Fika Cafe – Brick Lanes Swedish Secret
Brick lane. Home of the infamous curry, nifty thrift shop and eclectic Truman brewery. Kooky, feisty and innovative.
But this is just the tip of this East London iceberg. If you take the time to a wander a little further up the street you’ll reach 161 brick lane and find Fika, a cool little Swedish cafe with sass. Fika isn’t daunted by its famous neighbours the nutty @bricklanecoffee and Beigel Bake which apparently house the best bagels in London, it holds it’s own and retains a unique style.
Doors always open, Fika’s cool modern 
vibe is instantly apparent with walls of gleaming tiles paving the way for fun art and kooky decor. However the little secret booth and upstairs beer garden lined with fairly lights add a contrasting rustic homely feel which matches the staffs jovial manner much better.
Our table was ready upon arrival, and we unravelled the groovy artistic tubed menus to find tastebud tingling Swedish inspired cuisine. You know what this means? Meatballs! My only prior experience being Ikea’s well known balls, which set the bar surprisingly high! The other item that took our fancy was the trio of burgers 
served with a variety of cheeses, these little beasties were also available in a veggie option. We teamed this with a couple of glasses of sauvignon blanc for a splash of sweetness.
The wine was a refreshing start, and before we knew it our food was ready. The whole service was really great, from the jolly waitresses to the speedy food delivery. What’s more I can safely say the food was lush. The meatballs were married with a rich red wine sauce, creamy seasoned mash and really complimenting redcurrant jam. The trio of burgers, each in a mini focaccia bun, were juicy and each cheese gave a strong flavour variation. Oh and the chips, 
the thick cut, skins on chips were gooood. Served with a big dollop of aioli they were soon devoured.
The portions were a good size but luckily left room for pud, woohoo!
So in a difficult decision we opted for a lemon tart and Kladdkaka chocolate cake, flipping good call. The lemon tart was creamy with not a soggy bottom in sight (Great British Bake Off lingo), and it wasn’t too well……tart which I much prefer. The Kladdkaka was ooey gooey and amazing. Some choc cakes are dry but no way ho zay here! Melt in your mouth yumtacular. I may have to try the cinnamon buns next time as they seem something of a speciality.
So we left tums full and inadvertently stumbled into a London tour outside on the sidewalk who we’re scoffing bagels from Beigel Bake looking a little flustered. Maybe they should have gone to Fika instead?
Reporter: Aspen Glencross
@fika_london
