Weekend brunch and cocktails go hand in hand, and Ealing has no shortage of either – with all manner of restaurants and bars to suit every taste and budget and now there’s a new arrival in town.
Bobo Social is sandwiched between bar/restaurant Teatro and the recently opened Picturehouse Cinema, to give locals another pre-cinema eating option. And as well as an a la carte menu served alongside the signature drinks at certain times of the day, the smart-looking eatery is attempting to make its mark on the brunch world. The question is – should you go-go to Bobo?
EALING.NEWS recently had the opportunity to try out the brunch menu for ourselves, visiting one Sunday afternoon soon after the place opened its doors. And it’s fair to say there’s plenty to like about Bobo. With only the brunch menu available at this time of the weekend, we decided to sample the vegetarian breakfast (£13.95) along with the smashed avocado and whipped feta on sourdough (£12.45), washed down with two of the signature cocktails on the menu.
On the plus side the service was swift and friendly, with the food and drinks arriving a matter of minutes after ordering. Highlights of the meal included the tasty hash browns and vegetarian sausage, while the scrambled eggs were just the right consistency.
However the addition of a huge grilled mushroom, tomato and a portion of baked beans ultimately left us defeated, and wondering if perhaps we’d had a little too much food piled on to our plates. Similarly the smashed avocado, while delicious, was too plentiful, with the mixture making the toast a little too saturated for its own good. A side order of fries did not disappoint; these were crisp and golden with the portion big enough to share.
While the brunch was enjoyable, a portion of pancakes (£9.95) shared between two people proved disappointing; it looked beautiful when it arrived, generously dusted with icing sugar, but the dish itself was overcooked and dry to the point where it couldn’t even be saved by a healthy drizzle of maple syrup. Which was a real shame considering how positive the rest of the experience had been.
While the food might have been mixed, Bobo Social is definitely worth visiting if you’re in the mood for cocktails. Its signature The Bobo (£11), a heady mix of gin, prosecco, elderflower and blackberry is served in a large tumbler and tastes like boozy Ribena: so delicious you’ll be hard-pushed not to order another. One Day In Summer (£11), meanwhile, blends vodka, strawberries, elderflower and cranberry and is a cool refreshing drink for those long hot days.
Overall Bobo Social offers a positive experience – giving visitors the chance to enjoy decent food and drinks in pleasant, tastefully decorated surroundings. However the restaurant is entering into a crowded market in Ealing. On a post-lunch walk through town we spotted at least four other venues within a few minutes’ walk offering their own spin on brunch, leaving diners in the town centre spoiled for choice – and leaving us to ponder how Bobo might stand out from the pack.
It’s certainly not a bad option if you’re in the mood for that kind of food (depending on what you order) – but with so much competition around, it’s going to have to work hard to keep up the standards it’s set itself.
Bobo Social overall rating: 7 out of 10
Bobo Social is located at:
3/4 Filmworks Walk, Ealing Broadway. London W5 5AH
Web: www.boboealing.com
