Nicola's reviews
Review of MAC Cosmetics
16 Oct 07, 19:24
make up heaven 
Mac make up is a personal favourite of mine! I have a lot of their products and they always deliver brilliant results and make up that lasts all day and night. I specifically chose to review this store as it is the Mac store I frequent when I am in London. It is pretty small but the staff who work there are excellent and always very willing to help you and they really listen to what you want. They are also more than willing to demonstrate how to apply products if you are unsure. The only dilema you will face it what shade of eye shadow to choose out of the vast array!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Boho
29 Oct 07, 16:21
Crazy Cupcakes 
The Boho Cafe is a truly wonderful place not only is the service fantastic, the decor is brilliant and the food is freshly cooked! Despite being a little on the small side this cafe really is a great place to go in Canterbury whether you want morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner! The staff are always friendly and attentive and willing to explain dishes or give suggestions. The food is always very good I can especially recommend the king prwns in chilli and garlic butter, the burgers and the Eton mess! They also do a very good line in milkshakes and "crazy cupcakes" which are always brilliantly decorated in bright colours and glitter (they also taste good)! The Boho cafe also caters for those with food allergies doing wheat and gluten free options.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe St Pierre
29 Oct 07, 16:39
A Small Piece of France
Tucked away at the end of Canterbuy High Street this is one of my favourite places to escape to during a shopping trip. With all staff speaking French and English and a large selection of delicious patiserrie and french style breads you you really could be in France. The coffee here is also very good and makes a change from all the chain coffee stores that now cover the streets of Canterbury. With a good selection of filled baguettes and other savoury snacks Cafe St Pierre also makes a nice venue for a quick informal lunch. There is a lovely garden area at the back of the cafe which is very pleasant in the summer.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Mauresque
29 Oct 07, 16:59
Amazing Hummus!!
Cafe Mauresque does the most amazing hummus I have ever tasted! Tucked down a small side street off Canterbury High Street this is a great place for lunch or dinner, serving Moorish and Spanish cuisine. With a good selection of tapas and main dishes Cafe Mauresque caters for most appetites, 5 or 6 tapas is plenty for two people for lunch. For more substantial meals the tagines and paellas are excellent. From the outside this restaurant looks very small but the main dining area is downstairs and it is beautifully decorated in a morocan style. The staff are always eager to please and more than happy to give explanations of the menu. Several times a week there is live music in the restaurant which can make for a good evening but can be hard to talk over! After your meal I can recommend the mint tea which is very refreshing and served in a lovely pot! Also very importantly I can say that this restaurant has very clean toilets!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Belge
30 Oct 07, 10:05
50 ways to eat a mussel!
Cafe Belge is situated just outside of the city walls in a really lovely old building. Inside, it is combination of beamed ceilings, Tin Tin artwork with brightly checked tablecloths. There is always a great relaxed atmosphere in this restaurant due, probably in part, to the nearly hundred strong slection of Belgium beers on offer all of which come in their own glasses! To compliment these delicious beers there are no fewer than 50 ways to eat a mussel ranging from the traditional white wine, cream and garlic through to thai style and curry pots! All the mussels come with frites, french bread and mayonnaise enough to satisfy even the biggest of appetites. There are none fish options such as wild boar sausages and mash which is a favourite of my boyfriends! The staff here are always well informed and enthusiastic which makes for an excellent dining experience.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Des Amis Du Mexique
30 Oct 07, 10:56
mexican 
Cafe des Amis is well located next to the historic Westgate Towers and the River Stour. Inside it is brightly decorated in blue and white with original art hanging on the walls and from the ceiling. The wooden tables are placed too close together for my liking leaving you feeling like you are intruding on the next door diner's conversations. The menu consists of a selection of Mexican classics such as nachos and fajitas which are pretty good but over priced, steak fajitas for 2 being £25. There also Mexican dishes with a twist such as duck confit with a mole sauce and mashed potato. Last time I dined at Cafe des Amis I chose the salmon fillet with a coconut lime sauce, grilled asparagus and saffron rice. Both the salmon and the asparagus were extremely over cooked. This restaurant is very popular and on busy nights has 2 sittings and you often feel rushed if you dine in the first sitting. The staff are always pleasant but are often too busy to provide excellent service.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Camomile Rooms
