26/30 - The Espresso Lounge, Tring, HP23 5AG

Overall Score 26/30

Food               9/10
Venue             4/5
Service           4/5
Value              4/5
Cleanliness     5/5

www.theespressolounge.co.uk/

What better way to start Valentines Day than with breakfast at Espresso Lounge in Tring?!  

This has long been a favourite of ours and we weren't at all surprised that this has the best score so far.  The best improvement they could make would be to move closer so we can go more often but then needing the time to get to Tring makes it even more special.

The really great thing about the food here is that the focus is on great quality, taste and health.  So a Full English is made with great fresh ingredients.  Take a look at this:

This breakfast is fantastic and the only way to make it better is to make sure that when you order you let them know if you have any personal preference.  For instance we should have told them that we prefer scrambled egg cooked slightly more.  That said I have to point out that it was cooked 'just as it should be'.  The lady at the table next to us asked for poached egg which would have been a good option.

I love that the beans are in a bowl so that they don't make everything else soggy but I do like to try and get all the sauce out.  The toast could have done with another portion or two of butter (again our preference).

Service is another area of excellence here.  The welcome is always friendly.  This Saturday the place was packed and the staff were really busy and still nothing was too much trouble.  We were asked if everything was alright about 3 times in almost as many minutes by different members of staff but it was so nicely done.  One thing to note: this is not somewhere to come for fast food, it's about the whole experience.  I have never felt rushed out however busy the cafe is and equally the food is cooked fresh so it won't be in front of you immediately.

Cleanliness - can't see any way this can be improved.  This is the section where I normally include a mention of toilet facilities so it should be noted that this is out back, small and can be a little cold depending on the weather.  The limitations of being in a lovely old building.  You can be sure that it will always be clean though.  

The venue itself, as already mentioned, is in a lovely old building in Tring.  This means that space is limited and the layout a bit quirky.  This can mean that you feel a little tight on space when it is really busy and the noise level can be high but is part of the atmosphere of people meeting up, chatting and having fun.

Value - keep in mind that lovely saying 'you get what you pay for'.  This breakfast is a couple of pounds more than you pay generally but once you taste it you know why.  In our opinion it's worth every penny.

Thanks Aron, Clare and team!