I often find myself in Basildon for work so always searching for somewhere new to grab lunch - instead of returning again and again to the safety and reliability of Greggs.
So one lunchtime, I headed out into the town centre to find an independent café for a bite to eat. I was absolutely starving and was ready to throw myself at the first place I could find and so found myself in Cafe Cinco on East Walk, just beyond the entrance to Eastgate shopping centre.
The cafe was very welcoming, lit with a warm glow and was divided into three rows of booths, giving a bit of privacy for each group of diners. I wasn't sure whether the café was table service or if you had to go up to the counter to order, but when I asked was told very brusquely by the head server to sit down and that she'd be over soon.
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I sat down in one of the central booths and had a look at the menu. It was huge, with a wide variety of classic diner-style foods, from all-day breakfasts to jacket potatoes, paninis, burgers and grills.
Most of the options I thought were quite good value, including the breakfasts, omelettes, and paninis. However, some of the other items seemed to me a bit pricey, including the pastas (more than £8 for an individual portion) and grills (some were around £13).
With my stomach rumbling, I opted for the chicken burger and chips, along with a diet Coke to wash it all down. The server who took my order was efficient but I'd say by no means friendly.
The Coke arrived quickly, along with a slightly warm glass - I drank from the can. The burger and chips came soon after, and the first thing I thought was just how big the portion size was.
The burger was very hot and my first bite ended up burning my mouth, so it was hard to tell what it even tasted like. The heat was also no match for the thin bun, which collapsed within a few bites, leaving a sticky mess.
My biggest problem with my meal, however, was that it simply didn't taste of anything. The chicken was basically flavourless, and while the fried onions and lettuce gave a bit of texture, I found myself wishing I'd asked some sauces just so I could taste something.
The fries were a similar story. While they were mostly crispy and decently thin, they just didn't taste of much at all. I had to add salt to them, and even then just found it all distinctly underwhelming.
The burger cost £6.95 and the coke £1.50, which I didn't think was too bad for a greasy spoon cafe, but given the disappointment of the meal, it seemed more expensive than it should have been. As I was eating, I considered whether I'd come back over going to Greggs, or even that true emergency lunch, a Boots meal deal. My answer was immediate - no, I would not.
This article is part of EssexLive's series Essex Eats where a member of our team reviews an independent food business in the county. We don't tell the business we're coming and we don't tell them who we are while we're there. Every meal for EssexEats is paid for by us and not gifted. Check back every Thursday and Saturday for our top pick that week of a great food spot in Essex.
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