Latest reviews in Piccadilly Circus, London, United Kingdom

Yauatcha - by pwax

pwax — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:44:43 +0000

Review by pwax

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7494 8888

Tags: chinese, lively, expensive

love it!love it!

Texas Embassy Cantina - by AliZebu

AliZebu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:58:03 +0000

Review by AliZebu

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7925 0077

Website: http://www.texasembassy.com

Tags: cocktails, tex mex, american

I have been going to the 'Texas Embassy Cantina' for a number of years and what keeps me coming back are few dishes that I can't find elswhere.

The Cheese Enchiladas are a must have everytime I go here - no other Tex-Mex in London does them the way they make them here.

The Fajitas are up there with ANYWHERE I have had in London and I like their Salsa more than most.

The Southern Fried chicken is milder in taste than from the Colonel's KFC chain but at least I do not detect any MSG in the recipe.

Burritos & Chimchangas are other top choices.
The Burgers are decent, and if you go for the more unusual toppings they are very good.
The Ribs are fine but not outstanding.
The chilli con carne is the about the best of the minced meat kind you will find in London.

Service is hit & miss depending on the indvidual server.
AVOID getting seated upstairs as you are liable to be forgotten if you are anything other than a large pre-booked private function.

RECOMMENDED!I have been going to the 'Texas Embassy Cantina' for a number of years and what keeps me coming back are few dishes that I can't find elswhere.

The Cheese Enchiladas are a must have everytime I go here - no other Tex-Mex in London does them the way they make them here.

The Fajitas are up there with ANYWHERE I have had in London and I like their Salsa more than most.

The Southern Fried chicken is milder in taste than from the Colonel's KFC chain but at least I do not detect any MSG in the recipe.

Burritos & Chimchangas are other top choices.
The Burgers are decent, and if you go for the more unusual toppings they are very good.
The Ribs are fine but not outstanding.
The chilli con carne is the about the best of the minced meat kind you will find in London.

Service is hit & miss depending on the indvidual server.
AVOID getting seated upstairs as you are liable to be forgotten if you are anything other than a large pre-booked private function.

RECOMMENDED!

Foyles Cafe - One of my favorites in London by tomaplaw

tomaplaw — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:00:14 +0000

Review by tomaplaw

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7437 5660

Tags: quick bite, cultured, crowded

Foyles Jazz Cafe is the perfect place to take a classic novel and relax into your chair absorbing the atmosphere around you. I often go there to write, as they offer everything from tea and cafe to red wine and olives - all at a reasonable price.
The cafe does get busy between 5 - 7, so finding a chair can be tricky. They often have live bands come to play, which can actually be too noisy at times, but it's something you get used to. One thing that does annoy me, is the amount of red wine you get for 3 pounds - especially at the end of the day (mind you only one of the staff members does this, so stay clear of the skinny 30 - 40yo guy with black hair lol).Foyles Jazz Cafe is the perfect place to take a classic novel and relax into your chair absorbing the atmosphere around you. I often go there to write, as they offer everything from tea and cafe to red wine and olives - all at a reasonable price.
The cafe does get busy between 5 - 7, so finding a chair can be tricky. They often have live bands come to play, which can actually be too noisy at times, but it's something you get used to. One thing that does annoy me, is the amount of red wine you get for 3 pounds - especially at the end of the day (mind you only one of the staff members does this, so stay clear of the skinny 30 - 40yo guy with black hair lol).

Sacred Cafe - Great coffee a few steps from Regent St by pinotlover

pinotlover — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:22:26 +0000

Review by pinotlover

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 1415

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

Tags: cosy, quick bite, good brew

Why have Italians not discovered the flat white? This is the best way possible to do coffee with milk - a shot of espresso topped with textured, not frothed, milk.
Friendy service from mainly Kiwi staff and cosy ambience especially in the basement. For something different try the lolly cake... crushed malt biscuits and marshmallows bound together with butter and condensed milk and rolled in dried coconut. (tastes better than it sounds). Another Kiwi invention apparently.Why have Italians not discovered the flat white? This is the best way possible to do coffee with milk - a shot of espresso topped with textured, not frothed, milk.
Friendy service from mainly Kiwi staff and cosy ambience especially in the basement. For something different try the lolly cake... crushed malt biscuits and marshmallows bound together with butter and condensed milk and rolled in dried coconut. (tastes better than it sounds). Another Kiwi invention apparently.

