Latest reviews by inkognitoh

Ta Krai

inkognitoh — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:54:25 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: 100 North End Road, W14 9EX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7386 5375

Tags: lively, generous, spicy, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, thai, friendly staff

Thai Die For TakeawayFlavoursome, well cooked, well priced Thai food can be eaten in the modest restaurant or taken away to tantalise your taste buds at leisure.

This is a regular stop of mine on the takeaway trail and I have never been disappointed with the food or the service. Combinging traditional spicy flavours at take no prisoner levels although they do accommodate the Western palate upon request.

My favourites would be the perennial fave green chicken curry and the spicy (and I do mean spicy) beef salad. The fish cakes are awesome too and isn't that the best way to judge a Thai restaurant?

The Fuel Bar

inkognitoh — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:46:14 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: 21 The Market, WC2E 8RD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7836 2137

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

Tags: american, funky decor, slow service, young professionals, young and fun, cheap eat, good value, friendly, lively, italian, cool

Great Pizza but the Service Needs Re-FuellingCheap and cheerful pizza restaurant come bar in the middle of Covent Garden Market. The venue itself is quite funky and makes an effort to provide good food and drink. The drink is extra affordable at Happy Hour when they run a cocktail special and keep your eye out for food deals where they combine a couple of courses for a tenner eg.

What lets this place down (a long way) is the seriously bad service. Forgetful waitresses who might acknowledge your table if you're lucky strive to ignore you for most of your meal. If you have a lot of time to kill and the patience of a saint then it's worth checking out but if you are in a rush and/or prefer slicker service then head to the next pit stop.

Sofra

inkognitoh — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:32:02 +0000

Rating: 4.5

Location: 36 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 3773

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

Tags: lively, chain restaurant, buzzy, family & home feel, good value, busy, friendly staff, turkish

Turkish Chain Restaurant With Family Feel.Perfectly located in the heart of Covent Garden, Sofra serves perfect Mezzes platters and Shish meal deals to tempt the wallet and the pallet. Finish off any meal here with some rose water and pistachio ice cream and your meal transports you right out of London.

The staff are agreeable, friendly and more helpful. The restaurant is usually very busy so booking ahead is advised, though they seem to always try and accommodate walk ins.

Fuzzy's Grub

inkognitoh — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:02:10 +0000

Rating: 4.2

Location: 62 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1JU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7583 6060

Website: http://www.fuzzysgrub.com/

Tags: lively, good crackling, large portions, proper food, crowded, cafe, lunch, friendly staff, family run

It's a Roast Meal on a Bap!Former city financier with antipodean origins saw a niche in the market and made city lunches more exciting and special.

The premise is simple:

1. Choose bap, bread, salad or roast meal.

2. Choose your meat.

3. Choose your trimmings (and they have ALL the trimmings).

Extremely generous portions and a pricetag that screams 'good value'.

Tesco

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:36:42 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: 100A West Cromwell Road, W14 8PB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7853 7100

Website: http://www.tesco.com

Tags: mediterranean, wheat free, gluten free, kosher, carribean, bargain, supermarket, delicatessen

Tesco Kensington Has Everything For a central London supermarket, this store is gigantic. It carries all basic fruit and veg and some seasonal oddities. It has a deli section, and a fish monger. It does a line of cooked foods (mostly chicken) and it carries rare lines like kosher and Carribean foods, not to mention the gluten and wheat free lines.

Lately it has developed a whole food range in direct competition with the Wholefoods supermarket down the road and it has also got a limited range of pet stuff, camping/picnic equipment.

There is a cafe upstairs which also sells books , dvds and games. Plus a holistic/health food unit which sells all manner of vitamins and potions.

Walking distance from Earls Court and West Kensington tube stations.

Maze

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:24:24 +0000

Rating: 4.5

Location: 10-13 Grosvenor Square, W1K 6US, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7107 0000

Website: http://gordonramsay.com/maze/

Tags: lively, international, good value, atmosphere, wine, pretentious, delicious, friendly staff, tasty, expensive, french

A-Maze-ing Menu and Wine SelectionsWhat a wonderful concpet and delicious dining experience. I love the creative flavours and textures on the sample menu and (although it bumps the bill up considerably) having the sommelier choose wines to accompany each course just jets the whole thing out of the stratosphere. I am not a huge lover of wine and found myself writhing in gastronimic delight at some of the combinations.

The menu is a sort of french/fusion with small taster portions being served in succession. For someone who rather likes her food, I was nervous about being satiated after a series of small portions and can assure one and all I was fed full to bursting :)

For the full Maze experience (and die hard foodies), I reccommend booking the Chef's table or private dining room; both of which make you feel as though you are sitting right in the heart of the kitchen action.

If you are looking for an interesting night out with a group of friends who love good food, great wine and a relaxed but funky atmosphere you need to make a booking right now!

Cocoon

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:17:01 +0000

Rating: 3.8

Location: 65 Regent Street, W1B 4EA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7494 7600

Website: http://www.cocoon-restaurants.com

Tags: cozy, ambient, cocktails, pretentious, japanese, expensive, trendy, restaurant

Award Winning Cocktails, Interestingly Stylish DeocrFrom the incense filled, sweet and spicy smelling foyer to the pre-dinner cocktail bar, this restaurant is a really pleasnt dining experience.