30 Oct 07, 12:08
fantastic waxing 
If I could just judge the Camomile rooms on the services they provide I would give them 5 stars, the therapists are friendly, professional, honest and most importantly very skilled. I have to say that they do the best waxing I have ever known minimal pain with perfect results. The therapists really listen to what you want and then do it. The Camomile Rooms also reward regular customers who have monthly appointments with a reduced rate for treatments such as waxing. However, I feel that in a beauty salon the surroundings are very important. The Camomile rooms are in desperate need of a refurbishment. The cubicles are divided by curtains so you can hear exactly what is going on inside them which can be a little off putting. The treatment tables are very old fashioned as well. Having said this I would not go anywhere elso for my beauty treatments in Canterbury.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Scrine Foundation Charity Bookshop
30 Oct 07, 15:31
Fantastic Service
I really love second hand book shops, I very rarely buy books from anywhere else. My absolute favourite second hand bookshop in Canterbury happens to be a charity bookshop which makes is doubly good. The proceeds from the sales go to the Scrine Foundation, a local charity that helps the homeless. They always have a brilliant selection of books ranging from the very old and unusual right through to fairly recent releases. Although you cannot guarantee what titles you are going to be able to get hold of, you can guarantee that you will come away with several good books for the price of one you could buy on the highstreet. What really makes this bookshop exceptional is the service, the staff are incredibly helpful. A few weeks ago I needed to track down a book and I could not find it on the shelves. The member of staff working not only offered to check the stockroom for me but also then checked through several bags of newly received donations. This really is service beyond expectations especially seen as the staff are all volunteers. The books are all very resonably priced with the average paperback being £1.99. I recommend always making this your first port of call when looking for a book!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Tiny Tim's Tearoom
30 Oct 07, 20:29
Ghostly Afternoon Tea!
Tiny Tim's Tearoom is located in the heart of Canterbury city centre in a building claimed to be one of Canterbury's most haunted buildings. The history of Tiny Tim's Tearoom is outlined on the menus, according to legend, during restoration of the building the ghosts of children were disturbed and they now roam the building! Visitors to the tearoom are encouraged to look around the building and see the original features that remain. There is even a ghost room for the very brave! The interior of the tearoom is tastefully decorated in black and white with chandeliers and a piano. On the menu there are cream teas, afternoon teas, a wide selection of scones and cakes and some light lunches. Where possible local produce is used and the menu changes to reflect the produce available depending on the season. As you would expect you can choose from an array of teas most of which are leaf teas. The service is always friendly but be warned Tiny Tim's gets very busy so get there early especially on a Saturday. As far as tea and cake goes this is fairly expensive however, I think it is worth paying a little extra money. Everything you have is served beautifully, you don't just get a cup of tea you get presented with a full tea set which I adore. You also get quite a lot for your money, tea for one generally provides you with 3 good cups of tea. My mum and I had afternoon tea for 2 a few weeks a ago and we ended up taking some home with us, it would have easily served 3.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cinema 3
30 Oct 07, 22:53
Gulbenkian Cinema
If you fancy going to the cinema but would like to watch something a little more challenging than the usual Hollywood blockbuster this is the place for you. The Gulbenkian Cinema formerly known as Cinema 3 is part of the University of Kent and is located on the Canterbury Campus. It is not just for students though and is open to members of the public. Recently refurbished it now has cinema style seating which is much more comfortable than watching a film in a lecture theatre. The Gulbenkian cinema shows a mix of new films and less mainstream films that will not make it to the local cinema. The cinema's aim is to be a leading arthouse in East Kent often showing foreign language films. Ticket prices are £6 and £5 for concessions which I think is pretty reasonable. The only draw back to this cinema is that it does not serve popcorn which I think is a cinema essential!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.