Empty Tank

I got an email the other day from the people at Bistroteque to say they were opening a new restaurant this weekend at Kings Cross: in the disused service station on Goods Way. That petrol station that was a murky green glimmer in the wasteland of abandoned industrial darkness? That petrol station that was the only structure from the 20^th Century between the gloomy gothic arches of St Pancras Chambers and the run-down tennements of Caledonian Road. That petrol station that ravers would pile into after an all-nighter in a nearby empty warehouse?  That petrol station that we used to fill-up at regularly after crawling along the Euston Road on a Sunday night? The one that we would pull into and run to get sweets and crisps to stop the boys hitting each other with plastic dinosaurs after a tiring day out at the Natural History museum (shop)? Yep, that’s the one…

It’s now called Shrimpys – not sure why – and here it is.

We went with Ed on Saturday night. From the architects pictures and the view of the outside I imagined that we would be sitting in a translucent, vaulted area about the size of an aircraft hangar but the restaurant is just the bit that used to be the shop. The concrete forecourt is empty, suprising on such a warm evening, especially as it’s right by the canal. The food was nicely cooked but main courses are more like starter size and all veg, salad etc is extra. Of the three deserts on offer two of them involved quince… strange: one poached quince and the other quince jelly. Ed wasn’t impressed. We were hungry on the way home so stopped at a petrol station for twiglets and chocolate.