Brophy girls give Sam’s kids’ version the thumbs up

My sister believes that if you send out positive thought waves requesting something, someone somewhere will eventually respond. I must admit I was dubious but when Sam’s started offering a kids’ brunch menu I had second thoughts.

Not the path to enlightenment I grant you but I had been banging on for some time about why, when there are so many children in Chiswick, don’t restaurants offer them their own brunch menu? I accept my motives are not entirely selfless but it really annoys me having to either waste food or finish it myself when the children have had to order adult sized meals.

I commented on this gripe in a recent review and received quite a number of responses from friends and fellow parents in agreement. Therefore, when Sam Harrison decided to introduce a kids’ brunch menu I couldn’t not give it a go.

However, even after making it perfectly clear that we were going to Sam’s because they now had a children’s brunch menu and explaining to the older of my two daughters that through experience, even if she is indeed approaching double figures, she rarely manages half an adult sized portion of anything, I still had trouble explaining the concept because it was brunch.
“But I always have the same as you and daddy!” she protested believing she was a) being shortchanged and b) considered to be in the same genre as her six year old sister.
“Well you still can, just a smaller amount of it.” I reasoned.

Predictably she decided the only thing she wanted was not on the kids’ brunch menu opting for a stack of pancakes with maple syrup. I’m ashamed to say I gave in but had two reasons; the first being the dish was the same price as the kids’ set brunch menu (£4.50) and the second was that I had been out very late the night before and was in no mood, or able, to argue with her.

Mercifully my youngest daughter was in a more cooperative mood and chose scrambled eggs and sausage and a mango and orange smoothie which came in at a very reasonable £4.50 for both.

I had the kedgeree (£7.00) which proved an excellent antidote to my hangover as did the three cups of coffee bringing the bill to £27.00 including service.

True to form my older daughter was unable to finish the stack of pancakes although in fairness made more off an effort than usual just to prove me wrong and she did finish her orange and mango smoothie (£2.00). Alas, also true to form, I finished off the pancakes and the maple syrup which of course took me right back to where I started through no one's fault but my own.

Weekend brunch for children and adults is available Saturday and Sunday between 9.00am and 12.00pm. Children can choose a brunch dish, including fruit salad and french toast, and a smoothie for £4.50. There is also free professional face painting on the first Saturday of every month with Face-FX. The next session is on Saturday 7th June between 10.00am and midday.

Emma Brophy

June 2, 2008