Vlad 's reviews
Review of Tiger Tiger
07 Sep 07, 14:53
Hmmmm 
It's massive. It's where you really should be if you want to find someone of the opposite sex with unrestrained drunken hormonal activity.Or used to be when I was a young 'un. Lots of bars and nooks and crannies on several levels this is a great place to go out in Piccadilly. It sells beer. The restaurant on the lower floor is bizarrely enough quite good and not that expensvie. Not what you'd expect from suh a massive place. It's a very good place for an office party. Agree with the other reviewer, it deoesn't like all male groups that much late at night.
Very popular on the friday nights unsurprisingly - when its not being a targets for terrorist bombers, that is.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Codfather
07 Sep 07, 14:31
It's a fish and chip shop
Yeah. What can you say. It's nice and clean and does very good fish and chips. If you're a fan of the traditional and slightly greasy fish and chips to takeaway then this is for you. To be honest though if you want something slightly nicer and pricier, head on halfway up the high street to the more glitzy rival. Here you'll get a good takeaway for around a fiver.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Flair
07 Sep 07, 14:12
Such, erm, flair
Quick easy and always pleasant. They're a dry cleaners so there's probably not much difference between them and others except that the women who run it / work there are very friendly. They seem to be on the pricey side though. £20 for a suit. Is that decent? On the plus side they open at 7.30 so time to get your stuff on a week day and still get to work on time.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Party Superstores
07 Aug 07, 12:38
Clowning around
The place to go - in fact the only place to go in the area - if you need to hire a fancy dress costume. A huge array of outfits from the cheap and cheerful to the more expensive and ornate are held in the basement to hire or buy. Perfect if you need to stitch up a mate for a stag weekend / night.
The cost varies but look to spend an average of about £45 (this doesn't include the desposit on your card too, which is refunded if the item is undamaged). The cheaper ones do risk breaking though so err on the side of the more expensive if you can. On the down side, some of the outfits have been around for a while so get a bit tatty and some of the more encompassing ones have the lived in smell. Mind you, if it was perfection you were looking for you'd buy your own.
There are changing rooms so you can check how the outfits look before you rent them. Look at the website for a full view of all the types of outfits. Service is quick but on Saturdays it gets busy and can take some time despite the efforts of the three staff below.
Upstairs, the shop is filled with a variety of masks, party poppers, swords, wigs, fake blood, guns, ballons, fake dog crap etc etc etc. Anything and everything that you need to hold a party for young children or adults alike. Prices seem suprisingly cheap but it quickly mounts up. If they don't have anything you really want then ask the staff and they'll order it in for you.
If you are bringing children, there is an Asda car park round the corner which can be used by shoppers so worth parking there. CJ Train station otherwise.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Delight
07 Aug 07, 11:44
The last of a dying breed?
These old greasy spoons are getting rarer now. Pushed out by Starbucks and places selling smoothies.
It's a greasy spoon of the old school. Formica 1970's tables and chairs, set breakfast menus (the works - eggs, sausages, bacon, has browns, bubble and squeak, black pudding etc - will set you back around £4 with an extra £1 for a coffee). Portions are massive.
Gordon Ramsey's it aint but it's a true local from the times when Clapham wasn't filled with migrants from Fulham.
The service is friendly the food is what you'd expect - on the greasy side. You'll love it when you're hungover, you probably won't if you're not. It's worth going her just to people watch. Beware the mad woman with the push bag. Beware. :-)
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Railway
06 Aug 07, 14:01
Good pub
Part of the group that own the Sun and the Falcon in the same area. The concept is the same: Gastro pub with the emphasis on good cheap Thai food. Plenty of seats outside on the high street but otehrwise nothing extrardinary. Well decorated, large bar with attentive staff, popular as a pre-night out haunt.
It's what you want from a pub.
Tip: Careful of your bags when you sit outside. There is a bit of street crime at the Clapham North end of the high street.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Cafe
06 Aug 07, 13:35
Hangover?
Sunday morning, hangover, newspaper, english breakfast, brown sauce, coffee.
No blueberry muffins. No Lattes with vanilla. No wi-fi connections.
Thank God for old fashioned greasy spoons like this.
End of.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of El Rincon Latino
06 Aug 07, 12:28
The Tardis
Yep...the outside looks deceptive. A bit rough even but don't be put off.
The mirror on the back wall makes it look bigger than it is though when you're inside.
Really fun place to go. Lovely friendly place, fun staff, with a chilled but at the same time frenetic environment.
Not particularly smart. That's perfect though as it would be ruined if it was. A really decent and buzzing place to eat.
