Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 9, 2009 17:56:40 GMT
So why is Dave R jumping up and down and getting excited about an American Diner I hear you shout. I expect all you well travelled members have eaten in plenty of them, you might even have one near you.
Well I can’t remember ever seeing one, I’m sure I must have, but where and when I could not tell you. I sure have never been in one that was until today.
Having said my goodbyes to Lewis and Grahame I had a mad dash back to Paignton to pick up Carol from work, just made it in time. Our route home was the Totnes Road heading toward Tweenaway. It’s a road I do not use often; my escape from Paignton is up the Kings Ash Hill, or Totnes.
When there on the site of the old Wilkinson’s Kia garage I saw an American Dinner. The garage gave up the site over two years ago, maybe even longer and as with all sites left empty, it soon stated to look a bit of a mess. I understood flats were going to be built on the site; but I expect the credit crunch put an end to those plans.
Having been home a few hours it was time to go out and eat as we do on a Sunday, well we walked arm in arm past that Noah’s Ark and headed for the new diner. Once inside I was impressed with all the work that had been done, to turn those run down showrooms into a smart diner.
Old Uncle Sam stood eight foot tall in one corner and I loved the lights that said walk, don’t walk. The service was first class, but it was the prices that really shocked me. A rump steak and all the trimmings just £5.95, burger and chips £3 something (not sure of correct price). I had a chat with the owner as you might expect, he was over the moon with the trade in this their first week.
The only thing that let it down for us was the coffee, a bit too strong for our liking, still we said on our walk home it would be milkshake the next time. I wished the owner plenty of success, its good to see in these times, someone spending a lot of money and having a go at a new venture. If you live in the Bay, or are planning to come soon, be sure to pop into our new American Diner.
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Post by aussie on Aug 9, 2009 19:35:35 GMT
You on commission or did he sell you shares?  |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 9, 2009 19:39:58 GMT
You on commission or did he sell you shares? I just thought I would spread the word, its great to see someone have a go at a brand new venture |
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Post by lambethgull on Aug 9, 2009 22:41:54 GMT
Sounds awesome, Dave. Must pay a visit when I next visit Plainmoor...along with the Eastern Eye. God Bless America!  |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 19, 2010 21:29:48 GMT
You may remember that last year when Stuartb and his family were done here for a week from Wales staying at their holiday flat in Preston; they treated Carol and me out to a meal with them. Stuart has a son who one day will surely be a professor, a walking brain that boy and his elder daughter is a lovely girl who has a very strong welsh accent and yes those bubbly wonderful twin girls you may have seen pictures of on the forum. Stuart gets down for most home Saturday games and does try and spent a week here when he can to spent time with family members who still live in the area. I did say to him the next time would be on us and it’s just been the case of when we could get together again. He is down here for the whole week and he does not know it yet but we did see them all as we drove back to Paignton after having a meal in Preston following out long walk on Sunday along the second part of the Primrose Line starting at Lodiswell station. I say we saw them as I drove past them and did not notice them, it was Carol who saw then and said “look there is Stuart and his family” I looked in the car mirror and sure enough it was them. Our offer to pay as been rejected as they want to treat us once again and I know the children are so looking forward to it and are rather excited as for the very first time they will be eating in our American Dinner here in Paignton. We are also looking forward to meeting the whole family again and it will be the start of what I hope will be a perfect weekend. Stuart like many other members here on the TFF was no more than a user name I knew for many years using forums and just like so many others when I first got to meet him he did not look like the picture I had formed in my head of him based mainly on the posts he made. I know I go on at times like an old woman on here about the TFF always wanting to promote friendships and build a really good happy community, but the thing is it’s thanks to the TFF I have made so many good friends and that would not have happened if the TFF had not been born. All those who see me at games know they are going to get a hug from me, it’s just a Devon thing, why even Merse got one and yes I give Aussie ones as well only I make sure I’m not humming the theme to Love Story during the hug just in case he gets the wrong Idea.  I know three members who live past that Penn Inn Roundabout formed a great friendship here on the TFF and they get away to away matches as often as they can together. One of them will be down for this Saturday’s home game and we will be meeting for the first time so something else to look forward to on Saturday as well as the game itself. I know I can’t expect everyone to like every other member on here but I sure don’t want people to end up with bad feelings toward another member on here just because they got over heated in some debate. It’s very true that some people do change when they get behind a keyboard, I don’t think I do as I always just try to be myself, but it is easy to form the wrong impression of someone based only on what and how they post on a forum. I will try and remember to take Carols camera with me tomorrow so I can get some shots of the dinner and put them up for our exiles that have not yet had the opportunity to see the place and can only remember the site as it was when it was a car showroom. |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 20, 2010 19:52:09 GMT
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 22, 2010 17:43:14 GMT
What has surprised me is no one has asked who made the mess all over the table in the very last picture with the chocolate milkshake, I can give you all three guesses if you want. |
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Post by stuartB on Aug 22, 2010 20:38:53 GMT
What has surprised me is no one has asked who made the mess all over the table in the very last picture with the chocolate milkshake, I can give you all three guesses if you want. Gravy Davey  had a great time thanks. you and Carol's company is something to cherish. We must have a TFF summer day out next summer with as many family's as we can get. a giant BBQ somewhere perhaps or a trip on the train for Phil |
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Post by stuartB on Aug 22, 2010 22:25:48 GMT
here is the real star of the show  so good we went back today before returning to the principality |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Sept 18, 2011 20:56:03 GMT
Well sadly we don’t seem to have this American Dinner anymore. I walked past it two weeks ago and was upset to see it all boarded up and it does not look like it will be opening again. I have not heard any reasons why it is now closed down, maybe the novelty factor ran out for many who were eating there and it’s no more than a case of no longer having enough trade to keep it open.
After that site had been empty for a long time, it was so good to see it being used again and for something I thought was a bit special being opened on it. I know my good friend Sturatb and his family loved going there when they were down in the Bay from Wales and I have many fond memories eating there with this lovely family both on my own and with Carol when she was with us.
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Post by stuartB on Sept 18, 2011 21:03:48 GMT
that is a huge disappointment to us all. We loved the diner and enjoyed many a good time there especially with you Dave. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we were there and hopefully it is only closing for the winter
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Post by aussie on Sept 19, 2011 5:40:25 GMT
Rhianan and I tried to eat there three times and couldn`t get a table so gave up and I know someone who got food poisoning there also another reason to give up on it!
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Nov 4, 2012 17:39:53 GMT
From car showroom to a great classy American Dinner to what? After driving past the building today and seeing what it has now become, I had to come home and look at the pictures that were put up on this thread.
I have such fond memories of the American Dinner, it was a place Carol and I meet up with Stuartb and his wonderful family especially those delightful twins when they came down from Wales to stay in Paignton for the weekends.
Once anywhere closes down its surprising how quickly the buildings and areas around it, fall into decay and the dinner building has looked in a sorry state for some time now.
I noticed a few weeks ago that the for let signs had been taken down and some work on doing up the building was taking place. There was nothing to indicate what the building was going to be used next as.
Could it be a brand new American Dinner? a car showroom once again or something else?
Well today I got the answer and was a bit surprised to see its now being use by the Animals in Distress charity. Its full of furniture for sale and all the other things you find in most charity shops.
My first thoughts were if there were not enough charity shops in our town centres, but having time to think about it, at least the building is being used again and the whole site no longer looks an eyesore.
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