A Burger in a Corset - Ed's Easy Diners - Old Compton Street - 7/10

The other week, the Bear and I went to the London International Tattoo Convention at Tobacco Docks in Wapping. It was amazing! As well as some awesome tattoos, we saw some scary burlesque and a lot of cool clothes. We didn't get any ink, but I did blow a small fortune on a pair of shoes and my first ever corset - or waist cincher to be precise. I was so pleased with my new purchase that I put it on over my top straight away.

A corset is a weird thing, because all at once you can't breathe but you're filled with a new found confidence. The Bear and I were planning on being out all night, and I fully intended to wear my new purchase until the very end. That was until I went to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street.

I don't know if you've ever tried sitting down comfortably in a corset, let alone eat a burger in one, but it certainly isn't easy.

We were meeting some friends in Soho after the convention for a drink or two, but we were starving. The food at the convention was pretty rubbish. It was getting on for 9pm so a quick bite was on the cards.

We decided to go to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street. It's part of a small chain, with two other restaurants in the capital. Ed's is your classic retro American diner, complete with 1950's jukeboxes, swivel seats and shakes. Just sitting at the bar was pretty painful. Seriously, I don't think I've ever sat up straight for that long. But no pain no gain.

We ordered a Best of Ed's Fantastic Combo each and had a flick through the jukebox.

There is a bar that surrounds a central cooking area where you can watch you meal being prepared. The staff can walk between the grill and the bar to take your order. The whole place is buzzing and alive with the smell of cooking beef burgers and malted shakes. The nice thing about Ed's is that although its small, busy, noisy and a tad claustrophobic, it feels very relaxed. The staff smile at everyone who walks in the door. Apart from the guy actually cooking the food. He looked pretty miffed to be honest.

I went for the Sundried Tomato, Olive and Mozzarella Burger, which came with Onion Rings, Fries and Coleslaw. It was bloody tasty. The corset prevented me from finishing it all, but the onions rings were chunky and crisp, the burger was juicy and looked like it was made from fresh vegetables. The chips were OK. The Bear went for the Chicken New Yorker with a fried egg, which kept him quiet for five minutes or so.

The only thing that pissed me off about this place was the jukebox. We duly put our twenty pence into that damn thing, and did it work? Did it bollocks. The sound system played out Dusty Springfield about thirty thousand times, but no David Bowie, not even a note!

I managed to wolf down about half my food before I thought I was going to burst at the seems and fall to the floor in a big gooey burger mess. Needless to say, the corset came off pretty soon after. Next time I wear it, I won't be sitting down to a fried meal, that's for sure.

Altogether, two combo meals, two diet "colas" and service came to £24.24. Which ain't bad. Marks deducted for the jukebox scandal. A good alternative to McDonald's or Burger King though, and their milkshakes are awesome.