Enjoyed it more that Carmens tapas bar on the High Street mainly due to the better atmosphere.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Sun
06 Aug 07, 11:17
The SUN has got his pad thai on.
The popularity of the Sun I think dates back from when it was one of the first pubs in Clapham to be revamped for the burgeoing non-stabbing population. Or maybe it was popular due to the novely of the pub / restaurant movement. Maybe its the bright exterior? Or something.
It's a bit over rated now, IMHO. Or rather....It's just a pub, serving Thai food and beer. Simple as that.
It's owned by the same group who own the Railway and the Falcon (At the Clapham North End of the High Street) so does good cheap Thai food if you fancy it.
In the heart of Clapham's Old Town, has a beer garden and space upstairs and downstairs. Nice for a pint pre cinema or whatever.
That's really it. Nice pub, good decent food. Can't go wrong.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Oliver Bonas
06 Aug 07, 11:05
Hotel OliverBonas
See, I'm just more convinced that these shops are for women than men. It's one of those places that you see in most streets in London.
They don't seem to have much of a point to them besides that of just making you spend money on things that you really don't need (Silver Dice anyone?)
Clothes shop? Gifts shop? Jewellery shop? Furniture Shop? Card Shop? All of them? Yes, credit card please.
Having said that, I can see its appeal because you don't need the things inside; You want them. Desperately.
Big bean bags, nice shelves, cufflinks, clothes, cutlery, cards, fridge magents, massive lampshades, candlesticks, assorted chrome and dark wood items, cusshiosn with fluffy things on them.... It's all just somehow a bit unoriginal now. It's doing something right as its been there for about 6 years now.
Do not under any circumstances let your wife go in here.
She will come out with some pointless pink thing or some crome thing in which once inserted into a baby's head makes them eat in a cleaner manner. Or something.
So. In summary, women will love this place. Men will hate themselves as they will too. (Mmmmmm, cufflinks that double as clocks, microscopic penknives......)
You can go in any time you like but you can never leave.
Avoid like the plague, if you know what's good for you.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Falcon
04 Aug 07, 10:31
Beer Gardening
This pub has space. This is a slightly pointless comment as its generally very busy. Unmissable in its bright yellow painted exterior it has a beer garden at the front and much larger one at the back.
There is a cash machine inside so if you're caught short use it. Its a 7 min walk to Clapham common otherwise.
Quite empty during the week, it comes into its own during the weekends and in the summer. Its part of the same group that own the Sun and the Railway.
Like them it serves good Thai food. I've also heard that it has a BBQ on occasions but haven't had experience of that.
Small warning, and very small, if you sit in the front, just be careful of your bags. They have been known to go walk about.....
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Esca
03 Aug 07, 18:39
..but expensive
It's good but it ain't half expensive.
Yes, its a good deli to go to and they sell nice delicious sandwiches and if you want to buy anything Italian - fresh, tinned, in oil or whatever - then you'll love this place. The choice is impressive
You can also eat for lunch in as they serve deli bits and bobs in the actual shop and there are tables at the back. It does all look delicious and half the appeal is the set out of the shop. The high shelves groaning with produce are impressive by themselves. If you're that sort of type who loves everything Italian you'll love it - but it ain't half expensive.
You get the feeling that it should really be in Notting Hill. But then it always seems to be busy on the weekende at lunch times so I suppose that there's a lot of demand for it.
Service can be slow though. Slow fast food.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of C C H Express
03 Aug 07, 17:56
Taxi
Not much that you can say about a taxi cab company except that they turn up on time in the 8 odd years that we've been using them. Ask for the prices beforehand from the operator though as occasionally the drivers take the piss.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Antiquarius Antiques Centre
03 Aug 07, 17:27
Yeah but.....
It is pretty good and has a lot of stuff in it and a huge number of individual concessions. BUT, and its a big but, the location means that it is as expensive as you'd think it would be. Mind you if you life in Fulham or Chelsea this wouldn't bother you. Loses a start because its really only eye candy material for most of us. Those of you with a tighter budget - go to the antiques conncessions at the end of the Northcote Road. Not the Clapham Junction End. Its better.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of NatWest Cash Machine
03 Aug 07, 15:06
It works very well
One of the best Cash Machines in Western Europe. Founded in 1906 this cash machine was originally under 24 hour SBS guard following threats to blow it up by the Luddites who felt that it was "the devils work".
Like many cash machines, you have to bend down slightly to use it but the screen and writing is clear. Tony, a tramp offers ad hoc technical support for a small fee but generally the system is easy to use.
It dispenses a variety of notes. The £5 one cost £5, the £10 cost a tenner and this is replicated up the denomination scale. The cost will be deducted from your bank account.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.