Your van can linger for quite some time on the single yellows in George St, Oban. As long as it’s out of season. Otherwise it’s the Tesco, Lidl or Aldi carpark and a walk along the bay.
Rather like Fort William, Ullapool and just maybe Dunoon, Oban really only has one or two good places for a ficky coffee pucker. There used to be a bit of a ‘You’ll have what you’re given’ food and drink feeling about the West Coast hospitality establishments. A PickyManinanAmbulance pal told me a story: A coach party stop on Loch xxxxxx side and pile into the tearoom. The waitress takes their order, ‘How many for tea?’ 19. ‘How many for coffee?’ 16. ‘Tea it is then.’
I was en route to the Oban Fish and Chip Shop. There are 4 or 5 chippies within 250m but you want 116 George St. Always quick, local fish options, the classics and some interesting twists. Sit-in in peace. The chips are the right size and crisp. The fish is superb, not good. They have puddings. Even the coffee is not bad. I was nearly there when I glanced down St Johns street, previously the site of a veggie café and a weird shoe shop. There was a sign, ‘Mandarin Thai Cuisine’ and then another one, ‘Mandarin Laundry’. Same stylish signage. Intriguing alley. I am a promiscuous diner (I eat around), so…
Up the steps and into Mandarin Thai, where Pharrell is blaring from a bluetooth speaker with unsynchronised coloured flashing lights. A super helpful woman, who is also the cook, waitress, cashier and no doubt owner gives me the lunch menu. No veg or seafood option on the mains. She tries to persuade me, charmingly, to eat meat. I wonder if she could put prawns into the green curry for me? Yes, no bother but she clearly thinks it won’t be good. She’s so natural and nice I just say I’ll have the Pad Thai from the dinner menu, with prawns, £19.50. Over-budget, but really I wanted Pad Thai all along and it’s surely also a fair test of a Thai place. She says it will be 10 minutes.
It’s quite cosy inside, an open kitchen, loo at the back with interesting tiles, hard chairs but there are cushions. I look around. The room is packed with an overwhelmingly vibrant décor; washed red/gold silk curtains with a green lining and gold tassles, mirrors in teak frames, a dark green ceiling, 2 other contrasting gold curtains with green tiebacks and more tassles, brass plastic lights fittings with plastic vines and either jewelled or see-through perched birdies, panelling, the Buddha, seat-back pads in 2 colours with a third in contrasting piping….I’m not mentioning many other things. Pharrell is replaced by Joe Bonamassa, then maybe Guns’n’Roses. Outside, the weather is dreich but inside…it’s just phunky in here. It’s cheering me up.
The cook from the Oban Fish and Chip Shop comes in to get his takeout lunch. Fair. Also a further recommendation.
Overheard;
It’s quiet today.
Yes.
I might have Pad Thai. But rice agrees with me more than noodles.
She waits, smiling.
I’ll just have my usual mince (?!) the now.
Our Pad Thai’s arrive simultaneously, in less than 10 minutes. Mine is fine, not the best I’ve had, not the worst. A couple come in. She’s very tall, big earrings, long skirt, multi-coloured legwarmers. He’s leading with a weighty, pleasing belly and a greying but well considered moustache and beard. They are nice people. They know the host. They’re going to Bangkok in a week and need a taste beforehand, where does she recommend?
This is not what I expect in Oban. It’s much better. I go to pay, it’s £15, not £19.50. What a nice place.
I don’t have coffee because I’m having coffee 100m away at Hinba…
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