Mint Leaf Restaurant - Don't go! I suffered from food poisoning! by mezza789

mezza789 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:12:59 +0000

Review by mezza789

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7930 9020

Website: http://www.mintleafrestaurant.com

Tags: indian, expensive, romantic

We went with a group of girlfriends, two out of three of us suffered from food poisoning! We went on a toptable special and the waiter seemed very arrogant, rather he was the owner then a mere waiter! Gorgeous interior, but never again for us, food alert are looking it for us!We went with a group of girlfriends, two out of three of us suffered from food poisoning! We went on a toptable special and the waiter seemed very arrogant, rather he was the owner then a mere waiter! Gorgeous interior, but never again for us, food alert are looking it for us!

Golden Dragon - Appalling service by cindy1005

cindy1005 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:47:51 +0000

Review by cindy1005

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 1073

Tags: chinese, lively, expensive

I visited this restaurant 2 days ago with a friend. While dishing out the rice, I was apalled to notice three chips ranging in width from about 2 cm to 2 inches in the rim of the bowl. The bowl was made of some kind of material similar to melamine and was discoloured on the outside, and blackened on the base. It put me off my food. When the waitress came to clear the table, she asked if everything was alright. I said, ''Actually no, I'm apalled to be served food in a bowl in this state. I wouldn't even use this in my own house. It really is unacceptable and insulting.'' Instead of apologizing, the waitress had the audacity to LAUGH! I was not amused. She then proceeded to rip the top tablecloth off the table from under us, even though we still had our full cups of tea and other drinks on the table, and were clearly not finished. I was really annoyed by then. While waiting on the bill to arrive, I happened to glance at the table behind me and noticed that they had a bowl of rice, which on first glance appeared to have a scalloped edge, but then to my horror I realized it wasn't a scalloped pattern, but in fact, was so severely chipped around the perimeter, it appeared to be scalloped! The toilets upstairs were out of order. When we went downstairs, we were approached by a woman who screeched at us '' You want toilet, it is that way'' with a mouth full of food.

I will never dine in that establishment again, nor would I recommend it to anyone. Their lack of respect and service is appalling and completely unacceptable. They also add 12.5% service charge to the bill, when they clearly don't even know the meaning of the word service.I visited this restaurant 2 days ago with a friend. While dishing out the rice, I was apalled to notice three chips ranging in width from about 2 cm to 2 inches in the rim of the bowl. The bowl was made of some kind of material similar to melamine and was discoloured on the outside, and blackened on the base. It put me off my food. When the waitress came to clear the table, she asked if everything was alright. I said, ''Actually no, I'm apalled to be served food in a bowl in this state. I wouldn't even use this in my own house. It really is unacceptable and insulting.'' Instead of apologizing, the waitress had the audacity to LAUGH! I was not amused. She then proceeded to rip the top tablecloth off the table from under us, even though we still had our full cups of tea and other drinks on the table, and were clearly not finished. I was really annoyed by then. While waiting on the bill to arrive, I happened to glance at the table behind me and noticed that they had a bowl of rice, which on first glance appeared to have a scalloped edge, but then to my horror I realized it wasn't a scalloped pattern, but in fact, was so severely chipped around the perimeter, it appeared to be scalloped! The toilets upstairs were out of order. When we went downstairs, we were approached by a woman who screeched at us '' You want toilet, it is that way'' with a mouth full of food.

I will never dine in that establishment again, nor would I recommend it to anyone. Their lack of respect and service is appalling and completely unacceptable. They also add 12.5% service charge to the bill, when they clearly don't even know the meaning of the word service.

