FatBoy’s Diner

When we first moved to London way back in the early noughties, we literally every weekend, or on days off from work would visit different parts of our wonderful capital city. This habit over time diminished. I put it down to living so far west that Heathrow was closer to our house than central London was.

Since I was away in Asia on hotel visits (yawn yawn yawn), Lina has brought back this habit with a vengeance. Anyone, whilst I was away who went out with her was taken to another part of the city that they didn’t know, whether they wanted to or not.

Upon my return I was whisked off to a couple of places that were new to me.

One of these was close to the East India DLR station. Very apt I thought, as I was still recovering from a torrid time in Calcutta. A dodgy kathi roll laid waste to me. But more on that in a later blog, when I get round to finishing them off.

Trinity Buoy Wharf has set itself up as an artist community. It sits facing the controversial Dome, and within petrol bombing distance of Canary Wharf.

This once buoy making workshop was responsible for all buoys and light ships for a major part of the east coast of England. Unfortunately with most areas of this part of London those old business went by the wayside. The workshop closed in the late 80’s, and 10 years later was transformed into what we see today.

I am sure I would have never have ventured out this way if Lina was not on this “let’s see the whole of London” mood. It was a sunny day, so I was easily persuaded to come out this far east.

It’s an interesting place to visit, plus a few times a year they have a few open days with some entertainment on. There is one happening in a week or two. 

Dining options are limited to the Driftwood Café, a converted shipping container that sells coffees, cakes, bacon sarnies and other café type foods. It does however have nice views over the river.

The other option is a 1940’s American Diner, complete with formica tables, aluminium cladding and kitsch value that makes it so worthwhile. Over the last 70 years has made its way from New Jersey to London, and now resides in a windy part of a forgotten London.

Its claim to fame was that it was in that spectacular film “Sliding Doors”. Yes Gwyneth woz ere. Apparently for you film buffs and stalkers, she sat in the seat next to the jukebox.

The menu is as what you would expect to find in an all American Diner in a remote part of east London. Burger and hot dogs. And not that very good ones at that.

We ordered two of the same, as we were the only ones there, and we were hungry, best not to make things harder when you don’t have to. Learnt that on this trip, eating at small places and ordering lots of different things. Big mistakes.

We ordered one portion of chilli chips to help us along. We were expecting a small bowl of real chilli to go with our fries. Instead we got some Thai sweet chilli sauce, and chunky chips. Not what we were expecting.

The burger was a bit of a let down also. The patty had been over cooked, so all juiciness has been cooked away. The bacon had been over cooked, and had a major suntan. I still cannot figure out why there was a whole cherry tomato in my burger.

The strawberry milkshakes however were the best I’ve had outside of New York. They were even served in the metal cup they were made in. Quality. Not to thick, but not to thin either. Just perfect.

After paying I asked the guys working there if things were going well. The look said it all. I mean it’s not hard to cook a burger correctly, sadly this place does not. Shame as it is a real fun place to eat. I just wish they would cook those burgers better.