• Added: 7th of May 2008
• Area: Piccadilly Circus
• Category: Restaurants

London SW1Y 4HX
020 7930 9020

QueenB said
Not your average Ruby...
Although I had a lovely night here, I have mixed view on the Mint Leaf...

My other half made the booking and had to really haggle to get a table at 18:30, the unhelpful receptionist said we could only come at 18:00 and would have a limit of 2 hours only - she eventually relented and gave us a table at 6:30.

We arrived and found the resturant surprisingly tranquil with tea lights and petals on the dark wooden staircase, away from the roaming tourists.
Greeted by a smiling and polite receptionist, we were introduced to our waiter for the evening and shown to our seats. He gave us a brief over view of the menu and drinks, made suggestions as to the way we may like to order and left us in peace.
We then had a number of different staff bring our food and drinks over the vening with him double checking everything was OK.


Over a cocktail each, we ordered 4 small starter plates - Jumbo prawns (2), Soft shell crab (4 pieces), Duck kebabs (6 cocktail suasage sized) and Rabbit Loin (same as duck kebabs) to share and two different curries with rice and bread so we could try a range of dishes each.

I couldnt fault the seafood - the prawns were delicious and the crab was so nice I could of eaten another portion.
I wasn't over keen on the duck or rabbit as both meats had been minced too much you lost the real flavour and texture, then over spiced, sadly.

The curries were lovely, they wisely used the thigh meat in the chicken biriyani as this is known to be juicier and more tender.
The lamb was also very succulent. Plenty of rice for us both to share from the biriyani, the garlic kulcha was mild and delicate flavour.

We had a bottle of red wine also and shared a portion of sorbet at the end.

Including the discount offered by using our Taste London card, it still came to £110!!!

I found it to be over priced but it was very nice and for a good and fresh, modern indian I would go again.
The venue was very stylish and sleek looking, with great drink selection and staff.

My main concern was how loud it was, as there was no sound barrier between the typical City drunkards at the bar and the VERY loud dance music. Luckily we were tucked away in the corner away from the bar, unlike some unfortunate customers who only had them 2 feet away.

• Added: 27th of March 2008
• Area: Clapham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London SW4 6BJ
020 7819 9312

QueenB said
Dead end street - nope I was mistaken...
At the end of Stonhouse Street off of Clapham High Street, you may think you have come to a dead end but keep going and over on the right hand side is a lovely little find in the Stonhouse pub and restaurant.

Last Friday night I arrived after my 2 friends and found them sitting at a table by the window, amongst a throng of people - all about 25 - 40, trendy, friendly, loud but laid back.
We had superb service apart from poor waitress whose bolshy initial attitude is quite fine.
Great selection of wines, and decent menu along the lines of an upmarket gastro pub.

Both myself and my friend opted for the Argentian steak, mine with salad, hers with chips and a side of spinach, my other friend had the Suckling pig with mash.
Dont be fooled though as you could choose something more adventurous like ostrich fillet.

All the food was lovely and cooked well, I wouldn't of called my handful of Frisse a salad, so I felt a bit cheated there...

We finished off with 2 plates of Neals Yard cheeses, crackers and chutney. Run of the mill but good quality as you'd expect of NY products.
Going by portion sizes, i think it's alittle over priced for what it actually is but its good grub none the less.
I'd say this is more a Sunday brunch/late lunch kinda place?
I'm now aware that if you book on top table they have a deal of 2 courses for £12 which would be very reasonable.

If you want to have a quiet drink come here early in the week, dont get mislead by its location as it was heaving until we left at 11, so could prove problematic if you are with an older crowd.

• Added: 20th of March 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Restaurants

London W1F 7BT
020 7287 5267

QueenB said
Bar - great! Food - nooooo
I went here last night with a friend, planned on having a few drinks then eating dinner.

The drinks part was great - the bar downstairs is lovely, very spacious, 50" TV screens on the walls, nice vibe and mixed crowd with a happy hour on drinks from 5 - 7pm.
They have a good selection of drinks and the staff are really good humoured, helpful and so polite.

The food - we booked for the upstairs restaurant - this was non existent, it was a small area with a few tables to the side of the bar in the entrance of the place. It was cold, loud and overly busy.
My friend had the chicken and prawn skewers to start, which were over cooked and tasteless.
I had the houmous,taramasalata with about 5 black olives and pitta bread - very bland and bought in - rather than freshly made.

We then shared the oriental platter - that consisted of a mass of deep fried EVERYTHING.
The tempura was just a thick, heavy crusty batter and ruined the vegetables.
The prawns tasted like chicken nuggets and the spring rolls tasted like they had lemon washing up liquid on them, with a soggy centre. We couldn't eat any of it apart from the wedges and chilli jam.
Luckily I used my tastelondon card, so wasn't toopissed off that we had to pay for such bad food. The waitress couldnt apologise enough, bless her!

