#Blogmas 3: Brunch at Counter

As part of the Bloggers Hangout I had the wonderful opportunity to go to brunch at a nice little restaurant/bar called Counter*. It is situated within the Vauxhall Arches in London, right next to the tube station. We arrived here after roughly at 10:30 after our sleepover at a secret location in Putney for breakfast followed by a 'make your own' bellini and a choice of dessert. Our mountain of bags were taken off us and stored behind the reception as we entered the venue, which was really appreciated as we had a lot of goodies with us. This means you can shop until you drop and pop by on your way home without the worry of trying to fit all your bags round the table.

The restaurant was quaint with modern touches and a warming atmosphere. We were greeted at the door by a wonderful gentleman who showed us to our table, that he had prepared especially for us. Filled with beautiful flowers and neatly arranged tableware, the table was nothing but inviting. We were given a menu where we could choose from a choice of sweet or savoury options including pancakes and french bread right through to baked eggs and pesto.

We were served quickly by the most pleasant waiters with smiles on their faces, ready to make sure we had a relaxed and enjoyable time. We were given a pot of tea followed by a fresh juice of our choice, while we pondered over the extensive menu. In the mean time we got to meet the owner of the restaurant who was full of personality and had a loving passion for his brand, which was really endearing. He later took us to look around his neighbouring bar which is quiet during the day, but really comes to life at night. If you love a night out that is a bit unexpected, stop by sometime. I assure you, you wont be disappointed.


I decided to go with eggs benedict for my main as I wanted something savoury and comforting on the palette. This really hit the spot and tasted as delicious as it looked. The poached eggs weren't perfectly runny as I would have liked but I let it go as the rest of it was so tasty that it did not matter.

Rachel being pescatarian decided to go for the baked eggs with truffle mushrooms and walnut pesto. I loved the quirky touch of the pan that it was served in, to give it a rustic feel. This looked like a great option for those who like to avoid anything too heavy before lunchtime.

Brogan decided to go for the apple and cinnamon stuffed toast with candied walnuts which looked and smelt absolutely amazing! I can imagine that being the perfect brunch during the Christmas season as it definitely has a festive touch to it. I'm surprised I didn't ask to try some thinking about it now.

We were then privileged enough to make an alcoholic beverage mid morning with our own make your own bellini, which consisted of peach and prosecco. We added in a peach puree to a glass that had a slice of peach already in it and topped it with my favourite kind of bubbles. I thought it was delicious and would be great addition to your meal if you were with your girlfriends celebrating a birthday or new job.

I was personally too full to the brim with food to even comtemplate the dessert menu but it did all look so delicious. So while Rachel tucked into what looked like the best apple pie, ever we chatted all things blogging while we finished our bellinis and juices.

It was great to not feel rushed and to take all the time we needed to enjoy our experience, which is quite hard to find in a busy city like London where the turn around is so quick. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if your looking for a nice quiet spot to catch up with friends or family. It is right next to Vauxhall station, so no need to worry about rolling home after you have eaten yourself into a food coma.

Thank you to Danielle for inviting and organising this for us and to Counter for hosting the brunch. It really was the icing on the cake to a great weekend.

Happy Thursday everyone! The week is almost over and it will soon be time for lay ins, Christmas films and hot chocolate, I just cant wait....

Love Khrissie x

(All images are my own unless stated)

Pre-Fashion Week dinner at Balans Soho Society

Last week I had the privilege of being asked to a bloggers event held by Danielle of The Bloggers Hangout. As there was going to be a fashion week event on the Monday, Danielle wanted to organise a pre party at Balans Soho with a few bloggers she hadn't had the chance to get to know as well.

Now I'm all for an event as it is one of the nicest perks of being a blogger. You get to meet new brands and like-minded people with the chance to also try and review a few products you might not have known about before but then I am also a socially awkward person. The two don't really mix.

The reason I started my blog in the first place, was to have a new hobby with the hope that it would help with my self confidence and social anxiety. I am now saying yes to a lot more opportunities by realising that things are never as bad as they first seem in your head, this event being one of them. I was very close to not going as I was so nervous but as soon as I arrived I was greeted with smiles and great conversation with Rosie from 'A girl on a journey' and felt comfortable straight away. 

Danielle was really thoughtful and added personalised seating cards to the table which I got very excited about, as I never have anything with my name on with its unusual spelling. We all talked while we waited for the other girls to arrive before we each ordered a cocktail of our choice. It was really difficult to choose from the colourful menu but I ended up going for the Apple and Elderflower Collins with a little persuasion from our very attentive waiter David J. Its the perfect cocktail if you don't want something too sweet as it packs a slightly bitter kick at the end of every mouthful. A good choice if you want something light before a heavy meal.

 Next up it was time to choose what we wanted for our main course. What I like about Balans Soho is the variety of food they do, from burgers to crab linguine and all thats in between to cater for every palette. Now I'm a sucker for a burger and even though there was such good choice on the menu I just couldn't resist it and its triple cook fries, it did not disappoint. The burger was cooked to my medium/ well done satisfaction and the chips were delightful. Creamy in the middle with a crispy coating so moreish that the salad on the side was like an old friend I had grown out of. 

Conversation with the girls fell like a seamless waterfall and it felt like we had known each other for ages. We were a great mix of people with different personalities which would make for the perfect girlband. We talked for ages during and in between the courses which made time fly by, nearly forgetting that we still needed to order our dessert. Now this was another tough choice but David J was ready with his best recommendations, which led to my decision of the banoffee pie. Not having ever tried this before, (I know whats wrong with me?) I had to break my banoffee virginity. 

It was delicious! A buttery crumb with layers of perfectly ripened banana, topped with a mountain of delightfully light cream so big, even I was unsure if I could climb it. To add to the abundance of layers, it sat on a river of toffee so delicious I had to eat it by itself once I was shamefully defeated half way through. I had never been so satisfyingly full in a long time.

As we had turned down the offer of a hot drink, David J decided we needed to end our night with a little tipple. A tray of sweet (but yet very strong) limoncello shots came our way which warmed our bodies like a hot water bottle on a winters night. We made a toast to new friendships and celebrated what a wonderful evening it had been before the night had ended and we had to sadly go home. We are all going to keep in touch and hopefully I will see all these amazing girls again soon. 

They were all so friendly, talented and very beautiful. Their stories were enchanting, with personalities to match and I am so grateful I got to meet them. A huge thank you to Danielle for organising the evening and to Balans for looking after us so well, we felt spoilt. The food was delicious and the company was even better, I will be returning to the restaurant in the future for sure.

I love their quirky interiors and cosy atmosphere. You don't feel rushed to eat and get out the door quickly with its relaxed vibe and friendly staff. Perfect for a catch up with old friends.

You all need to follow these lovely ladies I got to spend the evening with, their links are all down below. They all have amazing blogs by the way so definitely check them out:

Rosie from 'A Girl on a Journey'

Aura from 'Aura B Verene'

Amy from '50 Shades of Blonde'

Angie from 'Chocolate & Lipstick'

Danielle from 'The Bloggers Hangout'

Love Khrissie x