Had lunch at the Blueprint Cafe, it’s a hard location to beat. They sat us at a great table by the window with a panoramic view of Tower Bridge and the Thames. They also supplied a pair of binoculars, so the view is obviously a big attraction.
It’s been years since my last visit, and the decor/style of the place has certainly changed. It’s a much more casual venue these days.
Food wise it was a bit hit and miss (more miss than hit). The Razor clams I had were nothing special, too much lemon juice for my taste. The mackerel was a bit overcooked, but the pickled cucumbers with mustard and dill that accompanied it was delicious – click here for a recipe
For main course I had grilled leg of lamb with tomatoes and courgettes, the lamb was perfect (well apart from the fact there was not enough of it and there was a real glut of vegetables). The meringue dessert was rather messy looking but tasted good, however the strawberry shortcake was less successful, not my idea of shortcake. It was more like oatcake, with cream and strawberries, basically rather dull.
So in conclusion, great view, OK food. I would make a return visit, but next time I will lower my expectations and focus on the view.
Update : April 2012 – The Blueprint Cafe has a new chef, Mark Jarvis. He has worked at Texture and spent some time working for Raymond Blanc.