Joanna's reviews
Review of Babinondas Restaurant
22 Apr 08, 13:13
Best sheftalia in London (apart from my gran's)! 
Everyone who has eaten here has raved about this place and now I know why. Met some friends there late one night and was feeling bit hungry and their food looked really nice so decided to eat there too. The food was really good and proof as to why people keep saying how brilliant it is. The portions are big and the sheftalia are probably the best I've eaten outside of Cyprus with the exception of the home-made ones my grandmother makes (the best sheftalia in Cyprus are from Vlachos Tavern in Larnaca). Definitely worth a visit, a really nice place to go with friends.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The London Transport Museum
20 Apr 08, 16:44
Step on the tube of years gone by...
This is a nice little museum and great for kids as they get to see old buses, tube carriages and even "drive" a tube train in a simulator. I must admit I found the old tube carriage really creapy - it is so old, the floors are wooden, there are dummies in period costumes and no windows making it feel so claustrophobic (at the time these trains were built, as the trains were underground and there was nothing to see they didn't build windows but later realised that people needed the windows even if there was nothing to see to make it feel less calustrophobic - see you learn stuff at this museum!).
I loved the old tube poster art, it was so interesting seeing how different interests of the time influenced the posters. It is also interesting to see the old tube maps, how the lines have developed over time and even learn the story behind how we got the tube map in the format we see it in today - I'm not telling, you have to go to the museum to find out!!
It is a small museum and not somewhere you could spend a whole day but it is still worth a visit. The gift shop is nice, lots of London Transport branded products. The more interesting things to buy there, if these are your thing, are the underground poetry books and tube posters. I didn't go to the cafe, but you can get to the cafe from the street and eat there without visiting the museum.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Morrisons
20 Apr 08, 12:21
The "special offer" supermarket
Went to Morrisons for the first time yesterday and had a pleasant surprise. Although it was quite small they had everything you need and loads of "special offers" on in almost every aisle. Definitely the place to grab bargains and with the credit crunch and the cost of living getting so much more expensive, Morrisons is definitely the place to go.
The fish counter was amazing - they even had fresh octopus which I wouldn't expect to find in a supermarket - very impressive. I expected more from the bakery counter, a couple of gingerbread men and some fruit pies was not that impressive. The cake aisle had loads of special offers on lots of different branded products.
The cafe wasn't great. We ordered hot food and the menu said you had a choice of side salad or chips with burgers, but we were told that you could only get chips and side salad cost extra but they didn't have any side salads. We had to wait ages for the food and it was ok; ok meaning it was edible but not that tasty.
Overall I don't think I'd use it for a big weekly shop, but it is worth stopping here first and getting stuff you need that is on special offer or fresh fish from the fish counter - I'd still do the main shop at Asda and get cakes from Co-Op.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Woolworths
18 Apr 08, 17:14
One of the bigger stores, nice cafe
This is a really nice Woolworths as it is massive and carries a much wider product range than the smaller or average sized stores. Lots of really nice homeware in this branch and even stocks childrens car booster seats too!!
A real plus here is the cafe. After a days shopping in Southport it's nice to stop somewhere and have a cuppa and a cake!!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Southport Rock Shop
18 Apr 08, 16:17
Nice rock souveniers
A nice place to pick up souveniers to take home. Pick up those big red rock dummies to bring out the kid in you! Lots of brightly coloured rock in different flavours - just what you'd expect from a seaside village.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Works
18 Apr 08, 16:07
Nice little shop
If you love books then this will be right up your street - load of books on wide variety of subject and some are really, really cheap. Perfect place to pick up a bargain.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Warehouse
18 Apr 08, 15:48
Small store but full of lovely clothes!
I didn't notice Warehouse and hadn't shopped there until a year ago when I saw a dress in the window that I fell in love with and haven't managed to stay away from the shop since! The clothes are a bit pricey but the quality and styles are brilliant; although I think some of the more casual clothes are overpriced, the smart party/cocktail dresses are brilliant value and definitely worth it. Also I am happy to shop here because of the sizes - I can happily find something that actually fits me and don't have to try 3 or 4 different sizes or buy something in sizes that would normally be far to big for me (some shops are for skinny girls and all sizes are the same...).
