Proper old school greasy spoons

[nicknack]

Like a pea version of Foie gras.

Mmmmmm...pois gras.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I guess mushy peas are a Marmite type thing.

I just don't understand them.

I mean you could get some fresh peas, or even frozen peas and gently boil them for a few minutes adding a little seasoning. Delicious.

But oh no! You have to force feed them water and food colouring until their livers are ready to explode. Like a pea version of Foie gras.

Gopping.

You've forgotten the drying, then soaking in bicarb.

*then* cook them.

They are caviar, mate

[bobb]

They are caviar, mate

I guess they are to some people. Weird people, but people none the less 

I like to go to the local market of a Saturday morning and eat a whole black pudding raw. Some people think I'm weird for that, but I think that's normal....

[Cudzoziemiec]

Like a pea version of Foie gras.

Mmmmmm...pois gras.

How has that name not been used yet? (Or maybe it has and I just didn't know?) Especially with recipes like mushy peas on toast – and they even recommend using gluten free bread! Or seeds! I mean, roll over guacamole, mushy peas are the classest of middle class toast toppings!

[Butterfly]

...any local audaxer will know it.

I know many of the establishments mentioned upthread through Audax, but what's that absolute shithole in Chatteris called? The food is so bad, it's actually good! 

The Green Welly

Teethgrinder actually likes it! I have never been served worse food - but I've been trying to be charitable and think that it was August bank holiday weekend when we visited so maybe they were short staffed and had peeled all the potatoes a week in advance (they were grey) and they didn't know how to cook everything else. It was truly awful.

[bobb]

That's the one!

I've been trying to be charitable and think that it was August bank holiday weekend when we visited so maybe they were short staffed

You're just too nice 

[hellymedic]

I think we forget that dried, soaked, cooked marrowfat peas are a very different vegetable from the petit pois I like with fish.
Mussy peas are a dull dhal with green colouring.

[rachel t]

couple of cafes that nearly pass the greasy spoon test expect the food isn't that greasy are Blossom Street Cafe in York, on the way into town from the Knavesmire, £6 for large breakfast including 2 slices of white toast dripping with yellow spread with a large mug of tea or coffee, & Frenchgate Cafe in Doncaster, basically everything comes with chips if it isn't a breakfast.

[pcolbeck]

And there's a particularly good little chippy in Sheffield which does cod roe which I've never seen anywhere else, but which is fabulous.

Danes are rather fond of cod roe. Is there a Scandic connection?

Well it was part of the Danelaw but then again that was 1000 yeasr ago ....

[Jurek]

Mushy peas.
An ex, originally from Yorkshire, was very much into them.
So there was an occasion when we bought some to go with our fish and chips.
In a tin.
Smedley's - if I recall correctly.
On the side of the tin was a picture of some mushy peas onna plate, captioned  with the words 'Serving suggestion'.
'Like, what are you supposed to do with them?' Sal snarked, 'Throw them on the floor?'
How we laughed.

[hellymedic]

[Totally OT] Didn't the late great Neville Chanin work at Smedley's?

[ian]

Indeed. Mushy peas aren't squished garden peas, they're marrowfat, the mystery pea. They were the best part of my childhood bonfire nights, served nuclear hot in polystyrene cups with a spoonful of mint sauce mixed in. I confess I've never tried them on toast, not sure about that. My wife had smashed avocado on toast (obligatory sourdough) the other weekend. Not sure about that. Beans on toast. Fine. Cheese on toast. Excellent.

Anyway, to celebrate this thread I just wandered down to the cafe and stuffed myself with a cooked breakfast. Bacon (well done), sausage, egg, tomato, beans, hash browns, toast, lashings of HP and two mugs of tea while gazing out at the bedroom-attired mannequins at the dildo proving grounds opposite. Anyway, I'll probably have to do an extra ten lengths in the pool later to work that lot off (the breakfast, not the mannequins).

[Salvatore]

[Totally OT] Didn't the late great Neville Chanin work at Smedley's?

He certainly did, before going to Walls.

[Paul H]

Plenty in the East Mids, in town and transport. 
My favourite - Grindleford Station Cafe, not only all the qualities of a proper greasy spoon, but in a location where you'd expect a twee tea shop.  Worth the trip by bike or train.
Anglers seem to appreciate the same menu, I've been to a few attached to fishing lakes, most recently Delves just north of Thorne.

[hellymedic]

Suspect anglers, like Audaxers, are out for hours in the cold and wet from silly o'clock and appreciate lots of hot calories!

[Blade]

Local greasy spoon a short cycle ride away for me, adjacent to Cosford R.A.F. camp offers fish finger sandwiches.

[bobb]

Fish fingers should only be eaten by children. Making a sandwich out of random foods should only ever be done by ghastly, working class northerners.

So if you're 8, impoverished and from the north, you're good to go. If not, it's a no no...

 

[ian]

Piffle. A fish finger and mushy pea sandwich is more awesome than Godzilla breaking the land speed record on a rocket-powered skateboard while singing a medley of rock anthems and punching the sky hard enough to wind it.

But please, none of those handmade panko-crusted fish fingers on artisan sourdough with aioli. Proper fish fingers are trawled from the nearest freezer, served up on white bread, and unapologetically sauced with God's chosen condiment, salad cream. I don't know what mayonnaise is, I suspect it's French love crud, so I'm not having it make the unpleasant wet patch in my sandwich.

[bobb]

Salad cream should only ever be consumed if you have a time machine. One that you can set to "The 1970s"

[Jakob W]

Local greasy spoon a short cycle ride away for me, adjacent to Cosford R.A.F. camp offers fish finger sandwiches.

Is that the one by the railway bridge on the way to the museum? My local CTC group tends to use the museum cafe as a coffee stop, so I've never explored further.

A quick Google suggests that the Crossroads Cafe on Bellenden Road, my local greasy spoon when I lived in Peckham, has thankfully survived the ravages of gentrification, and from the reviews it's as good as ever.

I know of a couple of good chippies where I am now (and a couple of terrible ones), but can only think of one actual greasy spoon caff, which I've never tried; as it's opposite a haulier's yard, I presume it's suitably greasy...

[hellymedic]

I don't know what the vans outside the Carlisle Road's  sheds purvey. They probably tick all the boxes except seats, shelter and toilets.

[citoyen]

I had a fish ginger sandwich for lunch on Friday. No salad cream but plenty of ketchup.

[Blade]

Local greasy spoon a short cycle ride away for me, adjacent to Cosford R.A.F. camp offers fish finger sandwiches.

Is that the one by the railway bridge on the way to the museum? My local CTC group tends to use the museum cafe as a coffee stop, so I've never explored further.

Yes, that's the one.

Our cycling group tends to avoid the museum cafe due to their high prices.

[nicknack]

I had a fish ginger sandwich for lunch on Friday. No salad cream but plenty of ketchup.

Being particularly dim tonight- I spent a while wondering what on earth that was.

[Jakob W]

Local greasy spoon a short cycle ride away for me, adjacent to Cosford R.A.F. camp offers fish finger sandwiches.

Is that the one by the railway bridge on the way to the museum? My local CTC group tends to use the museum cafe as a coffee stop, so I've never explored further.

Yes, that's the one.

Our cycling group tends to avoid the museum cafe due to their high prices.

Ta - will have to take a look next time I'm out that way solo.