At 139 Brick Lane in East London, another new café has popped up, this time selling cereals from around the world. I thought I’d pop in and give it a whirl since I like ‘crazy cafes’, and being a health nut, I had to see this just for the sheer ‘wincefactor’ .
When I got there, there was a long queue of about 15 people – I hadn’t expected that, but it was a good sign (or a bad sign). The long queue consisted mostly of young students under 25, we were the oldest in our late 40s, but we were all united in having sugary cereals in our childhoods.
Outside the café was was a sign saying that they would provide ‘takeaways’. You could feel the excitement as people walked through the door and saw brightly coloured cereals with names like ‘Barbie’ on the shelves. When I was younger, we noticed the cereal first on the packet but over the years these packets have been dominated by cartoon characters in order to entice children to eat unhealthy cereals.
We were given a menu – and there was a lot. They didn’t just sell cereals, but even more sugary nightmares like poptarts. I squinted at the menu and spotted’ healthier’ cereals like granola, which was a relief. However, I thought about getting the ‘worst American cereal’ like the sugar pebbies but I ended up choosing a non-American cereal, called Kariot from Israel.
The cereals could have a range of frightening toppings, but I thought I would neutralise the sugar by having chopped bananas. I had recently been to the dentist at Christmas time which added to my reluctance to scoff sugary junk.
The assistant put a milk bottle on the tray (the same type I had at school, and the ones Margaret Thatcher, ‘Milk snatcher’ took away. I also liked quirky kitch pictures hung up on the wall made out of cereal.
The whole place had a fun, energetic and bonkers atmosphere which was great.
I tasted the Kariot cereal and was surprised that the Israelis liked chocolate in their cereals. It was nice at first, after one or two pieces, but afterwards I felt sick, but, hey, that was part of the *fun*.
This café is a great for a microadventure and even for us health freaks, to remind us, that these really sugary meals are really really WRONG and should be banned, and only confined to ‘cereal museums’. To think that people round the world are eating this stuff every day, doesn’t bear thinking about. I myself rarely eat these cereals anyway but I do believe everything in moderation….
SUMMARY
Something for Gluten Free people: Yes
Fun & Factor: 9/10 Health Factor: 3/10
Microadventureworthy: 9/10
Value: Good value considering the variety on offer and atmosphere, and collectible pieces around. You could get a small cereal for £2 and a large one for £3 and toppings would be extra. Would I go again? YEP!
Health Factor: 2/10
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