• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Battersea
• Category: Nightlife

London SW11 1DJ
0870 787 0707

QueenB said
Firm Fave
This is the first and original Jongleurs, of the now massive chain comedy venue and well known show.

It has the cheesiness of a proper old school comedy club and is set in an old theatre thats in dire need of a re-furb but I think that adds to the fun.

It does what it says on the tin sort of place.

Food is horrific so eat before you go. Its microwaved chicken and chips in a basket type of fare - best avoided at all times.

I've been here many a time and I've always had a laugh, sometimes more at the expense of the comedian flopping hard or the way they handle the hecklers but its very good!

Turns into a disco after the show which can be amusing aslong as you REALLY arent expecting much.

Crowds tend to be big groups, like stag do's or office nights out mixed with a few normal folk.

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Clapham
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London SW4 0JG
020 7720 8265

QueenB said
A proper pub
This place is loved by everyone I take there.

Just round the back of Clapham Common High Street is where you find this hidden jewel - for this reason not many people realise it's there.

It's a friendly, unpretentious, local feeling down to earth pub - which is rare to say for this part of London!

The beers are main selling point drinks wise, it's a serious business and done very well!

A refreshing find - in more ways than one!

Well done!

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Mayfair
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1J 8LW
020 7629 7777

QueenB said
Great spot
This place is an after work gem for me.

It is a little pricey but worth while.
Staff are great, know their stuff and are very easy on the eye - cheeky I know but true!
Good wines on offer, cocktails made well with great selection of spirits.

Tends to be full of suits on a week evening or lunch but is quite swanky and inviting on a weekend also.
Can often spot a famous face or two, as the hotel tends to host a lot of parties and promotional events.
Makes for a perfect meeting spot on a night out in town.

There is a nice buzz about the place without it being too loud of brash.

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Green Park
• Category: Food and Drink

London W1J 0AJ

QueenB said
Va- Va Valerie
Valerie makes a nice litle escape from the mudane starbucks and prets, round this area in London.

With fresh french sandwiches, baguettes, tea's and fresh cream cakes all served in a what is a bright and busy informal tea-room style cafe.

The staff are warm and welcoming, the cakes and sandwiches may have a slightly dated menu and setting but they are always yummy.
I fyou don't like the fillings available they are happy to make what combination you want.
They offer take away service too, which I do for lunch quite often.

The chef at work swears by them and always orders the cakes and breads from here.

So, if you a quick, light bite and you are in central London, head here for a fresh cuppa tea!

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Battersea
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London SW11 4LS
020 7622 2112

QueenB said
Not 'alf bad
My friends who live near by the Wandsworth Road, swear by this establishment.

From loungey Sunday drinks to big time private parties.

I have had the pleasure twice in the past couple of months to attend a birthday party here and a girly drink session.

Both times I've had such a good time. Drinks are quite pricey for the area but well made, nice selection and great staff.
Mixed crowd, gets very busy on a Fri/Sat night.

It is compact and can be a struggle to get around or find people but worth while.

Has it's own small patio garden area, part covered for bit of fresh air or those of you who are naughty and still need that ciggie!

I've not eaten here so cant comment on that front.

But I will def be returning and makes a nice change from the usual hang outs.

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Leicester Square
• Category: Restaurants

London W1D 6LU
020 7437 5088

QueenB said
Let down in Laureate
After going to the theatre across the street, we thought we'd grab some quick food before going on to a party.

Rather than go to our usual dim sum haunts in China town, we thought we'd try Laureate for a change.

From out side, it looked good - bright with a mix of customers and could be fun for people watching from the raised street windows.

To start we were refused a window seat as there was only a 4 seater available and there was only 2 of us.

Staff took a long time to take our order desipite being so many of them working and the place being only half full.When they did, they shouted across us in Chinese at other staff and didn't even look at us.
No nibbles like crackers or beans were offered while we were kept waiting.

We ordered the hot Hor d’Oeuvres to start, at £7.50 a head, which turned out to be very small portions.

Then we just got sizzling king prawns, egg rice and a portion of beef in green pepper and black bean sauce.
The prawns were chewy and very small the beef was ok.

To drink we had a bottle of sparkling water and one chinese beer, between us.

The bill was £49.50 which I think was well over priced and guess we were paying for location rather than quality.
What should of been a nice meal was bland and boring.

The restaurant itself has quite a cold and sterile feel to it. No music was played, just a low mummer of the customers chat and the staff shouting orders.

Sadly I wont be going back and would suggest you keep on walking if you happen to be near by.

• Added: 19th of November 2008
• Area: Wimbledon
• Category: Restaurants

London SW19 5EE
020 8944 1031

QueenB said
Lost
After hearing many good things about this long standing restaurant, I recently went here on a Friday night with my parents, my boyf, my brother and his wife for a birthday celebration.

Oh lord! It was like an old peoples home!
My folks (mid 50's) were still much younger than the vast majority of the guests there.

Extremely busy, very loud, very dark, very cramped and has a decor stuck from the early 80's (much like the other guests).

Can't fault the staff, they were polite, attentive, explained the specials and were helpful without being over bearing - some could do with learning better English but that is the only flaw on that front.


My starter of Crab and papaya consisted of half an over ripe papaya, sliced and served with heavily sauced spoonful of crab meat - it looked so unappetising.

It's meant to be a fish specialist, yet my seafood kebab was cooked to death - the tuna and salmon were rock hard and bone dry, the prawn and the scallop were fine but everything was wrapped in a fatty bacon, with a greasy oil dressing.

