Brunch on Saturday: Eat out at Arlo’s or be inspired by the Caribbean

This week in Brunch on Saturday, take comfort in a hearty steak or be super indulgent and create your own New Orleans-inspired dish of bananas foster at home

The steak dish cooked bavette-style (Ben Phillips)

Brunching in...

Think brunch is synonymous with sausages and bacon? Not at Arlo’s. Tucked away on a side-street in suburban Balham, south-west London, Arlo’s specialises in steak.

At first glance, the brunch menu is sparse. Where are the pancakes? And the traditional fry-up?

But when the Instagrammable blue-rimmed plates hit the table, it becomes clear that real care is taken over the small selection on offer that lives up to the orange lettering: “fresh and homemade is always better” emblazoned on the wall above the staircase.

The excellent steaks, served medium-rare unless requested otherwise, come from British native breeds.

Steak cooked bavette-style – a favourite in France – can be found in the Full Arlo’s, its answer to a fry-up with eggs and grilled tomatoes, and in the moreish croque “moo’sieur” made with tangy, mature cheddar. Accompanying these is the trencher, its signature grilled garlic and herb bread which is a firm favourite at the food market held across the road.

The interior of Arlo’s in Balham, south-west London

Although the sorry-looking watercress leaves beside the croque might suggest otherwise, veggies are catered for, too, in gluten-free banana hotcakes with yoghurt and passionfruit, and a dish of roasted wild mushrooms.

Wash down your brunch with a creamy, freshly-made banana milkshake with indulgent scoops of vanilla ice cream (coffee is on the menu, but is not the main event here).

With its sights firmly set on the well-to-do 30-something locals who live in Balham, Arlo’s, with airy white-washed exposed bricks, is decidedly family friendly. On a Saturday and Sunday morning, families with young children file in and out, tucking into “grown-up” brunches and kids’-sized versions for £7. The friendly staff seem to be experts in soothing children with Arlo’s branded colouring sheets, which are complete with custom stickers and crayons. Brunch runs from 10am to 3pm, but the wider menu – which features seven bone and picanha steaks and a range of salads, drinks and sides – becomes available from 12pm.

Arlo's, 1 Ramsden Road, Balham, SW12 8 QX; 02030196590; balham@arlos.co.uk; arlos.co.uk; open daily

Bananas foster, french toast with macerated blueberries

For the ultimate indulgent brunch at home, recreate a traditional New Orleans dessert.

Serves 2

Macerated blueberries

1 punnet blueberries, rinsed in cold water and dried
1 lemon, juiced
75g caster sugar
50ml ginger beer

French toast

3 slices of white bread/brioche, cut in half, corner to corner
2 eggs
70ml milk
1tsp caster sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
20g unsalted butter

Bananas foster

2 bananas, sliced into 3 on the angle
20g unsalted butter
60g muscovado sugar
30ml spiced rum
Pinch cinnamon

Place lemon juice, sugar and ginger beer into a bowl and stir. Toss in the blueberries and then cover and leave to macerate. Then beat eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar together and whisk until it is blended. Dip the bread/brioche into the mixture allowing the bread to absorb some of the liquid. Melt the butter on a medium heat in a non-stick frying pan. Place the bread (shaking off excess liquid) and fry until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm in a low heated oven

Heat frying pan over a medium heat. Melt butter, sugar and cinnamon until the sugar has dissolved. Add the bananas and gently cook until golden brown. Add the spiced rum, turn up the heat and flame (flambé) until alcohol has burnt off. Remove French toast from the oven and rest at angles on a plate. Spoon over bananas and drizzle sauce around (being careful as it will be very hot). Finish with a spoon of macerated blueberries.

This recipe is courtsey of Hamilton’s restaurant in Edinburgh. Find out more at hamiltonsedinburgh.co.uk