Latest favourites and wishlist by topgooner

Las Iguanas - review by stoduk

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:38:31 +0000

Las Iguanas - review by stoduk

Rating: 4.0

Location: Unit 14 Festival Walk, SE1 8XT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7620 1328

Tags: brazilian, good value, crowded, lively

Las Iguanas is a small chain of Mexican restaurants (well, actually Brazilian I think, but seems to be suitably similar) - this example being on the South Bank within easy walking distance of Waterloo or Embankment stations.

This site has a great atmosphere for drinking - especially in the Summer where you can sit outside and watch the throngs on city drinkers enjoying the sun. As well as the obvious beers and wines, they do some excellent cocktails - and quite often have good prices on these (2 for 1 Happy hours, deals on jugs, etc.).

However - the food it what I really come to this place for, being a big lover of Mexican food. They have all the usual Mexican staples (Buritto, Taco, Chimichanga, etc.) all done very well - but also have some less traditional Mexican foods that are worth trying. In particular, they do a very good fillet steak if you are in a meat eating mood, or they do an excellent tuna steak with some spicy salsa.

I don't live in London, but come in to visit this place regularly - which is a sign of how good the food (and prices) are! If you like mexican I can also recommend Wahaca restaurant - which is quite a different style, and harder to get in to, but also serves some excellent food.

AlFresco - review by V1971

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:44:40 +0000

AlFresco - review by V1971

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1327 High Road, N20 9HR, London, United Kingdom

Tags: italian, good value, lively

If you are looking for a cheap but delicious and authentic Italian restaurant, then Al Fresco is for you.With its lively atmosphere and genuine Italian food, it will not disappoint you. I am Italian myself and am very critical of Italian restaurants in London, but I have finally found a great restaurant that cooks authentic Italian food without breaking the bank. It's always very busy so you'd better book a table especially at weekends. It's family friendly too and has a lovely garden. My favourite table is at the back of the restaurant in the conservatory. It's fairy easy to park on the High Road or side roads, it's a winner for me every time.

Little Bay - review by vexille

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:27:39 +0000

Little Bay - review by vexille

Rating: 4.0

Location: 228 Belsize Road, NW6 4BT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7372 4699

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value

Good food, great price.

If you're on a budget then this would most definitely be my first choice. A plentiful menu with an array of veggie / non-veggie dishes, a decent selection of deserts and drink.

Decor and ambience aren't something to write home about, but this isn't one of those places. It's tidy and quaint enough to melt the heart of anyone you want to take and has a really homey feel.

Service is top notch and I've never had a bad meal there. If only there were more of them around town!

Recommended before a night of dancing and excess! :)

Sea Pebbles - review by BarryinPinner

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 07:34:12 +0000

Sea Pebbles - review by BarryinPinner

Rating: 3.7

Location: 348-352 Uxbridge Road,, HA5 4HR, Pinner, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8428 0203

This restaurant used to be very nice when it first opened in Hatch End but unfortunately the owners and their son seem to have become extremely ostentatious with their obvious success in the "fish and chip" business putting up the prices quite often to suit themselves. The staff that work there are without a doubt the most unfriendliest people that I've ever encountered and put you off from going back there.

Exmouth Market - review by tanzanitelilac

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:11:42 +0000

Exmouth Market - review by tanzanitelilac

Rating: 4.4

Location: Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE, London, United Kingdom

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

Although there is not the range of stalls during the week, if you are in the area at lunchtime then there is plenty of food to choose from.

There is a glorious Thai van offering a selection of dishes with sweet chilli sauce and a smile, who are there every day, on Thursdays and Fridays you have Gujarat Rasoi, a delightful family run Indian stall offering a choice of vegetarian meals and the acclaimed Moro who make their food affordable and moreish with choices of Moroccan spiced lamb on flatbread or Paella for a bargainous Â£5. T

here is the Ghanaian stall offering fragrant food that you can smell a mile off or Brindisa with its sausages, the crepe van and a healthy stall offering a variety of salads. I could go on but there is truly something for everyone here.

Little Bay - review by Saz23

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:54:42 +0000

Little Bay - review by Saz23

Rating: 4.0

Location: 228 Belsize Road, NW6 4BT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7372 4699

Tags: romantic, good value

Little Bay is such a great find! The food is delicious and extremely reasonably priced, the atmosphere is great and the service is good. I've had many meals here and even celebrated one birthday at the Little Bay. Highly recommend it!

Sea Pebbles - review by Angella

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:46:19 +0000

Sea Pebbles - review by Angella

Rating: 3.7

Location: 348-352 Uxbridge Road,, HA5 4HR, Pinner, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8428 0203

Tags: crowded, british, seafood, family & home feel

Eat in or take away. Lovely large chips. When I eat chips in a fast food outlet or supermarket cafeteiria I always think I wish I were in Sea Pebbles now. The usual favourites are on the menu, plaice and cod, which have gone up in price due to the increased cost at source. Look at the board of daily specials.

They do have salad. Ask what's in it and check for mayonnaise or additives which break your diet. (Diet? What diet? Well, if you are going for chips you have to exercise some control elsewhere.)

