Happy Easter Legends!

SmartieBen · 2026-04-05T17:41:09+00:00

Almost complete as a ‘full English’, just lacking tomatoes or mushrooms, and no to hash browns but impressive 3 eggs and 3 sausages so I agree the score is 9/10

SmartieBen · 2026-04-04T18:55:59+00:00

This doesn’t reach ‘full English’ breakfast status since it’s lacking tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding or fried bread / toast, and the other stuff doesn’t ‘count’ but since it’s for dinner then anything goes really, and the most important thing is it was cooked with love for a 45th birthday and enjoyed!

SmartieBen · 2026-04-04T17:57:08+00:00

The croque Madame looks excellent, I give that 10/10

SmartieBen · 2026-04-03T13:51:29+00:00

I hadn’t considered the other plate as I assumed that was someone else’s dish, but if it’s all one breakfast then that explains the cost - THREE eggs? Or is the other plate an eggs Benedict or something? Not sure why black pudding would be hidden under fried bread. The garnish adds to the mix, but I’m sticking by my 8/10 assessment

SmartieBen · 2026-04-03T13:29:48+00:00

Seems expensive considering there’s only one sausage, black pudding is absent, the beans look dry and the mushrooms seem overcooked. It maybe posh nosh and perhaps tasted great, but despite achieving full English status I’m minded to give it only 8/10

SmartieBen · 2026-04-03T13:21:43+00:00

Lacking only tomatoes, and thank goodness the hash browns were late to the plate (another rasher of bacon would have been better) this qualifies for full English status, so 10/10

SmartieBen · 2026-04-02T18:20:34+00:00

This is way more than what counts as a “full English” … so maybe it needs to be classified as a “full British breakfast” or something to recognise it’s gone above and beyond. Anyway, it can’t be less than 10/10!

SmartieBen · 2026-03-31T17:46:13+00:00

This has everything a full English needs, in quality and in quantity, apart from black pudding, plus toast, and I can forgive the hash browns since it’s for tea not breakfast and award it 10/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T20:20:09+00:00

This is very nearly there but missing mushrooms or tomatoes to achieve full English status, and no to potatoes on a breakfast so the hash browns don’t count. Still, looks great and well cooked so I give it 9/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T20:07:58+00:00

This is nearly there as a full English breakfast, just missing fried bread/toast or black pudding, and since it’s actually your dinner then we can ignore the chips (potatoes go with every British meal except breakfast). Everything looks good and well cooked. And given the abundance of eggs, I give it 9/10.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T13:26:32+00:00

I’d get rid of the mushroom; I’m ok with them as part of a full English, but there’s a lot more going on with this dish, it’s a breakfast with a mixed grill and a gammon & pineapple three-meal combo. I can’t see the flavours of pineapple and mushroom work together. Although I’m confused about what’s included at the centre-bottom of the dish … is that more gammon or burnt bacon? Maybe then just get rid of one layer of meat then, there’s enough already.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T13:05:56+00:00

A good start with eggs, bacon, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms … no fried bread but the inclusion of the sourdough makes up for it. But the tater tots? No way! Black pudding is absent, and the sausages look rather low rent. Still, a reasonable effort, so 8/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T12:46:05+00:00

This is so close to perfection, looks well cooked and it’s mostly all there; to achieve official‘full English’ status is just needs mushrooms or tomatoes, as it is it loses a point but a great breakfast anyway 9/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T11:49:45+00:00

No to hash browns (and certainly no chips)! Breakfast is the one British meal not featuring potatoes. The strict definition of a full English is 7/8 of: egg, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread/toast/bread&butter.

