I’ve always enjoyed going out for breakfast or brunch. It’s so far from my usual bowl of cereal that it feels like a real treat, often more so than going out for an evening meal. In recent years going for brunch seems to have become increasingly popular (blames us millennials and our love of avocado) and as a result there are all sorts of different places that you can go which are open for breakfast. However, as much as I enjoy it sometimes the menus do get a little repetitive and so it’s nice to have something a little different, which is exactly what Souk Kitchen offers.
Souk Kitchen serves food inspired by Eastern Mediterranean and North African cuisine, therefore brunch here isn’t your typical smashed avocado on sourdough. We were lucky to get in without a reservation as it’s usually very busy so if you do really want to come here I’d recommend booking a table in advance. We went after visiting the Sunday Tobacco Factory market which was a nice leisurely Sunday morning activity and a good way to warm up afterwards!
After some deliberation I had the Shakshouka, which was eggs poached in a sauce of tomato, peppers, onions and spices with flatbread. I could have had it with additional feta, spinach or Merguez sausage but I decided to have it just as it came. I was a little unsure how to eat it as the flatbread came in quite thin strips – was I meant to dip them in the sauce or spread the mixture onto them? In the end I opted for dipping which was perfect with the runny egg yolk.
This was a lovely dish and the blend of spices was warming without being overpowering, just adding an additional depth of flavour. The sweetness of the peppers contrasted with the savoury egg yolk which made each mouthful slightly different. I would definitely have this again! I left feeling full and warm which was exactly what was needed on a cold winter morning. If you prefer something that’s sweet, the cinnamon custard toast looked pretty incredible.
I’d now like to go back one evening and try something from the evening menu or some mezze to share with a group.
