Time for Valerie’s Welsh Rarebit

We were up at Cribbs Causeway doing some shopping and we stopped at Patisserie Valerie for a coffee and a snack. There are quite a few places you can have a coffee at Cribbs, but what I like about Patisserie Valerie is that it is table service. So we sat at our table and looked over the menu. The place was busy, but the service was excellent, and we didn’t have to wait long to order.

Whilst my son went with the traditional breakfast, my first choice was an apricot danish, however they had run out. So I went with my second choice, which wasn’t a pastry, but Valerie’s Welsh Rarebit. Our food arrived promptly, which was nice, especially as the place was quite full of diners. Valerie’s Welsh Rarebit was toasted bloomer bread topped with a poached egg, tomato chutney, cheddar, mustard & served with a side salad.

I don’t think I have ever had Rarebit before, so I was interested to see what it was going to be like. This was a nice cheesy toast dish, the mustard was subtle and added warmth. The poached egg was perfectly cooked. I liked the tomato chutney, which was on the side, I did think it was a little too sweet for me. Overall it was a really nice light meal.

I think one of the reasons I hadn’t ordered or had this dish before, was that usually I am looking for cake, or a full meal. Valerie’s Welsh Rarebit for me is more of a snack, or a light meal.

Alongside I had a flat white, not the best flat white in the world, but it was a good coffee.

Tasty coffee in the hustle and bustle

In the midst of shopping decided to stop at Paterisse Valerie in Cribbs Causeway for a quick coffee. Actually we didn’t want a quick coffee, what we wanted to do was take a break from the crowds, sit down and have a coffee. We did consider going to Pret a Mange, but the queue was really long, and at least with Paterisse Valerie we could sit down and chat while we waited and while we waited for the coffee.

We ordered a few drinks, but I went with a flat white, whilst my eldest went with a latte.

For a French sounding place I feel I really should have had a cafe au lait, but the reality was that no such coffee was on the menu.

The flat white was strong and intense with the smoothness of the milk offering a nice contrast.

The place was busy, so service was slower than I might like, but we spent the time chatting, so it wasn’t an issue.

Nice Mince Pie

Was up shopping at the Mall at Cribbs Causeway and needing a break we stopped for coffee and a mince pie at Patisserie Valerie.

Christmas Mince Pie and coffee

One of the nice things about Patisserie Valerie compared to other coffee places at the Mall, is that you don’t need to queue, as they have table service. So you can go in, sit down, relax. Place your order and then wait to be served.

The mince pie was really nice, good pastry and tasty filling.

Traffic Jam Coffee

 

One of the “enjoyable” aspect of commuting using the M5 is that Friday afternoons during the summer months the motorway generally becomes one big car park. My one hour drive home from work can take twice as long and sometimes it has taken over four hours!

If I have a chance, I will stop for a coffee either at the services or sometimes Cribbs Causeway. This recent Friday was no exception so with the traffic basically stopped I came off went to Cribbs to go for a coffee. After very little thinking I went to Paterissie Valerie.

It’s certainly not the cheapest place for coffee, but the service is good, there is free wifi and the coffee, which is made from Illy is very nice.

I ordered an Americano with cold skimmed milk and after a short wait I had my coffee, which was excellent. I settled in with my coffee, my iPad and went through a bundle of e-mails that I hadn’t managed to do when I was at work.

The hard bit I think was not ordering any of the cakes which all looked very nice, and I have enjoyed one or two at previous visits. Not tried the savoury menu yet, but may do so one day.

So next time the M5 becomes gridlocked, I might just well go and get another coffee from Patisserie Valerie.

Coffee and Croissant

Wanting a break whilst shopping recently we went to Patisserie Valerie for coffee and cakes.

The coffee was very nice, and for a change from many coffee places not in a huge vat of a mug, but more of a cup. I had an americano and it was very nice.

Time for coffee

If you are use to the Venti sized coffee servings that you get at Starbucks or Costa you would be disappointed. But for me the quality of the coffee was good and that to be honest is what really counts, not the quantity of coffee. My wife had a filter coffee and she enjoyed that.

There was a wide choice of cakes and I was tempted by many different varities. In the end I went with the almond croissant.

Croissant

It did taste of almonds, the almond paste was not overdone, though I would have liked more almonds on top and slightly less icing sugar. As for the other cakes, the toasted teacake was according to my son “not very nice” and having had a bite I had to agree. Something not quite right about it. However my daughter was overwhelmed by her huge plain croissant, so much so we had to get some more butter for it, which came quickly and with a smile. The waitress even offered to bring a bag if we couldn’t finish it; it was that large. My wife enjoyed her cinnamon danish pastry and I didn’t get a look in for a bite, even though I offered her a bit of my almond croissant.

With free wifi it’s a nice place to sit and work over a coffee, though as we found a nice place to take a break. The service was efficient and quick, and certainly so much better than the Café Rouge next door.

No more blue ice cream

There is something about blue food (well here in the UK anyhow) that means it doesn’t really appeal.

There never use to be blue smarties before someone noticed that the Germans had blue smarties!

Druckers, the coffee chain, use to sell a variety of Italian ice creams, one of which was a blue banana flavoured ice cream.

Why it was blue, I do not know, but blue it was.

Now I don’t like blue ice cream, but someone in my house does, he is three! He has been asking for it!

It appears after asking that Druckers won’t be getting anymore in. I did try Patisserie Valerie, both it and Druckers are owned by the same parent company, and after a web search I did find that at one time, Patisserie Valerie also sold blue ice cream. It now appears like Druckers that they don’t sell it anymore!

So no ice cream that is the colour blue. What am I to do?