Decor
Restaurant walls inventively covered with paintings.
A couple of tables outside on the pavement in good weather. As you see from my pciture, the outdoor seating is fenced in which helps keep their furniture and your jacket and handbag more safely protected.

Dining in
Fish can be battered, cooked in matzo meal or for a more healthy meal, grilled.

Friendliness and Service
Family run. Friendly owner mostly on the take away counter knows everybody and chats away and asks after your family. Any query with other staff can be referred to owner and wife.

Prices
Restaurant did not take credit cards. Prices have gone up so make sure you have enough cash or ask if they take cheques in which case you may need to have your cheque guaratee card.

If budgeting or looking for a bargain, go for take away. You could order the standard size portion, not large, of chips, which is generous enough for two or more. Opt for the cod roe. Or the fish cake.

Popularlity
Both the take away and the restaurant are very busy at peak periods so go early or be prepared to queue.

A couple of chairs have thoughtfully been provided if you wait for take away food to be cooked to order. Walls show photos of local personalities who visited.

Who Would Not Like It?
Not grand nor romantic. Closes early so if you arrive late and linger over coffee they will be sweeping up and locking up around you.

Who Would Like It?
Attracts families. People who don't like credit cards and prefer cash. Anybody who loves potato and fish and chips. And baked beans.

(Just in case any Americans are reading, we have different meanings for chips and crisps.)

Biagi's - review by topgooner

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:07:29 +0000

Biagi's - review by topgooner

Rating: 4.0

Location: 39 Upper Berkeley Street, W1H 5QH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7723 0394

Tags: italian, business, good value, lively

Top Class Italian. Been around for along time with a top reputation. Everything they do is classy.

Andy's Taverna - review by Sami

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:28:17 +0000

Andy's Taverna - review by Sami

Rating: 3.0

Location: 81a Bayham Street, NW1 0AG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 0207 485 9718

Website: http://andystaverna.com/

Tags: camden, greek, family & home feel, cheap eat

Convenient for the Jazz Cafe and good to know about, considering the dearth of good, cheap restaurants in the Camden Town area, Andy's is cozy and the food is very good, albeit not the very best Greek meal I've ever had.

The staff absolutely dote on you, a rarity for cheaper places in London. Our meal was unbelievably cheap - 35 pounds for two, including a bottle of retsina (traditional pine resin flavoured white wine) - and we left the restaurant bowling over our stomachs, we were so satiated.

My boyfriend loved the meal, but I felt that I was a bit pickier and thought that while our mixed platter to share (hummus, tarama, tzatziki, sausage, lamb chops, meatballs and shish) was very good, the hummus could have been a bit better, the meatballs were... questionable, and the french fries (chips for the Brits ;P)were slightly undercooked.

However, these are just minor complaints, and while the fare is by no means fancy, you leave feeling as if you just had dinner in a family's home and very happy indeed.

Sea Pebbles - review by topgooner

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:06:49 +0000

Sea Pebbles - review by topgooner

Rating: 3.7

Location: 348-352 Uxbridge Road,, HA5 4HR, Pinner, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8428 0203

Tags: Noisy, Queues for tables and Take Away, Always busy, british, family & home feel, cheap eat, crowded

The best Fish and Chips in NW London

Las Iguanas - review by topgooner

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:53:41 +0000

Las Iguanas - review by topgooner

Rating: 4.0

Location: Unit 14 Festival Walk, SE1 8XT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7620 1328

Tags: brazilian, good value, crowded, friendly, lively

Very crowded when there is a show on .Good food. Great service. Killer Caiperinos ,Happy hour . open late.

Las Iguanas - review by Samantha

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:27:44 +0000

Las Iguanas - review by Samantha

Rating: 4.0

Location: Unit 14 Festival Walk, SE1 8XT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7620 1328

Tags: cool, Latino, cocktails, trendy

On the South Bank next to the National Theatre, this Latin hangout is fabulous for cocktails (made even more fabulous with happy hour 2for1!) With a relaxed seating area inside and plenty of space out, it is buzzing with after work drinkers in the summer.

The homemade salsa and tortilla chips are scrummy, followed by classic fajitas or perhaps an interesting twist on paella... plenty to make your mouth water and it tastes pretty good too!

AlFresco - review by topgooner

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:46:46 +0000

AlFresco - review by topgooner

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1327 High Road, N20 9HR, London, United Kingdom

Noisy crowded ,great italian food , good for groups

Mona Lisa Cafe - review by topgooner

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:44:20 +0000

Mona Lisa Cafe - review by topgooner

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1180 High Road, N20 0LH, London, United Kingdom

Tags: lively, Tables small but comfortable.Service excellent., proper food, good brew, crowded, quick bite

Do a varied Menu ,from breakfast onward.Great specials every day of Fish ,meat, pasta etc

Andy's Taverna - review by topgooner

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:53:35 +0000

Andy's Taverna - review by topgooner

Rating: 3.0

Location: 81a Bayham Street, NW1 0AG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 0207 485 9718

Website: http://andystaverna.com/

Tags: good value, greek, family & home feel

Always to a high standard ,good service and good food .prices very reasonable.