Latest reviews by mizzallure

The Prince Regent

mizzallure — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:46:03 +0000

Rating: 3.3

Location: 71 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5JN, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7467 3811

A local fit for a PrinceI love this place. Granted, my review could be a bit skewed as it's my neighbourhood pub and a convenient place to meet friends.

BUT- even if none of these variables applied, I would still love it. With it's funky and cozy decor of mismatched, yet somehow appropriate furniture, to the d.j. spinning tunes on a Sunday while you eat your fishcakes, to the well dressed, 30-something, Marylebone gang, this place is always on the agenda.

Additionally, it has an equally cool and cosy room upstairs where you can lounge out on the sofas or hire as a private function room.

The only thing that stops me from giving The Prince Regent five stars is its food. It's nothing special. I advise in sticking to a liquid lunch here.

Busaba Eathai

mizzallure — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:34:59 +0000

Rating: 3.2

Location: 8-13 Bird St, W1U 1BU, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7518 8080

Share food, not tables!If it weren't for my amazing dinner companion, my experience at Marylebone's Busaba Eathai would be rated as above-average, rather than as fabulously fantastic.

Maybe my expectations are high, but you can't blame me for wanting more...(I am referring to the restaurant now.)

I guess I should have never gone to a place where they wanted me to have a dining experience with a table full of strangers. Granted, we did score seats at the windows which allowed for a little privacy, and enabled us to wave at passer-byers.

The food was pretty good as well. Again, nothing to provoke mouth watering responses, but it was, well, pretty good. It also arrived with expediency. On that night, it rivaled McDonalds in its swiftness for providing food. The menu was thorough, yet not large enough to baffle and confuse.

Yes, Busaba was okay. Now, my dining companion on the other hand...but it's not nice to eat and tell.

Costa Dorada

mizzallure — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:49:16 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 47-55 Hanway Street, W1T 1UX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7631 5117

Don't eat...dance!I was surprised to find out that this venue was also a restaurant. I only knew it as a more 'respectable' latin dance venue than the others. Thus, I have nothing to add about the food. But, these boys really know how to make a drink: no shot glasses are used for laborious measuring!

The crowd is friendly and lookin' good, and the music is exactly what you would want on a Friday night after midnight. And, if all goes well, Pepe's is conveniently across the street to continue the party til morning. (Or, so I hear :-)

Primark

mizzallure — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:01:56 +0000

Rating: 3.7

Location: 52-54 Kilburn High St, NW6 4HJ, London, United Kingdom

Website: www.primark.co.uk

Fab-just don't think about the kids in the factoryI went to Primark, old-school style. This means I visited the Kilburn location, which has been around waaaaaaaay before the 'flagship' store on Oxford St.

Due to a guilty conscious from thinking about the poor kids making 10 pence a day in the factories so that we can buy our disposable clothing, I try not shop at Primark much. But hey, I am only human and Primark has some of the best deals around! And, unbelievably,upon checking out, I realized that I had magically saved an additional 12 pounds on merchandise which was already practically free, due to a mysterious 'sale'.

Besides the downside of contributing to exploiting cheap labour in developing countries, Primark is always SOOOO BUSY! Endless queues and being jammed by elbows are the norm of this place. Luckily for me it was Mother's day when I went, and it seems like Primark is not the place where where people splash out for dear ol' mum.

If you go, I recommend to stay away from buying clothing as one pull on a loose thread can leave you naked in moments. (Unless, that is the look you are going for).

Cookies & Cream

mizzallure — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:25:20 +0000

Rating: 3.0

Location: 321 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7328 9262

Quantity or quality, now you must choose...What is not to like about a cafe that serves *massive* pieces of cake? We are talking about slices that are so decadently large, you feel naughty just by looking at them. Well, you knew there had to be a catch. It's not the most delicious tasting cake in the world.

Between my friend's double-chocolate cake that didn't taste chocolaty, the free piece of carrot cake that was given to me (you've got to love middle-eastern hospitality), and my own choice of chocolate cheesecake, mine was the only one which I considered to be worth the three hours I would have to spend in the gym to make up for it.

But, would I go back? Of course I would! Have you seen the size of those pieces??!!

Flirting & Walking Tours of London

mizzallure — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:33:08 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: The National Portrait Gallery,, WC2H 0HE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 07950 694 639

Website: http://www.allureseminars.com/

Flirting and Walking at the same time!It's a jungle out there in the London flirting scene. Join us for a Friday evening survival tour arming yourself and friends before you face the hazards, catching the sights of London while at the same time learning how to catch the eye of potential partners.

An all-new concept in dating, "The Flirting & Walking Tour of London" takes participants on a 90 minute tour of the hitherto unrecognised flirting highlights of Central London's art galleries, bookstores and supermarkets, with practical tuition and theoretical guidance from Cultural Anthropologist and Flirting Expert, Jean Smith.

Maoz Falafel

mizzallure — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:38:31 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 43 Old Compton Street, W1D 6HG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7851 1586

Tags: mediterranean, bargain, rare finds

thank god for Maoz!Where else in central london can you find delicious, 'healthy' food, for amazing value?

After a Sunday afternoon of drinking Champers, the logical place for dinner was Maoz. Falafel that was moist and delicate, humous that was so tasty that I literally had to tell my dining companion to stop saying it or I would strangle her, a fresh salad bar with my personal fav of fried cauliflower, chunky chips, and if that weren;t enough, the Maoz boys are always flirty and entertaining...all for under a fiver.

Villandry

mizzallure — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:30:17 +0000

Rating: 3.7

Location: 170 Great Portland Street, W1W 5QB, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7631 3131

Website: http://www.villandry.com

You have been warned...I was sorely disappointed in Villandry, but not as much as my friend, as he was the one who waited 30 min for his English breakfast, and when it finally arrived, they had gotten his order wrong.

Shall I even mention the fact we had to remind the waitress twice about our coffees (and, as we all know, this is a major component to any brunch, especially those who have enough trouble with daylight hours as it is...)

I guess at this point, even mentioning the fact they forgot our water order as well, is redundant. I hope the wait staff were not completely surprised when I contested the 'service charge'. I am not usually this bitter, I just didn't like Villandry. Food wasn't special, it was way overpriced, and if you have been reading this far, you already know my thoughts about the service.