Flat White - Service is Flat, But Coffee is More than Alwite by laissezfare

laissezfare — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:45:48 +0000

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 0370

Website: http://www.flat-white.co.uk

Tags: amazing brew, quick bite, crowded

[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Although it is really a trek from my office to Flat White, Iâ¬"ve tried this Soho-based coffee house a number of times and almost think Iâ¬"ve walked into a funky little American coffee house on a college campus somewhere. There is always rock music on the radio, the staff sort of ignore you (at least me!) and I donâ¬"t really like the vibe all that much (itâ¬"s a bit up its own backside if you ask me), but the coffee drinks are pretty good. Here, I like the eponymous drink the best.[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Although it is really a trek from my office to Flat White, Iâ¬"ve tried this Soho-based coffee house a number of times and almost think Iâ¬"ve walked into a funky little American coffee house on a college campus somewhere. There is always rock music on the radio, the staff sort of ignore you (at least me!) and I donâ¬"t really like the vibe all that much (itâ¬"s a bit up its own backside if you ask me), but the coffee drinks are pretty good. Here, I like the eponymous drink the best.

Cafe Vergnano - Their Coffee Means Business by laissezfare

laissezfare — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:43:03 +0000

Review by laissezfare

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 8922 6308

Tags: amazing brew, quick bite, london

[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Set along the shop-fronts on an unlikely stretch of Charing Cross Road (unlikely in the sense that you donâ¬"t expect a serious coffee house here amongst the touristy drek), it is none other than CaffÃ¨ Vergnano 1882. I have been in a number of times now and havenâ¬"t exactly gotten to the bottom of what the 1882 stands for (okay, I havenâ¬"t really tried to find out), but that is beside the point. The small chain has been set up by Luciano Franchi, whose family has been working for three generations in the London food industry. They apparently supply coffee and related machinery to the Italian Embassy, for whatever thatâ¬"s worth.

But the best thing about walking into CaffÃ¨ Vergnano is seeing their gargantuan silver madame, the holy grail of espresso fabrication, the elegant and maniacal stainless steel workhorse that pumps dark brown blood through its veins, the aortic arch from which the pulse of Vergananoâ¬"s espresso emanates. Yeah, itâ¬"s the big honkinâ¬" shiny espresso machine that you canâ¬"t miss from window. It is the Elektra Belle Epoque, and on its crown is perched a peering eagle.

To make a long story short, it makes a mean cup of espresso. Their own blend of espresso is composed of seven single-origin beans (including the elusive and expensive Nicaraguan Maragogype) and it is one of the nicer ones Iâ¬"ve had, certainly one of the top in London. It has a full and broad flavor spectrum and, to me, has a tad more bitterness beneath it than Monmouthâ¬"s, though without being cloying. My favorite incarnation of Vergnanoâ¬"s espresso is a double macchiato, with the little bit of foam providing a tiny cushion of creaminess to offset the fine espresso flavor.

The other thing I like about Vergnano is that it is sort of like an Italian espresso bar. You can order your drink and have it standing up at the counter â¬ or if you want you can sit down or walk out with it. With each coffee they also give you a little Italian biscuit or chocolate (I have never figured out if itâ¬"s the drink you order or the luck of the draw that determines which one you get), and I think itâ¬"s a great little touch. I would probably describe the service at the Charing Cross Road branch as â¬Üprofessionalâ¬". Itâ¬"s not warm, itâ¬"s not touchy, itâ¬"s not personal, but itâ¬"s not rude or mean either. They are just there doing their job and trying to provide you with a good drink.

The gist of it: I havenâ¬"t been to their other branches, but I think that this one is great. No-nonsense accomplished espresso drinks and the holy grail of coffee machines staring you in the face. Plus you get a little treat with your coffee and can stand at the bar.[This is part of a larger review of London coffee houses which can be found here: http://wp.me/pwXBH-or]

Set along the shop-fronts on an unlikely stretch of Charing Cross Road (unlikely in the sense that you donâ¬"t expect a serious coffee house here amongst the touristy drek), it is none other than CaffÃ¨ Vergnano 1882. I have been in a number of times now and havenâ¬"t exactly gotten to the bottom of what the 1882 stands for (okay, I havenâ¬"t really tried to find out), but that is beside the point. The small chain has been set up by Luciano Franchi, whose family has been working for three generations in the London food industry. They apparently supply coffee and related machinery to the Italian Embassy, for whatever thatâ¬"s worth.

