• Added: 9th of May 2008
• Area: Bloomsbury
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London WC1N 3LZ
020 7405 0713

greedoe said
Shocking
Had probably the worst pub experience for a long while here.

They decided about 15 minutes after we placed our order that the kitchen was backed up. Thus, instead of getting our lunch in a timely manner we got one meal quickly and then waited about 30 minutes for the rest.

The fish was bland, tasted like frozen and was sent back. The burgers were burnt, and nuclear hot in the middle.

Bad, just bad.

• Added: 14th of April 2008
• Area: Wallington
• Category: Restaurants

Wallington SM6 0DE
020 86470940

greedoe said
Lovely experience
According to the sign-age, El Nido is a Spanish restaurant. Maybe it's my ignorance, but I was expecting more dishes that you'd find on a tapas menu.

Having said that, the £14.95 set priced 3 course menu was a delight. My starter of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon was really tasty. The trout with butter and parsley sauce which followed was also very very nice. The chocolate cake that finished off the evening was light and moussy.

We quaffed back a 1/2 bottle of Rioja with the meal, which was really the only Spanish thing we had all night.

The place seems to be family run and had a wonderfully inviting, lively atmosphere.

If you don't enjoy the set menu, your bill could get very expensive very quickly, as the cheapest main course is around £12 alone.

• Added: 4th of April 2008
• Area: Holborn
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London WC1A 2QH
020 7402 9992

greedoe said
That's good grub!
This place comes rather recommended. The grub is traditional Lebanese and the atmosphere is cosy if not a tad cramped.

The mixed grill contained enough different meats from enough different species to be a manly enough feed.

The mixed meze is a nice dish too - you get 5 (small portions) different things off the menu for under £8. Have some falafel, hummus, chicken, rice and potatoes.

Good grub, good value and nicely filling. Can't wait to go back.

• Added: 4th of April 2008
• Area: Aldwych
• Category: Restaurants

London WC2B 6TD
020 7242 7469

greedoe said
Service? What service?
We've been there for drinks before and as far as a place that plies you with odd Belgian beers goes, it ok.

Having trundled there for lunch the other day, well that was a different matter.

Deciding to take them up on the £6.50 lunch special, I was immediately taken by the fact that the only thing that was £6.50 on the lunch menu was what amounted to starters - crab cakes, and the like. The 1/2 roast chicken came with a £1.50 supplementary charge.

Fair enough. And it was really really tasty.

The chips tasted like they were cooked the night before, not sold and then refried that morning. They were so hard they could have been used as weapons.

The service was pretty abysmal as well. The cry from a fellow eater of "salt, please" was unheard by enough people that he had to go to the bar to get it. Similarly, getting the cheque at the end took ages.

I'd recommend the place for a beer in the evening that's off the usual lager / ale track, but as far as lunchtime grub, me and my £10 will continue to go elsewhere.

• Added: 6th of March 2008
• Area: Hammersmith
• Category: Restaurants

London W14 0QL
020 8741 2507

greedoe said
Fantastic Thai!
The pub I can take or leave, but the thai restaurant was a God send when I work down the road. A mixed, spicy #19 and a pint of London Pride made Friday afternoons go so much easier.

I wish I knew what the hell I was eating was named (it was fried noodles) because I haven't found similar anywhere yet... and I wish I could.

Great place, cheap lunch at £5.50, but really busy if you go at the wrong time.

• Added: 6th of March 2008
• Area: West Kensington
• Category: Restaurants

London W14 8SZ
020 7371 6806

greedoe said
Not that impressive for the amount of time I spent
Having worked around the corner, this ended up being our local, and it's not priced as a local. It's quite a pricey gastropub, which could easily make your lunch top out at nearly £15.

If you're there for a quick pint and fancy a snack, better bring them along, because the mixed nuts were invariably a bit stale. Not too bad at £2 a cup, but you ended up feeling a bit sick after too many.

The grub's ok, you get a little bowl with salt and pepper to sprinkle on your meal, and the menu changes daily according to a blackboard.

It's pretty much gastropub by numbers, with a seating area to the side that made it a bit easier to navigate the inside during warm months.

• Added: 6th of March 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Shops

London WC2H 8JR
020 7420 3666

greedoe said
Cool shop!
The comic area in the basement is unrivalled and it's always a pleasure to spend a lunch time checking out the new releases and specials. The main floor has all the action figures and tv/movie tie in stuff including life-like busts etc.

I tend to buy my graphic novels online now due to savings etc, but to find out what's come out I look no further than "the Planet"

• Added: 6th of March 2008
• Area: Bankside
• Category: Food and Drink

London SE1 9AB
020 7645 3562

greedoe said
Great coffee house
I go to the one on Monmouth Street more now because it's closer to work, but this is the first location I went to way back when.

You still get the great, cheap cup of coffee, and here, unlike Monmouth Street, you can sit on the wooden benches around the tables and eat jam and bread for an extra £2.50! Pretty good value, considering.

Great place to take a break from a hectic weekend Borough Market shop as well.

• Added: 22nd of February 2008
• Area: Bankside
• Category: Arts and Culture

London SE1 2YD
020 7403 6933

greedoe said
Great venue with wonderful exhibits
I've been here a couple of times for some wonderful and varied exhibits. First time was for the Peter Saville exhibit, showcasing the work he did for Factory Records and some Japanese design magazine among other things. They had samples of materials he used for his shoots, including the leaf from the True Faith 12" and some of the materials that inspired the early Factory sleeves.

I've also seen a Saul Bass exhibit there, showcasing the man who did most of Hitchcock's opening title sequences among other things.

They also have more off the wall exhibits, like the chair exhibit I saw, as well as an exhibit that was basically the history of video games, complete with then-current consoles available to play on.

They also have a shop where you can buy design related books, as well as merchandise related to current exhibitions. They also have a nice little cafe.

• Added: 22nd of February 2008
• Area: Brixton
• Category: Events and Entertainment

London SW2 1JG
020 7733 2229

greedoe said
Cultural centre of Brixton
The best cinema in London for culturally aware (i.e. non mainstream blockbuster) first run films. Having moved far enough away that it's not local, I am now aware how spoilt for a great film experience I was when I lived nearby.

They've gone through a few pricing changes over the years, obviously trying to keep pace with the market, but they still are a great venue, offer a good value and have an excellent bar/restaurant that's hopping most nights. Only complaint there is its too DAMN SMALL!

Give this place a go if you're tastes run different to Michael Bay and other action films. Also keep an eye out for special events like preview screenings of "Sunshine" with Q&A with Danny Boyle, or their Sunday morning freebie screenings.

It's the cultural centre of Brixton, although that's not too hard to achieve.