Latest reviews in London, United Kingdom

The Gourmet Oriental - DON"T USE THE WEBSITE by loriINlondon

loriINlondon — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:40:57 +0000

Review by loriINlondon

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7351 1714

Tags: home delivery, vegetarian dishes

DO NOT order from here on their website - the postcodes listed are apparently a guide to futility. After placing a very large order (Â£50) and waiting over an hour and a half, I called to check on my order but no branch of the chain would take responsibility for it. I was hung up on by one branch and when I finally found someone who could even find my order on their system I was told that it hadn't even been made. When they finally found which branch was making it, it seems my order for NW1 was being made in RICHMOND. Not exactly local to Camden!

I am still waiting for my food over 2 hours later with no update on when or if it will arrive - this despite the confirmation email I received from their site and my card being charged for the Â£50.

Never again.DO NOT order from here on their website - the postcodes listed are apparently a guide to futility. After placing a very large order (Â£50) and waiting over an hour and a half, I called to check on my order but no branch of the chain would take responsibility for it. I was hung up on by one branch and when I finally found someone who could even find my order on their system I was told that it hadn't even been made. When they finally found which branch was making it, it seems my order for NW1 was being made in RICHMOND. Not exactly local to Camden!

I am still waiting for my food over 2 hours later with no update on when or if it will arrive - this despite the confirmation email I received from their site and my card being charged for the Â£50.

Never again.

Arch 635 - Hidden Gem... by CJD

CJD — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:30:24 +0000

Review by CJD

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7720 7343

Website: http://www.arch635.co.uk

Tags: cool, trendy, friendly

Nice venue, good selection of beers, dj's on fridays and weekends playing a good selection of music, live bands / acoustic nights in the week .....all in all well worth a venture and a hidden gem.
Check it out there is always loads going on.

Highly Recommended.Nice venue, good selection of beers, dj's on fridays and weekends playing a good selection of music, live bands / acoustic nights in the week .....all in all well worth a venture and a hidden gem.
Check it out there is always loads going on.

Highly Recommended.

New Mansion House - insanitary conditions at new mansion house! by imperina

imperina — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:34:31 +0000

Review by imperina

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7723 4421

Website: http://www.london-hostels.co.uk

hi guys! if you are thinking about coming and living at new mansion house in lancaster gate london, you must be aware of what happened to me!
I was forced to live for 2 months with a french woman alcoholic and drug addicted that ripetitively urinated on the carpet of the room and was not evicted till i was nearly there to call the police!
This is not the only problem I had there, I had scabies and the food is always the same and crap! The hygine too is not good, there are cockroaches and dumps of rubbish in the corridors!
if you can go somewhere else!hi guys! if you are thinking about coming and living at new mansion house in lancaster gate london, you must be aware of what happened to me!
I was forced to live for 2 months with a french woman alcoholic and drug addicted that ripetitively urinated on the carpet of the room and was not evicted till i was nearly there to call the police!
This is not the only problem I had there, I had scabies and the food is always the same and crap! The hygine too is not good, there are cockroaches and dumps of rubbish in the corridors!
if you can go somewhere else!

