Fiona B.

Review of Oliver Bonas

13 Apr 08, 21:59

Handy gift shop

Oliver Bonus, has a few branches is the south west of London (perhaps more...) stocking, predominantly gift items, cards and trinkets.

Worth checking out for presents for birthdays, christenings, mums to be and new mothers, boys gadgets and toys, coffee table books, classic affordable jewellery, house warming presents and surprisingly flattering women’s clothing.

The Northcote Road branch unfortunately does not have changing room facilities for their limited but lovely clothing. However as with most shops if you buy the item and it is not suitable when you get home and try it on, they will give you a full refund if you bring it back with receipt. The clothing they stock is contemporary fashion, a lot of it cotton dresses, skirts and tops. Very feminane, the designer “Eucalyptus” makes items, which are cut very flattering for the larger busted / curvy lady.

Great place to pop in an emergency present, card and wrapping paper/gift bag, or pop in and browse, check out the new stock/clothing and be surprised.

Northcote Road branch has lovely staff. The girls there are lovely helpful and a giggle.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Banana Leaf Canteen

13 Apr 08, 21:43

standard fusion thai, worth a try at least once

Good food, in a canteen style setting. Shared tables, with a shelf underneath for you personal items. Popular with the local young professional brigade and families. The food is fine and reasonably priced.

But not an authentic restaurant, I think people who know and appreciate their fusion / thai food may be disappointed. However good portions and nice flavour.

Worth booking a table for the weekends at peak times. Good location for a meal and drink before hitting the local bars.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Buona Sera

07 Nov 07, 14:31

Had better

This is the place to come with a large group of friends. Book a big table, plenty of house wine. Eat, drink and be merry.

The tiled floor makes this place very noisy. So couples or intimate catch ups with family/friends beware.

The food is fine enough, but not the greatest pizza / pasta I've ever had.

Very popular for weekend lunches, outdoor seating which is lovely in the summer months.

Not too expensive and offer a take-away service (no delivery).

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Marzano

07 Nov 07, 14:27

Good for groups & families.

I vaugely remember someone telling me Marzano comes from the same company as Pizza Express. Probably explains why the menus are fairly similar.

This place is nothing special. The food is pretty standard. But not what I would call traditional Italian.

Plenty of outside seating, with those heated lamps for the smokers.

Popular for lunches and dinner for large groups, families and drinks and nibbles. Very child friendly.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of The Grape Shop

07 Nov 07, 14:07

I recommend this grape

Not a huge shop and therefore not a huge selection. But nevertheless a fairly well stocked wine merchant.

What ever you're after, red, white rose or champagne, the guys here are more than happy to recommend something to your budget or taste. They also sell spirits and cigars.

Often have tastings and specials, great to try something and buy something you might not usually go for. It’s the sort of wine merchant where you can browse and not feel intimidated.

Very popular with people in the area, doesn’t seem to get the people traffic as much as the shops down the other end of Northcote Road.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Le Bouchon Bordelais

07 Nov 07, 13:54

First French Restaurant I like !

Stopped by here for dinner at the restaurant on a Friday night. We did not book but were in luck and managed the one and only table outside (the lottery table for smokers).

This restaurant is on the pricey side. Fine dining comes at a price. The wine list very good (nothing under £30), but it is VERY much worth it.

The service was very friendly, helpful and without fault. I can only comment on the dishes we ordered but the squid ink risotto with pan fried cod was amazing. And the muscles were also very good.

There are snails and frog legs on the menu for the more adventurous, lots of meat and chicken dishes.

It was a busy evening, and the bar next door was very full. Sitting outside you are very much privy to the goings-on on Battersea Rise. For a more intimate meal I would request a table inside at the back. The tables in the front of the restaurant although nice by the window, you’ll be disturbed by the opening /closing of the tricky front door. (and the cold winter air).

For groups on Fridays and Saturdays I would recommend booking, also if there is a particular table you would like. Great place for a date or couples celebration. Dinner for two with wine came to £110.

