February 2026. Turin.
Two hours and two pints into Turin, with the sudden realisation we hadn’t eaten since sharing a croissant in Monaco that morning.
The disappointment in finding the city’s highest rating brewery/skatepark/burger bar didn’t start flipping till 6pm on a Friday was palpable, but luckily Google recommended the small chain of M** Bun*, with a branch a few streets away.
Pleasant streets, but far too quiet, unless it really does come alive at 10pm (spoiler : not obviously).
And at 5:20pm M** Bun, with trademark red cow and fiat outside wasn’t bustling.
But we were here, it was colourful and clean, and the staff were really helpful as we navigated that bar code on the table system. And the pint of microbrewery Helles in the meal deal (17,90 euros) is served in a proper glass,
so this is more Vocation (or Brew Dog when they were good a thousand years ago) rather than Five Guys, the only international chain I noticed that night.
The strapline in “slow food” served fast or something, which was odd as we waited 20 minutes for the house burger, but at least the nice lady brought out the sensationally chewy potato chips early. You’ll notice what Mrs RM had with her meal deal.
When it came, the meat was a welcome to return to the days before those dreadful smash burgers.
A family turned up, we enjoyed making faces at their baby, and by 6pm a bit more trade arrived , possibly attracted by the 9% Imperial DIPA (acording to Untappd) which sadly wasn’t part of the meal deal.
Equally sadly, the vending machine didn’t dispense a small pebble with the words “Stop drinking now” on it.
But then you wouldn’t have wanted us to go past a pub with a Bass mirror, would you ?
*I never did find out what the two asterisks stood for, can you guess ?
retiredmartin 
Tennent’s Super in the Jumping Jester?
LikeLike
“Two hours and two pints into Turin, with the sudden realisation we hadn’t eaten since sharing a croissant in Monaco that morning.”
Aha! Called it!
“but luckily Google recommended the small chain of M** Bun*, with a branch a few streets away.”
You added that 3rd star as it doesn’t show on the street view (kinda curious as to why the first two stars though).
“Pleasant streets, but far too quiet, unless it really does come alive at 10pm (spoiler : not obviously).”
The 10pm would’ve been my guess as Italians tend to have dinner very late. And, during the day, as it’s industrial, they’d all be at work. 😉
“And at 5:20pm M** Bun, with trademark red cow and fiat outside wasn’t bustling.”
(looks down)
No kidding!
Also, (checks map) the fake Brit pub was 46 metres away! Keeping it local when you travel I take it?
“so this is more Vocation (or Brew Dog when they were good a thousand years ago) rather than Five Guys, the only international chain I noticed that night.”‘
Ah, definitely local; but so is Jumping Jester it would appear.
But (looks down), you got a Untappd from that? CAMRA needs to take notes.
“The strapline in “slow food” served fast or something, which was odd as we waited 20 minutes for the house burger,”
Hey, ‘fast’ is subjective I do believe. Kind of like how ‘hot’ weather can be vastly different depending on who’s saying it (i.e. ‘hot’ for us would be ‘cold’ for those of southern climes).
“You’ll notice what Mrs RM had with her meal deal.”
(looks down)
A (jug) of the house white?
“When it came, the meat was a welcome to return to the days before those dreadful smash burgers.”
Is that (smash burgers), or was, a thing in the UK?
LikeLike
Whoops! (I definitely need to curtail my rash clicking when commenting).
Anyway…
“A family turned up, we enjoyed making faces at their baby,”
Amazing how ingrained that seems to be wherever one goes.
“and by 6pm a bit more trade arrived , possibly attracted by the 9% Imperial DIPA (acording to Untappd) which sadly wasn’t part of the meal deal.”
Pfft! I think I 3rd potent pint might have been pushing it!
“Equally sadly, the vending machine didn’t dispense a small pebble with the words “Stop drinking now” on it.”
See!
“But then you wouldn’t have wanted us to go past a pub with a Bass mirror, would you ?”
Aha! You were saving the Jumping Jester for the grand finale! 😁
“*I never did find out what the two asterisks stood for, can you guess ?”
I’ll add it to my bucket list.
Cheers!
LikeLike