Los Locos - Excellent fun at really good value for money by Murcus22

Murcus22 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:58:31 +0000

Review by Murcus22

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7379 0220

Website: http://www.los-locos.co.uk

Tags: live music, smoking, lively

Iâ¬"ve been to Los Locos twice, first with my company & then I took my girlfriend. On both occasions I had an absolutely brilliant time. We ate heartedly, drank copiously & danced till 3 in the morning. The food was really good quality and there was loads of it. Considering the price we paid, I was very surprised. I have to say the value for money was spot on. Itâ¬"s not like I donâ¬"t like paying for quality as Iâ¬"ve recently been to the Wolseley on Piccadilly which was fabulous but certainly not good value for money. The price of drinks at Los Locos is more like what Iâ¬"d expect to pay at a local bar not a West End nightclub.
We had shooters, cocktails and some rather naughty top shelf spirits, none of which broke the bank. The clientele youâ¬"ll find when the nightclub starts about 11pm are quite diverse which made for a really fun atmosphere. Lotâ¬"s of large groups of clubbers, all letting their hair down and really going for it. We met lots of really nice people even though weâ¬"d never met them before. That makes a nice change from the usual stuck up bunch you find in most clubs. The music was varied and kept at a great pace all night so we danced the whole night none stop. The staff were affable and some of them really funny and we ended up getting a free Los Locos T-Shirt, how cool is that! If itâ¬"s plentiful good honest food and drinks in a fun atmosphere and some dancing afterwards, Los Locos will not disappoint!
Iâ¬"ve been to Los Locos twice, first with my company & then I took my girlfriend. On both occasions I had an absolutely brilliant time. We ate heartedly, drank copiously & danced till 3 in the morning. The food was really good quality and there was loads of it. Considering the price we paid, I was very surprised. I have to say the value for money was spot on. Itâ¬"s not like I donâ¬"t like paying for quality as Iâ¬"ve recently been to the Wolseley on Piccadilly which was fabulous but certainly not good value for money. The price of drinks at Los Locos is more like what Iâ¬"d expect to pay at a local bar not a West End nightclub.
We had shooters, cocktails and some rather naughty top shelf spirits, none of which broke the bank. The clientele youâ¬"ll find when the nightclub starts about 11pm are quite diverse which made for a really fun atmosphere. Lotâ¬"s of large groups of clubbers, all letting their hair down and really going for it. We met lots of really nice people even though weâ¬"d never met them before. That makes a nice change from the usual stuck up bunch you find in most clubs. The music was varied and kept at a great pace all night so we danced the whole night none stop. The staff were affable and some of them really funny and we ended up getting a free Los Locos T-Shirt, how cool is that! If itâ¬"s plentiful good honest food and drinks in a fun atmosphere and some dancing afterwards, Los Locos will not disappoint!

Vertigo 42 - An experience everyone should do once... by oogywawa

oogywawa — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:04:32 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7877 7842

Website: http://www.vertigo42.co.uk

Tags: posh, expensive, bar

Want to impress someone? Then V42's your place.

Yes it's expensive, full of liggers on expense accounts and has the atmosphere of a corporate office but that pales into insignificance the moment you peer out of the glass.

If you pick the end of the day when the light is fading from a hazy sunshine through that glorious transition period from day into early evening and finally night you get 3 experiences in one.

Once you get used to the sheer height of the place (the lift covers 42 floors in 20 seconds or so...) and that indefinable feeling of being slightly unsettled and heady then you can enjoy the panoramic view of London and the horizon for as far as you can see.

You have to book well in advance and you get your own amount of space at the window, which depends on the size of your party. Drinks are mainly Champagne, with Wine & Cocktails available and snacks such as peanuts and olives. Service is attentive and the bill attention grabbing !
Want to impress someone? Then V42's your place.

Yes it's expensive, full of liggers on expense accounts and has the atmosphere of a corporate office but that pales into insignificance the moment you peer out of the glass.

If you pick the end of the day when the light is fading from a hazy sunshine through that glorious transition period from day into early evening and finally night you get 3 experiences in one.

Once you get used to the sheer height of the place (the lift covers 42 floors in 20 seconds or so...) and that indefinable feeling of being slightly unsettled and heady then you can enjoy the panoramic view of London and the horizon for as far as you can see.

You have to book well in advance and you get your own amount of space at the window, which depends on the size of your party. Drinks are mainly Champagne, with Wine & Cocktails available and snacks such as peanuts and olives. Service is attentive and the bill attention grabbing !

The Defectors Weld - Nasty doormen by raxit

raxit — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:01:17 +0000

Review by raxit

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 8743 3010

Website: http://www.defectors-weld.com/

Tags: cool, good food, food

This pub's a bit on the expensive side but nice enough - on the inside. Unfortunately a VERY nasty experience with the doormen when I'd left but my girlfriend was still inside looking for me. On refusing to let me in, they grab me and ripped my Â£120 coat to shreds. The management didnt want to know and obviously do not care even with a formal complaint - not a place I'll ever be visiting again.

