FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT V BAR

 Airport food can be dismal, but Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 provides some far-better-than-average options. I found one of the simpler outlets, V Bar, while trudging through the terminal at 3:30 a.m. Midwest time, transferring from a Chicago-to-Rome-through-London flight.

“Morning special,” lured the chalkboard outside the bar, “Bacon sandwich on thick homemade country bread. Beers on tap.” OMG, beer and bacon—gotta have it. A spa couldn’t offer better restoration from a child-packed, coach-class overnight and an in-flight breakfast of truly terrible coffee and cardboard croissant.

V bar is slightly more sleek than old-fashioned pub-like, particularly if one chooses to sit in the pleasant light-bright seating area outside the main bar. And the bar’s morning menu offered some traditional English fare updated with surprisingly “healthful” items.

I went for the full English breakfast which came with bacon (of course), cut into thin medallions like ham in the United States; free-range eggs, scrambled with fresh chives; a plump leek and turkey sausage (wonderful); two large grilled baby portabella mushrooms, a small broiled tomato and whole wheat toast.

Fruit smoothies, rich coffee and a decent selection of wines supplement the beer.

I am not saying it is worth booking through Heathrow to have a meal, but if you are stuck in Terminal 5 for any length of time, you’ll find food good enough to be grateful for the wait.