Ham's reviews
Review of The Nightingale
22 Nov 07, 10:24
An old style pub 
This is a good, old fashioned pub that is probably more of less interest to the Bacardi Breezer or WKD drinkers. And if that makes our eyes light up, you will be going to the right place.
It's a small pub, and not one that you will find just by walking down Wanstead High Street. But if you are visiting the area it is well worth the short walk down Nightingale lane.
The beer is normally excellent and there are a good selection of wines. The food looks good (I have never tried it) and the Wednesday Curry Nights seem to be very popular. Service is good, and you rarely have to wait long.
I keep going back.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Hadley House Restaurant
16 Nov 07, 17:25
Good for suburbia 
The food here is good, and attempts are made to be original and serve dishes that are a little more exciting and ambitious than you normally find in a local restaurant. The specials are always worth trying. Mostly, they succeed with the food but not always.
I've eaten here quite a few times over the years and there is no doubt that the food is good, but so are the prices which is why I would only give it 3 stars. For that money I expect at least this.
The smoking ban has done this place a huge favour - I avoided the place for quite a while as the tables are quite ....cosy and I abhor smoke with my meal. The service suffers when the place is busy and it is normally hit or miss whether it is good, acceptable or poor - I've had all three.
In short, quite a safe place to eat but it's no Conran - far too many rough edges.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Marsh Ruby
15 Nov 07, 21:50
Curry flavour 
Marsh Ruby is a gem, a real diamond, it's crystal clear this place is solid gold, a pearl in a saphire sky.Sorry, couldn't resist that. It's simplest to say this curry house is one of the best places to eat around Waterloo.
And when you hear "Curry House" don't think generic Indian - this place is out on its own. I wouldn't normally do this for a review, but their website says it perfectly, and I endorse it (quoted from (http://www.marshruby.co.uk) :
"All meals prepared fresh at location on the day in our shop. The curries are light and healthy because we cook with only extra virgin olive oil and sea salt which has been certified for organic food use. We use only natural spices. No colouring, additives or curry powder. We use our own ground blend of spice for masala. We use fresh onion, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh chilli and organic whole plum tomatoes. The vegetables we use are always fresh and prepared and cut by hand. The beans and lentils we use are dried not tinned. We buy fresh free range chicken breast, cut them by hand and buy fresh english legs of lamb for diced lamb which is cut by hand and mince the leg for the keema minced lamb."
Visit their website for the daily menu, changed every week. For less than a fiver, you can have a great meal, with plenty to choose for meat eaters and veggies. You get two curries of your choice with rice - chilliheads (like me) get fresh chopped chilli to spice it up if you want.
It gets busy, and they do takeaway, but you can mostly find a table if you are prepared to wait a minute to two and share - part of the charm of the place.
I've shared this "secret" with several people at work, everyone has agreed how special it is.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Rinkoffs
14 Nov 07, 10:34
One of the last East End bakeries
The bread's the thing here. They do sell filed rolls and things, but I've never tried them. However, their bread is Good; they are probably the last surviving east end jewish bakery (only my guess).
I'm an inveterate "trier", which means if I see something different I'll often try it without having the faintest idea what it might be - in a bakery I'm quite safe.
So what should you try? Beigels. Proper beigels, not those things you get in supermarkets. Onion Platzels - a crusty bread roll baked with onion on top. Cholla or Bolka - a rich bread rather reminiscent of brioche but not as rich. Rye bread - perfect with smoked salmon or salt beef. Any problems with some of those words, just point at the things you don't recognise - it's worth the chance.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Aspley House
14 Nov 07, 10:16
Wellington boots
Aspley House - often referred to as No. 1 London - is the house of the Duke of Wellington, and you can indeed see his boots there.
It is one of those places that you tend to neglect as a Londoner, I know I'd had it in the back of my mind to visit for many years, but it was the free entrance for London's Open House that finally sucked me in, and I was rather pleased I had.
What you can expect is a glimpse into a life gone by - the days when an individual of standing could have and indeed would have and would be expected to set up house in such an establishment. That, together with an awesome collection of paintings, and artefacts amassed by Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington.
Most curious is the giant nude statue in the stairwell -- which is of Napoleon. I still can't quite get my mind around that.