Not recommended!This pub's a bit on the expensive side but nice enough - on the inside. Unfortunately a VERY nasty experience with the doormen when I'd left but my girlfriend was still inside looking for me. On refusing to let me in, they grab me and ripped my Â£120 coat to shreds. The management didnt want to know and obviously do not care even with a formal complaint - not a place I'll ever be visiting again.

Not recommended!

Butlers Wharf Chop House - Fantastic location - not matched by the food by oogywawa

oogywawa — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:46:52 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7403 3403

Website: http://www.conran.co.uk

Tags: lively, crowded, expensive

On a balmy night in London overlooking Tower Bridge there can't be many better places to spend a couple of culinary hours. It's about as good as it gets and the newly gentrified Shad Thames area makes a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the well worn paths to the doors of West End eateries.

It trumpets itself as serving "British Classics" and sadly delivered "Carry On" food rather than Shakespeare...

On the night I eat recently, the food was not as good as I had a right to expect given that we paid around Â£70 per head in our group. Rather than cooking that demonstrated talent and verve, we got competence which was more than a little disappointing. Small things such a dry cardboard bread was not a good omen for what followed and whilst there was nothing heineously wrong with our food it just didn't excite. I had 4 small lamb cutlets, all bizarrely differently cooked - varying from rare to medium, the accompanying veg was overcooked, the steaks came as served and not one of our party was consulted as to how they wanted them - 2 were returned as one was blue and the other well done !!!

The desserts were all of Sara Lee standard and the cheese board came as advertised - Cheese with bread that had the consistency of Board...

Conran have taken this under their wing and much needs to be done to lift the food standard to befit the location. The much trailed surly service to be fair has disappeared and staff were bright & helpful, but Butlers Wharf's continued absence in any noteworthy food guides is some way off being remedied judging by this experience.On a balmy night in London overlooking Tower Bridge there can't be many better places to spend a couple of culinary hours. It's about as good as it gets and the newly gentrified Shad Thames area makes a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the well worn paths to the doors of West End eateries.

It trumpets itself as serving "British Classics" and sadly delivered "Carry On" food rather than Shakespeare...

On the night I eat recently, the food was not as good as I had a right to expect given that we paid around Â£70 per head in our group. Rather than cooking that demonstrated talent and verve, we got competence which was more than a little disappointing. Small things such a dry cardboard bread was not a good omen for what followed and whilst there was nothing heineously wrong with our food it just didn't excite. I had 4 small lamb cutlets, all bizarrely differently cooked - varying from rare to medium, the accompanying veg was overcooked, the steaks came as served and not one of our party was consulted as to how they wanted them - 2 were returned as one was blue and the other well done !!!

The desserts were all of Sara Lee standard and the cheese board came as advertised - Cheese with bread that had the consistency of Board...

Conran have taken this under their wing and much needs to be done to lift the food standard to befit the location. The much trailed surly service to be fair has disappeared and staff were bright & helpful, but Butlers Wharf's continued absence in any noteworthy food guides is some way off being remedied judging by this experience.

The Kiwi Kitchen - Great by andrewl

andrewl — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:26:00 +0000

Review by andrewl

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7610 1972

Website: http://www.thekiwikitchen.co.uk

Tags: good value, relaxed, lively

Cocktails and antipodean-sized filling foodCocktails and antipodean-sized filling food

Piada - Piadines by walid

walid — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:17:39 +0000

Review by walid

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7253 0472

Website: http://www.piada.co.uk

Tags: italian, crowded, good value

As littlevegemite's review explains, paidines are filled flatbread which with the right ingredients taste delicious. I've been there before and today had the chance to have another bite at one of their famous Piadines. They have 16 different varieties of piadines. Piadine zero for example has salame milanese and stracchine cheese, piadine nove has bresaola and parmesan and the one I had today is the piadine uno which comes with prosciutto and mozzarella. Whatever piadine you take you can pretty much guaranteed that the filling ingredients are quite fresh and tasty.

