• Added: 13th of November 2008
• Area: Alton
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Alton GU34 5EW
01420 568162

SarahGiles said
Wide range, but no fair trade
I went to Rumours for a mid-afternoon hot chocolate with friends this week, and was surprised to see how busy it was. It seems to be very popular with women for a leisurely lunch or an afternoon tea-and-cake before collecting the children from school.

Service was friendly, the cafe clean and inviting, and the range of teas, coffees and cakes quite impressive. I was sorry to see, however, that none of the items on the menu was advertised as being fair trade. I'm very pro-fair trade, and hot drinks are some of the easiest fair trade items to obtain. This cafe is about a mile from my house so might have become a regular fixture if fair trade food and drink were offered. As it is, I will continue to use Cafe Rafters in Alton instead.

• Added: 5th of November 2008
• Area: Alton
• Category: Restaurants

Alton GU34 1HD
01420 89839

SarahGiles said
Slow, slow, slow
This is our local branch and we've visited a few times, usually when there have been 2 for 1 vouchers in the paper. It seems to get worse each time we visit. Though the food is all right (nothing spectacular, but adequate), the service is dreadful.

Don't come here if you're in a hurry. Service is slow at the best of times (allow up to two hours for a three-course meal, even when it's quiet). Nor should you come here if you're celebrating something special. The attitude of the staff will counteract any joie de vivre you might have felt before you came through the door. On one occasion, a waitress sat us behind a pillar and forgot about us. We waited almost half an hour for our order to be taken. On another visit, we were seated, then moved, then moved again, as staff conferred about reservations. You'd think that might result in the offer of a free drink by way of apology, but no. Customer service standards just aren't that high.

Less than a minute's walk round the corner is the River Kwai Thai restaurant. It's great. For friendly, speedy service, try eating there instead.

• Added: 5th of November 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 6PT
01789 417790

SarahGiles said
Cramped space, rude staff
I've visited plenty of branches of Caffe Nero and this is probably the worst. The drinks were OK: fairly standard, though not as hot as they night have been, but the tables were crammed in even more closely than usual, which didn't make for a relaxing atmosphere.

We visited at about 11.00 on a Saturday morning, and the place was reasonably busy. One member of staff was complaining to customers about how busy it was. I'm not sure she was bright enough to make the link with paying customers and her wages.

Having taken a seat at the back on the ground floor, we were stunned to hear a woman (who we took to be the manager) asking a quiet group of five friends to leave because they had 'been there a while' and she needed their table. They complied, but surely that's what coffee shops are for - sitting and talking with friends? As for needing the table, there were easily another five vacant tables downstairs alone. Hmmm.

Only moments after the persecution of the other group, our mugs were whisked away with a 'come along now, you've finished' attitude. We defiantly stayed and finished reading the paper, just to make a point, but won't be returning.

• Added: 5th of November 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Restaurants

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 7LS
01789 297733

SarahGiles said
Amazing all-you-can-eat buffet
Wow.

Having spent a month eating our way around Thailand earlier this year, we know and love Thai food, and this restaurant didn't disappoint. We started with a very authentic-tasting tom yam gai (spicy chicken soup), swiftly followed by pork ribs and tempura vegetables with satay sauce and chilli dipping sauce. And that was only the starter.

We were there for the Sunday lunchtime all-you-can-eat buffet, which was great. There was a choice of twelve main courses, from two types of pad thai to fish in chilli sauce, massaman curry (our favourite), and a good range of Thai classics. We managed two platefuls.

Afters were pretty good too: a fruit salad, a chocolate pudding that was a bit like a tiramisu with chocolate crunchie pieces on the top, and (the most Thai option) a beautifully presented mango mousse. All delicious.

The restaurant was quiet considering the quality of the restaurant and the bargain all-you-can-eat deal: only three tables were occupied. Baffling. Service was very quick and efficient, with water brought to our table before we could ask for it. The view over the river was a bonus, but frankly our attention was on the food and on trying to sample as many dishes as possible.

Definitely one to try out if you're in the area.

• Added: 27th of October 2008
• Area: London
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London EC4V 4EH

SarahGiles said
Friendly fair trade cafe
Cafe 101 is a quiet, airy place on the bottom floor of The Salvation Army's international headquarters. As such, it has a peaceful muticultural feel to it, and light floods in through large windows on two sides. It's open to the public, but you'll also see Salvation Army staff from around the world taking time out for a brew. It's a great place for a bit of people-watching, or catching the news on a flat-screen TV.

