text: Oh dear, oh dear, where to begin....\n\nOnly out of laziness do I come here as often as I do. Situated no more than 200 yards from my work, if I'm going out for lunch it's an easy fix. And admittedly I do love their Pear, Rocket and Walnut salad... and that's about the only plus I can muster I#m afraid.\n\nIt's hard not to compare Let Me Eat to Thyme, which occupied the space in its previous incarnation. The former is managed by one of the latter's old staff, so I think that alone gives me licence. And with this in mind, I can't help but think they've looked at what Thyme did and tried to emulate it at half the cost. Unfortunately it shows.\n\nRolls and Paninis aren't filled quite so generously as they once were, salads are smaller, soups less extravagant. The whole set up smacks of a bunch of first-timers trying to make more money by spending less. \n\nOn my last visit I had Chicken Noodle Soup, which was chicken stock (fair enough, I'm a fan of that) and about 4 noodles and... well, let's say I'm STILL looking for the chicken! Thyme used to offer thick broths and meaty beasts packed with flavour and ingredients (Red Thai Chicken, Meat Ball, Smokin' Chicken.... these are soups!); Let Me Eat offer think, stock-based half-efforts.\n\nOne morning I opted for toast, a bargain at 50p you would think. Only both the bread and butter had been frozen overnight, so the bread cooled very quickly, and the butter was simply a clumped into the centre of the bread and the lad sandwiched it all together in the hopes it would melt into the bread by the time I got to work. Alas, it did not. Woeful.\n\nIt's a shame, because the staff are very warm and friendly, and I'd like them to do well. But to succeed with this venture they're going to have to invest in better produce and deliver heartier portions. Otherwise they will inevitably follow the path of the superior Thyme. If they couldn't make it... these guys don't stand a chance.