But the best thing about walking into CaffÃ¨ Vergnano is seeing their gargantuan silver madame, the holy grail of espresso fabrication, the elegant and maniacal stainless steel workhorse that pumps dark brown blood through its veins, the aortic arch from which the pulse of Vergananoâ¬"s espresso emanates. Yeah, itâ¬"s the big honkinâ¬" shiny espresso machine that you canâ¬"t miss from window. It is the Elektra Belle Epoque, and on its crown is perched a peering eagle.

To make a long story short, it makes a mean cup of espresso. Their own blend of espresso is composed of seven single-origin beans (including the elusive and expensive Nicaraguan Maragogype) and it is one of the nicer ones Iâ¬"ve had, certainly one of the top in London. It has a full and broad flavor spectrum and, to me, has a tad more bitterness beneath it than Monmouthâ¬"s, though without being cloying. My favorite incarnation of Vergnanoâ¬"s espresso is a double macchiato, with the little bit of foam providing a tiny cushion of creaminess to offset the fine espresso flavor.

The other thing I like about Vergnano is that it is sort of like an Italian espresso bar. You can order your drink and have it standing up at the counter â¬ or if you want you can sit down or walk out with it. With each coffee they also give you a little Italian biscuit or chocolate (I have never figured out if itâ¬"s the drink you order or the luck of the draw that determines which one you get), and I think itâ¬"s a great little touch. I would probably describe the service at the Charing Cross Road branch as â¬Üprofessionalâ¬". Itâ¬"s not warm, itâ¬"s not touchy, itâ¬"s not personal, but itâ¬"s not rude or mean either. They are just there doing their job and trying to provide you with a good drink.

The gist of it: I havenâ¬"t been to their other branches, but I think that this one is great. No-nonsense accomplished espresso drinks and the holy grail of coffee machines staring you in the face. Plus you get a little treat with your coffee and can stand at the bar.

Bar Rumba - Love It by bexyboo

bexyboo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:54:29 +0000

Review by bexyboo

Rating: 5.00

Tags: young and fun, house, reasonably priced

Drinks were really good price.... Â£3.50 fpr a cocktail at happy hour, can't go wrong for that. Had loads of fun and all the staff were really nice nice which make a change from the usual snotty west enders. See you there next week.Drinks were really good price.... Â£3.50 fpr a cocktail at happy hour, can't go wrong for that. Had loads of fun and all the staff were really nice nice which make a change from the usual snotty west enders. See you there next week.

Le Beaujolais - Get away from Charing Cross Road by Dot01

Dot01 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:11:22 +0000

Review by Dot01

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7836 2955

Tags: relaxed, friendly, mature

I just came here for a bottle of wine with a friend and it is the perfect find when you are stressed out with the noise and tourists up and down charing cross road. It's such a relief to land here and find a cosy corner for a nice chat.

I did find the mix of French and English themes in the decor a bit confusing - the French bit would have been fine on its own but I'm sure there's a good story behind it which I'll have to enquire about next time.I just came here for a bottle of wine with a friend and it is the perfect find when you are stressed out with the noise and tourists up and down charing cross road. It's such a relief to land here and find a cosy corner for a nice chat.

I did find the mix of French and English themes in the decor a bit confusing - the French bit would have been fine on its own but I'm sure there's a good story behind it which I'll have to enquire about next time.