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale
18 Apr 08, 15:43
Nice hotel
I stayed here for a function at this hotel and it was really nice. The staff were really nice and helpful and made every aspect of the function go smoothly so I would recommend holding an event here.
The rooms were not too big, but clean, modern and comfortable. Breakfast was good too. I didn't use the leisure club so can't comment on these facilities. The hotel is close to transport links so it is easy to get into the West End.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Weng Wah House
18 Apr 08, 14:12
Good if you can hire the whole top floor for karaoke
This is a nice restaurant if you can hire the whole top floor for karaoke. I've been here a few times and by far the best times were had when there for bigger parties and you aren't sharing the top floor and karaoke facilities with other parties.
I wouldn't rate the food as being that great. Don't get me wrong it is good, but I've had some good meals and some bad meals there. The portion sizes are a little small too and the last time I went there a lot of us left hungry.
I definitely recommend it if there are a lot of you and you can book out the whole top floor as the karaoke is really fun and the "Chinese Elvis" host is great, making sure everyone is having fun.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Sweet Centre
18 Apr 08, 13:26
Pick 'n' mix
I used to love this shop when I was younger and still enjoy popping back to get pick 'n' mix. The shop is great with floor to ceiling sweets and lollies. They have cricket ball sized gobstoppers which I have never purchased as I have no idea how you would go about eating that, and all the sugary, multi-coloured tubes full of horrible and equally multi-colourd goo that is so popular but which I can't stand. They don't seem to stock "milk bottles" anymore which is a shame as they are my favourite sweets and can't seem to find these around much.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Benihana
18 Apr 08, 13:17
Food cooked at your table... on your table!!
This is a great restaurant and worth visiting just to see the way they prepare the food - it is prepared at your table, and on a special hotplate on your table! The menu had lots to choose from but I do think that the dinner prices are very expensive so recomment going for lunch instead. Impressive service, tasty food, no wonder some celebs list it among their favourite restaurants. Well worth a try.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hilton Hotel
18 Apr 08, 12:28
Lovely hotel, great location
I love this hotel - it feels very plush and luxurious and have had great rooms, food and customer service every time I've stayed here. The location is brilliant, perfect for shopping and a great sight-seeing base.
The hotel rooms I've stayed in have always been very big, clean, modern and very comfortable. The glass lifts are very posh - watch people working out through the glass window of the gym while you are whizzing up to your room. Mentioning the gym, I haven't used it but it looks fantastic, the equipment looks really new.
Breakfast is lovely, I love Hilton breakfasts! The buffet has lots of fresh cold and warm food on offer and the breakfast room has a lovely view of Cardiff Castle opposite. Staff are very friendly and helpful.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Garlands
18 Apr 08, 11:40
Lovely shop, more than just flowers
This is a really lovely shop - I remember when it first opened and thought it was brilliant and now it has extended and stocks a wider variety of things it is fabulous! It is more than just a florists, with lots of gorgeous, decorative house things as well as divine general accessories and gifts. A real girly shop, perfect for browsing around to view all the gorgous things on display and picking up some pretty items for the house, yourself or gifts for friends.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Lush
18 Apr 08, 11:07
Great shop if you can stand the smell!
First off, you can smell a Lush shop well before you see one and the smell is either sometimes fresh, clean and enticing; but sometimes I can find the whiff too overpowering and sickly. On a good smelling day this is a really fun shop to be in and is very girly smelling and "testing" all the products. I like the seasonal box sets they do which make nice gifts and can be a nice alternative to high street toiletry sets. It is a bit more expensive that, say, Boots or Superdrug, but the products are all natural and more unique and funky. Well worth a look!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Harrods
17 Apr 08, 14:23
Brilliant but you need to spend a pound to spend a penny...
I love going to Harrods, I can't afford to buy much other than tea and maybe a sandwich in the cafe, but I still love it all the same. I can't quite describe what it is about Harrods that makes it so appealing and fun. It is a massive department store (just in case you didn't know!) and has everything anyone could possibly want or need under one roof. The foodhall is amazing and I envy the people who can do their weekly shop here. I also love the Harrods Shop, with all the Harrods branded products which make brilliant little gifts for friends who live outside London as everyone has heard of Harrods.
