Last week, we revealed a £25 all-you-can-eat breakfast was being offered in Kent, sparking quite a backlash among residents.

Bosses at The Cow Shed - based in Birchington and at The Ship Inn in Ospringe, near Faversham - said the meal promises “unlimited deliciousness” but received a bit of a kicking online, with the reaction making headlines nationally.

Jibes included asking about paying in installments, starting up fundraisers and asking the firm if they knew they were based in Faversham, not Mayfair.

I felt it was only fair to see whether the remarks had any merit. So on Saturday morning, I drove over to The Ship Inn, a charming pub on the A2 on the outskirts of Faversham.

Rocking up at 9am, however, it was apparent not everyone had got the memo - it was empty.

I’m not sure I’ve ever gone to a breakfast place on a Saturday morning and had the whole place to myself. Not that I’m complaining, as it meant I had the undivided attention of the friendly and accommodating waitress.

The drinks, which come free as part of the package, came out quickly and it was only 20 minutes before it was time to eat.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had imagined it would be a case of ordering food directly and it coming out straight from the kitchen. So when I was summoned to a buffet to help myself, I was pleasantly surprised.

I’ve found that at some all-you-can-eat places, they seem to pretend you don’t exist when you ask for some more sausages and a black pudding – no such nonsense here.

The only thing staff at The Cow Shed asked me to order separately was eggs and they happily accommodated my request for scrambled and fried.

The spread was decent although sparse in quantity – understandable given the low turnout – with a separate table for cereals and a toaster with fresh bread.

There was bacon, black pudding, beans, sausages, tater tots and tomato.

I opted for a bit of everything except for the tinned tomatoes - and I can’t help but wonder if, given the price, a fresher tomato should have been on offer.

But much like the decor of the restaurant, the set-up was very homely. It felt like being in a bed and breakfast rather than a restaurant or pub.

Back at my table, the aforementioned eggs arrived. The kitchen had done a brilliant job with the scrambled and there was a decent yolk on the fried, though my personal preference would have been to have a less crispy edge to it.

Everything else was pretty much up to standard apart from the charred mushrooms, which seemed to become darker every time I looked at them.

The bacon was lean, the black pudding packed with flavour and the herbs and tastes in the comically large sausages were superb.

But aside from the last item, none of it stood out. It was all a job well done, rather than the bells and whistles you might expect given the pricetag.

I didn’t go up and get seconds, having felt it wasn’t worth the torture my body would endure for overindulging.

I think the question I had to ask myself at the end of it all was whether or not I could justify the cost.

Sadly, the answer is no – but that doesn’t mean I think offering it is a bad thing, as for some it would be well worth the £25.

It wasn’t poor-quality food by any stretch of the imagination, quite the opposite in fact.

You could taste the ingredients were all fresh (except the tinned tomatoes) and the sausages in particular were certainly crafted with perfection in mind.

But as they admit themselves, it’s for those who want to indulge and who are comfortable spending the extra cash.

For me, £25 for a good but not excellent breakfast, even if it is unlimited, just isn’t something I can justify – fair play to those who can.

Also, I’d say this – The Cow Shed wasn’t deserving of the fierce reaction it received online, and I sincerely hope the business keeps up serving its customers in the commendable way it has.

The Cow Shed’s breakfast offer is available from 9am to 11am on Saturdays and Sundays and includes drinks. Children under 12 get the meal for half price and those under five eat for free.

Out of five:

Food: The issues I had were matters of opinion rather than fact, and you can tell money is spent on securing top-notch ingredients. ***

Drink: Pretty standard offering, no complaints from me. ****

Decor: I loved the country vibe they had gone with, it was warm and welcoming. *****

Staff: The one member I met was absolutely fantastic, she represented the company remarkably well. *****

Price: This is where the issue lies. It’s not the most outrageous and likely didn’t warrant such an extreme reaction online - but it’s not cheap. **