Great bar and staff - just avoid the food

• Added: 17th of March 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1D 3DN
020 7734 4004

QueenB said
Punk'd?
After being a regular at this Soho spot a good few years back when it was the trashy Pop, I thought I would see what the new verison, Punk is like.
It features heavily in the gossip columns of events during the week and some fun sounding parties - so, on Friday after a few other bars my boyfriend and I headed along to see what the fuss is all about.

Door staff and promotion staff were lovely and helpful with our guestlist, found that it still has the same entrance that leads you down into the club (lethal if you sky-high heels on)only to find that it looks nearly exactly the same in there - just far more kitsch but just as trashy in a fun way.

The music was very commercial run of the mill housey chart and r'n'b. The bar staff were lovely and remembered our order eactly, despite how busy it got but they do charge 3% surcharge if you pay with ANY cards.

The crowd was very young - I'm talking 16-23, with a very camp and trying hard to be extra cool vibe going on. Like the younger generation in training to move on to the Edge bar just on Soho Square!

We had a laugh and loved the free haribo and sweeties that were bought round on trays. The juggler as a nice touch but I think my Pop/Punk days may be behind me as I came out feeling very old and I'm only 26, haha!

• Added: 17th of March 2008
• Area: Soho
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1D 4DS
020 7287 2051

QueenB said
So(ho) Cool
My boyfriend and I had heard good things after this bar recently opened (60's hot spot called The Establishment)and the fact I like the sister bar over by Carnaby St.

It is decorated nicely, nice selection of wine and cocktails, bar food and platters to share.
The friendly staff who were happy to help with any queries - bouncers included, it didn't have an overly camp vibe yet either despite its location.

The music is very mainstream chart dance style and they have a club/dance floor down stairs from the main bar and seating area.

The seating is actually quite sought after, especially as a lot of people reserve tables then dont turn up for along time after - so staff are happy to let you sit there until they do arrive and then find you an alternative spot (so sweetly too).

The only complaint I have about this bar was the noise - the music was slightly too loud for a bar of its style and
due to the mass amount of after work London ladies in there it sounded like a bird avary - all twitters, squels and squarks of over excitement and chit chat, it was strangely over bearing.

• Added: 17th of March 2008
• Area: Tadworth
• Category: Restaurants

Tadworth KT20 6EQ
01737 351157

QueenB said
Trick or treat?
Saturday night, myself and 2 girlfriends went for what we thought from previous reviews a high quality Italian dinner in the sought after area that is Kingswood.

I can not fault the decor of the resturant, very modern but quite warm at the same time. There was a bar at the entrance of the restaurant, all glass and of a reasonable size for the venue. The lay out of the seating was very odd though and quite difficult to manoeuvre around past guests to the bathrooms at the rear (which were lovely and full of Jo Malone soap and moisturisers - yum).

We ordered a bottle of red and a bottle of white - of which they were out of stock of our choice already (at 8pm).

Both my friends had the Taleggio cheese and wild mushrooms tart with rosemary, red onion and rocket pesto to start - one had a burnt crust and both found that the filling was more like a mushroom soup and just flooded the plate as soon as you sliced into it, sadly not the texture one would expect.

I had Warm creamed salt cod mousse, with garlic and parsley on grilled polenta - that was nice enough if a little bland.

For mains I had Roast monk-fish fillet rolled with spinach, white wine sauce, sun dried tomato flavored mashed potatoes.
This was lovely with large portions and well presented but the fish was a bit tough in parts.

My friends Grilled and sliced rib-eye steak with rucola and cherry tomatoes ordred medium to well done was so cremated - she couldn't eat it.

My other friend had the Grilled chicken paillard marinated with lemon and thyme, with aubergine parmigiana - which was good but run of the mill, the chicken was a little dry too.

Service was slow but very nice and friendly.

We found it over priced for what it was but generally OK, sadly it didnt live up to our expectation so I wont be rushing back but wouldn't rule out a retrun visit if I was in the area.

www.boscoreale.co.uk

• Added: 11th of March 2008
• Area: Old Street
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London EC1V 9LE
020 7613 0234

QueenB said
Errrr... No!
This place is a dump! Simple.

A couple of us stopped in here for drinks after work on Friday, while we decided where we wanted to go that night.
Never again!

First of the they need English speaking staff - simple drink requests took 10 minutes as we had to point out each spirit on the bar behind the girl.
The sofa's were all ripped and tatty. The bar environment was very dingy and dark - just uninviting really.
Music ranged from rock to hardcore ata very loud level.

I didn't get to experience the dancefloor downstairs as this was still shut - what a shame!

The toilets, you have to walk back to the main door, with access direct from the street for anyone passing, go downstairs in a dimly corridor to be met with 3 dirty cubicle areas that smelt like they hadn't been cleaned in years.