Revolution Bar - by ckruger

ckruger — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:44:49 +0000

Review by ckruger

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7434 0330

Website: http://www.revolution-bars.co.uk

Tags: cool, food, friendly

We went there for a girlie lunch today as it's near our workplace and have always wanted to go. They have quite a few food specials going on (pizza and burgers 2for1). The burgers (especially the chips) was really good and the portions big. Our waiter was very rushed and cleared our table while one girl was still eating. We all found him very rude with no "table-side" manners. Although he was the only waiter I could see, it wasn't busy at all (maybe 4 other tables, and by the time we were done it was empty again) so I don't understand what the rush was about. The bill was only Â£22 for 3 of us (we did not have alcohol) so wasn't too disappointed although I wouldn't recommend it for lunch to someone else.We went there for a girlie lunch today as it's near our workplace and have always wanted to go. They have quite a few food specials going on (pizza and burgers 2for1). The burgers (especially the chips) was really good and the portions big. Our waiter was very rushed and cleared our table while one girl was still eating. We all found him very rude with no "table-side" manners. Although he was the only waiter I could see, it wasn't busy at all (maybe 4 other tables, and by the time we were done it was empty again) so I don't understand what the rush was about. The bill was only Â£22 for 3 of us (we did not have alcohol) so wasn't too disappointed although I wouldn't recommend it for lunch to someone else.

Plum Valley - Excellent Dim Sum - highly impressed by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:13:12 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7287 2539

Tags: chinese, romantic, expensive

Plum Valley is situated right in the heart of Chinatown but bares no resemblance to its counterparts in terms of cuisine, dÃ©cor and service. The restaurant serves a variety of Dim Sum dishes all day along with popular and also new innovative main Chinese dishes. The menu was not as expansive as other Chinese restaurants on Gerrard street, but there was a good choice nonetheless, with well thought-out dishes sitting beside tried and tested favourites.

As it was lunchtime, my friend and I opted for the Dim Sum menu. Being of Chinese origin we both think it is a bit odd to eat Dim Sum in the evenings but welcomed a restaurant to do so in Chinatown. In my opinion, Plum Valley fills the narrow void left between the Ping Pong dim sum restaurant chain and traditional Chinese restaurants. I would say that it is similar to Yauatcha but holds on to its Chinese identity far better with dishes averaging at Â£3.80 which most Chinese people are not likely to baulk at, whereas the bill at Yauatcha would make many choke on their tea.

The dÃ©cor and style of the restaurant was most impressive with dark wooden walls, tables and slate grey floors â¬ lighting was low in keeping with the ambience of the restaurant (a feature that may not be too popular in the Summer). Waitresses and the hostess were friendly and unobtrusive. My friend and I chose our dishes, our rule of thumb is 3 dishes per person and one for luck. Instead of opting for the usual Vietnamese spring rolls, turnip paste, har gau, shao mai, cheung fun etc we decided to choose some more eccentric dishes - scallop dumplings, wasabi prawn dumpling, black cod rolls, thai chicken dumplings, beancurd wrapped shrimp in cheung fun, fish and squid rolls with preserved egg. All were delicious and presented beautifully â¬ the freshness and quality of the ingredients were easily identifiable. I particularly liked the fish and squid rolls with preserved egg â¬ all the flavours worked really well and it looked amazing on the plate. The scallop dumplings and the cheung fun were also a highlight. We were happily full at the end of the meal with the bill working out to a very reasonable Â£33 including service. My only small gripe was the jasmine flower tea served in oversized wine glasses - very unusual but this really did not offend too much. Unsurprisingly we left the restuarant smiling from the whole experience.
Plum Valley is situated right in the heart of Chinatown but bares no resemblance to its counterparts in terms of cuisine, dÃ©cor and service. The restaurant serves a variety of Dim Sum dishes all day along with popular and also new innovative main Chinese dishes. The menu was not as expansive as other Chinese restaurants on Gerrard street, but there was a good choice nonetheless, with well thought-out dishes sitting beside tried and tested favourites.

As it was lunchtime, my friend and I opted for the Dim Sum menu. Being of Chinese origin we both think it is a bit odd to eat Dim Sum in the evenings but welcomed a restaurant to do so in Chinatown. In my opinion, Plum Valley fills the narrow void left between the Ping Pong dim sum restaurant chain and traditional Chinese restaurants. I would say that it is similar to Yauatcha but holds on to its Chinese identity far better with dishes averaging at Â£3.80 which most Chinese people are not likely to baulk at, whereas the bill at Yauatcha would make many choke on their tea.

