Style Points: 3/5
Price: £
Overall: 4/5

A bright red neon sign and a tiny door leads down to a dark staircase, push through the mysterious door to reveal the foyer/reception of Dirty Bones where you will be shown to your seat.

The foyer has a bar and arcade paraphernalia. The seated area is assorted with attractive quirky décor such as the patterned tile tables, mismatched lights and lanterns and painted/printed bookcase on the wall. The word PLAY is lit up with the individual letters sitting at playful angles.

Would I Want Seconds?

Dirty Bones already sounds like it's going to keep you full until dinner. I usually have salmon, eggs and avocado when out brunching so I was determined (for my sake as well as yours) to try something completely different. It couldn't get more different than chicken and waffles with a drizzling of maple syrup (£10)! I was worried this would be too heavy, particularly for the first meal of the day but I took the leap. The chicken is not full of fat or gristle, they are drumsticks of a decent size and coated in seasoned breadcrumbs of a warm brown colour. I have had waffles in American style diners before and they usually use pre made waffles that are toasted and quite hard but not these bad boys! The waffles were soft and fluffy with a slight crisp. I'd be lying if I said overall it wasn't a heavy brunch but it was lighter than I thought it would be and definitely worth it!

My side was breakfast fries (£4), I had never heard of breakfast fries but when I read the description on the menu it got me excited. The fries are perfect, topped with a fried egg that may have been baked in tomato sauce. So very addictive. Perfect for sharing as it might be too much for one person.

My guest ordered steak topped with fried eggs (£10.50) and a mac'n'cheese side (£4). The steak came chopped up and was served medium rare. My guest was unsure if the steak was supposed to be served hot or room temperature so asked for it to be heated which the kitchen kindly obliged in good time. The steak had a subtle flavour which was brought to life by the helping of sweet tomato sauce served on the side. The macaroni had a crumbly topping and was really creamy. I had a little bite to taste but I realised very quickly that it was too creamy for me as I'm not supposed to eat dairy in the first place (I'm my own worst enemy). My guest assures me it was warm and cheesy and the kitchen allowed me to take the remainder home in a doggy bag for my sister to sample.

We were stuffed but the dessert sounded too good to pass up on so we ordered the banana Toblerona-Tella Waffle (£7.50) made up of caramelised banana, toblerone Tella, blueberry jam, peanut butter gelato, crushed on a freshly baked waffle . This was gorgeous, deliciously sweet and balanced perfectly by the ice cream. I ate around the ice cream but my guest said it scrumptious and smooth.

We washed this meal down with a camomile tea and a breakfast tea (£2) for my guest served in small teapots.

Could I Afford Seconds?

The brunch at Dirty Bones isn't a pricey affair. We had a main, side and tea each and shared a dessert. Overall this came to approximately £20 each which I would be quite happy about paying for the amount of food served.

Overall?

Overall, if you're looking for an affordable and filling brunch with new things to try on a menu be sure to pop down to Dirty Bones for a tasty variety and a quirky cool atmosphere. And please, try the breakfast fries. If you can't finish them, let me know!

Dirty Bones also serves burgers, hot dogs and cocktails.

Reviewed by Guest Writer Syeshia Sweeney

Website: dirty-bones.com
Address: 20 Kensington Church Street, Kensington, London W8 4EP
Closest Tube Station: High Street Kensington