Prices are reasonable and vary between Â£4.10 and Â£5.00. If you find yourself in the area and want a little something different then try out Piada.As littlevegemite's review explains, paidines are filled flatbread which with the right ingredients taste delicious. I've been there before and today had the chance to have another bite at one of their famous Piadines. They have 16 different varieties of piadines. Piadine zero for example has salame milanese and stracchine cheese, piadine nove has bresaola and parmesan and the one I had today is the piadine uno which comes with prosciutto and mozzarella. Whatever piadine you take you can pretty much guaranteed that the filling ingredients are quite fresh and tasty.

Prices are reasonable and vary between Â£4.10 and Â£5.00. If you find yourself in the area and want a little something different then try out Piada.

Armando - Simply fantastic by Daniel40

Daniel40 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:45:25 +0000

Review by Daniel40

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 8455 8159

Tags: japanese, jewish, italian

Armando is one of the best kosher restaurant i've ever experienced, the food is so immaculately fresh, althogh some dishes where not available on the menu thats understandable considering i've heard, this restaurant is after the freshest daily produce available and everything is done on the spot..that explains the time worth waiting for, it also provides a few daily specials. The place looks defenately clean, i could even see all the way into the kitchen thanks to a large open window. Allthough its Golders Green Road the atmosphere is trendy with a posh feel to it and after paying just 25 pounds average a person for a delicious sushi appetiser, a half kilo juicy rib steak so tender and perfectly cooked and a drink i consider that good value for my money. I'll certainly be back!!Armando is one of the best kosher restaurant i've ever experienced, the food is so immaculately fresh, althogh some dishes where not available on the menu thats understandable considering i've heard, this restaurant is after the freshest daily produce available and everything is done on the spot..that explains the time worth waiting for, it also provides a few daily specials. The place looks defenately clean, i could even see all the way into the kitchen thanks to a large open window. Allthough its Golders Green Road the atmosphere is trendy with a posh feel to it and after paying just 25 pounds average a person for a delicious sushi appetiser, a half kilo juicy rib steak so tender and perfectly cooked and a drink i consider that good value for my money. I'll certainly be back!!

The Colton Arms - A real Pub by jethro

jethro — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:12 +0000

Review by jethro

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7385 6956

Tags: relaxed, traditional pub, food

Very well-kept draught beer and a range of reasonably-priced wines by the glass. Excellent sandwiches and a tasty Bloody Mary.
Comfortable and clean.Very well-kept draught beer and a range of reasonably-priced wines by the glass. Excellent sandwiches and a tasty Bloody Mary.
Comfortable and clean.

The Brown Bear - Nice 'Pub' - Minging Burgers by snowbadger

snowbadger — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:31:48 +0000

Review by snowbadger

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7481 3792

Tags: traditional pub, relaxed, food

If you want a drink in a trad pub. Good.

Thai food might also be good.

I just had a pint of London Pride, which was nice and a homemade rump burger.

Not sure what was going on there, but it tasted like someone had spilled either MSG or cumin into the pot. Maybe both.

It's the first burger I've failed to eat.

Not overtly horrible, just too strong, whatever it was.

Don't get me wrong though, beer was good, pub was nice.
If you want a drink in a trad pub. Good.

Thai food might also be good.

I just had a pint of London Pride, which was nice and a homemade rump burger.

Not sure what was going on there, but it tasted like someone had spilled either MSG or cumin into the pot. Maybe both.

It's the first burger I've failed to eat.

Not overtly horrible, just too strong, whatever it was.

Don't get me wrong though, beer was good, pub was nice.

Les Trois Garcons - Les Trois Garcons by topruss

topruss — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:52:05 +0000

Review by topruss

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7613 1924

Website: http://www.lestroisgarcons.com

Tags: french, expensive, lively

Glamour dinning , food is great but its the decore that makes this place . its a great place to start but dont forget they have a bar around the back called lounge lovers which is so cool that madonna had her birthday here , oh and the cocktails are great tooGlamour dinning , food is great but its the decore that makes this place . its a great place to start but dont forget they have a bar around the back called lounge lovers which is so cool that madonna had her birthday here , oh and the cocktails are great too

Ciao Bella - favoloso by mazphd

mazphd — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:45:06 +0000

Review by mazphd

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7242 4119

Tags: italian, lively, crowded

favoloso as the Italians say. This place is a great little venue in such an upcoming and 'trendy' part of town. Overspill onto the street to people watch. But best of all before you even set sights on this eaterie as you turn down Guilford Place there's a wonderful aroma in the air, spices, garlic and tomatoes. All the best of home cooked Italian.

