Review: Wild Caper

My family recently came to visit me for the weekend in London, which obviously meant the perfect opportunity to show off my local food joints. 10 minutes down the road to me is Brixton Village and Market Row, which is an under-cover arcade full of market stalls, shops, eateries and bars. You might be surprised to learn that Brixton has a lot to offer in terms of culinary experiences. Sure, it’s hard to resist the jerk chicken but you should also make time for an Honest Burger alongside a handful of those rosemary fries or a bargainlicious Franco Manca sourdough pizza.

Wild Caper lives at 11A-13 Market Row and is best described as a artisan organic cafe slash deli. Being one of the older residents within the art-deco arcade that makes up South London’s hottest restaurant district, locals choose it as their weekend brunch destination. We headed down on a Sunday morning to sample just that.

Tea and coffee is served in gorgeous white china with gold and silver trim. Fresh tea leaves brew inside an antique Georgian silver teapot which was a dream to pour.

The menu offers a choice of light breakfasts, pastries and brunch options. My Dad took no shortcuts and went straight for the Full Wild Breakfast which came with one Gloucester Old Spot sausage, smoked back bacon, a poached egg, a huge grilled field mushroom, slow roasted plum tomato and toasted sourdough bread. It was fantastic, sprinkled with fresh herbs each item was seasoned and cooked just the way it should have been.

My brother and I both stuck to our guns and went for the smoked salmon and eggs! Wild Caper serve their Smoked Var Salmon, poached Clarence Court free range eggs and Hollandaise sauce on toasted sourdough bread. Var Salmon is a free range salmon which is apparently “the next best thing” to wild salmon in taste and texture. Definitions aside, it was awesome. The toast was dense as sourdough should be and the eggs were light with bright orange dipping yolks. The var salmon was perfect and dressed in just the right amount of hollandaise. It was so good that I don’t think I could possibly choose anything else on the menu when I next visit in fear of missing out.

My step-mum was the most controversial diner at today’s brunch and ordered the Freshly made waffles with smoked Gloucester Old Spot back bacon and maple syrup (crazy cat!). A classic American dish, nicely presented and sprinkled with icing sugar. I sneaked a taster and enjoyed the sticky sweet maple syrup which smothered the salty bacon and warm waffle.

Wild Caper is the most marvellous south London brunch hideout. When I lived in East London I was so pleased to be next to The Counter Cafe and now, I have you, Wild Caper, to fulfil my wildest breakfast dreams. Who’s free this Sunday? 😉