Pierres Cafe in Reading

Pierre's is a sandwich bar, really, rather than a cafe as such. Great selection of sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, and baked potatoes listed on the boards, and they cook their own baguettes in an oven right in front of you. However, as I said, it's not really a cafe. I stare up at the boards. I'm in the mood for a baked potato - with chilli, preferably. That's not on the menu, but I spot three Christmas specials pasted up onto the baked potato list. Turkey, stuffing and ham etc. So, I enquire if they are fills for baked potatoes. "Well, you can have anything you want in a baked potato", says the young lady behind the counter. "You can choose from anything on the menu and we can put it in a potato, but it might cost a bit extra." She's late twenties, dyed blonde hair, heavy makeup, and a strongish eastern European accent. She's trying to be helpful, I know. But I'm lazy. I don't want to have to design my lunch from scratch, though I know a lot of people do and it's what sandwich bars pride themselves for. I'm also slightly confused what the Christmas specials might look like (a mini dinner?, a sandwich filling?). So, not wanting to create a fuss, I panic and go for the lowest common denominator: a bacon baguette, packet of crisps and an orange juice – to eat in. It's nice enough, but maybe a bit steep at £6.50. I finish it quickly, not because it's particularly tasty but because the door's wide open, it's mid-December, and I've got my coat and scarf on. And the ambience is business-like rather than relaxing and inviting. A gentle stream of new customers enter and order, and some sit down to eat, like me. Behind the counter, apart from the blonde young lady there are two big blokes, also in their twenties. They're wearing aprons so must be serving staff, but they just seem to be hanging around not doing much. They all give the air of being temporary staff and that sandwich-making is not the first love of their lives. Cheerful enough, but not wonderfully friendly. I get up to leave. On my way out I call "Thanks", trying to catch someone's eye, hoping someone might smile back at me. I'm invisible. Nobody seems the least interested. I might be back for a sandwich some day. Not sure I'll be back for a sit-down. But then, it is really just a sandwich bar rather than a cafe, after all.