Black Cherry, London

...would recommend a visit to Black Cherry.

Black Cherry
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Located at 21 Lordship Lane Black Cherry looks really inviting from the outside. Painted black with its name in white letters above the door the bar/restaurant that is Black Cherry instantly makes you want to go inside. But if you were to linger outside looking in for just a moment or two you would notice the menus placed in the windows, and perhaps ...
...hurry inside.
When entering Black Cherry the first thing you notice is the up market feel of the place. Its beautiful polished dark wood floors, fresh flowers on tables, very carefully decorated, including flock wallpaper, chandelier and very nice furniture. I recently found out that it is owned by Angela Rush who is a born and bread Dulwichite, who apparently designed her bar with women in mind. Now I know that I can see what she has done ... more

In East Dulwich, London, there is a street that just seems to keep adding quality food establishment after quality food establishment. Its name? Lordship Lane. For those in the know there truly is no reason to shlap into central London for good food and drink. On this wonderous street already, are to name just a few: The Palmerston - fantastic gastro pub, Franklins - amazingly good value neighborhood restaurant, The Sea Cow - wonderfully laid back eaterie serving sea food how ever you want it, Liquorish - style bar extraordinaire, and The Bishop - excellent pub and foodie haven complete with pub dog 'Clarence'. Added to this several fantastic Indian restaurants, Thai restaurants, Mexican restaurants and you are truly well catered for.

But, what if you found yourself in between meal times and thought, ' Hummm, I could just do with a piece of delicious home made cake, and a proper cup of tea, served with tea strainer and all' Well in the case of such a situation arising I would recommend a visit to Black Cherry.

Black Cherry
*****************
Located at 21 Lordship Lane Black Cherry looks really inviting from the outside. Painted black with its name in white letters above the door the bar/restaurant that is Black Cherry instantly makes you want to go inside. But if you were to linger outside looking in for just a moment or two you would notice the menus placed in the windows, and perhaps the sandwich board next to the door advising possible customers of the different options available inside. You'd probably also notice people inside at a window seat being served delicious looking food and at that point hurry inside.
When entering Black Cherry the first thing you notice is the up market feel of the place. Its beautiful polished dark wood floors, fresh flowers on tables, very carefully decorated, including flock wallpaper, chandelier and very nice furniture. I recently found out that it is owned by Angela Rush who is a born and bread Dulwichite, who apparently designed her bar with women in mind. Now I know that I can see what she has done as it is a very relaxed place for women to meet and enjoy themselves. It is also a place which is able to move seamlessly from the quiet place to enjoy a cuppa, cake or light breakfast/lunch that it is during the day to the stylish place to enjoy a cocktail that it becomes at night.

There are a few stairs up into the rest of the bar, and then at this point you come in to the main dining area. Light and sunny on a good day with a view out into the garden, I always think the best place to sit is on one of the comfy green padded seats that line this part of the room. This is also the area where the bar is. This area isn't large but manages to fit around it several nice stools, and of course lots of lovely looking bottles line the back wall.

What's for tea Mr Wolf?
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I've had the pleasure of eating at Black Cherry on several occasions now. The first couple of times I just went for a pot of earl grey and a piece of the delicious carrot cake (£3.50) Then I decided to go a bit crazy one lunch time and went for the amazing lamb burger served on fresh tomato focaccia bread with thick cut chips (£9) two weeks ago, I had the wonderful doorstop sausage sandwich, which featured plump thick herby sausages and satisfyingly thick chunks of white crusty bread, and for £3.50 filled me up just right, oh and last Sunday I went back to cake again. So I feel I can vouch for the fact that the food is fabulous.

Depending on what mood you are in, there is the brunch menu available between 12-3. To wet your appetite I'll tell you about just a few.