The cafe is really nice and while it is a little bit more expensive than other cafes, it isn't that bad and won't bankrupt you to have tea and cake or a sandwich. There is a brilliant bagel place in the cafe and again it is a little more expensive than other sandwich places, the filled bagels are massive and I think they are worth every penny.
If you are not a Harrods card holder or cannot produce a receipt for products purchased on that day you will need to spend a pound to spend a penny.....
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Marco Polos
17 Apr 08, 14:12
Perfect place to eat and do a spot of celeb spotting!
This is a really nice, busy cafe which I stumbled on with my family. The food and service is great, lots to choose from and all very good quality. There are loads of signed pictures of celebrities on the walls and it would seem that this is a perfect place to do a bit of celeb spotting, but I haven't seen any yet on my vists.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Pontis Restaurant
17 Apr 08, 13:49
Good food, brilliant location
This is a really nice place to grab a snack in Covent Garden while shopping. The food is very good with lots on offer. Their hot sandwiches are lovely - try the toasted ham and cheese in herbed foccacia bread, it's so good! I've also had pasta and cakes there, all very nice. The portions are generous and while it might seem more expensive than a standard cafe or sandwich shop, the quality of food is very good and it is worth it for the portion sizes too.
Both the "open-air" and the normal "covered" cafe next to each other in the market are both very good. Go to the "open-air" one in the summer if you manage to find a seat and the "covered" one in the winter to keep warm. The "covered" one also has toilets.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Vue Cinemas
16 Apr 08, 14:08
Great cinema
I like this cinema because there are lots of screens so you've got more chance of seeing popular films and its usually very clean. I also like the fact that you can buy tickets from any till in the cinema not just the box office so less waiting around in a queue. Another good thing is they have big loos so you aren't queueing up for ages after a film waiting to spend a penny!!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Tchibo
16 Apr 08, 13:32
Shop on your coffee break
This is a nice cafe where you can pick up a bargain on whatever the featured products of the week/month are whilst having your coffee. They change their products regularly and you will find some bargains; from coats to pyjamas, kitchen accessories to bed linnen, you are never quite sure what you will find on your next visit! They used to have a very nice selection of sandwiches but the last few times I've been there they haven't had any. The cakes are nice too but if you are there at the end of the day they won't have much left for you to choose from. Coffee is served very strong.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Lindys
16 Apr 08, 13:26
This is now Costa Coffee!!
I am sad to say that Lindys has gone and is now Costa Coffee - I do like Costa Coffee but Lindys was just great and I'll really miss their toasted cheese and tuna sandwiches! Costa Coffee is always good as cafe's go but their coffee is quite strong. The paninis are very nice, even better when they toast them. Only criticism is that sometimes you get tea in a pot so get more than 1 cup per person and sometimes they just make it in a cup but will not give you a top up!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Maison Blanc
16 Apr 08, 13:09
Lovely cakes, friendly staff
A lovely place to have tea, cakes and good old gossip with friends! It is a little more expensive here than other chain cafes but the quality is superb. The staff are very friendly and always clearing and cleaning tables (in some cafe's they leave the dirty stuff on tables for ages so you end up sharing your table with the previous occupants leftovers).
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Whittard Of Chelsea
16 Apr 08, 12:58
More than just tea!
