Motley, Whitechapel - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: European
Style Points: 5/5
Location: Whitechapel
Price: £-££
Overall: 3/5

Hidden in the heart of Whitechapel is a delightfully colourful and quirky restaurant that is doing things a little different. Motley is taking sustainability to heart and is turning what some would consider scraps into tasty veggie dishes.

In today’s world, it makes complete sense to take ‘imperfect’ fruit and veg that would otherwise have been discarded and turning it into a perfectly edible dish and I’m quite surprised this hasn’t become more commonplace in London. Right off the bat, I commend Motley on taking this step towards food sustainability.

Located in London’s greenest hotel, Qbic Hotel, Motley seems quite out of place amongst the gritty streets of Whitechapel that will sadly forever be synonymous with the infamous Jack the Ripper. Instead the restaurant would fit right into the trendy Shoreditch area with it’s fabulous decor, eye-catching furnishings and colourful upcycled artworks. The live music duo singing acoustic versions of pop classics like Kylie Minogue’s ‘I’m spinning around’ really added to the hipster vibe and made for what would be a mellow and relaxed Saturday brunch.

Food?

Our super friendly and funny server Rebecca talked us through the brunch menu and recommended some perfect brunch dishes.

I tried the buttermilk fried chicken and waffle and my guest went for the pulled pork eggs benedict. I was expecting a typical American style dish with lashings of syrup and sweet notes. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find that the crispy chicken was covered in a tangy sweet hot sauce which really kick-started my taste buds. The sweet waffle was a great contrast to the hot sauce and the dish was a hot and sweet delight.

My guest’s dish was a real show-stopper. The pulled pork had flavour profiles similar to the crispy hoisin duck that you’d get in a Chinese restaurant and which I absolutely love. The egg that sat atop the pork was cooked perfectly although I didn’t manage to get that all important Instagrammable ‘yolkporn’ shot as the egg was overcooked.

Both dishes were really comforting and on the side we had to try the Parmesan Truffle Chips which were calling out ‘eat me’ from the menu. The chips were smothered in shavings of parmesan and truffle and were a real delight.

To get us in the weekend mood, we took regular trips to the bar where we indulged in DIY bottomless mimosas using a variety of berries, fruit juices, and of course some bubbly. It was great fun muddling our own berries and making our own mimosa concoctions.

After sitting back with our drinks and listening to some relaxing live music, we decided it was time for dessert. I was really excited to try the patisserie pudding with homemade custard but sadly it was sold out so I decided on the chocolate pot with créme fraiche and crushed raspberries whilst my guest tried the rejected fruit crumble served with vanilla ice cream. The crumble is made using old and bruised fruits to create a thick compote topped with a sweet and crunchy crumble. We didn’t have any problem with this and with the UK's food waste at at all time, it made perfect sense to me. It was also quite delicious and a perfect dessert for a lazy Saturday afternoon. The chocolate pot was also a delight and made with a good quality chocolate to give it a rich and decadent flavour.

Before we called it a day, our server told us that each bartender had their own signature cocktail which reflected their personality so I was keen to try one! We went with Sasha’s - A gin-based cocktail mixed with apricot liqueur, prosecco, chili infused vodka inside a chili salt rimmed cocktail glass. It was fantastic, and in Sasha’s own words, reflected her sweet and salty persona!

Price?

Brunch dishes are very reasonable at around £8 with desserts around £6-7.
The DIY Mimosas are £15pp for 1.5 hours, plenty of time to enjoy a few over brunch!

Overall?

Motley is a real gem of a place that has made its own unique mark. I can still picture the stunning decor and colourful interior and it makes me feel quite warm and cosy.

The prices are very reasonable and the live music is fabulous but of course it is quite commendable that they are taking food wastage and sustainability seriously and making it part of their ethos and identity. Let’s hope more restaurants follow suit in the coming months and years.

Special thanks to Motley for their hospitality!

Book Motley’s DIY bottomless Mimosa brunch!
Address: 42 Adler St, Whitechapel, London E1 1EE
Closest tube station: Aldgate East

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