Brunch
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Scrambled eggs served with Scottish smoked salmon served on wholemeal bread £6
Scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage served on wholemeal bread £6
Sausage Doorstop sandwich £3.50
Bacon Doorstop sandwich £3.50
Eggs Benedict with smoked bacon with hollandaise sauce £6.50
Granola with fresh fruit, muesli, yogurt and honey £3.50
Fresh blue berry pancake served with syrup £4.50

Bar Snacks
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Starters
Cream of mushroom soup served with bread £3.50
Salad of smoked salmon, king prawns with saffron and tomato dressing £4.50

Sharing platters for 2 - Vegetarian platter - mini tomato and basil brusettas, garlic mushrooms, chargrilled skewer of halloumi cheese and seasonal vegetables with Italian herb dressing £8
Meat platter -chargrilled lamb skewers with honey glazed ribs and chorizo sausages served with dips £11

Mains
The aforementioned lamb burger, which was amazing tasting, the lamb was just so good! £8.50
Linguine with crab, wilted rocket with cherry tomatoes cooked in a white wine and garlic sauce £8
Cumberland sausages cooked, mustard mash with red wine gravy £7.50

Dessert
Chocolate parfait £4
Rum and Raisin cheesecake £4
Selection of farmhouse cheese with quince jelly £5

In addition to all of that I think is worth mentioning is the great selection of teas. I'm a earl grey girl but there are all of the options you'd hope for, including of course a black cherry tea and they also serve really good coffee.

The main thing is that every time I've been to Black Cherry I've had a really good experience. It is in my opinion the perfect place for spending a few hours on a Sunday doing nothing more than reading the Sundays, or tinkering away on your laptop if the mood takes you. Every time I've been I've seen a real mix of people enjoying the atmosphere and food. The mums love it because its great quality food to serve their little ones and the staff are welcoming towards children. The couples love it because it makes a fab home from home, only with better snacks, and the single folks love it because it really is the sort of place you could sit on your own reading a book or whatever you like, for hours without being bothered by anyone, except perhaps one of the attentive staff asking if you require anything else.
To my shame I have yet to sample one of their set teas, but these sound tempting to say the least.
Cream tea which includes a selection of finger sandwiches followed with warm scones and clotted cream and jam, and rounded off with tea. The cream tea is £15 per head. Then there is the high tea which costs £21 and includes a glass of fizz. I will report back when I have sampled one of these delights. I believe these are only served during the week though so I will have to take a sickie one of these days and pop along for my share.

After dark
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What you will see of an evening in Black Cherry is a real mixture of dress code. There are those in little black dresses enjoying the excellent cocktail list and there are the usual trendy/scruffy looking folks too. They still provide table service in the evenings which is fab in my opinion especially when other places get packed out and rather unappealing. If you were to fancy something special then why not try the Black Cherry Caipirinha at £6 a glass, or like I did the grey goose vodka martini. Yum…They also have a very good wine list priced from £13.50 for Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc from Largesse in France.
Black Cherry also specialize in lagers including Vedette, Duvel, Hoegaarden & Boon Kriek - which is flavored with, black cherry, you sense a theme emerging.

Staff
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I have always found the staff brilliant here. There are so many places you go at the weekend and find that the waiting staff are rude or at best bored looking. All of the people working here are polite friendly and encouraging, they really do seem to want you to enjoy yourself at Black Cherry. Once I ordered my usual tea but when it came it was clearly something different, the woman was so nice about it, very apologetic and replaced it instantly. That sort of service is worth paying a little bit extra for I think. If you want to pay less, go to the chain store Café Nero across the road, but Black Cherry is not that sort of place at all.
Directions
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East Dulwich is on the national rail line straight from London Bridge. It is also on the 40 bus route from the city and local routes 484 and P13.
Address & other information
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21 Lordship Lane, London, SE22 8EW.
Telephone: 020 8299 8877.
It is open from noon to midnight (Monday to Saturday) and noon to 11.30pm (Sunday). Weekdays, lunch is served from noon to 2pm and dinner 6pm to 10pm.
At weekend's food is served from noon to 10pm (Saturday) and noon to 7pm (Sunday).
Afternoon teas are available on weekdays from 2pm to 5pm.
Thank you for reading

Shoka
 

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