Balans Cafe

214 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 1PD - Tel. 020 8742 1435

After a brisk play in the park with my goddaughter on a cold and breezy Sunday morning we fancied popping onto the Chiswick high street for a coffee and light bite.

We found Balans. Initially it was for a quick coffee but we decide to have something a bit more filling before our journey back to Bournemouth.

This has a very good menu and is more of a bistro than a cafe, whatever that really means. Higher prices and no plastic cutlery I suppose. Very busy for a Sunday.

I was a bit puzzled by Angela's cup of jasmine flower tea at £2.95. Wildly exorbitant I thought. My Thai green curry and rice was passable. I was hoping for more of a kick and no green/red peppers in there.

I will say that the burger that my brother in law had looked the business.

A bit taken aback by the 12.5% service charge at lunchtime but heyho these are modern times, and Chiswick is a place where a dress in Oxfam costs £110.

Balans Chiswick website