Helen's reviews
Review of Sally Bourne Interiors
27 Nov 07, 09:44
Less Shabby and More Chic! 
This shop is neatly nestled between some newsagents and other unrelated shops, so don't miss it. This is a really very beautiful place full of very pretty interior related things.
The shop it self is very striking and its pale cream hues make it a tranquil place to browse. They have a comprehensive paint department at the back of the store which stocks rarer paints like Farrow and Ball etc. They also sell wallpaper and titles, which can be ordered (they have a great selection of samples).
The front of the shop is dedicated to soft furnishings and rolls of oilcloth and cotton duck line the walls. They have so great gifty items, not to mention the lovely array of decorative door and furniture knobs they have lining the walls nearest the till.
This shop can get really busy at the weekend, especially with push chairs, so go early or late and browse the store when empty, I think you will have a much better experience.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hummingbird Bakery
26 Nov 07, 18:03
Love it, Love it, Love it! 
I have been to both the Portobello Road store and now this one. I think I am sold on this one. It is just that bit calmer, plus they have a seating area which is a real bonus. You can eat your cupcakes in the warm, with a nice glass bottle of Diet Coke (heaven).
I am totally smitten with their vanilla frosted cupcakes - they are so fresh tasting, they just melt in your mouth. The sponge is so light, they don't feel like a lead weight after you have eaten them.
Everything about this place is beautiful and stylish, it's pink and brown interior is very chic and so complimentary to the cakes that they serve. They are a little expensive, but as a treat they are totally worth it, plus it really is an experience.
The staff are always upbeat and get to wear great super cute uniforms of fitted pink hummingbird sweat tops (I want one).
The bakery has a great atmosphere and not only are the cakes amazing, but they also play some pretty hot tunes too (Nouvelle Vague is a nice sound to eat cakes to).
I can't recommend this place highly enough.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Beard Papa's
23 Nov 07, 10:43
Super Cute Cream Puffs!
I love this place it is the most random thing ever, yet it is so damn yummy!
Beard Papa's is a cafe/bakery type place in the thick of Oxford Street that serves up the best cream puffs ever. It is a fast food/Krispy Creme type establishment (I think) and you can by your cream puffs by the box.
They are similar to profiter rolls, but without the chocolate on top. The choux pastry is baked into cute balls on site and filled with yummy vanilla cream filling before your eyes, it is finished off by hand with a dusting of Castor sugar! You can have chocolate filling, depending on what day of the week it is, the special filling changes each day.
Beard Papa is really big in the USA and I don't think it will be long before it really takes off in the UK. This place is super cute and super yummy!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Dim T
23 Nov 07, 10:26
Steamed Buns to Die For!
It was my first time at this eating establishment and also trying dim sum - I wasn't disappointed.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is very busy in the evenings and can be quite noisy. This didn't put me off, I quite liked the buzz.
The food tasted very fresh and the service was fairly quick. We opted for some dim sum to start and their steamed bums were to die for, they were really fluffy and light. The chicken dumplings were also pretty dreamy.
This place excels at great starters and dim sum, my main was nice, but a little too much garlic was used for my liking - though my fellow diners main looked and tasted yummy!
There are lots of options to choose from on the menu, and most tastes are catered for. They have Thai food, noodle dishes and many Chinese classic dishes.
The decor is really chic and very well presented. I enjoyed this place despite the fact that it is a chain, and is very popular. Yummy food that is reasonably healthy - always a winner!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of La Porchetta
15 Nov 07, 17:15
Great Value 
This was my first visit to La Porchetta, and I really didn't know what to expect when I walked in the door. However, I was pleasantly surprised.
The decor was a little shabby but to be honest this made the place feel all that little more authentic. The staff were really friendly and very attentive.
My fellow diner and I both ordered pizzas and they were huge! Not only were they huge but they were really tasty too. They were a little hard to eat as they were slightly too big for the plates - but at least they are going to fill you up!
They do some really unusual options and are a little more adventurous than many larger Italian chains. Nice open kitchen that enables you to see the chefs at work.
