Standing room only

As the title implies, Friday was a squash and a squeeze and we sold out of food again.

Once again we were blessed with a sunny day, so when the place was empty at 12.05pm, save two customers, one of whom was asleep, we thought that everyone had decided to take advantage of the weather and picnic in the park.  We were wrong.  At 12.10pm a steady stream of customers began arriving and they didn’t stop.  Soon our 40 seats were filled, one family ate on the sofa and another party had to wait a good 20 minutes to sit down.  Fortunately they are good friends of ours and didn’t grumble in the slightest; thank you Margarita, Val, Isabella, Louis and Charlotte, you are golden.  The only thanks we could offer them was to save the last piece of sweetshop cake for the little girls, which was by that point a bit sticky, but nevertheless in demand elsewhere. 

Like an episode of Sesame Street we seemed to have a letter of the week for our menu. F. Falafel and Fishcakes.  Both of which were delicious and completely gone by the time service was over and I wanted some.  This is becoming a pattern, but I am glad of it, if we can sell out the pilot, then there is a much stronger chance of it working in September when we open every week.  Of course I am aware that the same folk won’t come every week like they are now, but word will get out (even if we have to drag it out with our bare hands) and people will come and bring their friends, just as they have done so far.  We even had some new people who weren’t friends, relations or friends of either.  One lady came in, nosed in the kitchen, refused even so much as a cup of tea and moseyed off again, I think she was a spy! We must be getting good!  Glad she came when we were bursting at the seams, weep in fear competitors!

So it’s off to half term and more funding applications we go.  Fridays will seem much more sedate, until July 6^th that is!

Roll up, roll up

Does your life ever feel like circus, or is it just me?  Although I appear to be the Ring Leader, I am actually a combination of Juggler, Lion Tamer and Clown; the latter mostly due to my ridiculous clumsiness which causes frequent comedy trips, slips and falls over invisible objects!  There is a slight irony here as I am, in fact, very scared of clowns, very scared indeed; what are they hiding in those giant shoes? 

Maybe it’s because I have just finished reading and loving ‘Water for Elephants’ (haven’t seen the film, anyone know if it’s any good?), but the circus seems like and ideal analogy for café life just now.  Fantastically enjoyable, exciting and energetic and I certainly hope we are putting on a good show.  Yet in the back of my mind I am always terrified that if I drop the ball just once, the show is over, the tent will fall down and there’s a possibility of a stampede!  Not that I am extreme or anything!

Our wonderful customers are in no way animalistic: they are charming, faithful and polite.  My, and indeed Renee’s, sense of anxiety stems from the fact that until we get our much needed funding, it all feels dreadfully precarious, sort of like walking a tightrope.  We are jumping through banking hoops, filling in forms and keeping the plates spinning and all of these things are necessary, but they feel like they are a distraction from the main attraction: the café we are trying to create.  The sideshow is necessary in order to facilitate the main event, but that what makes us feel like Jugglers.  The Lion Tamer comment was more a reference to my kids.  Have I extended the metaphor enough?  Actually I wrote ‘like a circus’ didn’t I, so that’s a simile…………………

This has to work, it is our collective passion for our very own neighbourhood.

This Friday, the last café session until July 6^th, we will be serving up delicious falafel followed by a chaser of either feisty ginger squares or sweetshop cake.  Please come if you can.  Bring your friends, enjoy the sunshine and we promise not to throw knives at you.

Yeeee Haaaaaa

It's cowboy week this week at Filling The Gap N15, although I am hoping that it doesn't turn into the baked bean scene from 'Blazing Saddles'!

We will be serving delicious home-made cowboy beans with sausages or halloumi, depending on your preference, with crispy salad.  Followed by either marble cake or gingerbread sheriff's badges (stars!).  We will not insist that you drink coffee and wear a Stetson, but our coffee is real and amazing.  The choice of head-wear is entirely yours!

Last week's cafe was fantastic, so much so that we ran out of food.  Renee's Meze was outstanding and received much praise and the chocolate brownies weren't bad either.  It felt good to be back and no Ark was required because this amazing warmish yellow thing appeared in the sky, just for us, I believe the people of the southern hemisphere call it the 'sun'!  Terront Road Salvation Army Hall was once more a-buzz with chomping, slurping, chatter and play.  Thank you loyal, lovely and supportive friends, for coming back to us and welcome to anyone who visited for the first time.

Looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow.  See you at high noon folks.