I love this shop and think people, in general, really under-rate Whittards. I know it can be expensive but you are paying for the quality (and durability with plates etc) of what you are buying. They often have different teas for you to sample and you can grind and make your own coffee. They have a Lindt "pick 'n' mix" which is fab and other sweets and novelty items so it's not all posh china and expensive teas you can't pronounce. They also have great ranges of seasonal gifts, their Christmas range was fantastic (great tea sets for kids) and with "3 for 2" offers it really is worth taking a look.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Lartista
16 Apr 08, 12:38
Good food, restaurant quite loud
I ate here a few years ago for someones birthday and the food and service were excellent. I loved the menu, lots to choose from. You have to order veg and sides separately but the portions are generous. When I went it was a Saturday night and the restaurant was heaving, so busy and very loud so not perfect for a quiet, romantic meal.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Wetherspoon - Free House
15 Apr 08, 16:23
Good choice of food
I love Wetherspoons pubs as they have a really good variety of food and have food themed nights (roasts, curries etc). They have good deals where you can get two meals for a set price, or food and a beer for a set price. The menu has been updated and improved and the food is always really nice. Go for steak pie and finish with the sponge/toffee pudding and custard!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Asda Stores
15 Apr 08, 13:34
More than the weekly shopping here
I like this Asda as it has a big car park and you don't have to pay £1 for a trolley so don't have to worry about having change on you all the time - plus it is a very big supermarket and has lots to choose from. They recently renovated and created an upstairs for clothes and home accessories and now have a brilliant home electronics section where the clothes used to be located downstairs. Nice to go and have a wander around for other things not just the weekly shop.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Favourites The Cake Shop
15 Apr 08, 13:28
Eggless cakes!
Nice little cake shop that produces lovely tasting and impressive looking egg-less cakes. You can sit in there and have tea and cake as well as buy, order and take away. Good to know a a bakery that is able to cater for people with food intollerances and make cakes that look and taste like normal - you'd never guess they were egg-less, gluten free and whatever else they make, I'm impressed.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Pizza Arianos
15 Apr 08, 13:18
Good menu, speedy delivery
A good takeaway pizza place. They have a good menu with lots to choose from and always deliver quickly. I also like the fact that when you call if they are busy and the wait will be longer than 20-30 minutes they will give you an approximate time of delivery which is good as lots of local delivery places often leave you hanging and don't tell you if you should expect a longer than normal delivery time.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Pied Piper
15 Apr 08, 13:09
sweets, toys and stationery!
I used to love going to this shop when I was a kid and still do - brings out the big kid in me choosing pick 'n' mix and looking at all the toys and stationery. They stock really nice and good quality stationery so it is good to get school supplies. They also have lots of toys and books so it's handy to have somewhere local to go and get last minute gifts for young children.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Leigh Pharmacy
15 Apr 08, 13:06
Very helpful
I've been going to this pharmacy for years as the pharmacists are very helpful and friendly and I trust them if I need medical advice. I also like the fact that if you hand in a prescription in the morning and they don't have what you need in stock, they can usually have it ordered in and ready for collection later that day.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Eat
14 Apr 08, 13:44
Good fresh food, bit pricey
I love going to Eat if I feel like spending a little more on lunch than normal but without splurging. The food is all fresh, organic and really high quality which makes it a little more expensive than other places such as Pret. What I like about Eat is they have their soups and pies of the week on their website so you can plan your lunch if needed. Their Smokey Bacon and Lentil Soup is a firm faviourite and newer additions to their soup menu such as Courgette and Green Chilli and Spiced Cauliflower and Potato are really tasty. They also very helpfully indicate if foods contain meat, wheat, dairy etc.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Caffe Nero
14 Apr 08, 13:39
Lovely courtyard to enjoy in summer
This cafe is worth tracking down if you are nearby as there is a lovely courtyard at the back of the cafe. The courtyard merges with the little market that belongs to the church next door and it is very peaceful and lovely in the summer if you are lucky enough to find a free table. The cafe itself is very small, it's the courtyard that sells this cafe.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Wasabi
14 Apr 08, 13:34
Fresh food, lots of choice
This is a great place to get take-away sushi and bento. Lots of selection, reasonably priced and staff are always re-stocking shelves so food is fresh.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hunters
14 Apr 08, 13:17
Lots of choice on menu, bit expensive