The dÃ©cor and style of the restaurant was most impressive with dark wooden walls, tables and slate grey floors â¬ lighting was low in keeping with the ambience of the restaurant (a feature that may not be too popular in the Summer). Waitresses and the hostess were friendly and unobtrusive. My friend and I chose our dishes, our rule of thumb is 3 dishes per person and one for luck. Instead of opting for the usual Vietnamese spring rolls, turnip paste, har gau, shao mai, cheung fun etc we decided to choose some more eccentric dishes - scallop dumplings, wasabi prawn dumpling, black cod rolls, thai chicken dumplings, beancurd wrapped shrimp in cheung fun, fish and squid rolls with preserved egg. All were delicious and presented beautifully â¬ the freshness and quality of the ingredients were easily identifiable. I particularly liked the fish and squid rolls with preserved egg â¬ all the flavours worked really well and it looked amazing on the plate. The scallop dumplings and the cheung fun were also a highlight. We were happily full at the end of the meal with the bill working out to a very reasonable Â£33 including service. My only small gripe was the jasmine flower tea served in oversized wine glasses - very unusual but this really did not offend too much. Unsurprisingly we left the restuarant smiling from the whole experience.

Bocca di Lupo - by AntonSh

AntonSh — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:43:12 +0000

Review by AntonSh

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7734 2223

Tags: italian, lively, expensive

The food is excellent - authentic Italian food from different regions, with the menu a helpful guide to what you're getting, how it's cooked and where it comes from. The mains all seemed appetising, and I opted for the palombo which came grilled to perfection. The dolcis (desserts) are especially innovative and the controversial Sanguinaccio - a sweet patÃ© of pig's blood and chocolate with sourdough bread - was possibly the most radical dessert dish I have tried.

I took my mother there for her birthday. She is a very picky customer and well used to terrorising waiting staff, and she was impressed. The waiters were well-trained, polite and impeccably turned out, and had good knowledge of the food and wine.

The only downside is that it is slightly overpriced for what it is. Good food is of course worth paying good money for, but in this case the balance seems a little bit too much towards increasing profit margins. Another slight issue is that atmosphere-wise, I found it hard to relax - the place is perhaps a little too aware of its status as a top restaurant.

Overall though, the food is great and I will definitely be back, especially when trying to impress a date!The food is excellent - authentic Italian food from different regions, with the menu a helpful guide to what you're getting, how it's cooked and where it comes from. The mains all seemed appetising, and I opted for the palombo which came grilled to perfection. The dolcis (desserts) are especially innovative and the controversial Sanguinaccio - a sweet patÃ© of pig's blood and chocolate with sourdough bread - was possibly the most radical dessert dish I have tried.

I took my mother there for her birthday. She is a very picky customer and well used to terrorising waiting staff, and she was impressed. The waiters were well-trained, polite and impeccably turned out, and had good knowledge of the food and wine.

The only downside is that it is slightly overpriced for what it is. Good food is of course worth paying good money for, but in this case the balance seems a little bit too much towards increasing profit margins. Another slight issue is that atmosphere-wise, I found it hard to relax - the place is perhaps a little too aware of its status as a top restaurant.

Overall though, the food is great and I will definitely be back, especially when trying to impress a date!

