Urgent Mystery Engagement. (Post Office and Cafe, Guist)

Post Office and Cafe,

Guist,

Opening times Mon-Sat 09:30-16:30,

Sun 09:00-16:00,  

Recommended 

As I have now been to nearly 150 cafes in the region it is getting harder to find new venues within easy cycling distance as most options are at least a 50 mile round trip from Crusader Towers. Fortunately I'm currently in training for another Ironman triathlon (yawn, yawn) so need to do as much cycling as possible, however as I always need a cycling guest to accompany me I'm in danger of burning them out if I don't use them wisely on the longer trips.

Therefore, after giving him two weeks off, I opted to invite Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please) to join me on a 52 mile ride out to the Post Office and Cafe at Guist. He was happy to do the ride as long as he was back by 2:30pm for an urgent mystery engagement. I calculated that based on the following over optimistic assumptions we would make it easily

Over optimistic assumptions

1. We would average a better than normal speed, 
2. We would have no punctures 
3. We would have a shorter than normal cafe stop 

There was a strong wind today making it hard going and over optimistic assumption 1 was soon blown away, literally. I then mistakenly took us down a short stretch of off road path where, not surprisingly, Andrew got a puncture so my second over optimistic assumption was also consigned to the planning bin. To hit the target I was now relying on a very quick cafe stop indeed.

Andrew breaking over optimistic assumption 2

After 26 miles into the wind we arrived at Guist Post Office tired, hungry and very much behind schedule for Andrew's urgent mystery engagement.

Outside Guist Post Office and cafe

We went inside and found the cafe area at the back of the post office with a number of indoor tables and chairs plus a sofa seating option. Before making out seating choice it was to the contour to check out the cakes and award the effective cake selection (ECS) score.

To my horror there was only one slice of lemon drizzle cake (LDC) on display. After further discussion it appeared there had been a run on both cake and flapjack sales that morning which had apparently been 'crazy'. However as they could see our obvious disappointment we were informed that if we waited there was a second LDC (this time a gluten free version) just out of the oven but it would need to cool down before it could be iced and served. As we were both in need of the energy giving powers of cake then over optimistic assumption 3 now bit the dust too.

Smallest qualifying ECS todate

After having to award such a low ECS mark the pressure was on the drinks but I was very impressed when offered a choice of hot chocolate chocolate strength, I opted for the strongest 82% and was excited to see it being made from real chocolate chips. When it arrived I wasn't disappointed as it was large, strong, hot and very chocolaty. So after getting the equal lowest ECS score Guist Post office and cafe had now also got the equal highest hot chocolate quality (HCQ) mark. 

Drinks that were so good I forgot to photograph them until half drunk

Andrew found his cappuccino to be a good one too but despite our drinks being nice and hot, and therefore taking a while to drink and savour, we still had a bit of a wait before the two types of lemon drizzle cake arrived. I did a taste comparison and despite the fact I like a bit of gluten in my cake the gluten free one was the lighter and fluffier option of the two good examples of LDC presented to us.

Two types of LDC to try

The Guist post office and cafe had been on an emotional roller coaster hitting highs and lows but it was a really enjoyable visit and I recommend a visit if only for the hot chocolate alone.

Cycling guest cycling top tip no 46. If you have an urgent mystery engagement at the end of your ride then make sure you check your cycling host has allowed plenty of contingency so you get home in time.

As we set off back home I had to admit to Andrew that I had not followed cycling guest cycling top tip no 46 and even if we cycled a very fast 26 miles we were unlikely to get back in time. I questioned him further on his urgent mystery engagement to see if there was anything I could do to help now we would definitely be late.

He told me he had to get home to prepare a Moroccan tagine as they were having guests round. I asked him what time it needed to be in the oven and he confessed about 5.00pm. I did the math and calculated that he had allowed himself 2 hours to chop a few vegetables and apricots. I helpful told him that his forecast chopping time seemed excessive to me and I suggested he would be fine if he just chopped a bit quicker. 

With the help of the wind we still hammered it back and it looked like we would only be 15 minutes late when Andrew once again broke over optimistic assumption 2 with his second puncture, this time only half a mile from home. I left him to walk back and suggested he would have to forego any plans for an afternoon nap and hoped his chopping skills would save the day. I optimistically assume they did.

Scores based on 2 visits

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
9.50	7.75	3.75	7.50	6.50	7.00

Route

Click here to download 52 mile Norwich Guist loop gpx file to your gps device