Latest reviews by Fimb's friends

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:52 +0000

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Rating: 0.0

Location: Unit 1, EC1N 7ST, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7404 9665

Website: http://www.tajima-tei.co.uk

Tags: lively, teriyaki, bento, good value, sushi, japanese

If you find yourself on Leather Lane market and have had enough of shopping or if you work around Chancery Lane, this restaurant in a 1960's looking industrial complex is a wonderful surprise.

A friend treated me to lunch there and from the outside, I thought, "Mmmmm this will be interesting", but once inside it looked much more like a cosy & well decorated Japanese restaurant.

The food was fantastic. You can't really say much about miso soup, apart from that "it's miso soup", but the bento boxes came into their own.

I had a chicken teriyaki bento box. There was a wonderfully spicy sweet egg omelette (like the omelette you get on a Californian Roll) and some lightly fried vegetable & prawn tempura in a wafer thin batter, which was yummy.

The teriyaki itself was perfectly cooked and came with a separately bowled portion of rice.

When I'm next in the area, I'll be back like a shot.

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:52 +0000

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Rating: 0.0

Location: Unit 1, EC1N 7ST, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7404 9665

Website: http://www.tajima-tei.co.uk

Tags: lively, teriyaki, bento, good value, sushi, japanese

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:52 +0000

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Rating: 0.0

Location: Unit 1, EC1N 7ST, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7404 9665

Website: http://www.tajima-tei.co.uk

Tags: lively, teriyaki, bento, good value, sushi, japanese

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:52 +0000

Tajima-Tei - review by Mexter

Rating: 0.0

Location: Unit 1, EC1N 7ST, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7404 9665

Website: http://www.tajima-tei.co.uk

Tags: lively, teriyaki, bento, good value, sushi, japanese

Chilango - review by Mexter

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 09:20:15 +0000

Chilango - review by Mexter

Rating: 4.2

Location: 142 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7353 6761

Website: www.chilango.co.uk

Tags: lively, burrito, cheap eat, good value, mexican, lunch

The first thing you notice when going into Chilango is a riot of clean bright primary colours. As one of the other reviewers said, it's like a cross between Subway & small Wagamama's but for be the food was miles better than either of those two.

It's a Burrito restaurant with canteen style tables where you get to choose your own accompaniments to go with the main meat selection. So you have chicken, pork or beef, with a ton of rice as the base, then you can choose between three strengths of salsa sauce (only go got the hot if you can really cope with fiery) and then you can choose refried beans or pinto beans, and sour cream, guacamole, or grated cheese and onions, lettuce and other salad stuff.

This creates some of the largest burritos I've ever tried to get my mouth round. But they're not just big, they're yummy and extremely good value for lunch in the City.

Apparently Chilango is Mexican slang for someone who has moved to the bright lights of Mexico City looking for fun and excitement. If you're in London's City looking for big beautiful burritos look no further than Chilangos.

Inn at Kew Gardens - review by Mexter

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:49:54 +0000

Inn at Kew Gardens - review by Mexter

Rating: 3.5

Location: 292 Sandycombe Road, Kew, TW9 3NG, Richmond Upon Thames, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8940 2220

Website: http://www.theinnatkewgardens.com

Tags: lively, gastro pub, family & home feel, good value

Local pubs tend not to get reviewed as they're your local, so you forget that some people make a trek to come to this pub purely for the food.

Years ago The Kew Gardens Hotel (as it was then called) was a blot on Kew's landscape. The only people who drank there were people who wanted to play snooker and the odd person staying in the hotel who couldn't be bothered to stagger down to The Railway a few 100 yards down the road.

Now it's all changed - a massive refurbishment in 2004 turned it into a large comfortable gastro pub that is friendly and is the place where you can hang out with lots of mates, but you'd also be happy to bring your family for Sunday lunch, dinner or even have a family party there.

When you enter it looks like a traditional pub. Lots of weathered leather sofas, hardy looking bar tables that look like they've been there for a 100 years. There's a blackboard with yummy bar snacks - the house burger rivals GBK burgers not as large but the meat literally melts in your mouth and is served with a delicious tomato relish & rocket (my favourite weed).

They also do large club sandwiches, stacks of house chips - now in crinkle cut stylie, and some very tasty hand cooked pork scratchings with apple sauce.

Moving to the back of the pub though and it turns into a restaurant or more of a gastro-pub. It's much lighter and airier in the back and has more of a family atmosphere. There's also a really cute beer garden - like the huge hanging baskets outside it's what you would expect of a pub so close to Kew's Botanical Gardens.

Everytime, I've eaten here the food's been excellent. The menu changes every week and the ingredients are fresh and prepared (usually) very quickly in a busy kitchen, with the staff ringing bells and saying "chef" all the time. The Sunday Roast is delicious with a light and airy Yorkshire Pudding that is so enormous you'll need to share it. The beef was tender & succulent and the roast beetroot gave it an unusual touch.

There's also a cool mezzanine upper floor with even more leather sofas and a widescreen TV if you feel you have to watch TV.

I prefer to sit downstairs with a glass of wine, a burger and a stack of papers, happy in the knowledge that I live a stone's throw from one of the best pubs in Kew.

