• Added: 11th of October 2007
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Restaurants

London WC2N 4HG
020 7240 1883

sazzle said
The Wagamama of Mexicans?
This is a brand new place on Chandos Place, just off the strand. Made a perfect lunch venue with friends, but I am sure it is fun in the evenings too. The space is bright and funky, as soon as we got there we were treated to exceptional service and were sitting munching 'mole before we knew it.
Only when the chirpy waiter came over to introduce the 'dining concept' did the bell start clanging in my head. Stairs leading down to a large open space, simplistic decor, paper place-mats for menus ('ouch!'say the eco-warriors) listing a delightful mix of exotic... street food. Well, if the concept worked at Wagamama for Japanese food, there should be no reason it shouldn't work here for Mexican. I'm sure punters who've actually been to Mexico (and even Japan in Wagamama's case) aren't that impressed by paying 3 times the price that you'd pay at the street stalls there. But then, this is London, and it's still cheap compared to a lot of places.
The food was authentic and tasty. There was a decent choice with a range of sizes, from tapas to delicious salads and platos fuertes. It was all made fresh and came very quickly. I also recommend the Hisbiscus flavour drink to wash it down with, though I am sure Corona works well too.
Our service continued to be great, although one hint to the many lovely-looking waiters is that lots of gabbling ladies on a tight time limit probably don't want to be interrupted every 5 minutes. Then again, maybe some do. I'd go back, especially if I wanted a good value meal and a treat for my eyes at the same time!

• Added: 11th of October 2007
• Area: Mayfair
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W1J 9HA
020 7851 2433

sazzle said
The Amazing Adventures of the Peach Bellini
Adventures of the Peach Bellini Part 1

Have you tried it? Me neither. I didn’t order one actually, but the waiter decided to bring one over anyway. We told him that was the wrong order but he gave us an impatient look and set it down on the table. It looked up at us with pitiful peachy eyes, but we didn’t take a sip. The waiter eventually took it away and brought the right order. We’d only been there about 20 minutes…

Adventures of the Peach Bellini Part 2

Second round of cocktails ordered (there are 5 thirsty girls in our group by now) and guess who turns up on the tray? Our friend, the blushing pink Bellini. Nope, we didn’t order it this time either. But the waiter told us we did. Obviously we were wrong and he was right. Three cocktails were missing or incorrect this time round, but it only took a further 10 minutes for the ones we had actually chosen to arrive, and for the sad deflated Ballerini to give her last twirl and leave the table. Bye Bye Bellini, and come back when somebody actually orders you.

The patatas fritas that arrived after the second time of asking were actually very tasty, and the (correct!) drinks were delicious, but at the end of our evening the bill needed amending three times. Guess who had turned up on it? That cheeky little Peach B. Twice.

Ok, deep breath, release the anger… If I do go to 5th View again, it will be on a quiet afternoon when I want some perspective of the city. I’ll sink into one of the window seats with my head buried in a book borrowed from the shelves, looking up occasionally to take in the view and sip from my large cup of coffee. That sounds nice doesn’t it? Once I’m over last night’s visit I might make another attempt.

• Added: 10th of October 2007
• Area: Shoreditch
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London E1 6QL
020 7247 3479

sazzle said
Boom-chucka-viiiibe!
I was at a gallery space in the Old Truman Brewery last night and after taking in all that I could of the up and coming artists (impressive and a bit confusing), a couple of us made our way to Vibe for a drink. The atmosphere was strangely quiet when we stepped in, but I soon realised that was because there was a young bloke on stage about to launch into an audience participation beat boxing activity. It is pretty unnerving to be asked to impersonate a snare before you've even got your first drink.
Once settled on some comfy seats, we listened to about an hour of AMAZING human beat-boxing by 3 different artists - one of them a girl with a crazily good voice. Again, a bit confusing but very impressive. There was a brilliant vibe in the place, laid back but funky. I don't know how the night progressed because we left when the entertainers did at about 10pm but I will definitely be going back.

• Added: 8th of October 2007
• Area: Tufnell Park
• Category: Restaurants

London NW5 2HR
020 7482 4855

sazzle said
Where's the sting?
I have no idea why this cute little Italian on Fortess Road bears this name. There's no Thunderbirds paraphenelia, no aquariums and I didn't catch a glimpse of any ex-Neighbours characters either (showing my age there). The irony is that there is no sting at the end of a meal here. It's one of the most reasonably priced places I have found in London and is consistently good. I had a starter of beef carpaccio salad with a pesto dressing, a main of rigatoni with a smoked chicken, mushroom and cream sauce and dessert of sorbet. Oh, and a glass of champagne that they throw in there for good measure. Guess how much? go on... Yeah, that's right, I blew a whole 12 english pounds.
Because of this great menu deal (available at all times), plus the good quality menu of pizzas and pastas, the place is always nicely full and makes a really good venue for a dinner with friends. I wish I still lived as close as I used to!

• Added: 3rd of October 2007
• Area: Piccadilly Circus
• Category: Restaurants

London WC2H 7BL
020 7437 1133

sazzle said
Work lunch favourite
I agree with Meriem - this was a work favourite when I was working in Covent Garden. Someone's birthday? 'Let's go to Joy King Lau'. Someone's leaving lunch? 'Let's go to Joy King Lau'. It has a great atmosphere both lunchtimes and evening but best to go at lunch for the dimsum menu. I have tried practically everything on it as we always order lots of dishes and they are always empty after 20 minutes!