I went to this restaurant for a relatives birthday and had a really nice time. The food was very good with lots of different types of food to choose from on the menu. The food was very tasty, prepared and presented well and the service was brilliant. I haven't been back since as it was quite expensive but would go back again probably only for a special occasion.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Co-op Welcome
14 Apr 08, 13:09
More than a convenience store
The Co-Op has really gone up in my estimation after renovating this shop and making it much more like a minature supermarket and offering a wider variety of products. Their own branded products are of a really good quality and with the re-vamped packaging they look a bit posh - you must try their mini chocolate indulgence cakes and the lemon iced cup cakes, lovely! The standard of thier meat has also greatly improved. Food is fresher, tastier and loads of fair trade products. Still a nit more expensive than supermarkets such as Asda but the quality of some of their products is now better than the big chain supermarkets so it is worth paying a bit more.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Honeymoon Restaurant
13 Apr 08, 20:09
Great food and service
A really good restaurant. The food is prepared really nicely and is really delicious and there is a lot to choose from on the menu with some lovely set menu options too. Their Won Ton Soup is superb as is their crispy chilli chicken. The restaurant is very small and although I’ve never been there on the weekend when it s busy, I know a lot of people who have been turned away at busier times because they hadn’t booked tables. They also do a takeaway service but I am not sure if they deliver.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Zuccato
13 Apr 08, 19:35
Not just a cafe, an Italian restaurant too
Until a friend asked me to meet there for food, I had no idea this was a restaurant as well as a café. Full of Italians drinking espresso in the café at the front, you can’t tell at a glance that this is a restaurant as the main dining area is hidden around the corner. I ordered a spinach and ricotta calzone which was superb and huge, I could only eat half of it…. Then again I was saving space for desert!! Desert is good too, try the homemade Tiramisu (quite heavy and a lot of alcohol, makes you want to curl up in a corner and sleep!) or the homemade pistachio ice cream.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Express by Holiday Inn
13 Apr 08, 17:33
Impressive for budget hotel
I stayed here for business and was very impressed as I had been told that it was very budget but found it to be better than what I expected. The room was very big, clean and bright and looked like it had been newly decorated. Couldn’t fault the buffet breakfast, everything was fresh and tasty. There isn’t any room service as the hotel doesn’t have it’s own restaurant, or at least it didn’t when I was staying there, but is so central that there are loads of places around to grab food. The hotel is conveniently located and you are in walking distance from Buchanan Street tube station and the shops – would definitely stay here again not only for business but also if I was there on short break.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Little Chef
13 Apr 08, 16:43
Re-live childhood roadtrip memories!
I think I screamed when we saw the Little Chef - we never see them any more and yet it was the best part of every road trip when I was a child. We had to stop and have the Little Chef breakfast despite the fact that it was evening and we had to eat dinner when we reached our destination a further hour or so drive away. A bit more modern than I remembered in decor and the menu has been updated to include ciabatta or pannini style sandwiches, but the famous all say breakfast and cherry pancakes are, thankfully, still on the menu. Not as tasty as I remember it, but then again I hadn't eaten in a Little Chef for almost 20 years - you could do a lot worse at a service station. Bring back Little Chef!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Toby Carvery
13 Apr 08, 16:12
Fantastic carvery and "bottomless" jars of custard!
Brilliant restaurant – either eat from the carvery where you choose your meat (usually turkey, beef or ham) and then help yourself to as much veg as you like from the buffet or pick a meal to order from the menu. You can go up and refill your plate as many times as you like from the buffet but you cannot have any extra meat from the carvery. They usually have deals on where you pay less if you go at certain times. What is heaven for me is the “bottomless” jars of custard served with most of the deserts – they bring a large, full jug of custard and will refill is as many times as you like, bliss!! I have taken one star off as the times I have wanted to order the steak pie off the menu rather than have the carvery they have always run out.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Dunelm Mill Shop
13 Apr 08, 15:44
Stylish and affordable
Great shop with loads of household furniture, decorations and accessories. Prices are very reasonable and the store layout and product displays are very inspiring and help you get ideas for your own home. There is also a lovely café so even if you are just window shopping it makes for a nice day out – I actually prefer doing this, browsing around the shop not needing to buy anything in particular and then stopping for tea and cake!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Florya
13 Apr 08, 15:14
Proper fry-up
Lovely, family run café – friendly staff and food served quickly and all freshly cooked. Very good menu with lots of choices, but if there isn’t a set breakfast on the menu that you like the look of make your own up. I recommend the Yum-Yum breakfast or their omelettes and chips.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of HobbyCraft
13 Apr 08, 14:42
Get creative!
