Lunch Spot number 1

There's no sadness like toast at your desk at 1pm. A woman is not a machine and on my lunch break I want to feel free. I want to have time to at least get through the national and international pages in a corner somewhere with a tasty plate of whatever in front of me. It doesn't happen often, but fuck it, when it does I figure it's worth sharing.

Hence the introduction of my lunch spots to Lily & Chew, lest you ever find yourself lost and hungry in Shoreditch, because maybe you're checking out Spitalfields market, playing the art/fashion/vintage scene, speaking at a nu rave convention or dreaming up a post-punk post-nu-punk post-ironic post-post-ironic band name. (There's also an American Apparel nearby, which is handy).

My criteria for a nice place to have lunch:

1. Full belly for a fiver or less.
2. More than one meat-free option that sounds nice (two is fine) and has a happy ending (tastes good).
3. There has to be something pretty about it, which is more of a feeling, really, because it could be pretty in a sweet way or in a grimey way, but still fun either way.
4. A table that doesn't wobble.



Bricklayer's Arms
First cab off the rank is a pub. We are in London, after all, a city full of workers enjoying wet lunches every day of the week. The problem with most boozers is that the food is gobshite. Not so at the Bricklayer's Arms.

Luckily I work with very nice people (thanks to Spinky for the beautiful pic at the top of this post) so I'm happy to sometimes find myself sharing my lunch hour and the Bricklayer's is an ideal place for just such an occasion. Their Thai kitchen produces a lunchtime menu deep in flavour and light on the wallet. There's a veggie and tofu version of nearly everything, they don't skimp on quality or authentic Thai flavours and meals are big. The public bar is a lovely, warm, woody space, with a handful of real ales on tap, if that's your thing. And, wonder of wonders, the music is great.

Cost: £4.95 for one course/ £6.50 for two
Veg Options: Multiple
Flavours: Thai (curries, pad thai, chili rice etc)
Atmosphere: A light, refreshed (but nicely worn in) local with lots of wood and pretty beer fonts
Wankers: None