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In a world full of avocado on sourdough bread junkies and pricey health food trends, it feels increasingly rare to find somewhere committed to the no-nonsense style of a fry-up.
Of course, the elements of a full Engish aren’t in any way, shape or form healthy to consume daily on a long-term basis.
But when I heard about a new greasy spoon in the heart of Canterbury which has made the fry-up its staple dish, I had to give it a try.
The Tea Cafe in Canterbury Lane opened last month and its big attraction, which it rightfully screams from the rooftops, is an £8.99 all-you-can-eat breakfast.
Of course, they give it a more flattering term – to them, it’s an eat-as-much-as-you-like breakfast.
The only rule is to make sure you finish everything on the plate, or you’ll get charged for what’s left. It seems a fair trade given the amount of food someone could order throughout their stay.
Terminology aside, the premise is the same. Handpick each item, wait a few minutes and be greeted with a plate of what would offend most tourists but somehow is heavenly to us Brits.
Entering the cafe on a typical grey summer day felt like stepping back into the past.
I’m not sure its wooden panelling has ever been fashionable or modern, but I can’t imagine many restaurants would choose such decor in this day and age.
Interior design aside, there is a real community feel to the place – again something which is all too rare to feel when you enter most cafes nowadays.
I struggled to get a table too, such is the sudden popularity of the establishment.
When I finally did settle, I was greeted by a row of waitresses sporting charming smiles and all seemingly happy to be hard at work.
I scanned the menu, feigning interest in anything that wasn’t the main attraction in order not to seem too keen to bite their hand off for a ridiculously priced breakfast.
I opted for fried eggs, sausages, black pudding, bacon, hash browns, bubble and squeak, a slice of fried bread and a slice of toast.
To accompany this, I ended up ordering a chocolate milkshake - a choice I’m sure will prove divisive but perfectly hit the spot for me.
It was all served pretty quickly - but how good would this bargain breakfast taste?
The fried eggs were cooked well without being oily, the sausages were packed full of meat and flavour and the hash browns were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Although the bacon wasn’t the prettiest to look at, it also did the job.
While a fan of bubble and squeak, I’ve never actually ordered it when dining out before, so I was pleased to experience it away from the comfort of my home. It was another element of the meal which worked well.
If I had to pick a fault, the black pudding lacked some of that distinctive taste that has made it so popular throughout the years.
However, I do not doubt that many people will come out 100% satisfied.
Not particularly hungry but keen to see if the items I had liked would be of a similar standard again, I opted for a second, much smaller, serving of a hash brown, sausage, bacon and toast.
All were just as good the second time around - confirming the consistency of the chef’s abilities.
As I stood waiting to pay, the generosity of the offer did concern me slightly. I managed to convince myself there would be a catch and I’d wind up being asked to part with more cash than anticipated.
After all, if it sounds too good to be true it usually is, right?
But I’m absolutely delighted to confirm I was wrong – it really was as open and honest as it claimed to be.
With £15.39 spent – the cost of my breakfast and two milkshakes – off I went back out into what had turned into a drizzly day in the city.
This £8.99 offer will do a lot of people some good, and I hope Tea Cafe can go the distance. I’ll certainly be back in the near future.
Food: It’s not gourmet but it doesn’t pretend to be - simply put, everything I wanted them to do with it, they did ****
Drink: There was a wide range of options including hot drinks, milkshakes and soft drinks although the prices feel similar to other cafes ***
Decor: A bit bland but non-offensive - clean and comforting ***
Staff: The staff were fantastic and keen to please, I couldn’t fault them *****
Price: It would be ridiculous of me to suggest an all-you-can-eat breakfast for £8.99 is anything less than top-notch in this day and age *****