Watford's hidden gem café that more people should try

After a morning on Watford High Street, I wanted nothing more than a hearty lunch, some good coffee and a quiet place to unwind – and Bla Bla Café at the bottom of The Clarendon Works certainly provided that.

However, upon walking into this colourful space at just after 1pm on a Friday, I was struck by how empty it was.

There were two others in there, tapping away at their laptop and phone respectively, and though the light upbeat music tried to add an atmosphere, it didn’t really succeed.

This though was explained by Marwa Majid, the café’s 28-year-old manager, who I spoke to after finishing my meal.

Marwa Majid (Image: Matthew Evans) She said that – despite their location being opposite the atria shopping centre – they mainly serve office workers.

“Our main focus is the businesses next door,” she said, “and the offices all around, however we are open to the local public as well. Many people in the offices have their breakfasts in here, in the days they’re in.”

It should be noted that Friday has become one of the most popular days for working from home.

The review

With a range of mouth-watering options, from their popular egg dishes to burgers, it was a tough choice.

In the end I decided to be both healthy – choosing a chicken Caesar salad – and to treat myself – buying a black pudding scotch egg – watering them down with a traditional black filter coffee.

(Image: Matthew Evans) At £12.50, this wasn’t cheap, and I was thankful for the 20p discount my travel mug secured me but there are lunch places which are more expensive and give you less.

Really, I reasoned with a degree of depression – having sadly bought a £7 lager during the week – it wasn’t that bad, and at £6 the salad was positively a decent deal.

Equally, as Marwa told me, all their food is made fresh in their kitchen (cakes aside), and a lot of their ingredients are from the local area and, if not, then from the UK.

(Image: Matthew Evans) The salad was large with a lot of cheese and a rich Caeser sauce that complimented the crispy croutons and lettuce.

The scotch egg was also quite delicious combining a traditional English breakfast’s most controversial ingredient (black pudding) with a perfectly cooked egg that had a free-flowing yolk once pierced and a juicy apple sauce to accompany it.

(Image: Matthew Evans) The coffee had a strong, pleasant flavour but – at £3 – is too expensive.

How has business been?

After putting my dirty plates to the side, I asked Marwa, who has lived in Watford for 12 years, how trade had been since July.

She said: “Business is picking up. Since people have started moving into the neighbouring offices and the public have recognised we are here we’ve definitely got busier.”

As well as catering to many local corporate events, she is hopeful that footfall to the café will continue to improve, citing their loyalty scheme and quality offering as big draws.

She said: “Every customer we have received, if they came once, they will definitely come a second time, especially for our sausage rolls and eggs.”

It was a sentiment I found myself agreeing with and – considering the large numbers on the nearby High Street – I felt more shoppers should go to this all too quiet café on the edge of The Clarendon Works.