IT may not be particularly good for the waist-line but I believe the traditional Full English breakfast is balm for the soul.

After all it tastes fantastic, feels comforting and is a sure-fire, feelgood way to start the day. You're not only tucking into a meal that can set you up for the next 12 hours but also one that appears to have the ability to offset the damage of even the most hedonistic night out.

Plus you get to wallow in the satisfaction of sticking a metaphorical two fingers up at all those skinny-minnie moaners who drone on about heart-attacks on plates.

What the prophets of doom fail to recognise is that, eaten occasionally, such classic feasts do little or no harm. Indeed, many years ago as a student, I decided there was no better hangover cure while, in more recent years, I've come to the conclusion that the Full English does marvels to offset the negative effects of everything from jet-lag to visiting in-laws.

Of course, this is almost certainly psychological. As any doctor or nutritionist will tell you, the constituent parts of a good plate of bacon and eggs and all the trimmings are far from ideally suited to solving problems created by dehydration, fatigue, low blood sugar or irritating guests. So what? It works. It certainly works better after a heavy night out than the Puerto Rican practice of rubbing your armpits with half a lemon.

Happily, despite various claims that the Full English has had its day, there are more and more restaurants and cafes where a decently cooked traditional breakfast is a staple of the morning fare.

I had a splendid traditional breakfast only the other morning at a new place I noticed for the first time just a week or so ago - The Naughty Corner in Bargates, Christchurch.

Situated, as its name suggests, on a corner and serving all manner of deliciously wicked delights it offers, among many other things, fish finger sandwiches, hot dogs with real sausages, chip butties, eggy bread with beans or bacon, bangers and mash, steak and kidney pie, pancakes, syrup and cream, an array of yummy cakes, hot chocolate with cream or marshmallows... The list goes on. In fact all those things you know you really shouldn't be eating but taste so good that they're difficult to resist.

The aforementioned breakfast is a classic case, offering bacon, egg, sausage, beans or tomatoes, mushrooms, fried potatoes, black pudding and a slice of toast and a mug of tea or coffee for £4.50.

And if that's not enough - and let's face it, just very occasionally it's not - you can add extras for a small additional charge. I wouldn't recommend eating this on a daily basis but, if like me, you go weeks on end starting the day with fruit and muesli (which incidentally I enjoy a great deal), an occasional brekkie blow-out isn't going to be a problem.

This cafe and take-away is clean, bright and friendly. It may offer a menu that's just too tempting if you're trying to be good but, as in life so it seems it is with breakfast. All the best people occasionally spend time in the naughty corner. Give it a try!

You can contact The Naughty Corner on 01202 488115.

9:59am Tuesday 6th May 2008

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