Romford - The Gastronomic Centre of the Universe

[Gary Barnett]

We currently have 3 pie and mash shops in Romford and it looks like a fourth is about to be opened (unless one of the others is relocating). I’m a McDowell’s man myself, but at a pinch I’ll eat a Robins.

[Gary Barnett]

One of McDowell’s two shops is sited where the HB knacker’s yard used to be in the Market Place.

[Gary Barnett]

There is also a Brick Lane Beigel shop opening in nearby Gidea Park.

https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/ne...a-park-8312914

[Edward Stow]

Ah - when I worked in Romford I occasionally used Robin's inside the Quadrant (was that Robins?)
only occasionally as it was quite expensive.
I went through virtually every cafe in Romford - never revisiting after a hair found in baked beans, tardy service, a miss order... by the end I only went to a cafe down the western end of the High Street past the museum.

[Phillip Walton]

I was born in and lived in Romford until 1982. At the end of the High Street on the corner of Waterloo Road was a fish and chip shop that was very good.

[Scott Nelson]

Does this mean there's a depleted ozone hole above Romford?

[Gary Barnett]

Ah - when I worked in Romford I occasionally used Robin's inside the Quadrant (was that Robins?)
only occasionally as it was quite expensive.
I went through virtually every cafe in Romford - never revisiting after a hair found in baked beans, tardy service, a miss order... by the end I only went to a cafe down the western end of the High Street past the museum.

You will have walked past one of McDowell’s pie and mash shops then. Did you ever try the Gingham Kitchen in the Liberty Arcade?

[Gary Barnett]

Does this mean there's a depleted ozone hole above Romford?

Romford is full of depleted O holes on Friday and Saturday nights.

[Gary Barnett]

I was born in and lived in Romford until 1982. At the end of the High Street on the corner of Waterloo Road was a fish and chip shop that was very good.

Sadly, it’s no longer there. There was briefly a good chippy called Marco’s in the Pioneer Arcade, on the market side, but that closed down a couple of years back. The nearest decent one is in Gidea Park these days.

There are a couple of good ‘caffs’ and a McDowell’s pie and mash place in the Romford (formerly Rumford) Shopping Hall.

[Phillip Walton]

Sadly, it’s no longer there. There was briefly a good chippy called Marco’s in the Pioneer Arcade, on the market side, but that closed down a couple of years back. The nearest decent one is in Gidea Park these days.

There are a couple of good ‘caffs’ and a McDowell’s pie and mash place in the Romford (formerly Rumford) Shopping Hall.

There used to be the Market Cafe in the old shopping hall.

[Gary Barnett]

There used to be the Market Cafe in the old shopping hall.

Yes, that was good. I use one of the two new ones and McDowell’s quite often.

[Phillip Walton]

Back in the 1970's-80's there used to be some very good Indian restaurants. The best one was in a row of shops where the Angel Way multi-storey car park is now. When the shop was demolished they moved to Gidea Park.

[Gary Barnett]

Back in the 1970's-80's there used to be some very good Indian restaurants. The best one was in a row of shops where the Angel Way multi-storey car park is now. When the shop was demolished they moved to Gidea Park.

There are a couple of good ones still in Gidea Park. I’m off there shortly to drop a document off at my solicitor’s.

[Edward Stow]

Gingham's got my order wrong once - mushrooms which I hate and wouldn't change it.
Market Markets was good until the dreaded hair in the baked bean sauce.

[Gary Barnett]

Gingham's got my order wrong once - mushrooms which I hate and wouldn't change it.
Market Markets was good until the dreaded hair in the baked bean sauce.

Wouldn’t change a wrong order? How odd. I’ve always thought they were pretty nice peeps. The GK has been going for decades. When my daughter was little she used to call it the Ginge’m Kitchen, and that’s how we refer to it to this day.

One of the McDowell’s shops doubles as a chippy. I once saw some traveller girls order pie, chips and liquor in there. I was outraged at the affront to cockney protocol.

In North Street there used to be an old (ancient) weatherboarded shop which was Ted Ditchburn’s sports shop. The historic building was demolished some years ago and replaced with something that looks similar and it’s now called Cafe Bueno. That’s OK I think.

I paid a visit to the HB McDowells today. For a mere £7. I enjoyed a slap-up lunch, a history lesson and a religious experience.