Today, I visited my closest friend in Leicester who goes to De Montfort University. I got the train from Nottingham and she met me at the station. It only took half an hour to get there! We had been saying since we started at uni that we need to go and see each other and have a proper catchup, but have only just got round to it. It was a struggle to find a day that we were both free and didn’t clash with our uni timetables and work deadlines. I had never been to the city before and so it was interesting exploring a new place.
For lunch, Rose had been saying for ages that she needed to take me to this coffee shop that she loves and goes to often. The coffee shop is called Saints of Mokha and is situation on Evington Road. It is not an area of the city that Rose would normally go to, but we were both happy to go out of our way to visit.
This coffee shop offers very creative coffee art and a great selection of drinks and cakes. All of the staff working there were incredibly welcoming; just naturally friendly service.
Like some of the independent cafes in Nottingham, the seating area was quite small with limited tables. However, I loved the interior; they have designed and created a sweet cafe with a modern space and relaxed atmosphere. The size maybe small but produces a cosy feel to the experience, the atmosphere so was positive.
They are also vegan friendly which I thought was great! They offer plant-based alternatives for their drinks too. I found it very hard to select what I wanted to try out because of the wide variety of choice on offer. However, if you have read my food related posts before, it will be no surprise to you that I chose the avocado option; Avocado on Sourdough topped with cream cheese. I have always wanted to try both a matcha latté and a chai latté, both of which were on the menu. The matcha one is a Japanese green tea packed with antioxidants, while the chai is sweet and milky infused with cardamon and dusted with cinnamon. In the end I went for the matcha with oat milk which I did really like. My friend opted for the chicken salad which also looked great; it came with feta and chia seeds which I love.
The food and drinks turned up at the table looking amazing with perfect presentation. I really liked how the simple food was made to look so Instagramable and extremely appetising. I definitely enjoyed all of the elements on my plate and it sure did satisfy by lunch cravings!
I will without a doubt ask my friend if we can return when I visit again. I’m thinking next time I will opt for something completely different, maybe the pink berry smoothie bowl made with fresh fruit on a layer of granola, topped with almond and chia seeds. The granola bowl sounds equally as delicious; milk and granola topped with a yogurt, fresh fruit, goji berry jam and chia seeds.
I really appreciated the fact that they were more than willing to adapt their menu to suit individual tastes and requirements.
I had a lovely day exploring Leicester and spending the day with my friend. This cafe was definitely a highlight. Considering how close our two cities are, I will definitely be back to visit her again soon, possibly after Christmas. I’ll also have to show her around Nottingham at some point.
Rachel
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