James's reviews
Review of Pizza Plus
17 Jun 08, 10:00
Shocking tikka kebab, good pizza 
Went in here last Friday as it seemed to be the only food option in town after 10:30pm.
I had probably the worst kebab I've had in my life. Chicken tikka reheated on the grill and charcoaled to a carcinogenic, leathery mess. I could have re-soled my shoes with this appalling 'food'. I'm amazed I wasn't ill after the one bite I had. The rest went straight in the bin, although I should really have sent it to the food standards authority.
Having said that my friend ordered the vegetarian pizza which was made on the spot and tasted very nice - but then it's pretty hard to go wrong with a vegetarian pizza.
To sum up go here for the pizzas but avoid the chicken tikka kebab at all costs.
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Review of Ace Mica Hardware
30 May 08, 17:18
Ace by name, ace by nature 
Fantastic local hardware/DIY shop with a huge range of stock for such a small shop from screwdrivers to paint to torches to hinges to nails to dustbins to compost to BBQ charcoal.
No need to venture to B&Q or Homebase, the prices here compare favorably and the service - as you'd expect - is far more personal and helpful.
The opening hours are the only thing that lets this place down. They were closed on bank holiday Monday when a lot of people were undoubtedly working at home and they close at about 5 in the evening. Other than that a great local business that should be supported by everyone living nearby.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Mitre
30 May 08, 16:52
Amazing transformation 
This used to be an outpost of the spectacularly awful 'Mr Q's' franchise and quite frankly I was too scared to even step through the door in those dark days.
However, (and although I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime) it seems that there is a degree of gentrification occurring in Tooting - The Tramshed, The Selkirk, Sprirt Bar etc. are other examples - and this new trendiness has even found it's way down Mitcham Road. In fact the transformation is so stark that this pub now appears way ahead of the game in these parts.
There's a hand pump usually dispensing Black Sheep, comfy seating and a fully refurbished and smart looking bar area. I've only been in during the week when it has been fairly quiet but the friendly bar person assured me that the weekend draws in a decent and lively crowd.
Outside there's plenty of seating with the obligatory parasols (and heaters for those partial to the Jamiacan Old Holborn) which is a pleasant change from the loitering drunks and dodgy looking flower stall of old. They have also just started offering a Monday night film club similar to that proffered by The Exhibit in Balham.
Not sure if they sell food but I know they still do accommodation which apparently has also been completely refurbished. It's very reasonable and handy if you have folk staying for the weekend.
All in all it seems this pub has been completely transformed and is infinitely better than it was. I recommend this pub wholeheartedly. Try it out.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Kingston Arms
30 May 08, 12:13
Top 5 all time pub!
Tucked away on a side street not far from Cambridge station this is one of my favourite pubs - and not just for their refusal to serve lager. It really does have everything.
The selection of beers is excellent including a good range of up to 10 local and micro-brewed ales and at least one hand-pulled cider. If you want to convert your lager-drinking friends to ale then this is the place to bring them.
The pub is justifiably renowned for it's food. A varied and interesting menu is offered for both lunch and dinner and the quality is excellent garnering positive comments from a variety of food critics. It's possible to make table reservations and order food in advance which is not a bad idea at peak times as the secret is pretty much out about The Kingston.
Unusually for a pub they offer free internet access for anyone buying a pint and there is also a quiet secluded garden for sunny days (with solar heaters for less than sunny days).
I have whiled away several afternoons and evenings at this pub and even missed a train back to London because I simply couldn't drag myself away from 'one more pint' in this gem of a local.
If you're in Cambridge a visit to The Kingston Arms is as essential as a wander around King's College or a punt on the Cam. Yes, that good!
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Review of Yatess Wine Lodge
30 May 08, 11:41
Quality food, beer and service at a bargain price
Call me prejudiced but given the reputation of Yatess I would never have chosen to come here myself, however, I dropped in the other day to join my colleagues for lunch and was very pleasantly surprised. The food was good and reasonably priced, the service at the bar and table was attentive and courteous and the most surprising thing of all was the excellent pint of Fuller's London Pride I was served for possibly the lowest price in London - £2.30. It's nicely air-conditioned should you need a respite from one of those scorching hot summer days that we get in London...
