Two eggs, two toasts and a mug of coffee
I had last Friday off work, and due to milkman failure*, found myself at home with no milk and no eggs. Obviously the only solution to this was an immediate visit to our local cafe: L Rodi.
Rodi’s is one of those classic and increasingly rare London caffs that has been safely stuck in a timewarp since at least the 1950s. It still proudly clings to its formica tables, handwritten menus, steaming silver tea boiler, elderly crockery and referring to toast in the singular.
I ordered my eggs, toasts and coffee, sat back under an ancient swinging sign urging me to enjoy the fresh taste of 7-Up, and opened my book. Of course, I didn’t get much further than the first page. Because, captivated by the regular morning flow of the cafe, I found myself sadly identifying yet another job I could never do. My appalling memory and it’s apparent ‘one-in/one-out’ policy, automatically precludes me from any job with an ordering system like this:
‘Hello love, how are you?’
‘Fine thanks. I’ll have my usual’
[shouts to cook out the back: 'one black coffee, two white toasts, just a bit of marmite']
[muffled positive response, as next customer comes in]
‘Mornin’ John, the usual?’
‘Yep, thanks’.
‘And the usual for Del?’
‘Yes, but not for Stan. He’s a bit hungover.’
‘Right-o’
[shouts out the back: 'John and Del's usual, bacon butty for Stan']
‘Morning love, the usual? Go and sit yourself down’
[shouts: full English, no beans, 3 eggs, brown bread]
And so on and so forth.
Now if I worked there, heaven knows what John, Del, Stan and Steve would be having for their breakfasts - because unless ‘the usual’ is a random varient of the available menu, they certainly wouldn’t be getting it with me behind the counter.
* already! I take back everything I wrote last week.
Tags: London, mindless minutiae
March 9th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
toast is singular & plural at once no says toasts do they? Sounds a good cafe although never understood why cafe always assume you want nine eggs with every meal.
March 9th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I love places like that. They are so few and far between here in the States too. The food and service is great. I could not see doing a job like that though. I don’t think I could remember what the usual is for most people. Heck, I can’t often remember what my usual is when I go to places.
March 9th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
People say ‘toasts’ over our way BLTP. I’ve been asked ‘how many toasts do you want with that?’ and had to clarify on Friday that I wanted two toasts. It offends my ears though. Its like saying ‘look at the sheeps’.
You have some great diners over there in the States Keith. Or are they becoming rare too? I would be the worst waitress – even with my lousy memory, I can’t even read my own scrawled writing half the time, I’ve got so used to typing.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I love these places – in fact since Christmas the mini-mondos and myself have been keeping a ‘baked breakfast’ (their phrase) book with scores for the nosh at local cafes like these …
There’s a couple of others in town worth a pop, my fave and regular Friday lunchtime location of mine is Pettit Deli, Wentworth Street – great food and crazy prices
http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/2232390
City Corner – great tuna melts..
http://russelldavies.typepad.com/eggbaconchipsandbeans/2003/11/city_corner_mid.html
And you must visit Picasso’s on Kings Road, in case it gets starbucked (like Chelsea Kitchen a couple of years back) can be hit and miss, but when it’s on form it’s fab – Gordon Ramsey’s a fan
http://russelldavies.typepad.com/ateaandathink/2004/06/picassos_kings_.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2004/jun/13/foodanddrink.features11
March 9th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Thanks for your tips, PM. I know the City Corner but not the Petit Deli. Will look out for it (and Picassos if I can ever face the disappointment of the King’s Road again!).
Have you been to Rosa’s cafe? on Hanbury Street I think? Despite walking past many, many times I’ve never been in. Apparently it was a fave of Gilbert and George.
March 9th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Actually scrub that, PM. I’ve just googled Rosa’s cafe and it’s a Thai restaurant! Looks can be deceiving…