I've been to Streatham for a bottle of bleach and one of my friends lived there that one skewed time, but i'll be honest, a bus down the road seems to make no difference, I just don't go to Streatham. At least, I didn't go to Streatham before now. Sister site to Balham's brunch proud Exhibit, Exhibit B has opened just shy of Streatham Hill Station, meaning I finally had an excuse to hop aboard that bus.
The Venue
Exhibit B has practically lifted the look of their Balham site and plonked it straight in Streatham. From a coffee lounge area overlooking bypassers on the street and geometric embellishments all around to a split dining space hiding a 'Dark Room' at the back; they may not have the cutesy garden, but they do have the same clean appeal as we sat ourselves down next to an arresting fish tank where comedy came with fins.
As soon as the listing for Exhibit B went live on DesignMyNight, I knew I had to get a face full of that Sasha Velour hanging in their named 'Dark Room'. While we weren't sat there for our bottomless brunch experience, it's worth noting that this is being claimed as 'Lodon's smallest gallery space', currently showcasing the work of Amsterdam based conceptual photographer Marloes Haarmans.
It's Ru Paul's Brunch Race in the dark room at Exhibit B.
The Food And Drink
Like for like, the Streatham brunch menu reproduces that of the Balham venue, but there's a few alternatives that don't just make this a snore of smashed avo on toast. Rattling through their vegetarian options, I settled for sweet corn fritters with tomato, basil and two poached eggs for a reasonable £8.50, while my boyfriend opted for the 'Exhibit Veggie' with two eggs (cooked your way) alongside halloumi, smashed avo (couldn't help but weadle its way in), mushrooms, beans, tomatoes and toast for another respectable £9.50.
Two things that impressed me right away were the sizes of the plates and the price. £8.50 isn't all that big bucks when it comes to breakfast in London, but what I got for the price were giant fritters, two perfectly poached eggs and a scattering of kale that meant i'd keep peachy until dinner time. But while the kale and tomato side was a fresh treat and the fritters ample, the eggs were sadly cold, and the fritters lacked any seasoning to give them that savoury punch. That aside, the veggie brunch was just as sizeable, being wolfed down in an instant thanks to piping beans and two perfectly fried eggs.
While a little let down by my fritters, I had another friend at the table, and that was a glass of bubbles. Swing an extra £20 your servers way and they'll not only top your glass up every time it's barely below the rim, they'll promise a few laughs along the way. Yes, Exhibit B's staff are just as much a treat as the fizz.
We enjoyed 90 whole minutes of bubbles for just £20 per person.
Summary
While their plates could have been a little punchier, there's no mistaking the fact that Exhibit have echoed their brand perfectly in the new Streatham spot. Whether it's the Sasha Velour hanging or the welcomed charm of the staff, it's pretty cool, and shows promise in an area that has such community and local support.
