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Welcome to Rashers and Eggs
Send in your breakfast review accompanied by a photo. Reviews can be for breakfasts at home, out, or even away.
If you eat it in the morning, send it to the address below and we'll tell the world about it!
For more reviews see the archive links to the right.
RASHERS REVIEW: Spar, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
There is a certain time of year. Let's call it pre-Christmas. During this time there is a lot more socialising than there is the rest of the year. So, in the rush to fit in the extra jack Daniels and coke, or whatever tipple you are partaking of, you find yourself not only slightly hung over but also realising your stomach is empty because you were too sloshed on the way home to fill up on a greasy fish and chips.
This is the time when the Irish breakfast roll comes into it's own. Yes, it descends from heaven on a big white cloud and wraps your head in cotton wool and sooths your stomach. OK Maybe that's a bit over the top, but lets face it - when you are hungry and hung over there is nothing quite like gorging yourself on a breakfast roll. You know you shouldn't, you know it's bad for you. You know the bacon i just going to have you even more de-hydrated all day. But you still have it. And God is it good!
This breakfast roll was from the Spar shop beside the LUAS stop on Lower Abbey Street (just off O'Connell Street). The staff were relatively friendly, although more friendly to each other while they chatted away paying just enough attention to me to find out what I was ordering. I asked for a breakfast roll with egg, rashers and sausages. My stomach just wasn't up for the pudding today. I had it in a bap which was soft and fresh. The bacon was thick cut and there were two strips. For my taste I'd have preferred if it was cooked a couple of minutes more but that was OK. There were three sausages, where most places only add two so that was a plus. The egg was those mini omelettes which so many places have. I have never been a fan. Why not just fry the damn eggs? Anyhow, the roll was €4.50 which is pretty good value, especially in the city centre.
Review date: November 26th 2007
Reviewer: Andy.
RASHERS REVIEW: T.P. Smyths, Jervis Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
T.P. Smiths is situated on the corner of Abbey Street and Jervis Street on the north side of the Liffey and was formerly known as Keatings. From the outside it looks pretty much like a standard pub but inside it is a different story. The first thing you'll notice upon entering is the 'swirly' bronze staircase and the amount of space inside. The pub has an upstairs-downstairs layout to it, with a shiny copper/brass circular staircase connecting them. This staircase is the main feature of the pub and more than one head has been smacked against this as a result of not ducking quickly enough!
We often meet for lunch in T.P. Smyths, and because we were about to head off on holidays decided to go mad and have their full Irish breakfast. Our expectations were high, as they serve delicious lunches. To start, the service was warm, welcoming and prompt. The staff are the old world sort which is so rare these days - always a smile and attention to every detail of your needs.
The breakfast was pure perfection: two slices of both black and white pudding, half a grilled tomato, some crispy thin chips, a fried egg, baked beans, a rasher, mushrooms and a sausage. This feast came with a couple of slices of toast and a coffee. We were happy there was no work to go to, as we had trouble moving for about an hour afterwards! This is definitely going to make the 'Breakfasts to eat before you die' list.
Review date: November 26th 2007
RASHERS REVIEW: Cafe Metzo, Prussia Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
I was working in Stoneybatter this morning. When I finished at 10am I went to Cafe Metzo in the Park Centre to try it out for the first time.
My first impression looking through the big window at the furnishings inside was that it was just a typical coffee shop. A sign in the window proclaimed the place to be a juice and smoothie bar and, concerned by this, I had a good look through the window at what the other customers were eating before I went in.
Once I had reassured myself that the stuff they were eating used to have a pulse before it was fried in grease I went on in.
While it may not be logical, the furnishings almost put me off. It just didn’t look like the kind of place that would be able to handle a good Irish breakfast. There was something about the way the tables were laid out that put me in mind of a classroom.
I ordered the large breakfast with tea. It was a little pricey at €8.95 but the description on the menu suggested that the large breakfast would be just about adequate: Two rashers, two sausages, two white pudding, an egg and a hash brown plus toast and tea or coffee.
When it came I saw that I was right. While all the main ingredients were there and everything was very nicely cooked I have to take issue with the claim on its behalf to be a "large" breakfast. Even the tea pot was only big enough for one-and-a-half cups!
That little grumble aside everything else was fine. The pudding was the highlight of this meal. It was delicious. The sausages were just average again and the rashers were close enough to being just right. The egg seemed like it may have been kept on a hot plate for a while after being fried and wasn't as good as it could have been. So, that was it. Everything tasted fine. If they were to just lower the price by a couple of euros or increase the portions it would be a really great place to eat.
Review date: November 21st 2007
Reviewer: Sean McGoldrick.
RASHERS REVIEW: Weetabix - at Glastonbury Festival, England.
I have a strict, boring breakfast regime even when attending 3 day music festivals. My friends will testify that I always pack a litre or two of milk, Weetabix and a bowl and spoon. I used to bring a bag of cornflakes but after a while I gave up cleaning the flakes out of the tent cos it was a never ending task, and took me twice as long when I was scuttered. Sometimes I'd wake up with flake creases on my cheek. Other times I'd take the appearance of The Thing from Fantastic Four. On holidays abroad it's a different ball game, you don't know what you're getting from one day to the next and it can be quite stressful.
