Style Points: 4/5
Price: ££
Overall: 4/5

Beach Blanket Babylon Shoreditch is rather unassuming  with an all-black exterior, meaning that we completely walked past the restaurant on our first visit. There is a small statue with a plaque on the outside but it's very easily missed. However once we were inside this all changed and we were greeted by an opulent décor and were seated in fine surroundings.

But I also found myself comparing it to the Notting Hill branch where I was seated in what seemed to be a romantically intimate cave. This Shoreditch branch is slightly more laid back and could equally be a contender for your Sunday lunch as well as a special occasion.

Would I Want Seconds?

When we arrived, we were checked in and coats taken as we were sat in some comfy chairs for pre-dinner cocktails. we ordered the Bee Bee Bee and A Walk in Shoreditch and they were fruity and delicious and presented beautifully. We were then served complimentary bread with butter and olive oil on the side was served as we waited for our starters, with explanations/descriptions and recommendations from our waiter.

To start, I tried the quinoa, fennel, avocado and pomegranate (£9). I very rarely eat quinoa so this was a nice change and it's always better when someone else prepared a dish you are less familiar with. I couldn't stop eating the soft fresh avocado and diced chunks of cucumber and crunching the bright juicy pomegranates. The quinoa was light but surprisingly filling however the dish was delicious.

My guest ordered the squid, cuttlefish and prawns crispy fried with harissa Mayo (£8), it was lightly battered and the dish was a rather large helping. The prawns and cuttlefish tasted fresh beneath the batter and the squid was particularly chewy. I would say this dish is better for sharing or for those with a large appetite.

In fact both our starter portions were both quite large and I wasn't able to finish it as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to eat my main, although starting with the bread was probably not the best idea.

Cocktails

Bread, butter and olive oil

Quinoa, fennel and avocado

Squid, cuttlefish and prawns

Lamb cutlets

45 day aged fillet

For my main course I chose the lamb cutlets with Jersey royal potatoes, broad beans and shallots (£17) the lamb is usually served pink but I asked to have it a little more medium. The lamb was so tender it fell off the bone and was a pleasure to eat. The presentation was also wonderful and as the jersey potatoes were cut into small chunks I almost forgot I wasn't so fond of them. I also ordered a side of spiced kale (all healthy choices today right?) but I was underwhelmed by the spices and especially the cumin it was seasoned with.

My guest selected the 45-day aged fillet (200g), fries, bernaise sauce (£30). The steak looked like it had been chargrilled and was served medium and was very flavourful and chewy.

After all this food we were still able to manage dessert! My guest ordered the blueberry meringue pie with black currant sorbet and caramel crunch (£8.50). The meringue was sweet and tasty and the texture was soft rather than the hard crunchy traditional kind I know.

I had the apple turnover as there were limited dairy free dessert options. This came with honey, kafir lime, vanilla ice cream (£8.50) but I ordered this without the ice cream. It was sweet, topped with cinnamon with a little sharpness coming through as you would expect with cooked apple. But as you can imagine it definitely felt like there was something missing without the ice cream.

Dessert with the ice cream

Could I Afford Seconds?

The starters here range from £6 for soup of the day to £13.50 for the king prawns.

The main courses here sit at mid-range prices but I do believe that these prices are reflected in the quality of the food. A vegetarian main course of falafel salad and tortilla is £12 but they also have some much more expensive options such as the seafood plate for two at £75.

The desserts are all priced between £6 - £7. This means that BBB would be a treat rather than a regular weekly visit.

Overall: 4/5

Just a short walk from Shoreditch overground station BBB is in a prime spot amongst one of the trendiest areas in London and I had great tasting healthy food and wonderful customer service. It is for these reasons that I will return.

Additionally BBB is ope just drinks as well as dinner and they also boast private function rooms for hire. I went on a slightly quieter day just after Easter but I'm told the restaurant usually has a buzzing atmosphere and I am excited to see their next opening in Hampstead!

Website: www.beachblanket.co.uk
Address: 19-23 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA
Closest Tube Station: Shoreditch Overground Station or a short walk from Liverpool St station.