• Added: 10th of May 2008
• Area: York
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

York YO1 9QR
01904 629393

oogywawa said
Thriving Cafe in a converted 12th Century church
If you're seeking an alternative to the generic homogenised Coffee giants that dominate our High Streets then you can do no better than patronise thriving ventures such as the Spurriergate Centre.

Rather than let the beautiful but damp and moribund city centre church of St Michael be sold to developers for yet another soulless yuppy whim, the C of E decided to try their hand at ethical retailing and well done to them for that.

They sell nothing but Fair Trade beverages and deliver wholesome home-cooked hot snacks and cakes and do it all with a touch of panache. It is part-staffed by volunteers so occassionally the service is not a polished as it could be but it's always welcoming, friendly and "can-do".

The surroundings are wonderfully atmospheric and crisply decorated combining clean lines with 12th Century medieval stone and the result is a totally satifying experience.

• Added: 10th of May 2008
• Area: Towthorpe
• Category: Food and Drink

York YO32 9ST

oogywawa said
Deservedly busy farm shop, deli & restaurant
Symbolic of the renaissance of locally sourced produce is The Farmers Cart. Pure market economics forced The Sykes 6 years ago to diversify from pig farming and dip their toes in the farmers shop niche offering and from what I can gather it has flourished beyond their wildest dreams. From modest beginnings they now offer a huge choice of home grown vegetables that definitely don't look like the products of cosmetic surgery that the big supermarkets demand. There's nothing funnier than observing parents embarrassed at their naughty children's furtive sniggering at carrots that look like an old man's todger!

They then added a first class bakery & deli serving cooked meats, bread, fish, pates, cheeses and vegetarian dishes all made on the premises and a restaurant / cafe followed, offering genuinely tasty rustic food.

The only frustration is that the world and his wife now visits it on a daily basis and some days there is a queue down the driveway just to get there. Well done to The Sykes though as they were one of the first, before the current proliferation of farm shop experiences, to seek out new pastures and give us genuine alternatives to the sanitised supermarket offerings.

• Added: 10th of May 2008
• Area: Kings Cross
• Category: Restaurants

London N1 9NR
020 7841 7331

oogywawa said
A genuine Spanish experience
Truly representative of the tectonic changes that are driving the metamorphosis of London’s Kings Cross is Camino Bar – that is if you can find it! Nicely off the beaten track is probably more generous and that ensures that only those who know it’s there actually visit – and that’s more than enough.

Walking through the alleyway into the Courtyard is the equivalent of a metaphorical shower as you leave the grime behind and enter an aesthetically pleasing, deliciously clean and funky authentic Spanish culinary & cultural experience. The secluded courtyard neatly divides the bar and restaurant and in both authenticity is the name of the game. Knowledgeable bar staff help you out with your choices from excellent Spanish wine to draught Cruzcampo served in iced glasses and artisan chefs deliver true classic Spanish cooking from the parilla (charcoal grill) whether it be red mullet, jamon iberico or steak.
It’s hard to fault this place, with its gregarious atmosphere and exciting vibrant fare and all a stone’s throw from the gateway to the continent that has done much to drive the huge regeneration that is happening to the area.

• Added: 9th of May 2008
• Area: Battersea
• Category: Restaurants

London SW8 3JF
020 7652 6526

oogywawa said
Pure unashamed decandence...
Celebrating how good it is to be alive is probably how I'd sum up this place. A "no frowns allowed" policy seems to permeate all who frequent this louche bar with a definite twinkle in it's eye. I head to Lost Society when I want to forget a bad day and sandblast stress with divine cocktails and a great winelist.

Decadent opulence is the theme of the decor that has "tarted up" this lovely 16C Barn which has five rooms ranging from Oriental to Bohemian with a nod to the lost British empire. The secluded garden for me is the star, especially when the weathers fine and you can hang out with a laid back club music feel as an underscore.

The owners describe their place as "intelligent drinking" and "delectable dining" and whilst that comes over as euphemistic elitist pigeon holing that's probably not far off the mark.

