Spar

Being in the neighborhood, I gave this place another try. I arrived a little earlier this time. The counters were just closing, but still had food and staff to serve you. The selection was less meager. The result was more flavorful than yesterday’s leftovers. It’s not amazing. Compared to other nearby delis and eateries, I’d pass this one by. They do have a small wine and beer selection that adds value. Again, not a great selection. It’ll do in a pinch.

Yes this Spar has insomnia, a juice bar, a noodle bar… But I really don’t like it. It has done too many things to annoy me… Maybe it’s the inner country girl where if you’re in business you value your loyal customers, and when I worked around the corner in Ely place I certainly was, I bought coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, in Spar Merrion Row… but the place is a bloody rip off… 60c for one tomato, you’re having a laugh… they had the cheek another time to charge me 2e for two small sachets of jam and butter to go with my scone, that’s just mean… Like seriously, the place just irritates me so much, besides the two really friendly girls that work in Insomnia, all of the rest of the staff irritate me too. Talk about knowing you have a ready target market, and why bother? Rant over.

Well, I know it’s been said … but this Spar is golden!
It’s sure been given the Midas touch, and now it’s gold-​ier than a Bond girl’s bottom, it’s more golden than that pond where old people hang out, it’s more golden than a cow you shouldn’t worship over God …
Yep, I thought I’d be able to make some better golden spar jokes as well, never mind.
This Spar has all the doo-​hickeys and gizmos you’d expect from a golden Spar, including an insomnia and a good deli.

You can tell it’s special because its sign out front is made of pure gold, not that red plastic that other, lesser Spars get.
Inside, it is very different from your normal Spar experience. Shooting for the custom of the busy worker, it offers fancy pants dine in and out lunchtime options; it has a Chinese noodle bar and a Zumo smoothie concern, loads of prepackaged sandwiches and salads that look as though they might actually taste of their ingredients, and shelves full of cheeky little gourmet ingredients that you can bring back to the office and stick in a ciabatta.
Be warned however — the secret is out. It is inevitably busy at lunchtime and seats in its three dining areas are at a premium.