The Dulwich Picture Gallery has a new exhibition and new caterers. Bovingdons Catering’s Flotsam & Jetsam brand has already created a name for itself in Wandsworth and will now bring their skills in specialty coffee and all-day brunch to Southwark, writes Michael Holland.
Jennifer Scott, The Sackler Director of Dulwich Picture Gallery said: “We are delighted to be working with Bovingdons, and we are looking forward to establishing the Flotsam & Jetsam café as a leading brunch, lunch and tea destination in SE London. F&J will quite literally be the icing on the cake of every visit to the world’s first public art gallery.”
Jennifer’s enthusiasm was mirrored by Bovingdons’ Managing Director Frans Kobus, who declared, “We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Dulwich Picture Gallery… We’re excited to show the locals of Dulwich Village and visitors to the gallery what we offer.”
And, so, with those words ringing in my ears I ventured along to Dulwich Village to brunch with Gossip Girl, fresh from her first swim of the day and ready to eat.
We were warmly greeted by Frans who showed us to a table with commanding views over the restaurant but GG wanted a window table in order to see who was going in and out of the gallery, and what was going on outside. Her wish was granted.
Before anything else, water was delivered to the table, which was nice, and then menus were brought. Our server apologetically explained what was not available due to the post-Brexit lorry driver shortage, which we fully expected, and ordered a latté and a soft drink to sip on while we decided what to have.
I had seen a soup go by that looked rather delicious, so I ordered that to start with and an Eggs Royale to follow, all while GG told me about some man who said something to someone else about a lady no one really knew, and whose name she had forgotten anyway. I suggested she choose something to eat and to finish the tittle-tattle later. She rolled her eyes at me before scanning the menu.
The soup, as I suspected, was not only delicious but absolutely delicious. This was no ordinary carrot soup. No, this was Maple Roasted Carrot Soup with Crumbled Feta (the cheese was a master stroke), with a slice of sourdough bread.
And my Strawberry & Rhubarb ‘Posh Pop’ was a dream. I’m not sure if it actually complemented my first course, but who cares; this was fizzy-fruit Heaven and my taste buds had just visited the Garden Eden.
The restaurant was buzzing both inside and out, with the extensive lawn area full of diners and the September sun giving us all a last soupçon of summer.
Our main courses arrived. Gossip Girl’s Salmon & Miso Salad was a plateful of so many ingredients it was impossible to count them all. More importantly, she enjoyed it immensely, especially the miso dressing.
My dish was a joy to look at. The Hollandaise ran slowly down the perfectly poached eggs like a lava that did not destroy everything in its wake but instead added a reason to do brunch in Flotsam & Jetsam. The succulent smoked salmon was generously sliced. Almost too generous, I thought at one point, but I soon got over that.
Later, after me listening to more tales from the ‘down the caravan’ and beyond, we shared a slice of Pistachio Loaf that had a rather exquisite topping. I noticed GG’s eyebrows come together.
‘Don’t you like it?’ I asked.
‘Yes, it’s really good, but I’m annoyed that I can’t remember that woman’s name.’
Internally I told her to get over it but remained silent and polished off the third course.
Brunch here is an exciting affair and perfect for a pre or post visit to the gallery, or just to catch up with friends in calming surroundings. There is nothing on the menu that you would normally have at home; versions of the dishes on offer, maybe, but not with all the little touches that make certain restaurants stand out from the rest. Flotsam & Jetsam stands out.
Later that day I had a text from Gossip Girl who had just swum more lengths at Brockwell Park. ‘Thanks for invite, the food was lovely. And I remember that woman’s name who I was telling you about – It’s Tawdry Audrey.’
Flotsam & Jetsam, Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Rd, London SE21 7AD
Tuesday – Sunday 8am – 5pm – www.flotsamandjetsamcafe.co.uk
Maple Roasted Carrot Soup 7.25
Strawberry & Rhubarb ‘Sparkle’ 3.50
Latté 3.00
Salmon & Miso Salad 14.00
Eggs Royale 12.50
Pistachio Loaf 3.00
TOTAL £43.25
