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Wimpy restaurant: It stands the test of time
The Wimpy restaurant, in Westgate, Peterborough. Picture: Peterborough ET
Restaurant review: The ET’s sports reporter James Westgate visits the longstanding Wimpy restaurant, in Westgate, Peterborough:
THERE are plenty of things that have failed to stand the test of time during the last 30 years.
Shellsuits, calculator wrist watches, the Sinclair ZX81 and Nottingham Forest FC are just a few to have fallen by the wayside since their 1980s heyday.
It’s a crying shame, but a glance through the windows at the contented diners guzzling away in Wimpy last week seemed to suggest that at least one much-loved institution from my childhood is still going strong.
And as they were handing out free A Team figures with kids’ meals when I was last there, the time was right to pay a visit, along with another member of The ET sports desk who takes great pride in being no stranger to a square meal.
Now Wimpy was never about fine dining, and those of you after gourmet grub may as well stop reading now, but if it’s a succulent burger, a plate of fish and chips or even a bender in a bun you’re after, then look no further.
But things had certainly changed since my last visit.
For a start, a recent re-fit means it no longer feels like eating in the Central TV cafeteria during a break in filming for an episode of Crossroads. Smart new booths have replaced the old sit up and beg style arrangement, while an infusion of burnished steel has brought the interior snazzily up to date.
There has also been some renovation work carried out to the menu and while classics like the Wimpy Quarter Cheese remain mouthwatering options, there’s plenty to choose from with paninis, a wide range of baked potatoes and a choice of salads now on offer.
But bearing in mind the company I was keeping, healthy eating was never on the radar and having whistled over the perky waitress to take what was doubtless a highly calorific order, there was just time for a brief debate on the relative merits of VHS over Betamax.
Thankfully our conversational trip down memory didn’t last long before the ordered bacon quarter cheese and a piping plate of ribs were delivered to our table.
Both dishes proved to be excellent but I did shoot more than a few envious glances at my colleague’s burger which came served with a generous portion of bacon, onions and relish in a Kaiser seeded bun.
Not that there was anything wrong with the barbecue ribs that came my way, it’s just that – much like my robust dining partner with his shirt off – I couldn’t see many of them.
Although disappointingly low in number, the ribs scored high with my tastebuds, however, and with onion rings, green salad and chips making up the difference, it all added up to a very satisfying meal.
Still I would rather have had the burger. That is afterall what Wimpy is really all about – that and the legendary desserts.
I was never allowed “afters” when I came as a kid with my tight-fisted parents but with The Evening Telegraph footing the bill this time there was nothing to stop us reaching for the menu once more and taking our pick.
Sadly both the Knickerbocker Glory and the Banana Split appear to have died a death but the Brown Derbie’s still there and an intriguing newcomer – the Eskimo Waffle.
At this point Michelin star chasing chefs at high brow restaurants should take note – don’t waste time serving up poncey compotes or elaborate sabayons when a doughnut covered in ice cream will do.
That, with a few crushed peanuts and a dollop of chocolate sauce is what makes the famous brown derbie such a treat while the Eskimo Waffle is constructed along similarly no nonsense lines.
Replace the doughnut with a couple of waffles then add a dash of whipped cream and serve – simple but devastatingly effective.
And that just about sums up our visit, no nonsense, well cooked grub, served up with a smile at a price that won’t break the bank.
8 out of 10
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Information: Wimpy, 5 Westgate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 1PX, telelphone 01733 345664, website: www.wimpyuk.co.uk
Menu examples:
Burges
BBQ Burger, Bender in a Bun with Cheese, Bacon & Cheese Quarter-pounder
Spicy Bean Burger
Grills
Wimpy Club, Steak Platter, BBQ Rack Rib Platter, Gourmet Chicken Platter, International Grill
Salads
Steak Salad, Gourmet Chicken Salad, Hot & Spicy Chicken Salad
Breakfast
Banger Breakfast, Country Breakfast, Great Wimpy Breakfast, Hashbrown Breakfast, Wimpy Breakfast
Desserts
Eskimo Waffe, Brown Derby, Toffee Sundae, Brownie Sundae
Details correct at 25/08/11
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Weather for Peterborough
Wednesday 22 February 2012
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Light rain
Temperature: 9 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 33 mph
Wind direction: South west
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Comments
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mr happy lamp
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 12:38 PMCome on this is now getting pathetic. 8 out of 10 for the Wimpy ! So you rate this fast food chain cooking poor quality food (tasty or not I would not like to know what goes into some of the grub). as good as the oundle mill or proper pubs selling real food. Why even review a place like this its pathetic. Come on ET grow up and either do a proper food review section or just dont bother!
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