Dikstein's Corner Bar

Near where I work there is a little corner restaurant, with a lovely upstairs room. It used to be called the Bank Place food store. Then it changed its name.

The signage in this place is minimal (even the menu does not bear the name of the restaurant) and I misread the lettering of the name on the window. I have been puzzled for months as to why I could not find it mentioned anywhere in the phonebook or on the web under its new name. Then today I got lucky. For the first time I ate at one of the outside tables instead of upstairs, and picked up a card while I was paying the bill at the counter. The name was clearly printed on the card. Dikstein's Corner Bar!

The thing I love most about Dikstein's is the upstairs waiter, who pours me a Little Creatures almost the minute I walk in the door. The other thing I love is the food. I've been through all the vegetarian dishes on the menu and have started again at the beginning. I think the star is the bruschetta. It is presented on a round wooden board, with separate piles of slightly charred bread, gorgeous pesto, soft goats cheese, a tumble of wild greens and some roasted tomatoes. You put it all together yourself and get very messy in the process, but it's fun and delicious.

Sitting outside on a surprisingly balmy July day is quite pleasant too, although it lacks the special treatment and lovely cosy atmosphere of the upstairs room. My advice is not to go here on a Friday for lunch - you'll never make it back to work!