The grass is greener at Greenfields

Despite the oft-heard claims of how great it is to be studying in central London, many of us rarely dare to venture off campus during lunch, resigned to eating JCR fried chicken or soggy home-made sandwiches. South Kensington is not ideal for the student lunch habit, but with its 10% discount to Imperial students and location mere minutes away on Exhibition Road, Greenfields is hoping to change your ways.

With its label of “sandwich emporium” one might expect Greenfields to fall into one of two categories; a down market deli selling nothing more than you could make yourself, or a posh eatery, providing morsels that wouldn't satisfy an anorexic gerbil, with extortionate prices. It was much to my delight, then, that I found a nicely rounded and varied menu, including the occasional daily special. However, it is not the sandwiches that stand out here, although I'm sure they would satiate those interested. It is, rather, the hot food that makes the trip worthwhile. Ranging from toasted ciabattas to grilled goats cheese with roasted peppers via jacket potatoes and omelettes, it is some of the best available in the local area. A good, albeit smaller, selection of smoothie/milkshakes compliments the meals nicely (although if you aren't a fan of bananas you may wish to ignore that part of the menu, since every single milkshake contains them). Other, more mainstream, beverages are available.

The highlight of my small sample of the menu was undoubtedly the butter bean and vegetable casserole. A beautiful blend of textures was immediately apparent, with the soft casseroled vegetables nicely balanced with crunchy ones buried in the fluffy cous cous. Also worthy of mention is the salt brisket of beef toasted ciabatta, which was served with a well thought out garnish including gherkins. Unfortunately, my personal preference tends towards a saltier meat, which this certainly wasn't and I felt as though perhaps this was a conscious decision in a misguided attempt to appeal to a larger audience.

The accompanying drink, the chocolate and banana frappé milkshake was divine, but strangely came with a warning from the waitress that it wasn't very sweet, so might require the addition of sugar. I couldn't help feeling that the staff expected their customers to have very uncivilised palates, a sentiment which made me slightly uncomfortable. This was quickly forgotten, however, given the excellent quality of the unsweetened drink.

A meal at Greenfields, though of good quality, is not something the average student will be able to indulge in many a time. Even with the 10% discount, the prices remain too high to compete with on-campus options, the jacket potato a prime example. Whilst under £2 in the Library Café, a comparable one at Greenfields will set you back over £5, and whilst some dishes are cheaper as takeaway options, the appeal of the café itself is lost. You are best advised to have your student head on when it comes to ordering.

Hope is not lost for Greenfields though. With its charming, cosy interior, it is the perfect destination for casual one on one meetings and lunchtime dates. It's away from the real hustle outside, yet retains enough of a busily London feeling to ensure the atmosphere is not that of a countryside cafe at a National Trust castle. It has real appeal, due in part to its plentiful, enthusiastic staff and wonderful decor, and I was sad to leave and find myself on the cold harsh streets of London. If you are looking for somewhere special to visit for that important lunch, you needn't look further than Exhibition Road.