A little piece of Dutch heritage in Coffs Harbour

Having Dutch in-laws means that I have probably stopped at The Clog Barn in Coffs Harbour more times than most would have.  There are plenty of reasons to stop, not the least the chance for a coffee and something to eat and a break from the driving madness.

For those visiting for the first time there is literally a whole world to discover at this attraction, namely the miniature Dutch world built on the other side of the gift shop.  Everything from old style Dutch buildings to windmills and a miniature railway has been lovingly, and no doubt painstakingly, created for the viewing pleasure of tourists.  Whether you have a Dutch background or not, this is a surprisingly interesting attraction for the whole family.  My kids seeem to love anything miniature and it proved to be a great way to show them some of the landscape that Oma and Opa recalled from their childhood.  

Perhaps the thing I most looked forward to over the years has been Big Omas Dutch Kitchen.  I really looked forward to my croquettes with mustard on a bread roll.  Truth be known, they are better with a decent Dutch beer, but as I was normally driving, coffee wasn’t too bad an accompaniment either.

I have to confess to being a little disappointed on my last vist to Big Omas Dutch Kitchen.  While the look and feel hadn’t changed much at all, it was a little disappointing to note that none of the staff spoke or understood any Dutch and the famous croquettes on bread rolls has been seriously downgraded.  While I can’t speak or understand much Dutch, it does make you feel a little more comfortable if the staff, or at least the cook, can speak Dutch in a Dutch kitchen.  To make matters worse, my much loved croquettes with mustard on bread rolls had been relegated to a single croquette with a squirt of mustard and half a slice of bread – seriously disappointing.

Having said that, the rest of the facility was just as good as I remembered, and the break was just as important.  I recommend it as a break location for anybody travelling through Coffs Harbour.