The food is varied, from sandwiches and salads to cooked meals, with a variety of cakes, biscuits and fair trade chocolate bars on offer. The tea, coffee and hot chocolate are all fair trade too. My usual choice, the hot chocolate, is unfailingly excellent.

A friendly, relaxed, inexpensive place to escape from the crowds for lunch or just a cuppa. Very handy for St Paul's or the Tate (it's right at the end of the millennium bridge), and a great place to find fair trade food and drink.

• Added: 27th of October 2008
• Area: Teddington
• Category: Restaurants

Teddington TW11 8QZ

SarahGiles said

Found this restaurant by accident but will certainly be going back: it's amazing. The staff were very friendly and attentive, service was quick and efficient, and we were very impressed with the food.

Italian-owned but with all kinds of fusion-type food on the menu, it offers something for everyone: Mexican, Thai, Italian, and more. It's a great choice if you're going with a group or for a night out with a significant other, especially if you have varied tastes.

For starters, we had garlic mushrooms (me) and nachos (my husband). The portions were on the large side - if you're not that hungry, I'd suggest skipping starters because we were already full before the main courses arrived. (Not that we were complaining. They were both delicious.)

Next, it was a burrito for my husband and a Thai chicken pasta arrangement for me. Mine had a gorgeous chilli and coconut sauce that had a great kick to it.

We were too full for desserts, but two courses and three drinks came to £35. We're already planning another visit.

• Added: 10th of October 2008
• Area: Alton
• Category: Food and Drink

Alton GU34 5HG

SarahGiles said

Very popular Chinese take-away (no eat-in facilities) - at the weekends people are practically queueing out of the door. It's not the best Chinese food I've had in terms of flavour or creativity, and it can be quite oily, but we have been back several times, so they're clearly getting something right.

Favourite meals here are the sweet and sour pork balls, the chicken and cashew nuts, and the spicy beef. The spring rolls are unlike any I've encountered elsewhere - they seem to batter them! They're not to my taste but my husband likes them.

If you're choosing between the village's food options then The Saffron has the edge on China Garden (tastier, friendlier), but when only a Chinese will do, then this ought to hit the spot.

• Added: 10th of October 2008
• Area: Alton
• Category: Restaurants

Alton GU34 5HQ

SarahGiles said

A small, very friendly restaurant, where the service is chatty and the food is delicious. My most recent encounter with them was a takeaway, which was also excellent - a nicely fiery chicken madras. The peshwari naan is also particularly scrumptious.

Top times to go are Wednesday nights and all day on Sunday, when there's an all you can eat buffet arrangement. Usually it's busy, but I've previously been with my husband early on a Sunday lunchtime and had the buffet to ourselves - very dangerous! It meant we could make requests and they appeared - and we ate LOTS.

• Added: 10th of October 2008
• Area: Brecon
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Brecon LD3 8AH
01874 622024

SarahGiles said
Fairtrade and home-made
This place is a great find - somewhere you can sit with the weekend papers and a mug of something delicious and a slice of pone of the amazing cakes and just hide from the world for a bit.

The cafe is also a B&B - there are three rooms upstairs, and having stayed for a couple of nights I can recommend it most highly - friendly, clean, comfortable, and lots of lovely books to read.

The whole place has great eco-credentials - all green cleaning products, there's even Ecover hand soap in the loo. Coffee is fairtrade, ingredients are local and organic, and vegetarians will have planty to choose from.

Prices are not cheap - but the quality is very good. Favourites are the hot chocolate, the elderflower cordial, and all the cakes. :-)

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Marylebone
• Category: Restaurants

London W1U 4AU
020 7935 2333

SarahGiles said

I'm a fan of the Giraffe chain of restaurants, and this one is no exception. It's the first one of the 'herd' I discovered, and I remain dedicated to all the smoothies, though 'Groovy Muesli' is my favourite.

At brunch time, a smoothie and their smoked salmon and scrambled eggs is the way forward, while later on it's worth timing your visit to coincide with 'Giraffe Time' (5-7pm) if you're budget-conscious, so you can use one of the set meal options. Menu recommendations for later include the hummus and the chunky (huge) chips, as well as the noodles. Cocktails at Giraffe are also worth investigating, and again, there are deals available to reduce the impact of these on your bank balance.

Another money-saving tip: if you're going to visit giraffe, sign up on the website (www.giraffe.net) and check for vouchers beforehand.