David, Jessica, Rhonda and Thomas
Our group moved from one extreme to the other in the cafe task. Starting at Cafe Hula on Hope Street opposite the Theatre Royal, we entered an empty cafe and sat at the window at a solid wooden table with an embroidered and worn window seat. The first point of notice at Cafe Hula is the large skeleton model in the centre of the room (see pictures). At first unusual but not entirely out of place in the eclectic mix of wooden tables and pictures.
A relaxed atmosphere amid the dark decor and 1930s soundtrack we found we were the only customers for some time. A couple of women in their 50s popped in for a quick coffee and left but we imagined the cafe would be busier later in the day with people wanting lunch in a place a bit different as well as the theatre-going set, because of its handy location.
Definately not in the same vein as Starbucks, we didn't feel like peons traipsing in for a skinny latte.
A walk to the High Street led us on to the Restaurant Val d'Oro. Admiring the olde worlde painted price list outside we knew we were in for something different. On going in we were struck by an overwhelming sense of going back, in time that is.
The Val d'Oro is a family legacy with pictures around the walls of the original owners and images confirming the family pride in their business.
On talking to Ronnie, the current manager, we discovered photos of the opening restaurant, it's acolades and flirting with the cafe's many famous clientelle (see pictures).
The tiny formica booths weren't big enough for all of us but creativelt matched the orange formica shelves where the only changes were probably the shape of the bottles of Irn-Bru came in. The gaudy orange "tropical" tiles and the age of the staff added to the quaintness and family feeling of the place.
Service here was very different to the aloof young waitress at cafe Hula. Mary chatted to the young customers enjoying the £3 breakfast before asking Thomas to "Pass that over, son". Thomas obligingly passed over Rhonda's chips and Irn-Bru and Mary went back over to buttering rolls for the lunchtime specials.