Talia's reviews
Review of The Phoenix Artist Club
30 Apr 08, 01:49
wicked 
Mental but amazing place under the Phoenix Theatre on Charing X Road.
Members only after 8pm but once you're in you're in - doors are at 5. If you want to join it's £120 standard but there are cheaper rates if you are in the arts darling! Various jobs get you in free also, hooray!
Old fashioned with walls covered in theatre posters and crazy people wandering about but it's brilliant and is open till 3am. You'll never get bored, and prepare yourself for the songs of the musicals played on a ropey old pa.
Honestly it's the best.
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Review of Dominion Theatre
30 Apr 08, 01:46
Tadah! 
Just by Tottenham Court Station, this is more than a theatre but also a great meeting place as one of London's favourite things to say is 'I'll meet you under Freddie!'
As a theatre it's a nice size - not too big, and the bars are comfortably priced rather than mega expensive.
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Review of Dim T
30 Apr 08, 01:41
Yum 
I love this dim t restaurant. If you fancy chinese food but with a twist then this is the place to be.
Dim sum wise I'm a big fan of chicken & asian greens and you get about 3 portions in each dish so we normally order 5 dishes between 2.
Then onto the mains, there are a few normal dishes like crispy duck, green thai curry salads etc, but the majority of people go for the stir fry option. Choose your meat, noodles, and topping and away you go. Portions used to be huge but have shrunk recently.
Only problem is that service can be quite slow so if you're short of time probably best to give it a miss.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Topshop
30 Apr 08, 01:30
Shop
This is either amazing or a nightmare depending what type of mood you're in. It's always busy and it is massive so you can actually forget where you were a few minutes ago to find a top again if you haven't been there before.
There's a cafe in the basement and toilets free for anyone to use. Unusually for a top shop there is a whole floor of concessions with small outlets for up and coming designers which is great.
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Review of Urban Outfitters
30 Apr 08, 01:26
Shop.
I love this shop. It's near Oxford Circus next to Oxford Circus and is dangerous if you don't have much money because everything is gorgeous.
Menswear is downstairs and they also have a small music section down there. Ladieswear takes up two floors although there is a small amount of homewear as well. Changing rooms often have a queue but they are nice to use.
Good for buying gifts and secret santa pressies also.
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Review of Curzon Soho
18 Apr 08, 01:28
Flicks
This is a great cineme in the West End catering for an artier crowd than the Leicester Square big screens. Films shown tend to be indies or foreign and attract an intelligent crowd.
As well as a glorious cake cafe upstairs, you can buy beer from the downstairs bar and take it into the screening rooms. The seats are comfy also.
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Review of Revolution Bar
18 Apr 08, 01:12
drink
This revolution is probably one of the least nice ones in the chain I've been to. There's lots of seats but they're nearly always fully booked out when it comes to evenings.
The main problem is that it's really dark in there and the people that go there aren't that ace. It's quite rowdy and when drinks aren't that cheap - is it really that appealing.
Also if you book a table for a Saturday night they charge £50. I don't know if this is true for other nights.
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Review of Two Floors
17 Apr 08, 19:19
Drink me.
This is a nice meeting place just behind Regent Street. As the name suggests there are two floors, the bottom one is quite beach bar stylee.
It's always pretty busy and although being moderately expensive the drinks are really big which is always good.
Normally quite a pretty clientele.
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Review of The Metro Club
17 Apr 08, 15:20
Dance
This is a basement club on Oxford Street frequented by people quite into their music. Lots of new bands play here and you can often catch bigger plans playing smaller sets..
There's a dipped dancefloor and it's always pretty dark in there. Definately a place to wear jeans and trainers and not to dress up in your best clobber.
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Review of Thirst
17 Apr 08, 15:04
Drink
A busy bar in the heart of Soho, this is a great place to go for cocktails.
There are two floors but I don't think it's an amazing use of space. The top floor is more for standing and the bottom for dancing!