Now the pub's landlord Jay has introduced Jazz on Wednesday nights. It's a local band and I'm sure it will turn the Inn at Kew Gardens from a superlative gastro pub to the hottest god damn joint in Kew.

Wahaca - review by Mexter

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:28:34 +0000

Wahaca - review by Mexter

Rating: 3.7

Location: 66 Chandos Place, WC2N 4HG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1883

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

Tags: lunch, canteen, good value, mexican, high ceilings

Very bright and airy comparable to Wagamama's with long tables set out canteen style. Some of the tacos were tiny and would be a good taster, but the burritos were enormous, tasty and very filling. Chili sauce on the table is red hot so take with caution.

Tortilla chip bowls were filled up regularly and my colleague had an interesting cranberry drink called Agua Fresca, flavoured with Mexican flowers apparently.

Fortunately they didn't have fried crickets on the menu as I sampled in Oaxaca (Wahaca being a pun on the real city in Mexico)

Locally sourced food means all the fruit an veg are from New Covent Garden Market, cheese from Lancashire and chillies from Dorset.

Mildreds - review by Mexter

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:26:48 +0000

Mildreds - review by Mexter

Rating: 4.3

Location: 45 Lexington Street, W1F 9AN, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7494 1634

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

Tags: lively, good value, vegetarian

Good place to celeb spot, as I've seen Margherita Taylor, Trigger from Only Fools & Horses and also Gina McKee.

The menu won't be a disappointment whether you're a veggie or not. Stir fry is amazingly filling and fresh. Desserts are not for the faint hearted and worth sharing.

Poetry Cafe - review by Mexter

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:12:59 +0000

Poetry Cafe - review by Mexter

Rating: 3.5

Location: 22 Betterton Street, WC2H 9BX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 4810

Went once with an American blogging friend of mine who bravely did the open mike slot.

Compare had a great rapport with the audience and although there were clearly a number of old faces and regulars there, newbies like myself felt very welcome.

Seems to be bad form to read your poem and then just clear off - a form I heartening agree with.

Will definitely go back

The Cobden Club - review by Reynolds

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 10:08:45 +0000

The Cobden Club - review by Reynolds

Rating: 3.4

Location: 170 Kensal Road, W10 5BN, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8960 4222

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

Excellent food and a nice atmosphere. Considering where the club is; it's a rather upmarket place. (I had to step over used condoms on the way there - not unusual for an East London boy like me).

A bit expensive, and their talk about 'Notting Hillbilly/Trustafarian' makes my teeth itch, but you get what you pay for which is excellent food and an oasis of niceness in a rough part of town.

Georges Fish Bar - review by Reynolds

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:19:24 +0000

Georges Fish Bar - review by Reynolds

Rating: 4.5

Location: 1 Sussex Street, E13 8QF, London, United Kingdom

Tags: quick bite, ambulance, chips, fish, takeaway

The sadly departed George (found dead in the freezer following a fire) made some of the best chips in E13. His wife and family have continued the tradition.

Nicely fluffy chips, tasty savaloys and well cooked fish. This is the favourite of the ambulance service, and not just because it is close to the hospital.

I've never picked up anyone with food poisoning from George's, a rarity in E13...

A family concern that I am more than happy to give my custom to.

5 Star - review by Reynolds

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:11:58 +0000

5 Star - review by Reynolds

Rating: 1.3

Location: 93 High Street, E13 9HH, London, United Kingdom

Tags: quick bite, chips, takeaway

Nice chips, but I tried one of their savaloys. Seriously not nice - I hate to throw away food, but this tasteless, damp sav had half a dozen lumps of gristle in it.

The chips though are nice and fat, and service was with a smile.

So stick with the chips.

The Log Cabin - review by Reynolds

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:50:28 +0000

The Log Cabin - review by Reynolds

Rating: 3.0

Location: Whipps Cross Road, E11 1NP, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 07017 BURGER

Website: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6096159022

Tags: outside, greasy, forest, 24hour, good brew, burger, quick bite

A regular stopping off point for local ambulance crews and lorry drivers, The Log Cabin provides good, tasty and most importantly hot food throughout the night. There is a small parking area and, as it sits on the edge of Epping forest, the view isn't too bad either.

Naming their burgers things like 'Gob Job' and 'Gut Buster' really gives you the taste of the place.

Nearby parking lets you enjoy a good greasy burger while looking at some trees and a lake, while at night you may catch sight of foxes scavenging.

Good filling food at almost all hours of the day or night.

Brick Lane Beigel Bake - review by Reynolds

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:25:55 +0000

Brick Lane Beigel Bake - review by Reynolds

Rating: 4.6

Location: 159 Brick Lane, E1 6SB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7729 0826

Tags: lively, 24hour, beigel, proper food, average brew

Beautiful beigels at all hours of the day. If you are looking for a policeman or ambulance you'll often find one parked outside sneaking a crafty salt beef.

At night you can even take time out to chat to the homeless folks who are attracted to the smell and rapid turnover of slightly drunk (and therefore more generous) customers.

I've driven miles to get a beigel from this place and it's always been worth it.