Nattering with Nicola at Egg & Spoon

March 13th

When it comes to writing this blog, I have a fairly regular way of noting stuff down. I tend to write down a list of the breakfast’s components and then, as I sample them one by one, I jot down a couple of words for each item on the plate. Although this process prevents me from diving straight in as I would usually like, it does mean that when I eventually come to write up my thoughts - be that a day, a week, or several months later - I have something to go on beside my fleeting memories. And in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t take very long.

Compared to some reviewers, however, I have it easy. Mystery diners such as Nicola’s parents are instructed to be incredibly detailed in their reports. If they go to a restaurant and order a coke, for example, they must record whether or not it is served in a branded glass, how many ice cubes it comes with and what consistency those ice cubes are in. Such precision has apparently led to them on occasion to sneaking to the toilets in order to make notes; thankfully, my breakfast blog has yet to require any such level of secrecy as this clandestine operation.

As it was, I was able to have a lovely chat with Nicola instead of worrying about the swirls in my coffee and whether or not the waitress had provided both a matching saucer and the right length of spoon. Rather than focusing on the kinds of banalities that are only of interest to the most exhaustingly in-depth forms of market research, we could focus on the other important aspect of this blog’s existence - conversation.

I’ve been pals with Nicola for a few years now, coming to know her through her partner Tim, with whom I had lived for a good many years after first moving to Brighton. Amusingly, we had both gone to the same sixth form college without previously crossing paths (at least, not to my knowledge). She is kind, thoughtful and easy to get along with, though unfortunately up until this point, most of our hanging out and chatting had taken place as part of larger groups, at events and parties.

This was a particular shame as Nicola is highly skilled when it comes to nattering. She has a fairly eminent qualification when it comes to talking things through and so is well aware of the powers of conversation. She has also taken this important ability out of the workplace and applied it to the local population as a canvasser for the Green Party during the past election.

We had a chat about how important talking about things is. Raising issues and making recommendations are often the only ways in which people find out about things; you can’t always rely on the media and individual investigation to bring important things to light.

For example, I had recently managed to bring my friends’ attention to the threat of ticket station closure at local railway stations. In a similar manner, Nicola had helped let her colleagues know about the existence of the NHS Reinstatement Bill that Caroline Lucas was attempting to bring to parliament. Without people starting the conversation, many others are unaware that issues like these exist.

The importance of conversation doesn’t just apply to political matters. Truly brilliant films, TV shows, music, books and games might never reach their intended audience without a network of recommendations and informants. Before this breakfast, Nicola had never seen Mean Girls. Since our breakfast, she has now seen this landmark of cinematography and I can confirm that she thought it was pretty damn fetch.

Nicola had also been recommended our venue for the morning. The recommendation, however, had been for the venue in its previous incarnation.

I had been there before, and even written about my experiences. The second breakfast ever to be discussed on this blog was consumed at the Kemp Town Deli with my friend Simon. At the time, I had been delighted with the friendly atmosphere, the attendant staff and the classic cafe decor. Despite the tastiness of the food, however, the Deli had gone, and had now been replaced with Egg and Spoon. Would its successor be able to live up to the standards it had set?

And so, the breakfast:

E&S Breakfast

Eggs, avocado, halloumi, E&S beans, mushroom, tomato, toast

E&S Breakfast - £7.95

In truth, I had previously peered through the window of Egg and Spoon before Nicola had ever mentioned it, and my initial impression was one of skepticism. I had spotted the prices of some items on the menu, and seen that they sold “detox” items, granola and porridge. As I may have previously mentioned, things like porridge do not strike me as things that decent cafes should be serving (or things that self-respecting diners should be paying money for). These fears proved to be unfounded, however, as soon as my breakfast arrived at the table.

You are barely able to see every component of the meal from the photo I took. The number one fear with fancy establishments is that portion sizes will be reduced in the name of aesthetics, and thankfully that was not the case here.

Nicola's breakfast recommendation was very fetch.

The beans were the logical first item to taste, seeing as they were described as “E&S beans,” dominated the plate and had been heavily recommended by Nicola’s partner Tim. They did not disappoint; their soupy texture was combined with a sweet and smoky flavour, with hints of pepper and paprika. These beans felt unique and deserving of their spotlighting moniker.

The use of delicate flavouring was apparent in the mushroom and tomato too, with both benefitting from a peppery boost. They had also been cooked to perfection, being soft and juicy yet maintaining a square presence on the plate, indicating that a certain degree of care had been given in ensuring that each component was served up to its full potential.

Originally, the E&S Breakfast featured further flesh options in sausage and bacon. To make it a vegetarian breakfast, I asked if I could swap out these meaty items for others and the staff were only too happy to oblige, allowing me to bring in halloumi and avocado. If halloumi or avocado are not to your fancy, a range of other options are also available (including waffle and bubble & squeak).

Once again, these components were delivered perfectly. The avocado was especially impressive in that it was simultaneously creamy to a degree of delicacy and sliced smoothly. It held its shape well, exhibiting perfect ripeness. The halloumi was also everything that a halloumi lover desires; soft, tender and subtly squeaky.

These were not the only choices I had to make; I was offered the usual options when it came to my egg, as well as either standard toast or sourdough. On this occasion, I decided to go for poached egg and the toast, and was rewarded when both came with ideal textures. Soft white, runny yolk and invigorating crunch.

The breakfast turned out to be everything that Nicola had suggested it would be following her glowing review and she was pleased that this was the case. Although the cafe no longer had the cosy homeliness that Kemp Town Deli had once had, the care in which the food was prepared certainly made you feel looked after. As a result, I will not be hesitating to recommend Egg & Spoon to those looking for exquisite fastbreaking succour in Kemp Town.

Function: slightly fancy but definitely breakfastly - 5/5

Adherence to canon: Yes

Taste: delicious and carefully prepared food - 5/5

Value: lots of food for a solid price - 4/5

Presentation: bright natural colours and garnish - 4/5

Venue: bright and friendly, although not as homely as the deli had been - 4/5

Overall: another triumph in Kemp Town - 4.5/5