Best of all the menu's a sweet treat of the mostly sterotypical made just like mama dishes. Pasta and Pizza feature heavily and everything is freshly prepared and with such zeal ! I saw one waiter so charming with his service that the couple who had come only for coffee stayed for a three course luncheon, complete with a bottle of wine. If only we were all so easily swayed.

Wine here could be better. But prices are so reasonable that one can overlook this.

I'm looking forward to being in this part of the city again, so i can follow my nose and catch the real italian spices in the air again. Yum favoloso as the Italians say. This place is a great little venue in such an upcoming and 'trendy' part of town. Overspill onto the street to people watch. But best of all before you even set sights on this eaterie as you turn down Guilford Place there's a wonderful aroma in the air, spices, garlic and tomatoes. All the best of home cooked Italian.

Best of all the menu's a sweet treat of the mostly sterotypical made just like mama dishes. Pasta and Pizza feature heavily and everything is freshly prepared and with such zeal ! I saw one waiter so charming with his service that the couple who had come only for coffee stayed for a three course luncheon, complete with a bottle of wine. If only we were all so easily swayed.

Wine here could be better. But prices are so reasonable that one can overlook this.

I'm looking forward to being in this part of the city again, so i can follow my nose and catch the real italian spices in the air again. Yum

Bean Juice - well worth the meander by mazphd

mazphd — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:30:02 +0000

Review by mazphd

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7224 3840

Website: http://www.beanjuice.net

Tags: lively, takeaway, quick bite

Turn abruptly off of Oxford Streets busy rush rush rush (there's a slipway next to H&M) and you find yourself in the laid back and cafe cultured lanes of Marylebone.

I love this part of london, not only are there some marvellous shops, but I'm risking nearly failing to mention to one of the best places in the area: Bean Juice. The healthy side of super healthy Bean Juice is one up on the its chain counterparts; here staff are super friendly - and very happy to enter into a banter of 'so how do you feel', and 'how can we make you feel better'. Slightly worse for wear due to a lack of sleep and dancing on the tiles all night, my last visit was met with a bleary eyed and thick voiced response (or rather grunt) that resulted in a concoction green in colour (suspicious) but assured that 'down in one' would perk me up. Gosh they weren't wrong. Green Giants aside, I don't know what the Bean team put in that little super juice (green by all accounts) but WOW perked up and raring to go after this super juice. Also on offer are some rather lovely cakes, muffins and dried (super) fruit treats.

After my next fatiguing outing i'll be sure to head back to Bean Juice. also rather lovely is to sit outside of an afternoon and people watch those rushing by... Those are the ones missing out on the high juice content inside :-)
Turn abruptly off of Oxford Streets busy rush rush rush (there's a slipway next to H&M) and you find yourself in the laid back and cafe cultured lanes of Marylebone.

I love this part of london, not only are there some marvellous shops, but I'm risking nearly failing to mention to one of the best places in the area: Bean Juice. The healthy side of super healthy Bean Juice is one up on the its chain counterparts; here staff are super friendly - and very happy to enter into a banter of 'so how do you feel', and 'how can we make you feel better'. Slightly worse for wear due to a lack of sleep and dancing on the tiles all night, my last visit was met with a bleary eyed and thick voiced response (or rather grunt) that resulted in a concoction green in colour (suspicious) but assured that 'down in one' would perk me up. Gosh they weren't wrong. Green Giants aside, I don't know what the Bean team put in that little super juice (green by all accounts) but WOW perked up and raring to go after this super juice. Also on offer are some rather lovely cakes, muffins and dried (super) fruit treats.

After my next fatiguing outing i'll be sure to head back to Bean Juice. also rather lovely is to sit outside of an afternoon and people watch those rushing by... Those are the ones missing out on the high juice content inside :-)

Annies - To early to say by Thomasinho

Thomasinho — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:35:16 +0000

Review by Thomasinho

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7485 3237

Tags: food, traditional english, tv for sporting events

I went along to Annies bar for the launch, but as I arrived at about 7.30, you could still smell the paint drying on the wall, and the builders were carry furniture in.

