Welcome to Versus, where Londonist takes like for like and decides which one is more likeable
We believe in a healthy, balanced diet at Londonist and so to correct the greasy but essential kebab research of the last Versus investigation, we now turn to the two juice bars on Leather Lane market.
Walking north from the High Holborn end of the market, you encounter the juice stall - and it looks the business. Cheerful orange plastic sheeting, a broad table covered in bags of nuts, seeds and health treats, a pile of fresh fruit and vegetables awaiting imminent death by blender... it is a visual oasis of vitamin enriched goodness and it's very pleasant to queue alongside the stall with all that natural bounty laid out in front of you. The juice menu is long with lots of appealing combinations but is not particularly exotic - mango is as exciting as it gets. Nonetheless, you can go "off menu" with your own combination and have a yoghurt-based smoothie if just juice doesn't appeal. If you are inspired by the sight of the fruit and vegetables laid out and come up with something you know you'll like. We went for a small glass of the most popular blend, a half pint cup with cute domed plastic lid brimful of carrot, mango and orange. It was good, a little warm but rich, fragrant and sweet and not too stingy with the mango. We went away happy and wondered how the juice hut further north could beat this visual, healthy treat.
The juice hut is just a little trailer with no display and nothing else on offer except juice. Not even creamy smoothies. Prices are the same: £2.00 for a small glass, about half a pint and £3.00 for a large glass which is not quite a pint. And the menu is long but without even the tame exoticness of mango to lift it above the competition. But - but! The little hut triumphs over the stall for three reasons: 1) the juice hut blends fresh wheatgrass shots at £1.50 a go for a really quick blast of super-nutrients or have a shot added to your juice for £1.00 which is a great way of adding the vile but fabulously health-boosting stuff to your diet 2) there's cheerful South American music playing over the sound of the whirring blenders 3) it was very nice to be asked how much ginger was wanted in our small orange, carrot and ginger juice, which provoked the never previously considered reaction: "Ah, go on then, an extra slice". The resulting juice was fresh, sweet and fiery - the winner!
