on kingsland road (especially Evin), or if you can go anlittlw further afield, the breakfast at Acoustic is sensational.
I have never had bad service here and I visit whenever I feel the need for a treat. Breakfast slow poached eggs are to die for, ditto the pork belly so tender you can eat it with a fork and if you don't want a big meal their ragu is the best I have eaten in London. I have lived in the area for 30 years. This is the best food we have ever had here so I wish the miserable 'save stokie for the workers' brigade would take their moaning elsewhere. There are loads of greasy spoons you can enjoy. This place is special. Treasure it!
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