This is a welcome site. You find yourself between Vauxhall and Battersea early in the morning. Somewhere round there. Maybe you're visiting a delivery company depot because they've failed to deliver your package. Maybe you're picking up a new chum from the Dog's Home. Maybe you're lucky enough to be local. Anyway. It's cold and early and, frankly, a bit miserable. And you see this. You're happy. And soon you'll be full.
Because the ebcb is genius. It's huge. You get the sense that some cafes, when confronted with an ebcb order draw in their horns a little. They shave something off the amounts for each individual constituent part. It's going to be a big meal anyway, why not save a shilling here or there on the overall package. If only to fit it on the plate. Not at Bridge The Gap. Full measures on everything and a plate that can cope with anything you might throw at it. You could fit a tomato and some mushrooms on there if you wanted. Look at those chips! You could use them as beach defences. Pile them at the shoreline and no tank would pass. They're tasty, plentiful and practical, what more could you want? And they're not skimping with the rest either. A couple of bacon rashers, like mini steaks. A very fair bean apportionment. (And good beans too) And a nicely contained egg. Not wide, certainly, but thick. It has mass that egg. This is a good, cheering, heartfelt breakfast. Let's have a closer look:
Marvellous. Hurrah for Bridge The Gap.
Lovely, complete condiment set. With a nice little stand/container. Not sure what it's for really, except keeping the condiments close together. But it keeps the condiments close together.
And I like the menu system. Big pictures, up by the counter, lots of set options. Lots of temptation.
I love these kinds of chairs. So simple and practical. And, especially when it's empty like this, ordered and pretty. Must be a lot of anxiety about the colour choice though, once you've chosen you're stuck for a long time. This green is a good choice though, distinctive and bright. This is a great place. Must go again.
Great, a welcome return for the ebcb, look forward to the next instalment!
Oh, and Happy New Year as well.
Posted by: claire | January 06, 2008 at 04:41 PM
you didn't give minerals a mention on the order pad.
In the sixties one of the few places we ate out as a family was fish and chips at the seaside (Cleethorpes). As a kid I always asked for minerals and was usually served with orange pop, sometimes lemonade. Not that I was expecting anything else, but it has always puzzled me why it was on the menu as minerals and not just plain old pop.
I suppose that the restaurants were copying more upmarket establishments, but bottled water available back then? Surely not!
Posted by: Kate | January 08, 2008 at 11:43 AM
This is one of the more brilliant blogs I have seen in a while.
I had to give up some link love!
Posted by: west | January 08, 2008 at 08:56 PM
I must confess that I am always a little disappointed when I get a contained egg that's been fried like that. I want my egg to roam over the plate, free range like.
Posted by: Antipholus Papps | March 07, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I had a job interview in Bridge the Gap about eight years ago. Not to work in the cafe, but the company I was angling for were based over the road and obvious rabid aficionados of the place. Had a great big mug of tea and landed the job with ease, so the place obviously has good karma. Marvellous.
Posted by: Paul | May 12, 2008 at 08:24 AM