So for our cafe we tried Kings Garden Cafe St Lukes at the local garden centre. You enter through the rows of plants. I spotted small figs on special, so we now have two to plant on pots on the deck, since small though they are they arready have a couple of tiny figs each I am hopeful that next year we might get to eat fresh figs! (Does anybody know how long figs take from small to fruiting?)

The cafe is surrounded by plants so does have a pleasant "garden" feel, and there were some beautiful orchids being used as a divider. The space is open and airey, the sparrows love it, and a couple of beautiful fluffy young ones came an sat on the chair backs near us. Cocking their heads as they examined the new-commers. Garden centre cafes presumably attract a lot of customers with children, as there were a good supply of high-chairs. And indeed while we were there several families did stop by.

Barbara's pancakes with bacon and banana were pronounced good, though to me the "pancakes" looked more like giant pikelets. The bacon looked very good, especially as we have been eating nearly vegetarian for the last few weeks ;-) My mushrooms on toast (with tomato and "creamy spinach") were tasty, the spinach with a dash of cream delicious. But, Mrs King, six small mushrooms is not enough! I am still ravenous. If the flat mushrooms had been good big ones six would have been plenty, but I have never seen such small field mushrooms... why is it that we call mature flat mushrooms "field mushrooms" when the tight round young ones are "buttons"?

The coffee was very good, not bitter, but strong. I was asked if I wanted extra hot water with the black.

So all in all:

• Food - pretty good, but skimpy portions on the mushrooms make it expensive.
• Coffee - very good
• Millieu - gardeny and open

After breakfast we bought the weedmatting, scoria and figs, so there is plenty of work for later when my back and legs begin to recover from the early morning exertions!



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