From what I did see of the finished bar, I have to say the decor, was lovely, and the bar seemed out of place, it would have been better suited in Hampstead, so this could be a great place for Kentish town, in terms of service I cant fairly comment as I didnt stay long enough for the opening to the public

I wondered around looking for refreshments or at least a drink, I was directed to the door, where a girl had some bottles of champagne, but no glasses to drink from them. At this point id lost my will to stay longer, and promptly left.

The bar from a decor perspective seemed lovely, but to see what its really like id need to return in two weeks or so,
I went along to Annies bar for the launch, but as I arrived at about 7.30, you could still smell the paint drying on the wall, and the builders were carry furniture in.

From what I did see of the finished bar, I have to say the decor, was lovely, and the bar seemed out of place, it would have been better suited in Hampstead, so this could be a great place for Kentish town, in terms of service I cant fairly comment as I didnt stay long enough for the opening to the public

I wondered around looking for refreshments or at least a drink, I was directed to the door, where a girl had some bottles of champagne, but no glasses to drink from them. At this point id lost my will to stay longer, and promptly left.

The bar from a decor perspective seemed lovely, but to see what its really like id need to return in two weeks or so,

The Clerkenwell Dining Room & Bar - Comical Service in Clerkenwell by sue

sue — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7253 9000

Website: www.theclerkenwell.com

Tags: business, international, british

I really wanted to like The Clerkenwell Dining Room. Friends had enjoyed it, the menu sounded good, and I am a fan of their sister restaurant, The Chancery. I think I should have stuck to The Chancery.

Ok, it wasn't all bad. For example, the starters were nice. We had the Octopus Carpaccio, braised baby octopus, squid, lemon and rosemary dressing; and the Crab chowder, crab dumplings, sweet corn and basil oil. The octopus was very well received, and the chowder was good but under-seasoned.

Main courses we had were the Sea bass, scallop ravioli, artichokes, asparagus, tomato consommÃ©; the Lamb Rump, provencal vegetables, samossas and balsamic jus; and the Rabbit saddle, potato puree, baby leeks, wild mushrooms and herb sauce. The lamb was really deliciousâ¬¦ unfortunately I didn't order it. I had the sea bass which was disappointing - it sounded good on paper, but the tomato consommÃ© was bland and watered down all the other flavours. Dessert was almost a success - the Lemon curd tart, lemon confit and coconut sorbet was nicely presented, but the tart was a little too gooey. Did like the sorbet though.

While most of the food we had was nice, the service really put a dampener on the evening. There were about 6 staff racing about, all apparently serving the same tables which lead to confusion and duplications, not to mention endlessly annoying water top-ups. Many of the staff didn't appear to understand English, and stared blankly at us when a request was made. We were all irritated more and more as the meal progressed.

But the biggest mistake was when they gave the remainder of our wine to another tableâ¬¦ They had the white wine from all tables sitting in coolers to one side - I noticed them trying to write our table number on the label of our wine initially, but their system fell apart and our wine disappeared. At one stage they mistakenly bought over a couple of new glasses and then a half-finished bottle of someone else's wine. When we told them it wasn't ours they then took it to another table and started pouring.

When the manager bought over our bill she asked how our meal had been. We then mentioned the issue with the wine and she looked shocked. She hurried off and we dug out cash/cards to pay the bill and prepared to leave. The manager returned with glasses of champagne for all of us by way of apology. To be honest I was horrified. Ok, it may have been a nice gesture, but we had finished our meal, and just wanted to pay and get out of there. Only one of us valiantly forced down a half glass of champers... I really wanted to like The Clerkenwell Dining Room. Friends had enjoyed it, the menu sounded good, and I am a fan of their sister restaurant, The Chancery. I think I should have stuck to The Chancery.

Ok, it wasn't all bad. For example, the starters were nice. We had the Octopus Carpaccio, braised baby octopus, squid, lemon and rosemary dressing; and the Crab chowder, crab dumplings, sweet corn and basil oil. The octopus was very well received, and the chowder was good but under-seasoned.