Whatever your reason for visiting and whoever you go with this is a pretty safe bet for a seriously good night.

• Added: 8th of May 2008
• Area: York
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

York YO1 7JH
01904 557216

oogywawa said
Iconic star of the York skyline
This is probably the first place most tourists head for when they visit York. Regardless of their religious views it never ceases to attract them to see the magnificent largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. It took nearly 250 years to build and the culmination of many generations of workers lives is a spectacle to behold.

They receive no government funding at all and have had to rely on donations until they started charging for entrance which was controversial. Personally I don't have a problem with that if we want to preserve this masterpiece for future generations (where else is £30m coming from for the latest restoration project??) and the York residents who complain obviously don't realise that they get in free anyway with ID. Top tip: for the lucky tourist who pitches up after 5pm its free for them for the last hour or two also...!

• Added: 7th of May 2008
• Area: Coxwold
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Coxwold YO61 4BD

oogywawa said
Atmospheric, beguiling Inn amongst 12C ruins
It's film set stuff, a bewitching if austere-looking inn with 800 year foundations overlooking the beautiful Cistercian ruins of Byland Abbey.

You know that feeling, when you just know you couldn't be in a better place at that particular moment...you guessed it - this was one of those. I've had others - such as being in Vieux Port in Marseille on the night England beat Australia in the Rugby World Cup - but this was a different feeling, not of crazy elation but of cozy satisfaction.

I was at a wedding where the real star of the show was actually the reception venue rather than the place of marriage. The location the bride & groom chose was either one of supreme luck or a stroke of genius and I expect the latter.

We had aperitifs and cocktails amongst the ruins whilst minstrels played, before we settled down to a hearty ripaste in the main dining room of the Inn, with its Yorkshire stone and deep maroon soft furnishings giving the perfect backdrop.

It offers something to everyone, well appointed luxurious rooms (with handcarved local furniture) lend themselves to a romantic weekend; a diminutive front bar for the casual rambler passing by and a restaurant for the Gastro-afficianado. A sizeable beer garden caters for families to complete the offering.

The food's good, the bar has a good selection of beer, wine & sprits and the location is divine. Nuff said...!

• Added: 7th of May 2008
• Area: York
• Category: Bars and Pubs

York YO1 7LF

oogywawa said
The ultimate stupidity - a pub without beer...
They've "refurbed" the "Mucky Duck" - they're clever guys these M&B experts. Take an old pub - chuck a load of dark wood and soft furnishings at it, rip out the Sky screens and dim the lights. Pack out the substantial front yard with tables to bring in families and bob's your fathers brother. They'll come in their droves

What do you mean a well stocked bar...? How's that relevant - as long as they come and buy plated meals and soft drinks with their 1000% markup what's the harm !!!!!

These guys are the living exemplification of "The Dunning-Kruger" effect. We see it in every facet of life, most alarmingly in high places, often in the very highest such as Government: people who have little knowledge tending to think they know more than they do - i.e. unconscious incompetents.

Please tell me - when you open a substantially refurbished public house in the centre of the European City of Tourism on a busy Bank Holiday - is there any possible way you can ever justify the tectonic mistake of running out of beer?

The hapless bar steward bleated that they had not ordered enough beer and that was why they had NO CASK BITTER in any of their 6 pumps and both premium lagers were not available either. So I returned 2 days later - the same pointless excuse. Anyone knows that you can supply a pub with a new full cask within 2 hours - The York Brewery is just 2 miles away for goodness sake...!!!!!!

It's so utterly transparently obvious - sheer, unadulterated avarice meant that M&B opened this pub in unnecessary haste and the public can put up with what's available until they get their act together. I'd be surprised if the handpulls are even plumbed in yet as the standard "we've run out" excuse was as readily trotted out by staff as a bunch of suspects getting their stories right.

So I'm having a rant - too right I am. When there are pubs within 100yds doing their level best to get things right and serve the public great food and drink and you have incompetence and cynicism on a scale this grand you can't help wanting to howl at the moon.

Little wonder that M&B have recently lost £274 million and effectively put themselves up for sale...