My brothers beef dish looked like gruel, but tasted ok-ish.

This was the general theme with everyones meals. The only saving grace was the red snapper dish and the king scallops which were both cooked perfectly.

The sides of vegetables were terrible, over cooked battered chunks of courgettes, oil soaked new potatoes and green beans.

Desserts were very basic. OK selection of wines.

All in all, over priced and vey dated in style and menu.

Sorry but I would leave this place for the blue rinse brigade!

• Added: 22nd of October 2008
• Area: Mayfair
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1B 4BN
020 7287 9192

QueenB said
Ice Delight?
Novelty is the word of the day.

A Thursday night, booked in advance £15 a head and that includes one cocktail each.

You check in and pay at reception, you then queue to get a blue plastic thermal, fur lined hooded poncho dropped over your head, that has mittens sewn on to it like you are 5 and back at primary school, all it needed was my name inside the neck!

You then walk through a little corridor to enter a room which can be only be described as a blue lit walk in freezer!
You have to queue at a small bar made of ice on the other side of the room and pick your menu from an Absolute cocktail menu that is on a mirrored square.

Mine was nicer than my boyfriends -but both drinks were still ok but very small. The 'glasses' are great - they are cubes made of ice with what looks like a small test tube size hole in the middle in which they pour the cocktails - so you feel like you drink a scientific experiment!

There are ice sculptures which you can sit in - I looked like the snow queen from Narnia apparently... there is a couple if benches and a table, the walls are even ice too.

Was definitely a nice and different 45 minutes and good start to the night.

The 2 non-ice bars upstairs and downstairs are well over priced, its £9.50 each for a G&T and a vodka cocktail - neither of which were even mixed well, sadly.

I'd go back, say if it was a pre birthday night out or had friend over from abroad and were doing something touristy and different.

• Added: 22nd of October 2008
• Area: Piccadilly Circus
• Category: Restaurants

London W1B 4BL
020 7478 8910

QueenB said
Below Zero? Below Average
For a change, my boyf and I thought we'd try something a bit different than an average meal for a thursday night, so we went to the Absolute Ice Bar (see my other review)
then down to Below Zero.

The staff are obviously chosen for looks and moodiness as it isn't for customer service skills that shine through.

The restaurant looks good and had nice lighting in the basement and feels modern yet inviting.

We were left for a good while after being seated before even a drink order was taken, even then we had to point out what we wanted as the waitress was paying no attention and didnt know the menu at all.

Once we ordered our food, it took a good whiel for it to arrive and then to find that instead of a parma ham and sun dried pepper salad, I got REINDEER! This took another 10 minutes to explain to 3 different members of staff and my boyfriends starter of glazed quail (which was like syrup) was going cold, he had long finished by the time mine even arrived.

My boyf had rabbit for mains, that was quite tasteless and over cooked.
I had the baby Haddock that was cooked nicely but nothing exciting andnot seasoned enough. We also shared a platter of seasonal veggies inc' greens, aspargus (tasted frozen), baby sweetcorn, carrots, pot of creamed mash pot' and some grilled polenta.

Portions were an OK size. Neither of us finished our meals due to the diappointment of the dishes.

We shared a bottle of Multepuciano D'Abruzzo.

Due to them letting in a big group of people (18 or so) the noise in the small arches of the basement became intolerable as they were drunk and loud "Slone Pony" types on what seemed a works night out. We pssed on dessert and just paid the bill.

Despite reminding our waitress when we asked for the bill that we booked with out TasteLondon card, she still tried charging the full amount, eventually with the reduced bill it came to around £58.

I wont be going back - even with the deal. It's more novelty that quality.

• Added: 22nd of October 2008
• Area: Lambeth
• Category: Restaurants

London SE1 8XX
020 7654 7800

QueenB said
Nearly but not quite
I really quite like this place... shame to read the other views.

Despite having to change the time of our reservation, earlier that day, the restaurant were very accomodating. We had a drink at the bar and then taken to our table, despite being well past our reservation time no fuss was made.
Booked through Toptable we had the deal - 3 courses for £21.50, 5 choices of starters, mains and dessert with a glass of house red or white.

With a well made fresh spiced yet classic tomato soup and smoked and roasted chicken avacado salad for starters and selection of fresh breads, we were off to a simple but good start.

My leg of duck was delicious and cooked perfectly, the lentils it was served with were slightly bland but still palatable. My friend had the Onglet which was melt in the mouth as the waiter had promised, we also had a selection roasted root seasonal vegetables.
Roasted figs and a chocolate and walnut brownie with home made ice cream for desserts.

Service was impeccable, which you'd all agree is a delight in London! Views are superb as the sun set across the water if you time it right.

Even though we were on the 'cheap' menu deal, we were not frowned upon, unlike some places that offer similar deals and the waiter even gave us a drink of our choice from the wine menu, even from the selection they sell by the bottle only - which was a nice touch I thought.

For £21.50 I thought value was great - I'm not I liked the look of the prices of the full menu though, especially as portion size is verging on the small side.

The lighting was good, the noise level was a nice low hum despite it being busy, and for a smart place it didnt have stufy attitude. It would suit more business or group dinners though as its not intimate enough for an intimate date.

All in all, I would go back defintely on a deal like that. The food was good but not outstanding - maybe due to the venue you itself you expect more? I don't know but I give the place 3.5/5!