Babaji Pide Brunch
A few weekends ago, I was feeling a little bit brunchy and a little bit lunchy at the same time. But where could I possibly go in order to satisfy both, and also keep the in laws and BW happy too? Ah, I know – Babaji Pide! You may remember my visit there for dinner a couple of years ago where I thought the food was pretty good. Well more recently, I just discovered their fantastic Babaji Pide brunch menu and it is an absolute hidden gem – not anymoreeee. Of course, I had to tell you guys all about it!
Just check out this spread:
Crikey!
I’ve heard wonders about this Turkish classic of whipped yoghurt with eggs, chilli oil, and melted butter, so straight away ordered Babaji Pide’s version. A bowl arrived with thick greek yoghurt, two soft poached eggs, and a healthy drizzle of chilli oil omg. The eggs oozed with bright orange yolk, adding a delightful richness to the yoghurt, with the chilli helping to cut through.
A mini cast iron arrived with two eggs that had been fantastically fried with a slight crisp edge, and topped with slices of beef sucuk. I would have like the sucuk to be a little softer as they had become quite hard during the cooking process, but was still delicious nevertheless.
A lovely garlic and cucumber dip – perfect with the freshly baked acma (Turkish bagel) [£2.80]
Squidgy baked halloumi served with roasted tomatoes.
Wanting to keep it on the light side, MIL opted for a creamy and hearty lentil soup [£6.80]
She then went on to order this deliciously cheesy pide, perhaps cancelling out any goodness of the soup, but I don’t blame her. The bread was deliciously warm with cheese becoming nice and gooey, and the sweet caramelised onions helping to balance out the saltiness of the cheese. The walnuts added a good textural contrast to the pide.
A pide I’ve had once before; minced lamb with tomato and pepper. The pepper added a nice subtle kick to the meat, but I would have liked more flavour in the pide.
It may not look like much but honey and kaymak is perhaps the most indulgent breakfast dish I have come across, and is a classic Turkish dish. Kayamk is a thick velvety cream, similar to clotted cream, and when drizzled in sweet honey, it is a rich, calorific piece of heaven. Phwoar.
The total bill amounted to approximately £80 for four people, including drinks and service, so £20 each. It may seem a little pricey, but when it’s this good and halal too, the Babaji Pide brunch is definitely worth it. If you are planning on going, you must get the honey and kaymar dish – it is worth every single sweet creamy calorie.
See the Babaji Pide brunch menu here.