• Added: 6th of May 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX44 7UR

oogywawa said
A lovable Crazy diverse riot of a place
Apart from "Crazy" there are many epithets that have been used to describe this wonderfully diverse place: "whacky", "outré", "kitsch", "quirky". All of these apply - but not in isolation, such is the eclectic nature of this place.

Firstly the location - in the middle of nowhere of real significance, 10 miles from Oxford. You are given no forewarning of the the assualt on your senses as you enter the pretty and rather anodyne village. So it comes as a shock when entering, it ingests you into a complete "other world". It offers three things - all of which get different marks - the bar is a 4 star talent, the food yo-yo's between 3 and 4 stars (and given there are 5 Michelin stars within 25 miles it needs to work on this) and the hotel is a micron from 5 but probably still 4 stars.

The Bar area is dark wood and glittering chandeliers, all fused with subtle laid back smooth "world" club music pervading the atmosphere. The drinks are served expertly and with an assured attitude, and the staff are human and smiley whilst formally dressed. There are 2 restaurants - English, with a cocophony of leather and not just the seats - studded white leather walls, silver flashes and huge mirrors all vie for attention. The Thai menu is served in a sultry space, hinting at opulence and seduction with gold platter tables and lots of dark, deep silky reds adorning dark wood.

The accomodation is as diverse as you could ever find. Anything from dark and moody to bright and mediterranean and just about anything inbetween - avant-garde, Philippe Stark-esque you name it - you have the choice on the well constructed and easy to navigate website.

No shrinking violet then, this first-born of the now expanding Crazy Bear "Group" with another sibling now open in central London that seems to be attracting positive reviews on this very site...

• Added: 6th of May 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Edinburgh EH2 4JN

oogywawa said
Glitzy Bar, Restaurant & Boutique Hotel
There's certain places that infuse you with vibrancy by almost stealthy osmosis and Tigerlily is one of these. You can't help but get caught up in its sheer presence and electricity. It's a vast open plan space that is filled with soft deep seats and sofas with dining areas that are seperated by chainmail walls. The bar serves a big selection of draught continental lager, beers and a well constructed Cocktail list. Situated on what is now referred to as the "lifestyle hub" that is George St, it is a very sophisticatedly converted Georgeon townhouse.

The emphasis is on smart chic and glamour and that's the clientele you get in here, though probably not in the London sense of being uber exclusive and needing a Platinum Amex but that's a good thing as why keep the good times to the self / accidentally appointed elite...

The hotel is wonderfully bright, modern and the beds are some of the softest I have ever slept in - and I sleep in around 15O hotel beds a year. The rooms have just a bit extra originality as well and are not identikit which actually makes you feel a little more human as well. There's a nice big plasma tv, wi-fi and a fully stocked iPod for those of you that prefer that to a minibar. The Suites have huge four‑poster beds, scenic views, open fires, double sinks, freestanding baths and even waterproof remote controls !!!

The other benefits of staying are that it gets you through virtually every queue there is in the place - including to the lavish Lulu's club in the basement.

The food's good I'm told although I found it all too busy to concentrate on dining and headed down to Leith before heading back for a night of pure decadent enjoyment. Woke up much later than intended the next day though - that damn comfortable bed...

• Added: 5th of May 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Restaurants

Edinburgh EH2 3DN
0131 226 7614

oogywawa said
Classy & the best roof terrace in Edinburgh
They say "location, location, location" and although you'll miss this place several times before finding the unobtrusive entrance, when you get inside you'll get my point.

Take the lift up to the fourth floor from the Castle St entrance and you are transported to the very best views of the Castle and the City from the rooftop restaurant and outside terrace. The interior is smart and classy & the service efficient rather than friendly. There is an extensive Cocktail Menu, rather overpriced but well mixed when they arrive.

There is an extensive grill menu and the food when I went was perfectly competent and well presented rather than exhibiting natural flair, which for that kind of money may have been better spent in Leith at Martin Wishart's or The Kitchen. Make your own mind up is my advice.

Well worth visiting though for the Drinks and the oustanding views.