St. Moritz Restaurant - wow - saddle of venison by chprime

chprime — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:44:22 +0000

Review by chprime

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7734 3324

Tags: family & home feel, expensive, good value

as it happens it seems to be Venison month at the St. Moritz restaurant and i was invited by a good friend for dinner to try the - as he put it 'very best venison dish ever' - - all i can say he did not lie - i want to have that saddle of vension everyday from now onwards....unfortunately the season only last during November but my friend said to try the cordon bleu next time which is as per Tom also world class. thanks Tomas it happens it seems to be Venison month at the St. Moritz restaurant and i was invited by a good friend for dinner to try the - as he put it 'very best venison dish ever' - - all i can say he did not lie - i want to have that saddle of vension everyday from now onwards....unfortunately the season only last during November but my friend said to try the cordon bleu next time which is as per Tom also world class. thanks Tom

Cafe Espana - by sld52

sld52 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:30 +0000

Review by sld52

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7494 1271

Tags: spanish, good value, lively

This place is a real gem. The staff are great - so friendly and helpful - and they do the best steak I have ever tasted! It's always busy so do be prepared to wait around for a bit but if you do have to there are usually a few people on the stairs to chat with and you can grab a glass of vino to get warmed up! All in all I always have a great night here - great food, great service, great atmosphere... interesting europop music!This place is a real gem. The staff are great - so friendly and helpful - and they do the best steak I have ever tasted! It's always busy so do be prepared to wait around for a bit but if you do have to there are usually a few people on the stairs to chat with and you can grab a glass of vino to get warmed up! All in all I always have a great night here - great food, great service, great atmosphere... interesting europop music!

Ruby Blue - Good club ignoring the incompetent management by Peter_James

Peter_James — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:45:46 +0000

Review by Peter_James

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7287 8050

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

Tags: relaxed, cool & smart, cheap

I have been to Ruby Blue (club) a few times over the past few years and have generally enjoyed myself there. Tonight was no exception. Good mix of clientle (i.e. middle-aged and young), very good music with two floors - one for commercial House the other for R&B/Hip-Hop. Drinks prices are fair for a central London club however I was surprised at the Â£15 entrance on a Saturday - could have sworn I've paid Â£10 in the past.

Anyway the reason which prompted me to review tonight... I was left with a sour taste in my mouth.

Don't get me wrong, this is generally a good club. But tonight I paid Â£3.80 for a bottle of beer with a Â£10 note. The bar assistant gave me back Â£1.20. I smiled looking confused at the change in my hand, and she smiled back, "You gave me ten right?" "Yes!" So she went back to the till. But instead of giving me my Â£5 back, she had a word with her supervisor. I had to explain to the supervisor my situation. She seemed sympathetic but then insisted that she could not get money out of the till and I would need to speak to the manager. She offered two cocktails as an alternative but I declined and wanted to speak to the manager.

Enter Peter Keane, one of the managers (I had to almost force his name out of him). He was utterly useless and I can't believe he accused me of lying, "That bar staff has been with us for 2 years". Seriously, what happened to "the Customer is always right"?! Who the hell goes to bars trying to scam Â£5 notes anyway? He completely took me for an idiot and I felt really insulted when he offered two shots as compensation. When I said his supervisor offered me two cocktails he said, "No, that's too expensive". It was not until I asked for his name at the end of a 10 minute argument that I managed to rightfully get my Â£5 back. I know it's only Â£5 but it's the principal. And if this is how Mr Keane treats his customers then he seriously needs some Customer Relationship Management lessons.

A good night, ignoring incompetent management.I have been to Ruby Blue (club) a few times over the past few years and have generally enjoyed myself there. Tonight was no exception. Good mix of clientle (i.e. middle-aged and young), very good music with two floors - one for commercial House the other for R&B/Hip-Hop. Drinks prices are fair for a central London club however I was surprised at the Â£15 entrance on a Saturday - could have sworn I've paid Â£10 in the past.

Anyway the reason which prompted me to review tonight... I was left with a sour taste in my mouth.

Don't get me wrong, this is generally a good club. But tonight I paid Â£3.80 for a bottle of beer with a Â£10 note. The bar assistant gave me back Â£1.20. I smiled looking confused at the change in my hand, and she smiled back, "You gave me ten right?" "Yes!" So she went back to the till. But instead of giving me my Â£5 back, she had a word with her supervisor. I had to explain to the supervisor my situation. She seemed sympathetic but then insisted that she could not get money out of the till and I would need to speak to the manager. She offered two cocktails as an alternative but I declined and wanted to speak to the manager.