Only bad point is there is only one men’s and one women’s toilets. So there was some queuing and waiting.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Amelies Follies

31 Oct 07, 17:02

lushous lingerie

You hear of these amazing lingerie boutiques where the woman takes you to a changing room, looks you up and down and gives you a perfect fitting bar. Well is one of those boutiques.

Lots of lovely matching sets, night clothes and in the summer a brilliant range of swimwear. They have underwear for all sizes, the swim wear sizes don't extend to larger cups which is a shame.

This boutique is warm and comfortable. The ladies that work there are very nice. A card is kept of your details and particulars. Great if your other-half wants to buy you something and is unsure of your size, cannot go wrong this way. They also offer gift vouchers.

Price ranges vary from item and brand. Hidden away on Webbs Road its a lovely boutique.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review of Clapham Junction Railway Station

31 Oct 07, 16:43

Britain's Busiest Train station

Clapham Junction (which is in Battersea) is regarded as the nations busiest station (some say Europe).

It has already had an overhaul and tidy up a few years back but is having another one soon (the surrounding area will become pedestrianised and vehicles restricted to buses and taxis). At the moment the concourse leading to the ticket hall & ticketing machines has a few shops which include Sainsbury’s local, M&S, Joy, Superdrug, Blockbusters, Café Nero, Costa, West Cornwall Pasties, Dry Cleaner/shoe repair, news stand, WH Smiths and a mobile phone store. So if you are after food, toiletries, reading material or a last minute gift/card before your journey it is pretty much there and available to you. Plasma screens are fitted overhead and show music videos whilst the music is pumped through.

The station is very useful for access to south England (including Brighton and Bristol) and London. Trains run to Waterloo (Euro star), Victoria, the Silver Link to Kensington Olympia & Watford Junction, Gatwick Airport (fast train takes 26mins) and a train bus link to Heathrow amongst many others.

The social calendar of the Clapham locals can be seen at the station, Ascot ladies day brings with it seas of hats and feathers, you can’t move for bikes after the London to Brighton bike race, marathon runners limping through the barriers in April. And Halloween/Xmas and New Year all are re

16 working platforms in all, an under and over pass, it is busy in the mornings, lots of pushing and shoving, queues for the ticket office and the usual fair. A large electronic display clearly shows the train destinations, times and platforms. Grab your free London paper and your on your way.

There are toilets passed the barriers (cost £0.20p) not dirty but they don’t feel clean. But when you got to go at least you know they are there.

Busy this station maybe, but for many of the locals when you use it so often and become familiar with its platforms and layout it’s not too big bad or scary.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Salumeria Napoli

31 Oct 07, 15:58

An Italian deli on your doorstep

The Northcote Road is very lucky to have such wonderful food shops and stalls on the street market. One of these shops is Salumeria Napoli.

Staples like pasta, sugo, pasata, panna and biscotti can be found here. All known Italian brands, its true you can get some of these in the major supermarkets now but here you can get fresh homemade ravioli and cannelloni and tips on how to make some wonderful dishes. Also Italian cheeses and meats and many other food products are available. Great place to pick up authentic ingredients for an Italian feast.

Lovely people, food and service.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Giraffe

30 Sep 07, 19:39

A brunch staple

A regular breakfast / brunch place. Busy on weekends. Good selection of breakfast dishes. But they also do burgers. Popular with the young families and a very child friendly place. But don't let children and prams put you off.

Although the fact that the scrambled eggs every time I've been look the same, make me think they are some kind of mircowaved packet stuff. - Not so appealing, but they do taste good.

Great juices and smoothies, good service and the staff are really nice.

Cocktails and funky tunes in the evening change this place into a funky bar, often with a happy hour.

Worth checking out day or night. It is a chain and seems to be wide spread across london.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Hamish Johnston

30 Sep 07, 19:31

Cheesey, and in a good way

If you love cheese, you'll love this place. On weekends there is often a queue, which is a testament to this place. Not only is there a superb amount of different quality cheeses but they also have mustards and olives, and cheese boards and lots of yummy things.