Main courses we had were the Sea bass, scallop ravioli, artichokes, asparagus, tomato consommÃ©; the Lamb Rump, provencal vegetables, samossas and balsamic jus; and the Rabbit saddle, potato puree, baby leeks, wild mushrooms and herb sauce. The lamb was really deliciousâ¬¦ unfortunately I didn't order it. I had the sea bass which was disappointing - it sounded good on paper, but the tomato consommÃ© was bland and watered down all the other flavours. Dessert was almost a success - the Lemon curd tart, lemon confit and coconut sorbet was nicely presented, but the tart was a little too gooey. Did like the sorbet though.

While most of the food we had was nice, the service really put a dampener on the evening. There were about 6 staff racing about, all apparently serving the same tables which lead to confusion and duplications, not to mention endlessly annoying water top-ups. Many of the staff didn't appear to understand English, and stared blankly at us when a request was made. We were all irritated more and more as the meal progressed.

But the biggest mistake was when they gave the remainder of our wine to another tableâ¬¦ They had the white wine from all tables sitting in coolers to one side - I noticed them trying to write our table number on the label of our wine initially, but their system fell apart and our wine disappeared. At one stage they mistakenly bought over a couple of new glasses and then a half-finished bottle of someone else's wine. When we told them it wasn't ours they then took it to another table and started pouring.

When the manager bought over our bill she asked how our meal had been. We then mentioned the issue with the wine and she looked shocked. She hurried off and we dug out cash/cards to pay the bill and prepared to leave. The manager returned with glasses of champagne for all of us by way of apology. To be honest I was horrified. Ok, it may have been a nice gesture, but we had finished our meal, and just wanted to pay and get out of there. Only one of us valiantly forced down a half glass of champers...

Brasserie James - Coffee by ghe

ghe — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:15:04 +0000

Review by ghe

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 8772 0057

Website: http://www.brasseriejames.com/

Tags: brasserie, french, expensive

I have just had a cup of coffee (Americano with hot milk) at Brasserie James. The coffee was very good and served by a charming and genuinely cheerful female member of staff. I didn't look at the menu to check the price before I ordered and I am glad in a way that I didn't. The bill came and it was Â£2.81 (including service)! That has to be one of the most expensive coffees I have bought in a very long time. I am sorry but this is Clapham South, not Covent Garden and I fail to see why they should be charging such a high price for a cup of coffee. I appreciate that it is a brasserie and they are not relying on coffee drinkers but nevertheless, I am sure they could benefit from passing trade (prices permitting)- if just from people like me who pop in for a quick coffee mid-afternoon. I'll give it two stars for good coffee and friendly service. Incidentally, there is a very nice restaurant/bar in Vernon Place, just off Bloomsbury Square called Traffic which charges just Â£1.80 for a cup of coffee (including service) and that is in central London.I have just had a cup of coffee (Americano with hot milk) at Brasserie James. The coffee was very good and served by a charming and genuinely cheerful female member of staff. I didn't look at the menu to check the price before I ordered and I am glad in a way that I didn't. The bill came and it was Â£2.81 (including service)! That has to be one of the most expensive coffees I have bought in a very long time. I am sorry but this is Clapham South, not Covent Garden and I fail to see why they should be charging such a high price for a cup of coffee. I appreciate that it is a brasserie and they are not relying on coffee drinkers but nevertheless, I am sure they could benefit from passing trade (prices permitting)- if just from people like me who pop in for a quick coffee mid-afternoon. I'll give it two stars for good coffee and friendly service. Incidentally, there is a very nice restaurant/bar in Vernon Place, just off Bloomsbury Square called Traffic which charges just Â£1.80 for a cup of coffee (including service) and that is in central London.

