Windsor Castle is the weekend residence of the Queen. It is the oldest structure in the area barring the Tower of London. It is a short train/car ride outside of London itself, and it is hard to miss when driving along the motorway. If you go outside of the capital and venture into Windsor, you most certainly are doing so because you want to see the castle (or Legoland), but you will also find a bustling, quaint town worth a little bit of time in its own right.

So, where might you find a cuppa tea in Windsor?
Well, in front of Windsor Castle near where people buy their tickets is a statue of Queen Victoria. She's impossible to miss. She's the portly lady with a little crown and scepter. If you were to curtsy to this venerable stone monarch, your eyes cast to her ankles, you'd then turn right, walk less than a block, and find The Crooked House of Windsor on your left.

The small... no... tiny, white building used to be a type of market house. It was first built in 1592. This was destroyed. A new house went up in in the late 1600s. It needed to be restructured. The builders in 1718 used unseasoned green oak, which caused the house to tilt. This is the building's claim to fame. This is it's "good" defect. This is why it's hard to miss on the street.

After leaving Windsor Castle too early for dinner and too late for lunch, a friend and I decided to pop into the Crooked House for a spot of tea... and a sticky toffee pudding. (While we didn't eat a full meal here, I noticed this restaurant does offer a breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu... traditional British.)

We went up the narrow staircase and took a seat on the second floor. So this is England! Yet I had to laugh when I overheard the couple to our right speaking in German, the family across from us speaking in Spanish, and our waitress asking for our order with a French accent. Since I'm an American, I don't think there was anyone in the place at the time of my visit who was actually English.

Hmmm.....

Perhaps this is more of a touristy kind of place than I had first surmised?!?

But you know what?

No matter!

The service was still fast and friendly. The atmosphere was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" adorable. It was super close to the castle and easy to find. The prices seemed reasonable. And the dessert hit the right spot.

Plus, there was once a secret passage to the castle itself in the basement that was used by a king to meet his mistress!

Who cares if it's a little touristy? Who cares if it's so small it doesn't contain a W/C?

The Crooked House has character.

I'd certainly recommend it to a friend.

It's memorable.

For more information on hours and the menu, visit www.crooked-house.com.