Monday 16 November 2009

A Birthday Roasting

The ever thoughtful Mr MDS took us all out to Borough Market on Saturday for my birthday brunch (my birthday is today). What with the never ending MA dissertation and a Monday birthday things weren't looking up.
On Saturday the heavens opened and it literally poured down. I got my coat soaked from the door to the car and had to go and get a waterproof one. The petit garcon made the right choice in wellies and raincoat. The best thing about getting to Borough Market early doors is there are no crowds. I could get a nice photo of the boy.


The treat was breakfast at Roast and I was so excited. Great location, good food what more could one want - em good service and nice people. We got shown to our table which was actually the one next to the waiting station and right by the stairs. We got the usual here's your table, hope it is okay and actually it wasn't. But before we could open our mouths the maitre de or head waitress had shot off. So we stood there and she came back. I explained it wasn't suitable and then the roasting began. It was a real why! A why that when told it wasn't suitable with a young child was met with a bigger why! I was too stunned to answer so Mr MDS politely uttered the word 'stairs'. We then got a whole tirade of how she didn't have children, which was repeated several times and the implication was she wouldn't get that it would be an issue or think about it - in fact she even said that!

By the time we sat down at the table which was free and removed us from the inconvenience of having to deal with waiting staff/child/falling down stairs I wanted to go home.



Petit garcon and I make a brave attempt to smile after our hospitable welcome - not!
Look, the plate of food was lovely and it was a good breakfast if a bit rich. The ingredients were delicious but somehow our joie de vivre had already been knocked out of us!

I had a quick rose prosecco on the stall opposite Roast which reinstalled some spirit. Poor Mr MDS after making all that effort.


If you haven't been to Borough Market it really is a joy and treat. Lovely produce, lots of choice and it is such a shame it is going to be ruined by the Thameslink improvements - we'll see how it all works out. I took lots of photos today because I wanted to capture it all.

We then went to the wonderful V&A's Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, accompanied by more rain. And then hot footed it across town to the Natural History museum for the garcon to get his dinosaur fix.

Then I insisted on a quick pop into the V&A for my fix! The day was finished off with the most popular cafe in South Kensington, the newly extended Pret A Manager, where the service was impeccable and the people were very nice. Ahh, South Kensington makes for all is well with the world.

PS This is also proof that I didn't do H&M for Jimmy Choo!!

22 comments:

  1. Hi there-A very Happy Birthday to you my dear, it sounds like a fabulous weekend and hope you have a really good week too!

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  2. Happy Birthday!! Have a fantastic coming year- your petit garcon is adorable!

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  3. Un très joyeux anniversaire chère Kate!

    Gros bisou!

    Hélène
    The Luxe Chronicles

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  4. Happy Birthday hope you have a wonderful day. Sounds like an eventful weekend! I love the Children's Museum, the actual building is amazing and the cafe is pretty good too.

    PS. My darling sister and her friend went to H&M in Brighton yesterday and saw a pair of returned Jimmy Choo grey peep-toe boots in my size! What are the chances - the only item in the whole collection left in store. She knew they were my favourites and snapped them up for me :) no queueing at dawn for me!

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  5. Belated happy birthday! Sounds like you had a great day, despite the weather and the hiccups over service. Roast was on my list of restaurants to visit, but I'm not so sure now... I recommend Gordon Ramsay's pub, The Narrow for scrummy food and excellent service, if you haven't already been there?

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  6. Happy birthday! Thaty's a shame about Roast! I've always wanted to go to borough market and will next time I'm down!

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  7. Happy birthday, sorry to hear about your roasting at Roast! What a shame, we've been meaning to go there for a while now. xx

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  8. Happy Birthday!!!

    You and the petit garcon are adorable!

    Been there too with the child and stairs. For a while our garcon would make a mad dash to any stairs/escalators/lifts in sight and wouldn't sit if he could see them. So sorry the staff gave you grief, but honestly, they'll all be far happier than if your child takes a tumble down the stairs!

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  9. Happy Birthday! Hope that the dissertation doesn't get in the way of a fun and enjoyable day. Plus sorry to hear about Roast, bad service is inexcusable no matter what.

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  10. Prosecco always makes things better.

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  11. Happy belated birthday!
    seems like you had a nice day, except the service at roast i guess :)

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  12. Happy Birthday! So sorry about the stairs trauma, but it reads like the rest of the day was a pleasure!

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  13. Happy Birthday!!! I'm loving Petit garcon's yellow mac - super cute.

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  14. What a lovely celebration, darling!

    Happy Birthday!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  15. it looks like you had a great time! I went on Saturday to London and every single girl was carrying a Jimmy Choo for HM blue bag.. I didn't even go there, I don't get why people love to buy J. Choo clothing if what she knows about is shoes! and the ones which appear on the ads weren't really my cup of tea :(!

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  16. Happy Birthday dear!!!!!!!!!!

    Sounds such a lovely and funny day.
    You look beautiful with petit garçon.

    All the best!!!!

    xoxo

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  17. Happy, happy birthday. So sorry to hear about the restaurant debacle. I have SO been there! But aren't you and your son gorgeous together.

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  18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We may need a certified letter from your husband about the Jimmy Choo.

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  19. Hi Kate! Just read this. A belated Happy Birthday to you! And also : stupid roast people. *mutter* Shan't bother going there ever. Do they not get that good service is such a large part of the experience of eating out. Fools.

    The petit garcon gets cuter by the day. Maybe your server was just jealous.

    Dx

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  20. Happy Birthday, glad you made the best of things xxxx

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  21. Your boy is adorable!
    Happy Birthday MDS!

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  22. Happy Belated Birthday, Kate. I am way behind in my reading and I feel terrible that I am this late.

    Sorry to hear of that weak service. I am glad the meal was sort of salvaged and that the rest of your day was good.

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