Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Sublime Society Of All Day Breakfasts

East of the City walls and north of the Thames,
within earshot of the chiming of Saint Mary-le-Bow’s bells
is where you’ll find the E. Pellicci greasy spoon eaterie.
Constructed out of mother-of-pearl buttons
on the original site of the Stone of Brutus,
they’ve been frying things in pigfat here for over a century.
At an elbow-room-only corner seat sit The Kray Twins;
eating liver and onion sandwiches whilst reading the gutter press.
‘Brown Bread’ Freddie Foreman is tucking into his pie and mash.
Tony and Chris Lambrianou are happily sharing a raspberry ripple.
The custard-coloured vintage Vitrolite panelling.
The Art-Deco wholegrain mustard marquetry.
The laminate wood tables. The framed family portraits.
The caged raven, beneath the counter, with its wings neatly clipped.
So long as E. Pellicci is safe, so long shall London flourish.

eggbaconchipsandbeans blog

'Classic Cafes: The Book' by Adrian Maddox

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