eggbaconchipsandbeans

The Cosy Teapot, 101 Carrington Street, Nottingham

The Cosy Teapot is an East Midlands favourite. It was voted Britain's Greatest Greasy Spoon in 2003. And they're not resting on their laurels. A splendid place.

I'm not sure my photography does this ebcb proper justice. This doesn't look as delicious as it tasted. I especially liked the random looking effect. It looks so casual, like it was thrown together, but this doesn't just happen, this kind of nonchalance takes years to achieve. The chips were sharp shards of crisp specialness, spearing their way into the soft flanks of the beans which were driven into a careering retreat for the side of the plate. The eggs peered imperiously over the battleground like generals directing their troops from afar. The bacon lurked around the corner, ready to strike when the taste buds had grown weary of the fight. What am I on about? I don't know. Suffice to say this was a top quality fry-up. Really excellent. Highly recommended.

Big old cup of tea and all. Big, strong and heartening.

I always like a menu above the counter. Leads to that odd eye contact moment. You want to look at the person behind the counter and smile but you also want to check the menu, so you flick between the two. Unless you always have the same thing. Ah-ha - another advantage of the ebcb.

I like having an order number. Makes it feel like you're in a system. You won't get overlooked.

Oops. Forgot the condiments in all the excitement. Here they are. Lovely set. I like the light-bulby salt and pepper.

Always nice to see painting on the window. Even better to see it from the inside.

I think one of the two men on phones has spotted me. Ooer. I wonder if they're talking to each other on their phones. Anyway, that's not important. Above them on the shelf you can see The Cosy Teapot's collection of, you've guessed it, teapots. Splendid. That's dedication to the cafe-keeping arts. Top marks Cosy Teapot. We shall return.

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Rhos Transport Cafe, A48 eastbound, near J49 of the M4, Carmarthenshire

When we visited this fantastic place we assumed it was just called 'cafe'. Which I liked. But then I found it on transport cafe and it seems to be called The Rhos Transport Cafe, which has a similar utilitarian feel.

This is the best fry-up I've had in a long time. Absolutely magnificent. Look at those chips, they look like dragons teeth, and that bacon looks like it's been torn from the pig by the Pontypool Front Row. The egg is a limpid pool of lovely and the beans are dark and brooding, waiting to delight you once you've cleared the mountain of grub.

Simple, effective condiments. The minimum. Just what you need.

I love a good counter for queuing and a splendidly tall steam machine. Like the remnants of a Welsh space programme. And all those dragons on the top shelf, waiting to be much-loved souvenirs. Arthur's very attached to his.

And perhaps the best tea-towel display I've ever seen. Tea-towels, a much neglected aspect of our cultural heritage. I wonder if there's a tea towel blog?

sausage versus bacon

I'm representing bacon in Jared's Carnivore Project Meat Bracket, taking on the mighty Marcus and 'sasuage' so I thought I'd better make an effort and do a video. If you want to vote, go here and do so. I bet Tim Berners-Lee is dead proud of what we're doing with his internet.