Last week, I wanted to take Justine to Duck & Waffle for a weekend brunch because it's one of my favorite places to take visitors. But of course, the restaurant was fully booked for a weekend breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so we came up with this really crazy idea: since the restaurant's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, why didn't we have breakfast on a weekday at 6:00 a.m.?
I told you. Crazy, right?
We were all jet-lagged (us from Singapore, Justine from New York), so didn't have any problems waking up at an eye-wateringly early 4:30 a.m. to get ready (though I must admit that my eyes hurt a little) and we got the train into Liverpool Street by 5:30.
At 5:45, we ascended Heron Tower's 40 floors in the famous glass elevator and watched as London unfolded beneath us, and by the time we reached our table in the dining room, this was our incredible view:
Worth. It.
Though it'd just been raining a few moments before, the clouds parted just enough to give way to pink strands of cotton candy clouds and the most amazing orange sky - it looked like a supernova. Guests clamored to the windows to get a better look and that perfect shot - I was surprised at how many diners were at the restaurant at that hour. Some were there for business meetings, others were ... finishing up the night before (Truly. The cocktails were still going strong at 6:00 a.m. I honestly couldn't imagine. It made me feel very, very old).
I'd been craving Duck & Waffle's deliciously indulgent Full Elvis waffles since my last visit to the restaurant with Udita, Deborah, and Kara, so I went for the banana-brulee treat and almost finished all of it. Almost.
John and Justine chose the equally delicious namesake dish, duck and waffle - with its perfectly runny fried duck egg, crispy leg confit and mustard maple syrup, this is my second favorite item on Duck & Waffle's menu. That perfect combination of sweet and savoury is always a winner.
By the time we'd cleared our plates, the sun had returned to its position behind the clouds, but the view from above was still spectacular. The party group left around 7:00 a.m., a little worse for wear, but still in good spirits and it was strange to think that they'd most likely be heading to bed while the rest of us began to plan for the day ahead.
Would you ever wake up this early to watch the sun rise? It was such a beautiful way to start our week! (Don't worry, I got my just desserts: I'm only just better from a flu-like virus and spent the rest of that week tucked up in bed! Ha!)
