Faded Greenwich (9)
Not going to be around for long, this one. Methers sent me this picture of the old sign that lurks under the sign for Vietnam in King William Street. Surely this wouldn't be THE McDonalds? Has it really been a fast food store for years? Or was this MAcDonalds Restaurant something rather classier in days gone by? Perhaps the Greenwich equivalent of a Lyons Corner House?Googling such a question proves hard - any old information seems to be buried underneath the American corporate giant, even if I add the "A" to the name, but maybe someone here remembers?
In the meanwhile, I don't know what's happening with Vietnam. It SAYS it's being refurbished - but there's a note in the window that slightly bothers me. It recommends, perhaps a little too warmly, the restaurant around the corner Saigon (which, actually I do quite like...) as an alternative while the place is being done up.
Of course, this could just be a friendly, generous, genuine suggestion. In fact I'm sure it is. It must be. Yes. Of course. But it just could be that Vietnam has been taken over by the other little chain that is creeping though Greenwich - the one that isn't Inc...
I have a lot of time for Vietnam. I even liked its slightly scruffy interior. I have spent many a happy evening with pals ordering as much naughty food (for an ever-spreading Phantom) as I liked. I hope they don't do anything too funky with it - and I pray the food stays the same....
Labels: faded greenwich, restaurant reviews
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
07:58
19 Comments:
Yes, it was Macdonald's Restaurant for years. Not particularly classy, but better than a hamburger joint.
I remember walking past one summer's day and hearing a small boy saying excitedly, "Ooh look, Mummy, there's a McDonald's!!" and his mother saying, "No, Johnny, it's not a real McDonalds." (There were no fast food outlets in the Town Centre in those days, of course.)
Re the two "Vietnamese" restaurants, I had always believed that they were owned by the same people, but I don't remember why...
It would have been a nice irony if after all those years of that old hardware store by the train lines having a sign in the window saying it wouldn't sell to McDonalds - if there had been already been a branch in the town before.
Talking of McDonald's, didn't the first one in the UK open in Woolwich in the 70s..?
Ah, that hardware store. The only shop where you'd always be served by someone with a large can of beer in their hand - and who made the prices up as they went along. Much missed.
SoC is right. There is a even a plaque:
http://tinyurl.com/yhnz788
SOC - dead right about the first McDonald's being in Woolwich.
Hmmm - Benefactors..... not sure I feel much genuine nostalgia for them.
You wonder if John Lewis/Waitrose would be where they are today if they had adopted Benefactors policy of compulsory intoxication during working hours for all staff dealing with the public....?
(Incidentally, you were lucky to be served by someone who was only drinking beer - whisky and coke, and a spliff were far from uncommon)
@scared of chives - and the only hardware shop I've ever known that had novelty vibrators in the window display among the other 'tools'! Definitely missed!
I noticed that sign the other day too, and I've been wondering what it used to be: I love the old fashioned lettering on the sign, and like to think that it was wonderful old cafe or something similar.
The owners of Vietnam are definitely staying put, because I see the owner walking in and out of there fairly regularly. The reason they are recommending Saigon is, I believe, because both places are run by the same family.
I know the guy who did the fit out for Saigon and he's a bit of a perfectionist, so they took a while to put it together (not to mention that they found a huge well out back, which they had to make safe). I don't know if he's doing this fit out, but it wouldn't surprise me if they take their time to do it properly.
But I hope they re-open soon: their food is great, and I miss it a lot.
Actually, reading that back....that was a bit mean-spirited of me. Benefactors, for better or worse, was a real part of the old, boho, Greenwich, of which booze and soft drugs were always a part :-}}
There was an American guy who worked in there who was the author of the dreaded "Birdie Song" if anyone remembers that....
"and the only hardware shop I've ever known that had novelty vibrators in the window display among the other 'tools'!"
LOL - I'd forgotten that. Thanks for the memories!
"I love the old fashioned lettering on the sign, and like to think that it was wonderful old cafe or something similar."
I'd love to tell you that it was a wonderful cafe, habituated by the cream of old Greenwich bohemia, with lively debate regarding the issues of the day - kind of a live, face-to-face, Greenwich Phantom forum, in the pre-internet days ....... But it wasn't.
It wasn't down at Green Village levels, but it was pretty much geared to the tourist trade.
A friend and I were having a nostalgic chat about Benefactors yesterday; they were years ahead of the fashion for selling cheap Chinese-made rubbish that fell apart except they sold it at regular prices!
I also remember how, when one of the proprietors got banged up for drugs deals, they proudly put the newspaper cuttings in the window along with the torches, plastic beakers and vibrators. I miss them terribly.
They weren't vibrators - they were...er....'massage appliances' for necks, shoulders etc (it says so on the box I have in the drawer).
I completely take back what I said above - I'm massively nostalgic for Bene's.....
You guys have reminded me of all the funny stuff, when all I was thinking about was the fact that they were pissed and chaotic.
The Phantom forum working at it's very best!!!
I sort or remember that old Macdonald's as an 'egg and chips followed by ice cream and tinned fruit' sort of place. Didn't the American chain start prosecuting restaurants with the same name?
Not just the same name Edith, but anything with a "Mc" in front of it, McCurry, McPizza, McKebab.....
"Didn't the American chain start prosecuting restaurants with the same name?"
Yeah - same way IKEA got heavy with that little "No Ikea" furniture shop that used to be in East Greenwich.
Why don't these multi-nationals grow up? What good do they think this sort of bullying does them?
Phantom - it would help if you googled:
macdonalds -mcdonalds
I believe the kitchens are in some way connected between both Vietnam and Saigon and as someone rightly suggested its owned by the same people.
I hope they come back and the food is as good, if not better than before. The decor was looking a tad dated in there (though I always felt this added to its charm) but im looking forward to my all you can eat menu once more :)
"Phantom - it would help if you googled:
macdonalds -mcdonalds"
Sorry - that didn't work for me - I just got a load of crap about the hamburger joints.
rod, it does work but make sure there's no space inserted after the dash.
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