FAVOURITE of the long-distance trucker, home of the gut-busting Olympic breakfast and scourge of foodies and dieticians, Little Chef was, for decades, a name synonymous with greasy motorway grub.
But an intervention by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal in 2008, who is as likely to serve bacon and egg in an ice-cream as fry them for breakfast, transformed the brand.
A refit and new menu at the Little Chef in Popham Services on the A303 resulted in rave reviews, with one critic describing the food as “almost destinational in itself.”
So it was with mixed expectations that I stepped inside the roadside restaurant. Would the standards still be high or would the Little Chef have slipped back into bad old habits?
The kitsch décor went some way to allaying my fears, with American-diner inspired booths, a red and white colour scheme and a retro vibe.
We were greeted by a welcoming waiter who was able to point my friend, who is unable to eat wheat, towards the wheat-free options.
She plumped for the braised ox cheeks with creamy mash with red wine gravy, which was a big hit with my companion who raved about the quality of the meat.
I went for a cheeseburger and fries and was delighted when it was served – a huge doorstop of a burger, with a very generous portion of skinny chips in a separate metal container.
The quality did not disappoint and despite feeling full-up about halfway through, I couldn’t bear to leave any of the well-cooked burger or soft cob on my plate.
Despite both feeling stuffed, we couldn’t resist testing out the dessert menu and chose to share three scoops of Yorkshire ice cream, which was a delicious sweet treat to finish the meal.
My childhood memories of greasy food and grumpy waiters at my local Little Chef were put to rest by my experience at Popham.
For a very reasonable total of £22.92, which included one soft drink, we enjoyed great service and delicious food.
We left the restaurant with full bellies and big smiles on our faces.
Little Chef, Popham Services, 01256 398490
littlechef.co.uk
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