Enter Peter Keane, one of the managers (I had to almost force his name out of him). He was utterly useless and I can't believe he accused me of lying, "That bar staff has been with us for 2 years". Seriously, what happened to "the Customer is always right"?! Who the hell goes to bars trying to scam Â£5 notes anyway? He completely took me for an idiot and I felt really insulted when he offered two shots as compensation. When I said his supervisor offered me two cocktails he said, "No, that's too expensive". It was not until I asked for his name at the end of a 10 minute argument that I managed to rightfully get my Â£5 back. I know it's only Â£5 but it's the principal. And if this is how Mr Keane treats his customers then he seriously needs some Customer Relationship Management lessons.

A good night, ignoring incompetent management.

Madame JoJo's - Nice by Rebella

Rebella — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:18:39 +0000

Review by Rebella

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7734 3040

Website: http://www.madamejojos.com

Tags: live music, cool, friendly

Interesting, good to try.Interesting, good to try.

The Escape - Bad Experience by david1london

david1london — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Review by david1london

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7734 2626

Website: http://www.kudosgroup.com

Tags: traditional english

Go to this venue only if you wish to be treated homophobically by the door staff! A regular visitor to this venue for almost 10 years & I was pretty disgusted to be subjected to homophobic behaviour from a member of the door staff. On entry I was asked if I new what this venue was. I was let in & thanked the door man but made the mistake of patting this guy on the shoulder to which he responded "just do not try to f@~#g touch me" When I later made a complaint to the manager the door man fabricated a story accusing me of trying to touch him sexually. The manager behaved defensively & never apologised whilst the security guy just laughed in my face.
Big shame about the situation as I've always rated this venue & have always had a good time there but homophobic door staff & managers who reinforce their behaviour make it no longer a venue I would visit again or recommend.Go to this venue only if you wish to be treated homophobically by the door staff! A regular visitor to this venue for almost 10 years & I was pretty disgusted to be subjected to homophobic behaviour from a member of the door staff. On entry I was asked if I new what this venue was. I was let in & thanked the door man but made the mistake of patting this guy on the shoulder to which he responded "just do not try to f@~#g touch me" When I later made a complaint to the manager the door man fabricated a story accusing me of trying to touch him sexually. The manager behaved defensively & never apologised whilst the security guy just laughed in my face.
Big shame about the situation as I've always rated this venue & have always had a good time there but homophobic door staff & managers who reinforce their behaviour make it no longer a venue I would visit again or recommend.

Abracadabra Restaurant & Bar - HeyJo Nightclub by Rebella

Rebella — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:52:28 +0000

Review by Rebella

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7930 3111

Website: http://www.abracadabra-online.co.uk

Tags: lively, romantic, good value

OMG!! They also have this cool club downstairs. You need to check this out!OMG!! They also have this cool club downstairs. You need to check this out!

St Alban - Brilliant Service, Terrific Food... by Denise

Denise — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:55:15 +0000

Review by Denise

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7499 8558

Website: http://www.stalban.net

Tags: lively, expensive, business

I've been to St Alban a couple of times, both for the pre-theatre menu (although we always end up ordering dessert from the main menu)

The pre-theatre menu is great value for money and the food is lovely.

Special mention must go to the waiting staff who are exceptional, nothing is too much trouble and they go out of their way to make you feel at home - offering you papers to read while you wait for friends to arrive, finding out which show you are going to see so they can make sure you are served in plenty of time.....exceptional.

The decor is modern and interesting without being ott. I'd recommend this to anyone.I've been to St Alban a couple of times, both for the pre-theatre menu (although we always end up ordering dessert from the main menu)

The pre-theatre menu is great value for money and the food is lovely.

Special mention must go to the waiting staff who are exceptional, nothing is too much trouble and they go out of their way to make you feel at home - offering you papers to read while you wait for friends to arrive, finding out which show you are going to see so they can make sure you are served in plenty of time.....exceptional.

The decor is modern and interesting without being ott. I'd recommend this to anyone.