Latest reviews by cpque1

Spiga

cpque1 — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:53:13 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 84-86 Wardour Street, W1F 0TQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7734 3444

Tags: italian, crowded

Hasta La Pasta!This typical Italian place looks like an average restaurant serving decent fare that capitalises more from its prime location in Picaddilly Circus than a place that serves mind-blowingly good Italian fare. As such, you can tell why I was slightly blown away when my main meal caught me by surprise. The duck and mushroom "eggless" pasta I ordered was indeed mind-blowingly good! I also tried the capricciosa pizza and one of the wines but they were what we expected, decent fare but nothing too spectacular. I can't explain the one-hit wonder (maybe its the flavour frome the duck) but I will certainly count on this dish as a favoured option the next time I tackle the streets of Picaddilly!

Tea Palace

cpque1 — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:32:14 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 177 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7727 2600

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

Tags: good value, british, family & home feel

An alternative tea placeSurprisingly this neat little joint tucked away in the streets of notting hill really lived up to its reputation. The place was deceivingly quiet when we walked in on a weekday for lunch (perhaps because it was near the peaceful zone of surburbia) but people slowly trickled in afterwards. Slightly clinical in approach, but I could only imagine it was intended that way. Tea is their pride and joy hence the ultra preened image to emphasize its place on a pedestal. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food served, given how much attention, talk and menu space is devoted to tea. Lunch was a platter of very clean and crisp flavours (surprisingly rare), perhaps brought out by the clearness in quality of the tea? and the prices were fairly reasonable for lunch. Also expect full stories and histories of tea, and an array of tea flavours you never knew existed, but regardless, tea palace is a delightful find, perfect for weekend brunches with the ladies.

Song Que

cpque1 — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:11:52 +0000

Rating: 4.7

Location: 134 Kingsland Road, E2 8DY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7613 3222

Tags: vietnamese, family & home feel, cheap eat

Good Vietnamese FindAn authenthic value-for-money Vietnamese joint - If you have ever had one of those days where you were pining for a big steaming bowl of vietnamese beef noodles that taste like what it should (most aussies will know what I mean) without having to fork out a ridiculous sum of pounds, this is it! The location ain't so fab, but hey what the hell, its one of those places where you have a quick satisfying lunch and shoot to continue the rest of your day :)

Yauatcha

cpque1 — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:01:36 +0000

Rating: 4.5

Location: 15 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7494 8888

Tags: lively, good value, chinese

Dimsum pockets of delightA treasure find of all the dimsum places in London I have eaten so far! Snazzy exteriors and even more impressive interiors, this place with a weird-sounding name serves up equally matched fine dimsum cuisine. Until Yauatcha, I never knew dimsum could exist in the form of little pockets of delights and oozes from heaven ;) Interesting menu options cater to the more adventurous types that wouldn't mind a spin to the traditional dumpling (with a twist of venison, crab or lobster) but good ole traditional dimsum fare nevertheless also secure a firm place in the menu. I didn't quite get a chance yet to try the beautiful pastry, pretty tarts and maccaroons that line the display counters next to the entrance, but judging by the doses of delight the dimsum brought, I am already blown away by it before I even make my next visit back to sink my teeth into it. Mind you, this place may set you back above the average dimsum joint, but it's well worth the money spent.

Salvador & Amanda

cpque1 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:19:51 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: 8 Great Newport St, WC2H 7JA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 1551

Website: http://www.salvadorandamanda.com/

Tags: relaxed, pop, reasonably priced, good value, spanish, friendly, dance, lively

This place makes an easy option for a good night outWent there for a fren's birthday bash and thought it was an excellent location for the occasion as it encompassed a bit of everything for everyone - which was particularly good if you wanted to do everything under one roof, especially in the occasional crappy london weather. We moved effortlessly from a dinner of tapas to cocktails when guests arrived, to serious partying on the dancefloor and an endless flow of drinks. The food was tasty (apart from the slightly soggy patatas bravas) and the sangria lived up to what was told to me as one of the best ones around london. Food & drink aside, the atmosphere was fun, dimlit and friendly, with the DJ on the dancefloor spinning gd ole hearty pop tracks that everyone knew the lyrics to! All in all, I would declare it a great venue for hosting an all rounder party or just having a gd nite out with friends..

The Eagle

cpque1 — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:38:41 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 159 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3AL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7837 1353

This pub has an authenthic feel to it, and a good atmosphere too. The food was more European than British, but tasty nonetheless. Menu choices were limited, and portions were a tad small, but worth a visit nonetheless for a unique British gastropub experience..

Lahore Kebab House

cpque1 — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:28:20 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 2-4 Umberston Street, E1 1PY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7488 2551

Tags: crowded, middle eastern, good value

Thumbs up apart from...Great food find apart from a slight hitch - The bill came up to 10 pounds more than it actually should have been. We went with a friend who had been there before and was familiar with the prices so she picked it up. So I would say just remember to cast a closer look the next time..No complaints otherwise!