Cuisine worth waiting for

FIVE months ago, I moved house from the most northern part of Vale to the most central part of Town, conveniently right next to the Cock and Bull pub.

This is perfect when I can get ready absolutely last minute before Irish night, or subtly and quietly disappear off to the comforts of my bed during a night out. In short, I love living in Town. I love the convenience, I love the sociability and, more importantly, I love being surrounded by great places to eat.

In Town, you can either grab a quick bite to eat for lunch when taking time out of the office, or you can relax right against the waterline in the evening. This makes for a great dining experience, but how do you accomplish this when you’re on a tight budget but want a decent meal?

Since lockdown ended I have traipsed around Town to find places to eat on a budget, and have found that the ones tucked away down alleys or filled with locals everyday possess absolute gems when it comes to food. I hope to cover these in the future, but one that I think is easy to find and situated in the heart of Town is MYLK.

Nestled on the corner of the grand space 8 (the former home of HMV) and shaded by some trees amongst the steps into Market Square, it’s a quaint looking kiosk, but usually attracts queues filled with a fantastic mixture of people. Businessmen and women, tourists, parents with children, all queue because they know that they can find great food for a great price here in the very heart of Town.

If you’re not entirely sure what you want to eat, then you definitely won’t be short of choice. Whether you want a sweet crepe, a cheesy galette, or a packed sandwich, then know that the menu will definitely have something you want. It’s a small place, but the menu size is fantastic, and for the price as well, it’s no wonder people will queue from all over.

It was hard for me to pick one single thing as the best value for what you get because everything is incredibly well priced. There are two things that stand out for me: the ‘baps’ and the crepes. You can choose between a bacon or egg bap, and the extra toppings can include cheese, egg, tomato, etc.

On this occasion it had to be a bacon bap for £3.90 and, wanting to treat myself, I paid an extra £1 for a fried egg. The bacon was crispy but not overdone, and the egg was runny but not to the point where you’ve ruined your entire outfit and have embarrassed yourself in the process. The bacon and egg were also sandwiched between two halves of a fluffy brioche bun.

To test the sweet waters as well, I thought I would try a lemon and sugar crepe (for informative purposes of course) and was blown away by the size of it. I felt like I should take a photo of myself holding it on the end of a rod, looking pleased with myself, as it was about the size of a 7lb bass. For just £3, it’s safe to say that for what you get, this is a bargain – I’ve seen babies smaller than that crepe. Not too lemony, but not too sweet.

I have also heard that MYLK is famous for its ice creams and ‘Mylkshakes’, which explains why I always see so many small children queuing with their parents, who look very excited (the children that is, not the parents).

Altogether I think it’s wonderful when you can find a place in the heart of Town that serves great food, and whilst you’re waiting (not long at all, might I add) you find yourself taking a few minutes out of your day to stop and listen. You watch the people dashing to their meetings, the children playing on the statue of the donkey, families and young people chatting on the benches nearby. All the while the trees above you are blowing gently, the Town church bells are ringing, and the sun makes an appearance through the clouds.

I am brought out of this daydream when my food is ready, and I’m greeted with a warm, friendly smile by the people who work there, and a warm, delicious bacon bap and crepe.