Go check it out !

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Strada

30 Sep 07, 18:44

Perfectly good, but not out of this world

Strada has a number of branches across london (and I believe the UK). This particular branch has the option for outside seating.

Pizzas are good and a selection of fish & meat dishes make this a good but not amazing place to eat. They often have deals which make the reasonable prices quite enticing.

This place rates much higher than pizza express, and I would go to strada quite happily anyday of the week.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Numero Uno

30 Sep 07, 18:38

Good italian food

This place has a very good weekend lunch and dinner trade.

Tables outside on the street enable you to watch the world go by as you much.

Extensive wine list, with quality traditional italian food. Good service.

Only downside is the non itemised bill.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Joy

30 Sep 07, 18:10

handy location for last minute gifts

Clothing for boys & girls, gifts, cards, novelty items, amusing stocking fillers.

Really good place to pick up a card or gift for someone with a wicked sense of humour. Lots of naughty but nice bits and pieces. Books, pens that when you turn upside down the boy/girls clothes "fall" off.

The clothes are very funky and the prices vary from £14/18 for a vest top to £££ for dresses. They all have tha fashion student feel about them. Sometimes I feel the quality of the item isn't worth the ££. There a a few "Joy" shops around London, but this one being at the station is brilliant for that last minute gift before you jump on the train to the party !

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Northcote Road Antiques Market

30 Sep 07, 18:05

a secret tardis

If you love browsing, antiques, modern design, trinkets or furniture this is a great little place.

Its a 12-15min walk from Clapham Junction station, down the end of Northcote Rd. It is much larger than you would expect. With a range of items spread across two floors, and often some furniture items on the street. There is a cafe (and loo) on the top floor.

The window displays are changed regularly, and often themed.

Really nice friendly local people, helpful too. Its a nice place to browse, pick up an unusal gift or for the dedicated antiques shopper.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Review of Gourmet Burger Kitchen

13 Sep 07, 17:07

Yummy burgers, good take-way

Nice local burger bar, with healthy made to order burgers. They are big boy burgers.

Beer by the bottle, milkshakes/soft drinks or selection of wine go down nicely, with your beef, lamb, chicken or veggie burger. There are three veggie options.

One portion of chips is huge and plenty for two (unless you like "man" portions, or are incapable of sharing). Beware the garlic mayo is lethal ! - You will have minial chances of pulling if you go for that.

Seating is limited and you order at the bar, but the best plan is to get take-away on a sunny day and eat on the common !

Nice - but sometimes too busy / and cramped.

TIP - especially when busy, if getting take-away check your order before you leave ( I have been disappointed when I've come home to find I've got the wrong order).

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review of Thai Garden Restaurant

24 Jul 07, 16:58

Speedie delivery

This is our usual Thai take-away. The food is good, but it also arrives really quickly !

I do live nearby, but the delivery seems to arrive barely minutes after we have placed the order by phone and put down the receiver. When you are very hungry this is a big bonus, and tips the scales when deciding where to order take-away. (NB. We’ve noticed slightly slower, but still very quick on Friday nights).

The dishes are what you would expect from a decent local Thai restaurant.

If you are actually going to leave your house and eat in the restaurant, you can expect very attentive staff in traditionally dress and a lovely atmosphere. The restaurant is quite large and there are three separate sections, which make it great place for a group, or an intimate meal for two.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of La Pampa Grill

12 Jul 07, 17:12

No good for me.

This place has been recommended to me by so many people, I thought I couldn't go wrong. But it was a terrible disappointment.

Had the worst meal ever here. My dinner companion had a miserable steak, cooked well, but SO small. I had a salad which consisted of iceberg lettuce, a tomato cut in quarters, cucumber, a small block of feta cheese coated in salad cream.

The only good thing were the chips & wine. Service was terrible. Guess we went on an 'off' day, but I have no desire to ever go back.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.