I
was in London last weekend, but before heading home on the Monday morning I
decided to pop along to the Ace Café for some breakfast. I'd never been before
and admit to being a tad curious as it is a name that you hear bandied about
quite a lot on the classic motorcycle scene. I wanted to see what all the fuss
was about.
Using
public transport it was relatively easy to find. You exit the Underground
station, turn right onto the old North Circular Road, and it's a five minute
walk away.
As you approach it you come across these metal figures which help
allay your fears that you've taken a wrong turning somewhere.
The
first thing that strikes you on seeing it is how big it is on the outside for a
former transport café. The actual café part inside is smaller, with a service
counter which runs pretty its entire length.
There's also a small gift shop and
a raised area at the end where bands play on evenings and at the weekends.
This
area is flanked by a couple of old British bikes including this beautiful
Triumph Metisse café-racer.
The
food on offer tends to be of the hearty variety, heavy on the cholesterol and
portions on the generous side, as befits it's history as a place much
frequented by lorry drivers and bikers. That said, I thought the prices weren't
unreasonable and we certainly had no complaints about the quality of our
breakfast.
Unfortunately,
being a Monday morning the place was quiet and the carpark fairly empty,
although a couple of modern bikes did arrive as we were eating. I think that it
would be more worthwhile to pay a visit on one of those days when there is an
event on, or on an evening when there is a band playing as it would presumably
be much busier.
Having
cleared our plates and finished our tea, it was time to head for the airport
and home, but not before treating myself to a few bits and pieces from their
shop. Well, it would have been silly not to.