I wouldn't even give this place 1 star, sorry!

• Added: 11th of March 2008
• Area: Fulham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London SW6 5UA
020 7385 6940

QueenB said
Elk off
I'm not really a fan of this place.

I'd agree with Bundahsi's review from the few of times I've been in there. It's not bad as a meeting/starting point EARLY in the evening, I guess.
You can't even blame the local Chelsea football fans for spoiling this place as its always like it. It's overly dark, the staff are not very helpful and struggle to crack a smile unless they are hitting on you.

Client wise: You get sleazy, overly wealthy city boys being too loud and heavy handed or gold digging girls trying to bag themselevs a hedge-fund lad or girls with daddies credit card after a hard days of shopping "rah rah rah-ing" in your ear, oblivious to how loud they are.

I don't see why or how this place continues to be so busy generally, the drinks are over priced, it gets too busy and the vibe is non-existent.

Far better places to have fun in, in fulham!

• Added: 11th of March 2008
• Area: Piccadilly Circus
• Category: Restaurants

London W1J 9HN
0845 345 6053

QueenB said
Pig out in the Pigalle
A true delight in the middle of a tourist hell hole that is Piccadilly!

Vince Power and Co' have turned this old adult cinema into a gem of a cabaret club. With stars like Dita Von Tese, Prince, Immodesty Blaize, Van Morrison, Ruby Turner and Shirley Bassy all performering there - you know you can't go wrong.
There is a viewing balcony and bar, or a seated area downstairs with restaurant.

I went on a Monday night for Music box, which is a bit of a jam session with a selection of up and coming talented singers and musicians. Some of the voices were amazing! Very entertaining.

We sat downstairs and had a 3 course meal.
For starters we both had the Carpaccio of English beef fillet, with parmesan shavings, lemon oil and caper berries.
The combination worked very well and was well presented.

For mains I had the Barbary duck breast with creamed potatoes, braised baby onions and herbed mushrooms with a port wine jus.
The duck was cooked to perfection - still a little pink and juicy and the vegetables and jus complimented it, nicely.
My boyfriend had the roasted fillet of cod - which was delicate and light with celeriac, peppers, courgettes in a mussel broth.

For dessert I chose the Chocolate brownie and Whiskey choc' sauce and vanilla parfait - this was lovely and served more on a tray-style plate and was more like 3 different choclates than how it was decribed - very rich and lovely all the same.
My partners peat tart tatin with cinnamon parfait was - he assures me - yummy, as I didnt get a look in for a taster!

With a bottle of decent french red from the Limoge region and service charge, it was under £90 and that included both our show tickets!

The service was lovely and attentive without being too pushy, although they are VERY quick to top up your wine glass - speaking of which, was extremely light and flimsy that one of ours broke at the stem luckily no one was hurt - apart from my top with the red wine!

Although the meals were cooked well and thoroughly enjoyed, the portions were on the small size and the menu selection is limited to 3 per course.

I will definitely be back to The Pigalle!

• Added: 15th of February 2008
• Area: Old Street
• Category: Restaurants

London EC1V 9LE
020 7749 0990

QueenB said
Healthy(ish) fast food
I've heard mixed reviews about Shish but I for one like it.
Last night my boyfriend and I, straight from work needed to eat before heading over the road to a night in Cargo.

Shish worked perfectly for us.
Friendly, attentive and quick to respond staff - you cant ask for more on that front.

There was a mixed crowd from after work groups, to Valentine diners, students and families. You can sit at a bar stool and watch the chefs at work while you eat or you can eat at a table - choice is yours. It has an informality of fast food chain without the 'mucky' feel.
It was clean, bright and welcoming.

Although they claim to be authentic, I think this is as feasibly close as they could get it in a restaurant of such a quick turn over and size.

We shared houmus drizzled with lemon juice and paprika with 2 warm fresh pittas, then a potion of the duck rolls and vegetable samosas which were sadly quite small and a bit bland.

For mains my partner had the Afghan Chicken wrap -
Chicken marinaded in yoghurt, garlic, lemon and spices. Wrapped in a pitta with courgette tzatziki and fresh salad leaves and a bowl of pickled veg (white cabbage and carrots).
I had the Teryaki Salmon kebab on a bed of white and brown rice with mixed pumpkin, sesame seeds and caramelised onions which I really enjoyed, it was filling without being heavy or greasy. The salmon was melt in the mouth and perfectly seasoned as to not over power the natural flavours.

I liked the choice of being able to select what your main is served with (rice, cous cous, chips or salad).

Although, we weren't drinking alcohol ourselves they had an alright mix of beers and wines available.

So with a couple of soft drinks and service, we paid about £35 and left feeling happily satisfied. Made a nice change from the normal quick offerings round town!

If I lived locally I would definitely use the take away service on offer also.