Time Out says
Wed Aug 22 2012
Long gone are the late-night revellers and street walkers who once inhabited the dingy clubland-cum-wasteland behind King’s Cross Station. In their place, King’s Boulevard – the newest street in London – leads up to an attractively renovated stretch of the Regent’s Canal. On sunny days, children splash around in the fountains of the piazza-like Granary Square, while office workers eat their lunchtime sandwiches under newly planted trees. Behind the square looms an impressive, Victorian edifice – now home to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, and the new branch of Caravan.
Conversion of the Grade II listed Granary Building, by architect Paul Williams, has been handled with great integrity. The brick façade is unimpeded, while the back of the building gives way to a glass and concrete modernist construction. Inside, it’s the epitome of warehouse chic with painted brick and high, pipelined wooden ceilings.
In Caravan’s expansive dining room, office workers and art school hipsters sit side-by-side at pine and metal tables, arranged canteen-style in long lines. Along one side, the chefs are visible behind a cage-like wire mesh. At the back, divided off by the bar, metal shelves are stacked with sacks of coffee beans, waiting to go into the giant on-site roaster. The personable waiting staff moved with ease between the spaces, seeming to not miss a beat.
As with the Clerkenwell original, the menu here takes influence from many parts of the world. For example, Peruvian ceviche (marinated raw fish) and Southern US grits (maize porridge) were both available on our visit. Breakfast and brunch dishes are also a stength, and there’s a small bar open slightly longer hours than the restaurant.
From their small plates list our barely pink grilled quail was complemented well by a light but chunky cumin-scented houmous. Equally enjoyable toasted pine nuts added texture to a mellow wedge of Swiss Summerhimu blue cheese, while fresh figs and a sticky wine reduction balanced it with their subtle sweetness.
A larger dish of Israeli couscous resembling a risotto, was less al dente than we'd expected. Although the overly soft texture was a little odd, the flavours were still sound.
The icing on the cake came in the form of an excellent reconstructed chocolate and cherry trifle. Simmered cherries were blanketed with dense chocolate cream, on top of which sat a remarkably complex treacle-coloured espresso jelly. Finally, it was crowned with fresh-baked mini-madeleines. A dish not to be missed.
Since opening in Exmouth Market in 2010, the original branch of Caravan has been a roaring success. Thanks to top notch food, affordable prices and a trendy, upbeat vibe, this one is set to be just as popular. And if the promised outdoor tables materialise in time, this could well become the hottest alfresco dining spot in London.
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