This shop brings out the creative side in everyone, with so much on offer from flower arranging, DIY bonboniere/wedding favour accessories, needlework, mosaics, make your own dolls house accessories, seasonal decorations, cake decorating tools, rubber stamping, homemade card accessories, fabrics, ribbons, paints and much more – if you have a hobby or arts and crafts need this shop has it all! They also have very handy leaflets all around the store with instructions on how to make various items and what you need to buy to make them. The store also offers lots of arts and crafts classes and master classes. Even if I’m not going to be creative I love wandering around this shop, it is really inspiring and kids also love it. Staff are very helpful and know a lot about the products offering good advice to customers which is good for arts and crafts beginners who have an idea of what they want to do but don’t know the products or accessories they need. I have take one star off as they have closed the café in this store which I used to love and was really useful as you can easily lose all track of time and spend hours in the shop and it was nice to take a break whilst shopping and have a cup of tea and cake whilst debating what to buy.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Chimichanga
13 Apr 08, 14:23
Fan-chimichanga-tastic!
I love this restaurant – good food, brilliant music and atmosphere, nice décor, and very friendly and helpful staff. It is always really busy so book in advance if there are a lot of you or if you don’t want to wait for a table. In addition to the regular menu, they have a specials board with lovely, modern takes on traditional Mexican food. Most of the food is quite spicy so people who like plain food or can’t take spice may find it difficult to find something on the menu that they will enjoy. The food portions are massive and everything has always been cooked really well. The staff are happy to advise on food and drink and make recommendations if you are unsure of what to try. They play wonderful latino music, lots of Cuban salsa, and with the dark wooden floors which are perfect to dance on I always have to restrain myself from getting up and dancing!! As it gets very busy there the food can sometimes take a little longer than you would want to wait for it to be brought to the table, but the quality is so good and the food is always fresh and piping hot that the wait is well worth it. Would have awarded 5 stars if they had a few more plainer food options as if you want to go there with lots of people some may struggle to find something they like on the menu.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Yo! Sushi
12 Apr 08, 10:02
Friendly staff, good food
I now love sushi because of this particular restaurant in the chain. I’d never eaten sushi before and really wanted to try it and the staff were so helpful and polite and explained what was what and how to eat sushi and now I’m addicted!! I love the fact you can see them preparing the sushi in front of you and you know all the food is fresh, also if you want something on the menu that isn’t on the conveyor belt they make it fresh to order for you. The refillable water and miso soup is also brilliant. I like this particular restaurant in the chain as some of the others I’ve eaten in sit everyone on top of each other but this one seems to have a bit of space between the chairs. This chain is a bit expensive but it is lovely!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Oi! Bagel
12 Apr 08, 09:05
Brilliant Bagels!
If you're near Hammersmith tube station and feeling peckish, I really recommend Oi! Bagels. Freshly made with lots of choice, you can customise your bagel to be as healthy (or as unhealthy!) as you like. My favourite is definitely their breakfast bagels and when I used to pass through this station on my way to work I couldn’t function for the day unless I’d stopped here and had a breakfast bagel! Reasonably priced and staff always cheerful and friendly.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of London Aquarium
11 Apr 08, 13:36
Find Nemo
A brilliant place to visit and kids love it. Every time I've been there it has been really busy and it can be a bit frustrating trying to move around with the numbers of people around you but it is well worth it. Bright, colourful and interesting, makes you feel like a kid again! As well as the fish, sharks, jellyfish, octopus and other aquatic life you will find there, there is also a display on the Thames and some "interesting" articles that have been washed ashore - quite a few big brick old mobile phones!! On certain days you can see them feeding the sharks but I haven't managed to see this yet. Brilliant day out and brings out the kid in everyone.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hamburger Union
11 Apr 08, 13:25
Burger and a half!