This Yatess has recently been refurbished and is clearly set-up for night time drinking and dancing - glitter balls, dancing poles, numerous flat screens etc. but during the day they just show unobtrusive music videos. I'll leave commenting on the evening experience to another reviewer - I suspect it gets very busy with a lively young crowd from out of town - but for a spot lunch or a cheeky day-time pint I'd certainly recommend this particular Yatess - and I never thought I'd say that.
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Review of Samrat
14 May 08, 12:25
Old school currry house with great service & food
I'm ashamed to say that although this is the closest Indian restauant to my house I've only just visited after 4 years of living in Tooting. That's 4 years of great curries missed!
Thankfully now I've discovered this gem of a place and can start making up for lost time.
This is what I'd call an 'old school' curry house. It has Taj Mahal etched glass inside, a small well-stocked bar with decorative minarets above and a tastefully decorated waiting area near the front for take away orders.
The tables are neat and fairly private as each is it's own booth although you still get a sense of atmosphere when the restaurant is busy. The staff are smart, friendly and attentive and best of all the food is superb. I have been to most of the Indian restaurants in the Tooting area and with the possible exception of Mirch Masala Samrat is certainly the best.
My only gripe is the price of the drinks - £1.95 for a half pint of lager seems a bit steep. However, I have no other complaints and that is not enough to tarnish a 5 star review.
I get the feeling Samrat has been around for many years and if the levels of service and quality of food are maintained it deserves to be around for a lot longer. Keep up the good work.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Royal Standard
08 May 08, 11:47
Superb friendly local that has it all
This pub has it all! A very friendly landlord/landlady team, amiable and knowledgable bar staff, a popular oche, 3 screens for sports (the largest of which has recently become popular for Wii games) and they also allow you to eat your own take away/delivery food in the pub providing plates, cutlery, sauces etc. A novel idea in a non-food pub.
The ales change fairly regularly. On my visit they were serving well kept Timothy Taylor's Landlord and a drop of Cornwall's finest - St Austell Tribute as well as the usual lagers - Heineken, Fosters etc.
The pub is found on a quiet side street less than 100m from Wandsworth Town Station and is simply furnished with wooden boards and plenty of interesting music themed posters/art prints/postcards on the walls. When the weather is fine the landlord is happy for tables and chairs to be moved outside.
What more could you ask for? A 5 star pub if ever there was one.
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Review of The Sultan
07 May 08, 15:32
Superb ales in a community local
The Sultan is a proper old fashioned back street community local.
As far as I know it's the only London pub tied to the Wiltshire based Hopback Brewery. They serve excellent quality Hopback staples such as Summer Lightning and Entire Stout and will also supply various sized barrels to take home which are great for parties and BBQs.
The pub is music and TV free and is split in two. One side features a dartboard (and a lovely picture of Andy 'The Viking' Fordham in his pre-diet days!) whilst the larger side has comfortable seating and leads out to a garden that hosts summer BBQs.
This pub is perfect for a quiet mid-week drink. They used to do pints for £1.50 between 7and 9 pm on a Wednesday, although I imagine that price has gone up what with the recent steep increase in the price of beer.
It can be a little tricky to find this place the first time but once you've discovered it you'll keep coming back for more.
Enjoy!
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Review of King Charles I
07 May 08, 13:09
Quality back street local close to Scala nightclub
Popped in here last Friday before a gig at the Scala having never visited before. What a treat!
The pub had 2 well-kept ales including Deuchars IPA, a quirky comfy interior (think random antiques on walls and ceiling, a Victorian fireplace and a bar billiards table - something of a pub rarity these days). There are also a handful of tables outside in this quiet side street which made for a pleasant spot for a pint in the mild weather.
The crowd was a good mix of youngsters warming up for a night out, locals and a few old boys and hippies.
I wasn't expecting that much from a pub in this area but will certainly go back if I'm in these parts again.
My only complaint is the bordering-on-comical size of the gents toilet. There's a cubicle and urinal but more than 2's certainly a crowd!
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Review of The Selkirk
02 May 08, 16:56
Bar billiards in sarf London!
A little oblique I know but how many pubs do you know with the classic pub game bar billiards?
I think the table in here is a hangover from the Frog days but who cares, the good thing is that they've retained it.
As per other reviews I can concur that the food here is good and the portions generous. They also have 2 or 3 decent ales on at a time and a decent sized walled beer garden that (needless to say) fills up quickly in the summer.
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