The best bit about the meal was the price, for two pizza's and two drinks the bill was £16! You can't go wrong there, yummy pizza that is so cheap... great venue for food before a gig at the Roundhouse.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Review of Roundhouse
15 Nov 07, 17:07
Good Clean Organized Venue
I recently went to gig at the Roundhouse and was really pleasantly surprised. It was different to all the other small gig venues that I have previously been to. It was very spacious, not just the stage and standing area but the bar and foyer too. There was plenty of bars inside and and lots of room to sit, or stand and chat comfortably. It did feel more like a cinema, but it was a nice change to the dark depths of some of the Mean Fiddler venues that I often frequent.
There were staff everywhere making the gig enjoyable as it was well organized, and not a rabble of drunkenness - which so many are now days. I think I really appreciated this when I visited this place as I was feeling ill - and it being so well organized made the whole thing a lot less stressful.
All round a good venue, with loads of good facilities.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of $ Grills and Martinis
13 Nov 07, 22:48
Dollar was a Winner!
I have been walking past this place for weeks now wanting to sample it's wares and tonight I did. I love the look of this restaurant - it is one of those good looking places that if it were a book cover I would have bought it just on how cool it was.
Anyway swanky cool interior aside the food was of a really high quality, I had the mussels in a coconut, chili and lemongrass sauce with fries and it was pretty good. Really soft fresh tasting mussels too. My fellow diner opted for the Million Dollar burger and this also looked really tasty. The portions were really ample for the prices.
We both opted for the strawberry and passion fruit cocktail and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of drink that you get for your money. Long tall glasses were filled with crushed ice and really great tasting Vodka - winner!
We both finished with the Creme Brulée , which was melt in the mouth good and I know a good Creme Brulée when I taste one.
Great service, good food, amazing funky wallpaper and chandeliers - you cant beat good interior design whilst you dine!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Niemans Pharmacy
08 Nov 07, 11:26
Friendly Helpful Service
I am quite new to the Farringdon area and have been suffering with a cold for the past week, I decided to finally give in a get loaded up with supplies (tissues, tablets and throat sweets etc). I had been looking for a chemist in the area for a while but this had proved unsuccessful. Having already ventured into Sainsbury's thinking I could get all I needed there quickly, I was soon proved wrong as I was greeted with a que that was about to snake out the door. I decided to keep looking.
I was pleasantly surprised when I found this small independent chemist. It was rather empty and very well stocked. I managed to grab all my supplies, talk to the woman about what decongestants to take and out the door in a matter of minuets. No waiting in line, no fuss just good local independent service!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Crown Tavern
07 Nov 07, 17:21
Yummy Pub Grub
This pub is situated in Clerkenwell green and is rather charming. It has a real old pub feel to it with traditional pub colours adorning the inside. It does have some slightly edgier, more modern features to it, like some retro wallpaper in places and some funky modern seating. The atmosphere is really pleasant and it was reasonably quiet for a week night. Drinks and food were both reasonably priced. The house wine was really enjoyable. The staff were eager to please and very friendly. The food I ordered was really tasty and perfectly balanced. My salmon fishcakes with asparagus was cooked to perfection and the portion was ample. I would would most certainly go back again!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Gourmet Burger Kitchen
05 Nov 07, 14:37
Cosy Burger Restaurant
I have been to this burger restaurant twice now and both times the food has been lovely. They offer a really wide variety of burgers, with lots of alternatives to beef. Both times I have had the chicken burger and they are really imaginative, unlike your usual chicken options. GBK offer chicken satay, chicken brie and cranberry and many more yummy options.
The other burgers all really imaginative as well. They do some great chunky chips and all the portions are so filling. When the burgers arrive they are of skyscraper proportions and require a knife and fork to devour. I would strongly recommend the milk shakes as they are divine Really thick and very American.
The restaurant is very small and tables are very close together, though not too close. Friendly staff, good atmosphere - this place is always so clean looking it is very reassuring.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.