A brilliant restaurant where you know the food is all cooked fresh to order and hasn't been lying around half cooked or re-heated before it is served to you. The price reflects the quality and you pay for what you get so although you can get burgers cheaper elsewhere, here they are fresh, juicy, filling and bigger portions. You can call ahead and order takeaway which is always handy. The alternative to beef options look great although I haven't tried them, friends who have say they are very good. Chips are freshly cut and chunky and there is a wide variety of sauces you can order, but you do have to pay for sauces that are not the standard ones on the table tops.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Books Etc
10 Apr 08, 20:55
Relaxing atmosphere, helpful staff
I love bookshops and this is one of my favourites. You can tell the staff really love working there and they are all really helpful. I love the fact that there are some benches/seats in the aisles of books so you can pull up a chair and “test-drive” a book comfortably and without anyone giving you funny looks or trying to hurry you along. This store also has a Paperchase stationery bit which is brilliant as I love Paperchase, so funky. So if you happen to wander by and see someone looking very comfortable and sitting on the floor (if there are no seats left) engrossed in a book, it’s probably me!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Nandos
10 Apr 08, 13:30
Piri-piri good!
I'm sure that almost everyone knows what Nandos is, but for those of you who don't, where have you been when all these fab restaurants have been opening up!?! It's menu comprises predominantly of Portuguese style flame grilled chicken, but they also offer a couple of vegetarian options and a steak option (Prego Steak Roll).
Nando, for those of you who haven't read the scribbling that make up the decor of some of the restaurants, is short for Fernando and I believe he was a chicken that saved a pilgrim’s life in 14th century Portugal, enough history lesson, back to the restaurant!
If you haven’t been to Nandos before, on arrival you are greeted and assigned a table, given a table number and menus and you place your order at the till and pay up front. When choosing your food, you are always asked "How spicy?" and if you aren't sure all the tills have a "spicometer" indicating how hot each sauce/dressing is. You can of course ask for your food to be plain but where's the fun in that? If you are dining with kids, bear in mind that if you order anything that comes with mayonnaise, the mayonnaise is mixed with a bit of piri-piri sauce to make it spicy.
If there are a lot of you, the meal deals or "platters" are great value for money and come with sidelines and sometimes drinks too depending on which "platter" you have gone for. If you want to share a platter with someone and they like loads of spice but you don't, they can cook half chickens with different spice and clearly label them so that when it's brought to the table you don't have to do a taste test to see which is which. Other good points are the "refillable drinks" as the hotter the sauce the thirstier you'll get!!
Once you have ordered, you help yourself to the plates, cutlery, refillable drinks (if you've ordered them!) and bottles of sauce if you want extra with your meal. Many Nandos restaurants have slogans inviting you to treat it like home - help yourself to cutlery, eat with your hands and use the communal sink that is right out in the open somewhere in the midst of all the tables in the middle of the restaurant. The sink is usually very popular with kids!!
I’ve had a couple of deserts at Nandos and they are quite good; I usually opt for the frozen yoghurt. This is also refillable and a great way to cool your taste buds if you have indulged in lots of spicy sauce with your main meal!
Nandos have recently added more to their menu and extra sidelines include couscous salad and a rich and creamy sweet potato mash. Their sidelines are good value for money as most options on the menu come with a price with and without sidelines.
As everything is cooked to order, you know that the food is fresh and it is always very good quality. I also like the fact that they serve the salad dressing in a separate pot so that you can add as much as you like and you can also see that the salad is fresh and hasn’t been drowned in dressing to hide or disguise it’s freshness and quality. Service is also very quick and staff are very friendly.
Something that is available at the Covent Garden branch of Nandos that I haven’t seen at my more “local” Nandos restaurants are cocktails and drinks with Nandos piri-piri sauce!! A lot of you may be thinking that sounds horrible, but I’m still very tempted to try a tomato juice with Nandos piri-piri sauce as a substitute for Tabasco sauce – as with your food you get to choose how spicy you want your drink.
The reason I haven’t given it 5 stars is that in certain branches of Nandos they don’t keep white wine somewhere cool and it is served warm (yuk!) and on a few occasions I’ve been there they have run out of chicken livers (they are lovely, served with a Portuguese bread roll, try them medium spicy – yum!) and green salads.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.