When Mollie’s Motel and Diner first opened back in 2019 with its heady mix of American food, cocktails, all day dining and a drive-through seven days a week, Nick Jones of Soho House once again struck gold.
Despite its rather insalubrious location next to a BP garage on the A420 near Faringdon, not only were the rooms contemporary and stylish, but the banquette style interior with its open plan kitchen attracted overnight guests, passing motorists and locals from far and wide, eager to live out their Frosty Palace Grease fantasies with thick shakes, dogs, wings, patties, waffles, coke floats and knickerbocker glories galore.
Having since added an award-winning Mollie’s in Bristol to the portfolio, a supersized Mollies opening in Manchester later this year and 10 more planned for the UK, it’s obviously a formula that’s working well.
‘given the chance to do it all over again, I’d go for the calories every time’
Never one to rest on its laurels Mollie’s also recently launched a new New York steakhouse style menu to mix in amongst the favourites, ensuring that their punters across the board are kept happy. And we were there to check it out.
It’s an enticing offering actually, having to work our way through the different sections trying a bit of this and a bit of that, to fit it all in. Arriving after noon when the tempting breakfast menu finishes, you can still kick off with some stonking coffee, shakes, juices and smoothies. The Oreo shake was something else. A heart-attack in a glass perhaps, but it was worth every sugary sip, that satisfying slurp of the straw at the bottom of the glass still enormously satisfying.
‘In short, mollie’s is a good place to meet and chew the fat’
Obviously hugely family-friendly, Mollies attracts a really wide-ranging crowd from couples and mixed generation families to remote workers and business meetings. In short, it’s a good place to meet and chew the fat.
The Frickles (£5.50) were first up, just the word frickles made it a must – sliced fried battered pickles (gherkins) served with a wonderful mustardy mayo, and all the more satisfying, for it, if calling out for a Cheers style bar. The hot honey cheese croquettes with chive mayo (£5.50) were less of a success – too sweet, not cheesy enough.
But the zucchini & avocado fritters (£6) with herb mayo ensured we moved on pronto, served with a necessary wedge of lime which brought the dish together.
Then a hefty portion of nachos for £8, (cheese sauce, salsa, avocado, sour cream and optional smoky beef chilli) which was more main than starter, the avocado served in rice cream scoops and just as chilly, but the hands-down winner was the new addition – mushroom fritti (£7) with chilli and garlic mayo, which was heavenly.
Burgers followed, although choosing between them, the loaded fries, steaks, salads and chicken was nigh impossible.
But they delivered on every front, the chicken burger (£10.50) (buttermilk fried chicken, jalapeno mayo, burger sauce, tomato, lettuce, pickles) moist, juicy and bulging with sauce and extras, while the plant burger (£10) was hard to differentiate, juices running down our fingers, the burger sauce particularly memorable. Superb.
Stomachs heaving, we tried hard to avoid the dessert menu but the banana cream pie with toffee sauce (£6.50) was calling to us, we gave in. It was worth the abundance of calories; the savoury base contrasting with the almost moussey filling, sticky sauce and fruit topping in a contrast of texture and taste.
Bundling the leftovers into a takeaway box, we staggered out unsteadily to the car vowing to go on a long run in the morning, but given the chance to do it all over again, I’d go for the calories every time.
Mollie’s Diner is at Shrivenham Rd, A420, Buckland, Faringdon SN7 8PY. https://mollies.com/oxfordshire/
