Whenever my work canteen is closed, I tend to pop over to Blackburne House to bask in its warm cosy glow and stuff my face full of its tasty tasty food. Despite its entrance being hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Hope Street, Blackburne House is always popular, and you often have to scout around for a seat come 1pm when all the office workers flock to lunch.
Every time I've been here, I've always been impressed with the quality of its main meals. Not only is there a great range of vegetarian, fish and meat dishes, the portions are absolutely huge to boot. When I was there this afternoon, the vegetable tagine with couscous I was served up could have easily have fed two people, and it was certainly flavoursome and hearty. Whilst the slab of cake I had for afterwards was also pretty damn big, I did find it to be a little bit dry and tasteless - although I'm keen to try some more of their various desserts in the name of 'research'.
Service at Blackburne House can be a bit hit and miss though. Sometimes you're served quickly, and sometimes you're left standing around like a bit of a lemon whilst awaiting your dinner. This isn't down to ignorance though - most of the time, the staff are just rushed off their feet and therefore will take their time to pop over to your table.
All in all, this is a cute - if slightly unadventurous - little cafe which is the perfect place to grab a quick lunch. Watch out for the big close-up picture of a nose on one of the walls though. That's a bit creepy. read more