Edward's - One of the cheeriest places to have a drink in W5 by neena_k

neena_k — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:22:22 +0000

Review by neena_k

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8567 9438

Website: http://www.mbplc.com/index.asp?pageid=479&frame=yes&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eviamichelin%2Ecom%2Fb2b2c

Tags: cool, relaxed, posh

I've been drinking here for over 10 years. It's been through many changes in the last 2 years and they're mostly for the better. It used to get packed to the rafters and rather uncomfortable as you couldn't even move, let alone dance till 1am or get served. Nowadays they're a lot more selective about who they let in and it doesn't get as crowded. It's definitely one of the cheapest places to drink in the area and the DJ plays some fabulous music to get everyone's feet tapping and now the bar is operating more smoothly as there are millions of people screaming to get served. Their cocktails are great and very reasonably priced and I've always found the bar staff to be efficient as long as you're polite to them. I'd even go as far as to say the bar staff are the most cheerful in Ealing!

The door staff are polite and friendly and enforce the ID rule with everyone, unless they're regulars - once they get to know you, they don't bother asking for ID.

My only complaint about this place is that the toilets need repairing - there are 3 ladies toilets and there's often 2 of them out of order at the same time which can be a nightmare at the weekend! I've been drinking here for over 10 years. It's been through many changes in the last 2 years and they're mostly for the better. It used to get packed to the rafters and rather uncomfortable as you couldn't even move, let alone dance till 1am or get served. Nowadays they're a lot more selective about who they let in and it doesn't get as crowded. It's definitely one of the cheapest places to drink in the area and the DJ plays some fabulous music to get everyone's feet tapping and now the bar is operating more smoothly as there are millions of people screaming to get served. Their cocktails are great and very reasonably priced and I've always found the bar staff to be efficient as long as you're polite to them. I'd even go as far as to say the bar staff are the most cheerful in Ealing!

The door staff are polite and friendly and enforce the ID rule with everyone, unless they're regulars - once they get to know you, they don't bother asking for ID.

My only complaint about this place is that the toilets need repairing - there are 3 ladies toilets and there's often 2 of them out of order at the same time which can be a nightmare at the weekend!

Tonky Gorilla - Pretentious at the weekends by neena_k

neena_k — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:14:45 +0000

Review by neena_k

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 8204 7000

Website: http://www.tonkygorilla.com

Tags: cool, pretentious, friendly

Thursday nights are fabulous here with excellent DJs playing old skool soul - you really can't go wrong with the music and atmosphere on Thursdays - nice enough dining, although somewhat over-priced for what you get and for where you are (after all, this is only Kingsbury) - good cocktails (again rather pricey) and plenty of staff.

Now on Fridays and Saturdays, they're too pretentious for their own good. You might have been there the day before for your 30th or 40th birthday party and spent a fortune but come Friday night they want to see ID. Even if you've booked a birthday party and come down with a dozen friends and even if you clearly look over 30 or 40 - their door policy is 21 for ladies and 23 for gents. Mind you, if you get there late enough, say about midnight, they start charging a tenner at the door and suddenly they don't seem to care about asking for ID - they now just want your money and will let you in no matter how young you look! Double standards eh? Take it from me, the crowd and vibe might be good but it's rather disappointing if you can't get in because you haven't carried ID for over a decade! And if you do get in, you'll be disappointed because it's packed to the hilt and definitely a health and safety issue for they pack it out to the rafters - dance till 3am if you can find a space!Thursday nights are fabulous here with excellent DJs playing old skool soul - you really can't go wrong with the music and atmosphere on Thursdays - nice enough dining, although somewhat over-priced for what you get and for where you are (after all, this is only Kingsbury) - good cocktails (again rather pricey) and plenty of staff.

Now on Fridays and Saturdays, they're too pretentious for their own good. You might have been there the day before for your 30th or 40th birthday party and spent a fortune but come Friday night they want to see ID. Even if you've booked a birthday party and come down with a dozen friends and even if you clearly look over 30 or 40 - their door policy is 21 for ladies and 23 for gents. Mind you, if you get there late enough, say about midnight, they start charging a tenner at the door and suddenly they don't seem to care about asking for ID - they now just want your money and will let you in no matter how young you look! Double standards eh? Take it from me, the crowd and vibe might be good but it's rather disappointing if you can't get in because you haven't carried ID for over a decade! And if you do get in, you'll be disappointed because it's packed to the hilt and definitely a health and safety issue for they pack it out to the rafters - dance till 3am if you can find a space!