(Al Stewart) – Passing Thyme, Rayleigh
It was Mother’s Day, Sunday morning and I went out looking for breakfast. I confess that my first choice café was rammed, so I thought I’d look in at ‘The View’ garden centre on the ‘old’ A130 between Rawreth and the ‘Carpenters Arms’ roundabout.
Val and I would check the garden centre out occasionally, but the café is a relatively new venture.

Inside Passing Thyme
There’s about fifteen tables, seating something like fifty people, and while it was busy, I managed to get a table. I ordered (as is my norm) the large breakfast, with a black filter coffee. The filter coffee includes free refills, which was just as well, as I had to wait nearly half an hour for my meal.
They were busy, but that was quite a wait.

Large Breakfast
The meal, when it came, included eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, grilled tomato, mushrooms, ‘bubble’ and toast. The sausages were meaty and herby – no cheapo cash and carry stuff here, and the ‘bubble’ was home-made and delicious.
All in all an enjoyable breakfast, with change from a tenner.
Rating: – it would have been 3/5 but the ‘bubble’ was worthy of an extra half!