Eat Here: Crispin, SpitalfieldsBy Sofia Savage
Looking for a new restaurant in East London? It’s about time you tried Crispin, an all-day cafe in Spitalfields, that will see you from day to night in style. Here’s what you need to know:
Crispin Restaurant Review: The Lowdown
Photo credit: Charlie Mckay
You’d be pretty hard pressed to find something disagreeable about Crispin. For starters, the outside of the building resembles a massive shard of chocolate which automatically earns it some serious brownie points (sorry). Exterior design – check. Yet more brownie points accrued for the lush interior – floors, walls and ceiling covered in various green things (think massive plant pots and dried flowers hanging everywhere). Then there’s the huge glass doors leading out to a small but delightful outside space. Interior design – check.
Photo credit: Charlie Mckay
In preparation for our visit, we thought it a good idea to peruse the menu as both parties attending have very strong and often jarring opinions on all things food and drink, so we thought it best to save a good few minutes of eye rolling and hand throwing. We were delighted, nay ecstatic, to find that Crispin offers a ‘one of everything’ option for those who are either greedy or curious or both. Just think about it. You get to try…everything. This means portion sizes are a little smaller, but you won’t leave hungry, that’s for sure.
Crispin Restaurant Review: The Food
We start with bread and butter, a true test of any self-respecting establishment. It’s perfectly proved and delicious and we sit and eat in silence. Next comes the burrata drenched in good olive oil – creamy and delicate and the perfect accompaniment to the leftover bread. Next a dish of tomato varieties we’ve never heard of before served with a ginger broth which we are instructed to sip with every bite. Instructions are followed and it quickly becomes clear that the Crispin boys know what they’re doing. We came with a view of catching up but the only thing that could be heard from our corner of the room was every possible iteration of “Mate have you tried this? What is that flavour!? Try the broth! Is that a caper? OMG my taste buds!” etc. etc.
Next came confit potatoes with a cured egg yolk, subtle in flavour and cooked to absolute perfection, followed by grilled squid salad and then the most perfectly cooked piece of hake we’ve ever had. And those were just the sharing plates! The main courses arrived – a pea and nettle ragout and a small and blushing lamb loin – offering the same level of ‘oh my god wow’ as all the other dishes. By dessert, we were so deliriously full and content that be blindly devoured a lemon curd and apple granita thing which was just another 10/10 to add to the list. Food – check. The wine list is low intervention and constantly rotating and the staff are able to discuss your preferences and nonchalantly and accurately recommend an option perfectly suited to your palate. Wine – check.
Crispin Restaurant Review: Our Verdict
Crispin is cool, sexy and stylish. It does everything with an air of self-confidence, and it’s the kind of place you could happily while away an evening drinking wine and eating delicious small plates. Would we go again? Absolutely no question.
