Visited for Brunch / Lunch on 5/29/2022
After our experience at Mildreds the night before, we were delighted to find Mallow! With the similar blue and window pane aesthetic that Midreds Soho had, it was hard to miss. It’s located right next to a huge outdoor market, which was packed with locals and tourists alike. Definitely something to check-out after dining if you’re into that sort of thing. As for Mallow, in similar fashion to when we walked up to Mildreds, the place was packed and there was a wait for a table (we arrived around noon). However, after a few moments, the host mentioned that we were able be seated at the bar right away (if we so chose), which we did.
The ambiance & decor of Mallow is a quirky casual vibe with fun light fixtures, blue colors and generally friendly staff. Our server as a bit curt at times, but since we were sitting at the bar, which faces into the kitchen, we were able to have a few great conversations with the chef, sous chefs and general manager! All were very friendly and happy to talk about the food, history of the restaurant, or anything else. We actually had a nice chat about what notes I had taken and that this blog post was forthcoming! It’s not often you have a GM notice you’re documenting the experience and comment on it. So, to me that means they are taking note to ensure their patrons are taken care of. That said, I did take some points off in Ambiance because the restrooms were quite untidy – picture overflowing trash and things scattered about – and that is usually a reflection of something else going on in the establishment.
Similar to Mildreds, the Mallow menu can be found online.
They also have a robust wine list if you’re interested in some bubbles or wines with your brunch
The entree I selected was the Full English (I mean I was in England, how could I resist). The full english comes with: scrambled tofu, baked beans, flat mushroom, home fries, grilled tomato, sausage, and sourdough toast
Presentation was excellent – doesn’t it look appetizing?! Looking at this picture now that I’m home it makes me crave it again!
- The Maple Baked Beans were by far the tastiest thing on the plate. They were *packed* with flavor. My mouth is still watering. I believe they must’ve marinated for quite a long time, that was such a tasty hearty mouth-filling taste.
- Tofu Eggs: I usually struggle with Tofu eggs, because they just leave you wanting eggs. Unfortunately here, that was also the case for me. They were a bit salty and missing pepper.
- The grilled tomato was well executed and with a sprinkle of salt on top, the flavor was punched up to where it needed to be.
- The grilled & marinated mushroom was perfect. Nice umami flavor, great texture (chewy and not rubbery), no complaints
- The vegan sausage was interesting. The link was made from, (I believe) quinoa and sage, which provided a coarse texture. While it was definitely fried in oil, it was missing the punch of flavor like the beans and the mushroom had. I didn’t quite care for the link.
- Home fried potatoes were just how I like them, crispy outside and melt in your mouth inside.
Buttermilk plant chick’n sandwich was ordered by one of my friends and I was allowed to try it too 🙂 It came with cacio e pepe mayo, peperonata relish, brioche bun, and fries.
The faux chicken was perfectly crispy and delicious. There was a really nice vegan mayo on the bun that accompanied the chicken well. It made me want more than one bite!
I will warn you that to enjoy this tasty sandwich, be prepared for a bit of a mess! The sandwich does fall apart as you make your way through it, but it’s worth the mess as the patty with the sauce was done extremely well.
Fries are also crispy, so for a person like me who loves crispy it’s perfect! If you don’t like crispy fries, well you may be sorry, but I’m a happy camper :p
Our other friend ordered the carrot dill haricot patty & aubergine burger (phew, what a mouthful!). The patty & aubergine (eggplant) were grilled nicely and accompanied by two sauces: harissa and tahini all on a brioche bun. It was also served with the crispy fries. She had no complaints (aside from mentioning she doesn’t like crispy fries like I do) so we agreed to disagree on that. In terms of the burger she said that it was ‘tasty’. She also ordered the Blueberry Prosecco, which she loved (and ordered another of)!
Overall, the vibe of Mallow was similar to Mildreds, but a bit more casual, relaxed, and perfect for catching up with friends. I appreciated talking with the chef and GM and also the food. I recommend and would return.
~Jeremy
