Kekik Cafe Bistro Grill, Farringdon

Kekik Cafe Bistro Grill
54 Farringdon Rd
Farringdon
EC1R

by Dr Sigmund Fried

My work canteen has been getting me down of late, not least because it was recently the subject of a pointless but successful take-over bid, with the only discernible resulting difference being that meals have gone up by 70p and there is now a range of kettle crisps available.

So, on a particularly dull Monday afternoon, with the thought of yet another over-priced piece of rubbery haddock too depressing to consider, I organised a 5th floor jailbreak, taking three colleagues along for the crazy ride that is going over the road to get lunch. Kikek Cafe it was then, for no other reason than that it was close.

First impressions were positive - it was clean and had a nice airy, European feel to it. We were apparently not alone either in feeling canteen cabin fever, as we spied another table occupied by fellow comrades. Despite the extensive menu and it being two in the afternoon, I couldn't resist trying the 'special' breakfast. £3 for egg, bacon, beans, sausage and tea? I had a good feeling about this.

Unfortunately, this 'good' feeling was soon replaced by regret and mild nausea. Seemingly arriving about 45 seconds after I'd ordered it, my first thought was 'crikey that bacon looks pink'. Perhaps I should have stipulated that I'd have preferred it if it was at least a couple of shades darker than when it was still oinking around the farm, but I would have assumed that this was a given.

Looking on with envy as my fellow escapees ate their apparently delicious burgers and omelettes, I half-heartedly shovelled in the other sub-standard constituents and it occurred to me that sometimes, freedom comes at a price.