The contents of the house are largely the possessions of the Duke (whose descendants still live in private chambers there) and it shows. There is a connection between artefacts that is lacking in a museum collection.
Entrance is around £5, and I'd say that was fair value.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Steve Hatt
13 Nov 07, 12:29
Fish Tales
I've been shopping (OK, only occasionally) at Steve Hatt for over twenty years, and they have been consistently good for all that time. The only sad thing is that this paragon of fish merchandising would just be the average shop just about anywhere on the continent.
Prices aren't cheap, but if you want reliable, fresh fish it's the place to go.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Friday Night Ride
12 Nov 07, 19:00
The Friday Night Cycle Ride
There are a few things that you can say with some degree of confidence about the Friday Night Ride.
1 - It happens on cycles 2 - It starts and stops at the Crown Pub in Bloomsbury (mostly) 3 - It stops at pubs and (hopefully) a beigel shop along the way 4 - You don't have to be a cycle nut, and it's fun
Most other things are fluid (have I mentioned the liquids yet?)
The idea is that a ride is planned and published on the website http://www.fridaynightride.com, and on Friday night a group of people get together to ride around town with plenty of stops along the way. The ride is at the pace of the slowest, everyone is there ot enjoy themselves. Sometimes it is a leisurely 10 mile ride, sometimes a more challenging 30+ miles.
Oh yes, there is normally an attempt at high-rise cycle parking in an effort to beat previous records.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Chennai Dosa
12 Nov 07, 18:45
Authentic Indian
Don't be ut off by the canteen atmosphere and the hectic pace of this gem of an Indian Restaurant
Situated in East Ham, there are about 4 branches in the High Street (with other branches in Croydon and Wembley) in the heart of the local asian community. It is a vegetarian restaurant - some branches sell meat but I've never tried it, although I'm not veggie, because the food is sooooooo good. The flavours are fresh and exciting, and to be honest I'm still not entirely sure what some of them are.
Their dosa are excellent, and if you are a chilli head like me, you need to try their chilli iddly.
As I said, it's a caff. No license, water is served free. And the cost of a meal with, say, chilli iddly and a special dosa? About a fiver. You really must make the effort to visit if you can.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Golden Fleece
09 Nov 07, 13:37
If they only tried.... 
This is one of my locals and I still use it, but it is always such a disappointment. Lets get the good stuff over with: Beer on pump is often good, range of wines is OK, location is brilliant, sitting on the edge of the Wanstead Flats But. But. But. If they only got it right it would be a goldmine. They don't.
There are very rarely sufficient bar staff on. That, combined with the design of the bar means that unless the place is empty you will wait for ages to get served. Then all too often, there is something wrong in the cellar, or a delivery, or something. Doesn't happen everywhere - why here?
The interior is wa-a-a-ay past time for refurbisment, torn and stain seats, shoddy carpet. Mind you, it might be steaks they've put on on the floor, going on those I've tasted. To tell the truth, that might be an overstatement, but each time I've tried the food it is the most average of pub grub you will find. OK to feed your face if you must, but you'd do a lot better for food down on the Romford Road.
Prices are average. I still go there because it is so convenient after a walk on the Flats. If they ever get their act together, I'll know soon enough and let you know, here.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of G Kelly
09 Nov 07, 12:57
Pie and Smashing!
It's a simple fact that most Pie'n'Mash shops are good. That's why there are still quite a few about doing good trade, although the fare they produce is unfashionable to say the least.
G Kelly has been in the Roman Road for over seventy years, it's still a family business and it shows. When I went, only one of the two shops was open but despite it being on the early side of lunchtime, there was a brisk trade which meant the food was fresh and hot.
Pie and mash with liquor is the basic fare. The pie pastry was tasty and capable of absorbing just the right amount of gravy, the filling was tender and generous (nothing worse than an empty pie). Mash was genuine - I almost titled this review "Pie and Smash!" but then realised the connotations and there was sufficient liquor (a parsley sauce) to last to the end. My only regret was that I couldn't manage one of their fruit pies too. Maybe I should have taken it home. Whichever way you look at it a wholesome meal for the price of a McDonalds.
Should you want, jellied eels (hot or cold) are on the menu too.
All in all, a sound and reliable pie & mash emporium. I would have given it five stars, but I realised that it was the standard I expected from most pie&mash joints. If you've never tried it before - go on, give it a go!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.