Sucking not sipping

26 May, 2015

The truth in the lure of this place lies in the crème more than the diesel. A menu of shakes that will rock your crocs, your havaianas, your vans or your veldskoens. Zoo biscuits, ginger cookies, honey and crunchie, milo and Oreos. Wondrous words from your carefree diet-free childhood return to make you smile. And for those who are really grown-up, try the Morning Glory with an expresso shot or the Chilli Chilli Bang Bang with Belgian chocolate and jalapeno’s. Shakes are delivered in brimful Consol jars complete with industrial sized straws. A blend of ice-cream so thick, so dense and so creamy that it defies gravitational pull. Conversation stops, cheeks concave and eyes pop as the punters get down to the serious business of sucking.

The occupants of trucks, bangers, beamers and bakkies spill out onto the apron to refuel at this remarkable roadside diner resting in the boondocks of the Klein Karoo. On a dusty patch on the crest of the hill above Barrydale right alongside the R62 lies Diesel & Crème. A watering hole so surprising you dare not risk not stopping here. Rusted fuel pumps, vintage signage and a plethora of crazy paraphernalia pepper the outside area, the wrap around stoep and the funky indoor space. The customers are as eclectic as the décor. From bemused tannies and ooms, oupa’s and ouma’s to brekers, boere and bikers, everyone is soaking up the eye-candy. Diesel & Crème may look like a fantasy pitstop but at 250 kilometres from Cape Town with a menu to please hungry auto-mechanics, this is the real thing. The hotdog features a massive frankfurter dressed in bright stripes of yellow mustard and fire-engine red TS resting alongside a pile of fries. The burger is a messy satisfying affair with high patty to bun ratio – something to take you far, maybe even as far as PE.
www.dieselandcreme.co.za
R62 Barrydale
+27 28 572 1008