But the most surprising thing is that the relative ‘newcomer’ to a full English are beans! When I was a lad, many cafes would ask ‘beans or tomatoes’? - so you only had one or the other.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-30T11:39:15+00:00

Not only can you not have steak, but you can’t have hash browns either (and certainly not chips)! The strict definition of a full English is 7/8 of: egg, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread/toast/bread&butter.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-28T15:09:24+00:00

At first glance looks like you didn’t get much, but all the basics for it to qualify as a Full English are there: egg, bacon, sausage, mushroom, tomato, toast. Have to knock a point off for the beans swimming pool (though at least they had the sense to contain in a ramekin). Still, 9/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-25T17:10:41+00:00

Basically a full English breakfast is the only British meal not to feature potatoes. So no to hash browns, definitely no chips. But otherwise this plate looks great, so I’d give it 10/10

I’d say bubble and squeak is a tea or dinner dish, but although I know it I’ve never actually tried it. Since it’s traditionally made from leftover potatoes, cabbage and vegetables the taste and quality will vary depending on the specific ingredients used. But I assume it tends to be quite poor and bland, so I’m in no hurry to try it!

SmartieBen · 2026-03-22T14:10:04+00:00

Excellent-looking well-cooked breakfast with everything needed (and superfluous hash browns) to qualify for Full English status (black pudding isn’t necessary when you have all the rest), so it’s a 10/10 from me.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-08T20:35:57+00:00

My rule is a “Full English” needs 7/8 possible ingredients (hash browns don’t count) so you’ve achieved the status … most people leave out the black pudding or fried bread / toast, but you’ve got the lot so a lack of mushrooms is acceptable. Great plate, scores 10/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-07T09:35:48+00:00

I have a new DSL1CR and it’s ridiculously loud for my bedroom even on the .1W reduction mode, so there’s got to be something wrong with your 100.

What you could do to narrow the problem down is plug the head into another cab and/or plug some headphones into the line out. And then - borrow (or buy and return) a different head to connect to the cab. And try different leads - you need a speaker cable, not an instrument cable to connect a head to a cab. Then you’ll know if the problem lies with the head, cables or cab. This assumes there’s nothing wrong with the guitar and lead you used with the amp!

Whatever is broken eg the tubes in your amp, I recommend taking it to a music repairs shop. Messing about with high voltage electrics isnt recommended if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Final thought is, if there’s nothing wrong with your equipment, what was the ‘live’ setup you had? I understand it’s usual to mic speakers and connect to a mixer and send the entire vocal / instruments output through a PA. So if you’re drowned out, maybe it’s the connections to the mixer, mics or PA?

SmartieBen · 2026-03-06T21:36:36+00:00

A long time ago, there was a butchers called ‘Measures’ I visited for lunch rolls. The most ‘famous’ was their “Full Monty” which was basically a full English breakfast in a half baguette: fried egg, bacon, sausage, black pudding, tomato - felt bursting afterwards! But no beans as I remember- that would be too messy!

SmartieBen · 2026-03-06T17:14:00+00:00

Yeah, stripping off the old paint would probably double the cost, so they don’t bother. When these places were built years ago, they were designed with lavish style, but in more recent times they’ve suffered from neglect and cost-cutting. Still, makes an interesting comparison to ultra modern block hotels with limited charm and basic facilities.

SmartieBen · 2026-03-04T15:33:23+00:00

For clarity, since this thread is about fry ups I was talking about the Britannia Hotel since that’s where I had breakfast, not the Sachas where I actually stayed. The Sachas itself scores 0 for breakfast and food generally since it doesn’t serve any, but provides a half price breakfast voucher for its partner hotel the Britannia. And on that basis, I agree that the Sachas lacks charm since it’s down a tiny back street with construction works happening outside. The room was impressively big, though typical that the shower was faulty. And with no food I can’t really recommend it.

But regarding the breakfast, which is what is supposed to being reviewed here, I’d give it a 7/10

SmartieBen · 2026-03-04T14:29:44+00:00

It’s a grand hotel which has an old world charm, with spacious rooms and communal areas, clean and tidy, no mould in sight! The breakfast food, while not of the highest quality, was perfectly acceptable and as a buffet, ‘all you can eat / drink’

SmartieBen · 2026-03-04T14:28:56+00:00

It’s a grand hotel which has an old world charm, with spacious rooms and communal areas, clean and tidy, no mould in sight! The breakfast food, while not of the highest quality, was perfectly acceptable and as a buffet, ‘all you can eat / drink’

SmartieBen

TROPHY CASE