Chairman's Blog

Tuna Mayo with Salad and New Potatoes

OK, so it was a Thursday, and late afternoon. The sun was shining (occasionally), and the rain was falling on our son in Manchester rather than here in Wales so……we decided to go out for a ride! After all, it had been at least……oh, a day, since we’d been on the Wing!

The new revamped Whistlestop Cafe (in Rhuddlan) has opened across the car park from where it used to be (the old premises now contains an Aladdin’s cave of ‘bike’ stuff, new and used) and, as every Thursday is bike night there (for the Whistlestop Motor Cycle Club), we decided it was time to try the food in the new place.

Starting to get very busy

We arrived to find loads of bikes there, several people sitting outside eating and the whole place buzzing with bikers. The menu is quite comprehensive – a decent selection with some specials also available. I chose the Tuna Mayo with Salad and New Potatoes and Nigel had a Chicken & Mushroom Pie with Chips.

Nice toilets, but short of a closer in the Gents

We were directed to a large table which had six chairs around it but we found it a struggle to sit the two of us comfortably on one side – the other chair in between us really was a nuisance. Once in, we couldn’t get out again easily without disturbing other diners – but that wasn’t too big a problem. The whole place is a lot more spacious than the previous habitat and yet we still felt just as squashed!

No, it won't get cold while I just send a text!

While waiting for the food to arrive, I admit to being a little disturbed by the toilets – they open right into the dining area and the gents didn’t have a door closer on it so guys coming out of there tended to leave the door ajar and we were presented with a view of the loo! Not really edifying that. The boss did pop by a lot and close it though, so he is aware of it.

Chicken & Mushroom Pie with Chips and Peas

Our meals arrived very quickly – about 3 minutes for mine and just a couple of minutes more for Nigel’s. The waitress was very attentive [not to mention blonde and cute….Nigel] and I noticed that all of the staff were the same. The boss wandered around too checking on everyone and everything – very commendable.

Do you see the amount of tuna on my plate?!!

A good turnout of bikes

Now lately, Jan Turvey, our poor Treasurer, has been very short of fillings in all the pies she’s ordered while eating out. I had the opposite problem – far too much! I feel that they could have given half the amount of tuna and charged less than the £5.25 and it would have been better. That could just be me of course; maybe big hairy bikers can eat that much happily?

Not many Wings though

Nigel’s pie wasn’t home-made but it was tasty, and the chips were great…. and piping hot too. The milk could have been colder though. Both meals were nicely presented (love the square plates) and I was mightily impressed with a ham and cheese salad served to a large gentleman on the next table – looked like it would have served a whole party of people, not just one!

Bloater has a few words

Nigel finished with another of the specials – home-made apple pie with cream for £1.75 – very reasonable indeed. He actually blagged custard instead of cream and the large square dish was filled to the brim – though rather too hot to taste properly! Are we never satisfied? Too hot, not cold enough, too much……

We had a wander around the ‘shop’ opposite after eating, chatted with Alun, his son (Danny) and Paul Johnson, and then listened to the ‘leader’ (Bloater) telling everyone all about upcoming events.

There were around 150 bikers there, we guessed, which I’m sure makes it worthwhile opening for the evening. The cafe was doing constant business, there were lots of staff working and all-in-all I’d say that I would happily go there again for a meal……… though not necessarily the bike bit – that’s not really my scene (I’m a Winger, not a biker!)

…………Joanna