Joelle's reviews
Review of The Three Crowns
10 Oct 07, 17:34
Classy local 
The food in here is brilliant, with a different menu everday, though rather pricey. There's a dining area with proper tables and a pub area with a nice mishmash of old furniture, comfy seats and cosy lamps, so it does both gastropub and pub pub equally well. Nice and chilled in the afternoons, bit livelier on an evening but you should still get a seat. There was a DJ in the other Friday playing decent enough stuff but really quiet. People in there are mostly local thirty somethings, quite cool but not overly so. Staff are the same and friendly.
Thumbs up.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Canteen
10 Oct 07, 17:21
Gastropub food in a minimalistic design concept
I like Canteen but not quite as much as I'd hoped I would.
Personally, all the food I've had has been pretty great. It's carefully sourced British food. Braised lamb was wonderfully tender and the mackeral salad was tasty. Chocolate and beetroot cake was yummy; the additional of custard would have raised it to heavenly.
The design is very sleek and modern and the pared down font they use is extremely stylish. Thank goodness they have replaced the benches at the long shared tables with individual stools now though so you don't have to bother people or else clamber inelegantly in to sit down.
What underwhelmed me? I dunno. Maybe because I was sat in a draft, but the comforting nature of such good hearty grub was somewhat lost. It was like a gastropub found itself in a page spread Wallpaper magazine. Maybe the two don't fit together.
Still, I'm rating it 4 stars for the quality of the food and the design which are better than most places.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Vibe Bar
10 Oct 07, 17:00
Not my vibe 
I've always found this place a bit loud, crowded and unpleasant to be honest.
It's not a bad place for a drink with friends, but if the weather isn't courtyard friendly it can get a bit too rammed in a way that makes me feel old and grumpy rather than young and up for a party. Plenty of more charming drinking holes around here if you know where to look.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hookah Lounge
10 Oct 07, 16:54
Laid back drinking of fancy teas
I spent yesterday evening rediscovering a part of London I thought I'd grown bored of and trying places I'd not been. Like this hookah lounge which I ventured into now that the smoking ban has banished the hookahs to the pavement outside.
And what a pleasant surprise. Lovely laid back place with a long menu of wonderful unusual teas - Middle Eastern and Oriental. Good cocktail menu and the mezze looked really nice.
Friendly staff, nice atmosphere, low seats with cushions and lots of wood. A very good place to while away the evening and a nice healthy alternative to the usual pubs.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The New Rose
31 Aug 07, 12:26
I spend way too much time in this pub
It's an important part of London life to have a decent local, and the New Rose is mine.
Just far down enough on Essex Road to avoid the idiot hoardes of Angel and Upper Street, it nonetheless has a lot of regulars and is lively on a night, especially when they have DJs in on a weekend. Decent DJs mind, playing indie, rock, country and such, to match the pretty decent jukebox. They also have some nice events on from time to time like the monthly 'ladies night' with craft and cocktails and sometimes have football on the big screen but only big matches like the world cup or FA cup final. Weekend days are about roasts and reading the paper. The drink selection is fine but nothing special - not one for your special beer fans or real ale people.
The other excellent thing about the New Rose is the awesome pizzas. And it's named after a Damned song.
Generally a pretty sweet place to hang out.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Fig
31 Aug 07, 12:03
Wonderful little place 
A friend of mine recommended and booked this restaurant for an anniversary dinner and it was heavenly.
On a quiet street in Barnsbury, you'd be unlikely to stumble across this cosily romantic little gem.
The service was outstanding - friendly and knowledgeable waiter who would chat about options on the menu and give good advice on wine choices. The food was delicious: a small and carefully thought out menu of seasonal and well-sourced ingredients. I had duck which was wonderful but the surprise star was the quirky dessert 'pumpkin, pumpkin and pumpkin' - pumpkin nougat, sorbet and syrup. Yum! A pretty good bet for foodies.
The whole experience was lovely. It just showed through in every aspect that they really care what they are doing.
The friend of mine gets 5 stars herself as she'd arranged a couple of glasses of champagne to be given to us when we sat down to peruse the menu. Husband gets 5 stars as well for sorting out such a nice surprise! Sorry neither of those are included.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Sabor
31 Aug 07, 11:43
Fresh and modern Latin American food
Ooh I do like Sabor. It's one of my favourite local restaurants - good food, good service and a nice atmosphere. The food is latin american in style - but somewhat unusual and modern. None of your bog standard burritos but some interesting and insanely tasty options like ceviche (seafood in citrus juice which cooks it without heat) or lamb with papaya and quinoa. Most of it is dead healthy as well. Beers and wines are south american too, and the fruity cocktails are brilliant.
I recommend the weekend brunches - go for huevos rancheros and a big glass of passionfruit and mango juice. Sure beats a fry up!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.