Feifei: You’re looking very pleased and contented today, Diarmuid.

Diarmuid: I am very happy today Feifei. Why? Because I had my breakfast at my local greasy spoon this morning.

Feifei: Greasy spoon? 油膩的勺子？這是什么意思，I don't understand. How could you have breakfast at a greasy spoon?

Diarmuid: Because greasy spoon is a slang phrase.

Feifei: Slang 俚語。 Greasy spoon 是一個俚語短語。

Diarmuid: Yes, greasy spoon is slang.

Feifei: So what does it mean?

Diarmuid: A greasy spoon is a name for café that serves cheap meals.

Feifei: 我明白了，原來 a greasy spoon is a café 就是一個廉價便利小吃店，這個小店里的吃的要比一般飯館兒的價錢便宜很多。I have seen lots of these kinds of cafes around Britain but I didn’t know they were called greasy spoons.

Diarmuid: Yes, greasy spoons are very common in the UK. You can find them everywhere.

Feifei: But why are they called greasy spoons? 用這個名字來形容一個小吃店好像有點兒不妥吧？

Diarmuid: People probably call these cafes greasy spoons because the food they serve there is nearly always fried food.

Feifei: 油炸食品 fried food.

Diarmuid: Yes, I suppose it's a kind of joke. The fried food served in the café is so oily, or greasy, that even the spoons are greasy.

Example:
A: Where shall we go for lunch? There’s a new health-food restaurant near here.

B: I don't really want to eat salad and vegetables.

A: Ok, let’s go to the greasy spoon for a fry-up.

B: Mmm, that sounds great. I’m going to have sausage and chips.

Feifei: You know, eating at a greasy spoon doesn't sound very healthy to me.

Diarmuid: I think you're probably right there. You shouldn't eat at a greasy spoon every day.

Feifei: 每天都吃油炸食品對身體是非常不好的。

Diarmuid: Mmm, the problem is the food from a greasy spoon tastes good to me.

Feifei: I know. Why does unhealthy food always taste so good?

Diarmuid: That's a question for another day Feifei. For now it's time to go.