Belly Buster

Location: Sandgate Road Market
Date: 4th August 2011

Feeling peckish and needing some hot food to cheer me up on a miserable day, I grabbed a sausage, bacon and egg stick from the Belly Buster, which appears along with the market in Folkestone. This cost me just three pounds. There didn't appear to be an option for more variety in the roll. The food was cooked fresh and was just what was I was after. Sausages weren't particularly inspiring, but were pleasant nonetheless. Bacon was possibly the saltiest I've ever eaten, which had there been more than one rasher would have been overwealming.

Overall: Cheap and cheerful. Not bad for food on the go, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. 6/10

Cafe Luca

Location: here
Date: 2nd March 2011

Feeling hungry at lunchtime, I ventured to this cafe in search of something filling. I wasn't disappointed by the breakfast special. At £5.95 this comes with beans, sausages, egg, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomato, bubble and squeak and toast with either tea or coffee. Black pudding was an extra 50p. Tea even included a ginger biscuit. Service was good considering the lunchtime rush and the cafe is pleasant enough to enjoy the massive tea while relaxing on the sofa waiting for food.

Food was excellently cooked, with tasty herby sausages, a good fried egg and nice mushrooms. The single slice of toast was from fresh, soft bread but wasn't quite enough for full mopping up duties. With outdoor seating, this is a good choice for those wishing to relax with smokers or dogs in their group. My companion had the chicken and mushroom pie which was outstanding. It had lovely succulent chunks of chichen and was full of leeks and served with a good scoop of mashed potato, it was delicious.

Overall: A great choice of upmarket fry up. With a varied menu there's plenty of choice. Bubble and Squeak noses it ahead to be my favourite so far. 9.5 / 10

Googies Art Cafe

Location: here (Google maps is somewhat out of date)
Date: 19th February 2011

Right next door to the previously reviewed Django's Jazz Cafe, this reasonably new cafe offers a range of food, drinks and in the evenings, live music. Two members of our party selected the Big Breakfast. Note that this is only served until midday. Which led to a brief quibble with the waitress when she took over ten minutes to take our order, meaning that we were just past twelve o-clock when we ordered. At £6.95 the Big Breakfast had a lot to deliver, and with two sausages, bacon, black pudding, beans, egg, tomatoes, mushrooms and a mountain of toast plus a choice of tea or coffee and an orange juice we were looking forward to a feast. Boy did we get a lot of anticipating done! While I appreciate that busy kitchens take a while to prepare orders, I was ready to eat my own arm by the time food appeared.

Food was good, with nice, herby sausages. Mushrooms were particularly nice being large, flat mushrooms sliced. Grilled tomatoes were also a treat. Toast was plentiful and from particularly nice soft, crusty bread. Coffee was a little bitter, but quite drinkable with breakfast; tea brewed from loose leaves was outstanding. We had to chase the staff for the orange juice, but when it came it was welcome and refreshing. Our companion reported that her Eggs Benedict was served with rather vinegary Hollandaise sauce and drowned by toast, which distracted somewhat from the perfectly poached eggs.

Overall: Nice fry up, with high quality ingredients. Let down somewhat by details. High price would probably see me going next door 7.5 / 10.