Daniel's reviews
Review of The Old Coffee House
24 Jan 08, 14:20
Nice Pub 
Soho tends to get really busy every evening which tends to make finding somewhere to drink a bit of a pain, especially if you want a seat. It's no surprise really, it's a convenient central location for people who work across London, and if you believe what people in the media say it's pretty cool to....
Anyway, the Old Coffee House fits into a nice category of Soho pubs. It's not uber popular, the beer is particularly special, but your likely to get a seat, it has telly for football, and a nice chatty atmosphere.
I'm not selling really hard am I? Well that's not really the point, if there is a group of you who want to catch up, and have a few beers in Soho then this is a perfectly nice place to do it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cross Cafe Bar
02 Jan 08, 16:57
Late night Moseley Drinking 
Other than the Bull's Head the Cross is the only bar/pub in Moseley that gets a late license - surprising when you consider the number of places there are to drink nearby.
Unfortunately the Cross fails to hit the nail on the head for me. Don't get me wrong it has a lot going for it. Dencent food, small but sufficient selection of beers, a a ton of seating towards the back. It may be the clientele that put me off - they very much reflect how trendy Moseley has got in recent years - or indeed the bars choice of music, either way there is something not that right.
If you're looking for somewhere to drink til a little later than normal opening hours try the Cross. You won't be disappointed, you just won't be that overwhelmed either.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Fox and Anchor
05 Dec 07, 14:54
Gastro-nomical Delight! 
My friend (Tom. H) who works at the Charterhouse rang me one night in a highly excitable mood. The Fox and Anchor across the road from his pub had reopened and he had popped in to check on the menu as well as wine and whiskey list. What he found made him almost instantly pick up the phone, our table was booked.
The Fox and Anchor is best described as Ye Olde Pub, straight out of the middle ages it's equipped with tankards, snug rooms in the back for eating, and a beautiful looking fireplace. The food is not different. Huge portions of red meat, beautifully cooked, well sourced, and served on wooden chopping boards. Just like our waitress joked, there is a vege option, but it's not really why come here.
The wine list is extensive with some really choice bottles, but for me it's the whisk(e)y where this place really shines. I'm not going to bore you with my knowledge of islays, highlands and even Japanese malts, you're going to have to trust me.
The Fox is also in the process of renovating the upstairs in order to open some hotel rooms, which after the quantity of food and beer that gets served here is definitely needed.
Watch out Zetter, more over Jerusalem, here comes the Fox.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Rainbow
27 Nov 07, 16:08
Best Night out in Brum
I've spent at least three new years at the Rainbow, testament to how good a party these guys and girls throw. The beers are reasonable cheap and the music is as wonderfully eclectic as my record collection. Ska and Acid Jazz to minimal house and techno all is fair game.
Recently the back of the pub has been skill fully renovated to cater smokers as well as a large bunch of rowdy party goers.
Check out the nights at their website above, then go. Lookout for munch-break, my personal favourite.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of La Plancha
27 Nov 07, 15:27
It's Tapas not Tapa's
La Plancha is a decent spanish restaurant in the heart of Moseley. While the menu contains all the usual tapas culprits, they're all done pretty well and served by really friendly staff.
Downstairs there is a nice bar area, which if you are a looking to avoid the busy pubs at the weekend is usually a good alternative.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Goose At The Fighting Cocks
27 Nov 07, 15:20
Introducing Moseley's newest trendy pub
When I was 16 the Goose was a great choice of pub. It was cheap, and the staff seemed less interested in your age and more interested in getting rid of the local drunks who seem to wander from one pub to the next.
Times have changed, I've got a little older, the drunks now occupy the Wetherspoons across the road, and the Goose is under new management.
Upgrading this once frankly depressing pub has been a three step process.
1. Get rid of all the old man furniture and replace with kooky chairs, beads, bean bags and brightly coloured benches for the beer garden.
2. Up the price of the beer by a £1 on everything and start selling Franziskaner and Fruli.
3. Hire newer, better looking staff who have done the rounds at Moseley's numerous drinking establishments.
Do I sound like I am being an arse? Maybe I am, but the results are great. A much younger crowd, buzzy atmosphere and loads of space to chill outside in the summer. Definitely Moseley's new best pub.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Chandos
28 Sep 07, 10:36
A Sam Smiths
Pretty much what you would expect from a Sam Smith's pub but with added benefit of being next door to Trafalgar Square.
I tend to go here before visiting the ICA as the bar there can be full of you know whos and is definitely a lot more expensive.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Cardinal
28 Sep 07, 10:19
The pubs that keep on giving
Someone asked me over a pint at a Sam Smith's if they were the new Wetherspoons. "Definitely not," I said. "Yes, they're cheap. The food is cheap, the drinks are cheap, and the decor is...well not cheap but hardy glitzy, but they're definitely not Wetherspoons."
