Rumour Mill, Croydon by Bureaucrat

Having been smitten with the quaint McAdam Square shopping village in Croydon, we decided to go back there to check out another cafe. Earlier this year, we brunched at the beautifully verdant Scented Garden Cafe. This time around, we decided to try the Rumour Mill, whose menu is geared towards those with dietary requirements (e.g., raw, organic, vegetarian, gluten, dairy, vegan needs).

This is quite a big cafe, with seats outside the pavement and lots of room to push a pram through on the inside. I really liked the range of dishes on the menu, which included breakfast Bento boxes, Mexican inspired salads, to middle Eastern green shashuka eggs.

Rumour Mill, Croydon, mushroom ragu and polenta

Mixing things up a bit, the Lawyer and I decided to pick dishes that we normally wouldn't choose. Uncharacteristically, the Lawyer went for the lovely mushroom ragu with soft polenta. This was served with puffed amaranth, pine nuts, poached egg and parmesan crisp. This plate of gorgeously golden polenta with the deep flavoured mushrooms impressed him. Warm and nourishing.

Feeling the need for protein, I went for one of the specials. A slow-cooked lamb salad. There were a goodly amount of tender lamb, which was served with a quinoa and rocket salad and roasted beets and fresh herbs. This was quite hearty and filling.

Maybe because I was feeling very hungry, the food felt like it took a wee long to come out. So much so, that I felt the need to order dessert because that would be served quickly (the Rumour Mill has an amazing range of house-made organic cakes and pastries). The lemon tart was deliciously smooth and tart. Loved the buttery pastry too. I had wolfed half of this down before my main dish came out.