It is on the pricey side but well worth making the stretch for a special occassion. They go out of their way to keep large groups separated from intimate couples so that both maintain the ambience they are seeking and the food is simply wonderful. The menu was fresh, well planned and delicious.

The Cuban

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:18:18 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: Unit 23 The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 8AH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7424 0692

Tags: cool, high celings, indie, live, african & caribbean, young and fun, rock, good value, loud, spacious, friendly staff, trendy, friendly, lively

Havana Good Time In CamdenAbsolutely wonderful and generous tapas portions although I can't tell you what the mains are like because when I visited they were renevating and only serving tapas.

The atmosphere is about ten steps above 'lively' and would wander into 'rowdy' territory as the restaurant/bar hosts a sort of open mike night for bands of all descriptions. If you are after a quiet night of gazing into your loved ones eyes over a mohito, this is not the place for you.

If you like something different and enjoy up and coming live bands and don't mind noise and chaos while you dine then definitely check it out.

Giraffe

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:09:11 +0000

Rating: 3.4

Location: The South Bank Centre, SE1 8XX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7928 2004

Website: http://www.giraffe.net

Tags: cozy, world, international, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, vibrant, fresh, fusion, crowded, healthy, lively

Funky, Fusion, Fast and Fabulous Food. God bless the new Southbank redevelopment and the introduction of restaurants and cafe's. Giraffe is actually a chain of restaurants but I've only been to the one at Southbank Centre (a lot) so can't comment on the rest.Though I imagine the same good vibe flows through them all.

The food is cafe style fusion with lots of South East Asian influences although there are loads of good solid grill options like burgers and fish. All the ingredients are healthy and fresh and the dishes are cooked to order.

The service can be a bit iffy but this is possibly because the restaurant is always busy. I make it a policy to always book in advance if attending a play/gig as otherwise there is often a queue for a table.

I notice another review mentions a celebrity sighting in her local Giraffe and I would like to add my own 'Simon Amstell was here' at the Southbank. Not as glamorous as a Hollywood screen goddess but still...

Bankside SE1

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:57:32 +0000

Rating: 1.0

Location: 32 Southwark Bridge Road, Blackfriars, SE1 9EU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7633 0011

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

Tags: expensive, grim, dry chicken, fried food, bunker, no atmosphere, basement, overpriced, british, business, dark

It's a Bunker! It's a Bar! No, It's Also a Restaurant... Allegedly.I was lured to this venue by a cheap deal on another website and I found it cold, empty a dim echo chamber. No windows and weird accoustics meant that I could hear what the only other couple in the restaurant was saying over the top of the very large and very rowdy American tour group that were dining pre-Globe theatre experience. I would say this restaurant does a lot of this sort of package deal so be warned if sharing space with 50 American school kids is not your ideal night out.

The food was overpriced, poorly cooked - deep fried potato wedges? I mean come on - and lacking in imagination. A cold, dry, souless bit of grilled chicken draped over a limp bit of lettuce and wedged inbetween bits of untoasted focaccia does not 'a burger' make.

I would reccommend you fossick through the bins outside the Tate Modern for scraps before even thinking of giving this venue your money.

Fire & Stone

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:49:58 +0000

Rating: 3.2

Location: 31/32 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7JS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7257 8613

Website: http://www.fireandstone.com

Tags: italian, international, cheap eat, pizza, good value, spacious, high ceilings, comfy, friendly staff, restaurant, lively

Wood-fired Pizza YAY!Reliably delicious pizza of all kinds to suit all comers. Decent vegetarian options and excellent non-pizza starters. The staff here are always friendly and welcoming and the ambient and spacious room makes your modest pizza meal feel that much more special.

If I had to make a complaint about this restaurant, it would be that the toilets are poorly designed and difficult to find your way back from but otherwise all is good.

Really centrally located and perfect for a pre-theatre or post-shopping meal with friends.

Mango Tree

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:35:38 +0000

Rating: 3.5

Location: 46 Grosvenor Pl, SW1X 7EQ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7823 1888

Tags: restaurant, expensive drinks, pretentious, thai, high ceilings, expensive, trendy

Tasty Thai But Prepare to Pay £££ For DrinksThe food is really tasty and glamorously prestented but lacking the kick and zing of traditional Thai recipes. The decore is a tad spartan and noise levels make intimate conversation impossible but the vibe is good if you are looking for something slightly poseurish and upbeat.

The drink prices though? Man alive, I'd rather die of thirst :)

Bistro 1

inkognitoh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:25:49 +0000

Rating: 3.6

Location: 75 Beak Street, W1F 9SS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 1840

Tags: cheap, generous, greek, cheap eat, middle eastern, mediterranean, crowded, central, friendly staff

Small Price. Large Portion. Great Service. I feel like I'm letting the world in on the best kept secret in London by exposing this wonderful but petite bistro - it is really tiny. Offering a range of absolutely delicious and filling Middle Eastern/Mediterranean style food (Lamb Shish, Mousakka, Grilled Salmon) at insanely low prices and accompanied by generous sides of rice or chips and salad, this restaurant is the business. Especially when you realise where it's located. How many times have you been trapped in the tourist central Soho area and had to settle for sub-standard overpriced mush. Not anymore hey?

At £9.90 for three filling courses, this is a winner.