eggbaconchipsandbeans

Double Six Cafe, Eversholt Street, NW1

I've always thought that being early is a bit like being lucky. If you're early good things happen. And if you're early for a train at Euston you can wander up the Eversholt Road and pop into the Double Six cafe. And that's a good thing to do, because this is a little gem of a traditional greasy-spoon. You always seem to find them near stations.

I love those chips. They almost seem like salmon leaping over some rocks to dive into the beans. While nearby lies a limpid pool of egg. And a sylvan glade carpeted in bacon.

I think this is my favourite condiment picture ever. It's almost art. The colours. The composition. The mustard. Prints of this are available at Tate Modern.

I like a nice stripey cup of tea. Especially when it contrasts nicely with the table.

This bloke's wearing a splendid 'shop local' t-shirt. I wonder if I could get an 'eat local' one. But then I don't. I eat all over the place. But wherever I am, I eat local.

Plain. Simple. Honest. Good.

And it's always nice to have a telly on in a cafe. Just in case the banter dries up. As you can see we were having a right laugh in here.

Sarah's Cafe, Kentish Town Road, NW1

We set off to visit Mario's Cafe (of the Saint Etienne song). Thousands of years ago we lived in Tufnell Park and were fairly regular in Mario's so it was supposed to be an exercise in nostalgia. But Mario's has got done up, which is of course, fabulous, but which means they weren't going to be doing the ebcb. So we went to visit Sarah's instead, which turns out to be brilliant too.

It's a top ebcb; sprawling across a huge oval plate. Lots and lots of crunchy little chips, like a school of whitebait, a nice pool of beans and quality baconage and eggage. I especially like the big red checks on the table, gives everything a slight sense that you're eating inside the world of Tron.

Actually this is even more Tronlike; condiments as digital skyscrapers on a virtual landscape.

This is a great place. Quite big, a basic, no-frills cafe, but done really well. With a real sense that they care and they've made an effort. Clean and nice. Look at this warm, appealing menu. Including lovely puds.

And classy decor - none of your tacky posters here - just quality art and mirrors

Euston Sandwich Bar, Euston Road, NW1 - now closed

Ah, the Euston Sandwich Bar, I've been meaning to visit for ages but was spurred into activity by a suggestion from visitor Steve Hill. It's on the North side of the Euston Road, near Great Portland Street tube. A tiny little place but always bustling and friendly. And always a welcoming glow in the Euston Road bleakness.

The ebcb is faultless - look at the aesthetics, nicely reduced beans, those modern crunchy chips which really absorb the bean juice, and a beautiful pale egg. And the bacon is hugely flavourful - it tastes fresh off the pig.

The signs are great. Really classic and clean - again a welcome contrast to the corporate wasteland around there. (Though the chess shop across the road is always worth a visit.)

Simple condiment display. And isn't that the best sugar dispenser? I can't be doing with those spouty ones. They don't give you enough control.

I didn't get great photos inside, I was stuck round the corner, but it's got great tables and counters and those magnificent orange plastic seats bolted to metal frames. You can't have customers moving themselves around when you've not got a lot of space.

At lunchtime there are huge queues of people getting a sandwich to take back to their desk. But you can always find a seat, even if you have to sit next to someone else. Anne and I were sitting there yesterday, planning our future, sat next to a bloke chatting on his mobile earpiece thing about this gruesome operation he was about to have. The perfect cafe experience.

Lovely tables. Lovely white crockery.

They're open to 6.30. And everything's free.

See the seats? That's how to run a well-ordered cafe.