What do you do when your trip to Chirk is going better than expected, and the satnav says you'll be an hour early?
You drop into the OK Diner at Oswestry of course.
To be honest, it had been an early start, and I needed some coffee. Spotting a Starbucks sign, I turned in to the Oswestry Gateway park - and then spied something chrome. In the spirit of trying something new when the opportunity presents itself, I abandoned the big chain, and went for the little one.
Inside, it looks like I think an American diner should.
I ordered coffee and perused the menu. My intention had been just to have a drink, but then it was a long(ish) while since breakfast. However, the only cake on offer was cheesecake, and while I'm sure it would have been delicious, 10am is a bit early, even for me.
Then I saw pancakes. Now, the one regret I have about my Australia trip years ago is that I didn't try the American pancake making machines at breakfast in either hotel I stopped in. I can't remember why, but it's always bugged me.
I don't really get the pancake thing for breakfast, but it was time to experiment - and I can report they were delicious with the maple syrup. I tried a bit of the butter, which was OK, but a bit meh. The syrup was more fun, and I even managed to keep it off my clean shirt!
You are probably thinking this has nothing to do with railways, but you'd be wrong. There was some interesting stuff nailed to the walls.
Many years ago en route from Oswestry to Leicester we discovered, and became regular users of the OK Diner at Cannock. Generally we loathe all things "American" but these are great! Quirky and nicely different 😄
ReplyDeleteStrangely, the Oswestry one doesn't feature on their website map. It must be new. It certainly wasn't there when we lived around those parts.
I'm trying to remember where the Little Chef was en route to Wales where most Brummies en route to and from the Greta Little Trains would stop.
ReplyDeleteAs an alternative to American pancakes I can heartily recommend Staffordshire oatcakes
Little Chef - a sad loss. When I am King, the chain will be brought back, just after I have relaunched Ceefax!
ReplyDeleteI'm familiar with the Staffordshire oatcake. Mrs Andy York does a magnificent oatcake breakfast on the BBQ when I visit for work. Now you mention it, I've not been over there for a while. Must find an excuse to go back.
And if you ever make it to Oz again, you'll have to try Kazza's Diner in Alexandra, Victoria. No webpage but there is a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/people/Kazzas-DINER/100064741162179/. And there is a railway link too as nearby is the old Mansfield branch line and Cheviot Tunnel - https://www.greatvictorianrailtrail.com.au/listing/cheviot-tunnel-yea/
ReplyDeleteExcuses to visit Staffordshire?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure when Guildex is - and I suspect that there might be other shows in that part of the world, too.
Not that I'm likely to get there myself - I've just seen how much the railways would expect me to pay to get there from Cwmbran - although they refuse to quote a fare for the route their online timetables tell me to use ... !