• Added: 1st of October 2007
• Area: Notting Hill
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London W8 7LN
020 7792 1246

sazzle said
Untraditional Sunday Roast
I tootled along to this pub thinking I would be able to soak up the atmosphere, have a pint and at the same time, fulfil my longings for a traditional sunday afternoon roast. When we got there the place was heaving because of the Rugby World Cup, but there are plenty of tables tucked away through the back so we only waited about 10 minutes before one came available and we could settle down. When handed the menu though, I was disappointed to see there was a short list of Thai numbers and not a mouth-watering joint or roastie to be found anywhere. The food we ordered was delicious, it came quickly and was just about the right size. I left the place pretty satisfied but I just wanted to warn others that appearences can be deceptive and this is not usual pub grub. Then again, maybe Churchill did have a penchant for Pad Thai, I don't know.

• Added: 8th of November 2006
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London WC2E 9EB
020 7497 9504

sazzle said
Higgledypiggledy little place
This is a non-poncy bar in the middle of Covent Garden. Still gets very busy on Thursday and Fridays though when everyone likes to loiter outside on the cobbles. It is on a lovely little street that links Garrick Street to Long Acre and has a lot of character. My colleague tells me they too good pub grub too. Word of warning - don't attempt to get through the ginnel if you're very tall (or fat)!

• Added: 28th of October 2006
• Area: Lambeth
• Category: Restaurants

London SE1 8XX
020 7928 2004

sazzle said
Where the giraffes in the know go
Perfect place to get something to eat before heading to the cinema, theatre etc on the South Bank. Love the smoothies and the Morrocan mint tea. Wide choice on the menu, combining the best of a few different cuisines. Fusion at its best and least pretentious. I've had the stir-fry and the goats cheese and aubergine burger and both have been delish. There's a good value 2 course set menu (7 before 7.30 and 8 after) but it doesn't give you much choice, especially if you're vegetarian.
Giraffe is a chain restaurant (as you can tell from the paraphenalia!) but it still has some heart. Service is quick, the location is great, and the menu is varied. No real animals are included.

• Added: 28th of October 2006
• Area: Clapham
• Category: Restaurants

London SW9 9PE
020 7771 1201

sazzle said
A bedouin tent in Clapham?
I wasn't sure about dinner and drinks in Clapham; it seemed like a silly way to spend a Friday night. But as we marched past the teeming bars and restaurants on the high street and ducked down a side road that seemed pretty barren, I got the idea we were going somewhere a little bit different. Cafe Cairo is a welcome example of originality in that part of London. Once I'd squeezed past the bar and kitchen area, I found myself in the back section of the restaurant, a lovely, dimly-lit cushioned area. Sitting down, and sharing some wine and a shisha, I felt like I was in an authentic North African cafe, a million miles from London. The drinks are expensive, but the mezze are pretty good value (6, 9 or 13 depending on size and content) and the atmosphere is just right for drinks with friends. It was busy - thriving in fact - but the chilled music and the seating layout allows for a relaxed and intimate evening. Very close to Clapham North station.

• Added: 21st of October 2006
• Area: Bloomsbury
• Category: Arts and Culture

London WC1B 3DG
020 7636 1555

sazzle said
Tabu - the power of the divine
Sokratis says that The British Museum is a great place to think. In the vast illuminated space of the Great Court,I can see why the openess would invite a person to fill the space with their own thoughts and projections. Well, yes, and now step into the huge archaic reading room, or into the stylised manufactured exhibits and surely you'll find there is more in these rooms to fuel your imagination and stimulate the thinking process.
I kind of found this today as I visited 'Power and Taboo - Scared objects from the Pacific'. The exhibit pitches the cultural artefacts as a spiritual and exotic time set aside, 'before the European settlers had made much impact on the region' but is also quick to validate the contemporary interest in the culture by telling us that 'despite the destructive impact of colonialism, many traditional skills are remebered and practiced today.' It explains the complex origin of the word 'tabu' and explores the Polynesians relationships with the gods, spirituality and the divine present in objects, places and activities. There are some beautiful and strange objects to look at, some equally strange depictions of tattooed people, and even more surprisingly, some works of art by a western artist Hodges representing his view of the islands, which apparently changed how europeans looked at the world (hmmm). I was amazed by the feathered cloaks.
Towards the end of the exhibit we come to A'a, a very important object in the collection for Europeans and the Pacific islanders themselves. In fact, the blurb explains that several islanders have made the journey to the museum to pay homage to the A'a in recent years. Woooooohoa there! They came to London to see one of the most important pieces of their culture? What sort of craziness is that? And why does the exhibit finish with a poem giving voice to the artefacts themselves lamenting their misplacement in the 'cold' museum. What sort of stories are we being told in this exhibit? And what thoughts are we being prompted to produce?
I think the British Museum has some amazing collections in a beautiful building and it's important that we go to see these things and learn about 'other cultures' but we have to be aware when we do that some of the thoughts we're thinking are directed by the curators and the stories they want us to hear. Even that great court, that apparently vacuous space that allows us to release our thoughts, is full of meaning already. Hope I haven't spoiled the museum for anyone by this rant. Hopefully I've just added a layer to the hundreds of things you'll have to think about after a few hours spent there.