On weekdays it's always six Weetabix and honey with cold milk (it use to be warm milk but it's just as tasty refrigerated). On Saturdays and Sundays it's either Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies with cold milk, and always covered with currants and honey. Again I used to have my weekend breakfast with warm milk but cold milk saves time and is just as nice. I have no issues with eating Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies dust and take the view that it's probably the nicest bowl of cereal out of the box.
Review date: November 19th 2007
Reviewer: Baz Hickey.
RASHERS REVIEW: An Irish Breakfast in Seattle
Hello there from Seattle! My husband and I (both from Dublin) have been living in Seattle for the last 8 years. We now have two daughters and I find myself wanting to ensure their gastronomic education, Irish-style. Our biggest challenge has been trying to find a good sausage and, while had made some progress on that, we had basically given up on the rashers. However, we made wonderful discovery a couple of months ago, which now means that there is a great Irish Breakfast to be found at our home here in Seattle (breakfast guests by invite only please!).
At the start of October I discovered from our local Irish shop (Galway Traders) here in Seattle that the Greenwood Market is stocking Galtee rashers and sausages. Off we went and discovered these little treasures in the freezer section, recently added to the market's inventory because the butcher's wife is Irish and she exerted her influence. Apparently the Ballard Market also stocks Galtee because the butcher is from New Zealand, has visited England and therefore is sympathetic to the sausage and rasher cause. We'll be off to Ballard Market when the supply we now have in our freezer runs out.
We had been buying our sausages from Galway Traders since we discovered the shop a couple of years ago. After six years of taste testing an unknown number (i.e. a lot!) of sausages for sale here in Seattle we were surprised and overjoyed to discover the Irish shop close to our home. Unfortunately we haven't been able to buy them all year round because the shipping cost to transport them frozen does not make stocking them in summer worthwhile for the shop. I must check with the Greenwood and Ballard Markets and find out if they will be stocking them all year.
At dinnertime on the night of the big rashers and sausages discovery I made a Chicken Supreme with the Irish sausages and the next morning I used the sausages and the rashers to make an Irish Breakfast. My mouth was watering as I awoke and planned our breakfast. Standing in front of the fridge it was out with the Galtee back rashers, the sausages, the eggs and the mushrooms. The girls (aged 3 and 5) ate their Weetabix to stave off their hunger as they waited for our fry-up. My one concession to this heart-attack-waiting-to-happen (if you eat this too often) was to poach the eggs. The rest of the ingredients are fried/sautéed in butter. Of course the whole shebang could only be accompanied by a nice cup of Irish Breakfast tea (courtesy of Twinings, though I've now discovered that the Galway Traders stock Barry's Irish Breakfast Tea. I've put that on my shopping list for when our current stash of tea runs out). The mugs are also hand crafted Irish pottery (wedding gifts).
It has taken nearly 8 years to overcome so many of my food cravings from home that it feels like I've been rewarded for my efforts (and stoicism) by these little gifts from the Universe. Yes, I can live without them, but ... now I don't have to!
Review date: November 12th 2007
Reviewer: Emperorp.
RASHERS REVIEW: Airport Marriott Hotel, Liverpool, England.
This is a lovely breaky. This building was the old Liverpool airport terminal and was built in the 1930s (red brick in art deco style). It is a lovely building to have breakfast in. Tasty hot breaky with all the trimmings. Staff are nice and friendly and they love the Irish accent.
Review date: November 5th 2007
Reviewer: Dermot Byrne.
RASHERS REVIEW: Declans Sandwich Bar, Bolton Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Best Breakfast Roll in Dublin
The question of who makes the best breakfast roll in Dublin is a highly controversial one. It is up there with politics and religion; often better not to express your own opinion until you have established that of everyone else in your company first. Of course it's a subjective one too and it depends on various factors, such as whether you consider a breakfast roll without an egg to be eligible.
Nevertheless, I have to jump in and offer my opinion: The best breakfast roll in Dublin is in Declans Sandwich Bar on Bolton St.
I have heard it called Fat Declans too. The owner, Declan, is a large man who practically takes up all the space behind the check-out counter. He certainly knows his stuff about breakfast rolls. I first discovered it when I used to work around the corner from it and I used to get a roll there for my lunch. It was recommended to me by someone who lived next door to it and who basically lived off them.
This is not just a breakfast roll. This is a Breakfast Roll. It has two rashers, one very large sausage almost six inches long cut down the middle, black pudding, a runny egg and choice of red or brown sauce. All served in a soft roll and costing €3.60. It is the standard to which I compare all other breakfast rolls.
If you're going in there at lunch time you often have to face some pretty substantial queues. It is well patronized by the students from the local college and by builders from the local sites. However the staff are very efficient and get through everybody very quickly. The hours are good too. I have often passed by there at 6.30 in the morning and found them already open for business.
Review date: November 1st 2007
Reviewer: Sean McGoldrick.
