Just when you think the seam of magnificent cafes has been exhausted this splendid place hoves into view. And it reminds you what makes a brilliant cafe. It's not special ingredients or faded formica, it's effort. It's continually making an effort, injecting some care and energy into the place.
Which is not to say the food isn't important. It is. And this stuff is splendid. Big piles of high quality stuff. No scrimping here. If food equals love (and I think you'll find it does) then no-one loves you more than the Star Cafe Grill.
Those chips are brilliant. I want them all over again. I might go tomorrow. I will. I'll see you there.
And a very good, civilised cup of tea.
It's a big old place too. Lots of space. Big, generous booths. Lovely colours.
Simple condiments. Nothing fancy, but a pleasing roundness to the bottoms.
A bargain.
That's what I mean by effort. Someone's sat and made that menu art, they're injected life into the place. Brilliant.
And those illuminated photos are the same. I love those things; they're the stained glass of cafes. Secular altars.
And then there's these gorgeous plastic flowers. They don't have to have them. No-one goes into a cafe for the plastic flowers. And yet they do, because they show that someone cares. Someone's making an effort. Splendid stuff.