Sam Smith's are fiercely independent. They only sell drinks made at their own brewery and you won't have to endure any RnB.
The Cardinal is located just round the corner of Victoria station, like all Sam Smiths it is complete with Alpine Lager at £1.99, a dart board, and a good crowd.
The joy of Sam Smiths pubs isn't the pub itself, it's the feeling you get when you find a new one, and the satisfaction it gives other people when you say: "there's a Sam Smith's just around the corner."
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Cock Tavern
21 Sep 07, 10:40
Great breakfast, great people
The Cock Tavern has a bit of a history. In 2000 it was featured in London hitman pic Gangster No. 1 and a year later it was featured in William Hague's 2001 general election campaign. I'll leave you to decide which is cooler.
This, nevertheless, pays testament to the range of people that pass through the Cock Tavern's doors. Media types, City boys, slaughtermen from Smithfield market and tourists. It's a unique mix that provides a really buzzy atmosphere.
The food itself is a breakfast fan's dream. There is at least a dozen different ones to choose from, including a mammoth meat fest the name of which I forget.
If you're looking for somewhere for breakfast in Farringdon I highly recommend this place. While it doesn't have the class of SOS it easily makes up for it in character.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Crown Tavern
23 Jul 07, 10:38
A Great Summer Pub
The Crown is a nice pub all year round but really comes into it's own during the summer months (not that we have been having much of those recently).
During hotter times the busy working people of Farringdon spill out into Clerkenwell Green lapping up any bit of sun we are fortunate to get.
The Crown does a nice selection of draught and bottled beers, and, according to friends, the food is pretty good too. But, if you are planning on heading down on a hot Friday afternoon, prepare for a bit of a fight to the bar.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Anchor Tap
26 Jun 07, 12:08
Cheap London Boozer
In terms of decor, lighting, and clientèle The Anchor Tap is pretty much what you would expect from an 'old man's pub.' That said both the staff and regulars are particularly friendly towards youthful newcomers and city folk alike.
Where this place really stands out is in it's pricing. The pub is part of the Samuel Adams Brewery which for those that don't know, means £1.99 for a pint of Alpine lager!
If you're in and around the London Bridge / Tower Hill area and don't mind a nice walk, or if you have just spent some time at the Design Museum up the road, the Tap is well worth a visit.
One last point, the pub also has a darts board and Mike the bar tender always seems keen to play.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Slaughtered Lamb
12 May 07, 10:03
Good in the Evenings Even Better at Lunch
The Slaughtered Lamb is an archetypal trendy bar in Farringdon, but that doesn't really do it enough justice. At night this place is packed, and I mean packed, of people enjoying a good selection of draft beers (including my particular favourite Kirin Ichiban).
On my last few visits I have gone for lunch, the pace is a bit slower and there is always a seat available, what's more the door stop sandwiches are great and the fish and chips is just how it should be.
The Slaughtered Lamb also gets a great mix of people: suits from the city, hundreds of architects and just a sprinkling of media types. But please leave your pretensions at home, they won't go down well here.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Pineapple
10 May 07, 23:10
So Good it Gets a Little Crowded
I'm a regular at the Pineapples Monday night quiz (listen out for Quiz Team Hamilton). It's a great night out -good beer and food, and a quiz tough enough to keep you interested but not so hard that you feel embarrassed to hand in your answer sheet. Bare in mind this is a really popular quiz so you would be well advised to get to the pub straight from work if you want to get a seat.
On nights other than a Monday the Pineapple is just a nice and friendly pub with the sort of atmosphere that is perfect for a few jars post work.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Oxford
10 May 07, 20:08
Nice Pub, No Sports
"If this place was in Birmingham it would be the best bar in the city," said a friend of mine. He's not wrong, the problem is that isn't really saying much. The Oxford is a nice pub, beer is reasonably priced, and there are some good foreigners on tap. There is also a good restaurant at the back that does some hearty English food at central London prices. The pork belly is amazing.
Please note that this places does not play sports, which is quite handy if you are looking to find a seat on pretty much any night of the week during the football season.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Torriano
08 May 07, 12:05
My Favourite Pub in Kentish Town
The Torriano was the venue for my first pint as a Londoner and therefore will always keep a special place in my heart. But it is the great atmosphere, BBQ on a Sunday and the lashings of boardgames that will keep me coming back. It is not exactly in Kentish Town as you have to make a short walk up Leighton road, but it is well worth the journey, and you may bump into local celebrity Jon Snow on the way.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.