County Classic Motor Museum in Taunton, Somerset
For my first (to be written up brunch) my friend Karen and I took a visit to the café at County Classic Motor Museum in Taunton, Somerset. The much loved museum and great ambition of Patrick Hawkins – who at the age of 11 years, bought and repaired his first vehicle, and didn’t stop there. A welcoming museum, even for non-car enthusiasts but it was the café that drew me in.
The photos should speak for themselves – a lovely colourful, chrome burnished environment with cars mostly ranging from late 1950s to the 1980s and motorbikes from 1915 to the 1980s. Opened in November 1923 by Richard Hammond, the opening attracted a crowd of people many bringing their own well-polished vintage cars, motor bikes and even uniforms. I remember a panda car with a ‘Z Cars’ vibe.
We headed straight for the onsite café. I won’t describe the menu, instead I took a photo. Although Karen and I are both vegetarians – neither of us are Evangelical. To be honest – I wish I wasn’t – vegetarian that is. I’ve been vegetarian for at least 30 years – I can’t remember why I started, because it wasn’t the era of the smug middle classes nor was it a time for Vegan food that looked like meat but tasted of…. I’m not sure but not food that’s ever seen a field. I remember that I ate a lot of jacket potatoes and beans.
Having said that we ordered a vegetarian breakfast, which wasn’t on the menu but the creative and kindly staff pulled together, well cooked eggs, perfect toast (not sourdough, which rips your mouth to shreds) baked beans, a potato fritter thing and mushrooms. That really tasted like food.
I’m not a food critic and I don’t aim to either promote or criticise the food of the places I visit. I’m not really choosing places for what they serve but where it’s served. To experience a welcoming and interesting ambiance, décor, history and hopefully just be left alone to either read or gossip whether it’s a coffee or a full blown brunch.
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