They charge to get in on the weekend but the rest of the week is fine.
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Review of The Borderline
16 Apr 08, 02:05
dance
A gig and club venue located just off Tottenham Court Road. Owned by a major company so drinks aren't the cheapest and the small bar is often very busy so it takes ages to get served.
Also must warn you - i'm not sure i've ever been anywhere so hot!! Don't wear a jumper.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Astoria
16 Apr 08, 02:04
Listen
It always feels a bit like The Astoria is crumbling and covered in filth but it's a very popular gig venue.
If you're not bothered about being in touching distance of a band and feel a bit old, my tip would be to go upstairs and get a good table. Then you can sit all night and enjoy a great view. There are lots of bars to keep you fluid also.
It also hosts the tired and predictable G-a-y night which may get great acts due to it's corporate status, but doesn't exactly play the best music. Go to wig out at ghetto instead.
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Review of Ping Pong Dim Sum
16 Apr 08, 00:48
Yum
Ping Pong is a chain restaurant serving Dim Sum. Sure it might not be particularly authentic but it's mighty yummy.
This branch is always very busy, so be prepared to wait for a table. There are two floors and you may be sat on a large round table with others, a bar area or your own individual table.
As well as great food, I must recommend the cocktails. They aren't cheap but they are big and the house cocktail - the ping pong - is lush!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Strawberry Moons
14 Apr 08, 21:11
Cheesy wheezy 
If you're after cheesy music and aren't fussy about the people you dance with then this is the place to go.
It's located off Regent Street and is quite expensive to get in. However if you google about you should be able to find guestlist offers. That won't help with the expensive bar prices though.
My main problem is the people in there. It tends to be full of pretty young girls and lecherous old business men. Not even hot ones!
If you're after that type of thing try On Anon for a much better night out with more normal people!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of G-A-Y Bar
13 Apr 08, 17:56
Boozey 
A really big bar on Old Compton Street. It's run by a big company and so can get you good drink offers but the music is pretty hit and miss and it doesn't really have much soul.
As I say drink prices are very good but if you want a gay bar with nice people inside it I'd head to Trash Palace.
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Review of Beard Papa's
12 Apr 08, 05:00
OK
This is a very odd Chinese (I think) import on Oxford Street.
A Beard Papa is a big creme choux bun. It's really popular outside the Uk and this is their first branch over here.
The standard filling is vanilla but they have different options. One is tea which seems very weird and I've not tried it.
Warning, if you don't like sweet things this is not for you as they are intense!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Trash Palace
12 Apr 08, 04:52
booze
This is a brilliant alternative gay bar by Leicester Square. They have a cheap drink range and a 'no soho bollocks' policy.
There is always something different going on each night but it's famous for hosting the Popjustice parties on a Friday and Stardust on a Saturday, both of which are £3 in after 11.
It's also the place to go to buy queue jumps for Popstarz.
Staff are friendly and have an edge.
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Review of Chez Gerard
11 Apr 08, 01:50
yum
This is my favourite London Chez Gerard to go to. It's narrow but goes up several floors culminating in a private room at the top.
The food is quite expensive and is French Brasserie style. So expect lots of steaks and mussels.
I always enjoy the bread, olives and garlic butter that's presented before the meal starts. The ground floor has booths but they are quite tight to fit so a normal table may be better.
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Review of Y Ming
10 Apr 08, 16:18
Best
The best Chinese I've found in London, Y Ming is located just between Shaftesbury Avenue and Old Compton Street.
It's always busy and it's pretty upmarket. The menu contains lots of amusing thing's like Mr Edward's Pork and Jonathan Millers seabass.
I would recommend the mixed starter and then the mango or the garlic chicken - absolutely lovely. Don't go to Chinatown, go just outside...
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Review of Hakkasan
10 Apr 08, 02:17
yum
London's full of rather gross Chinese restaurants but Hakkasan is a special night out.
It's not cheap, let's get that out of the way immediately. However the whole experience is great. A really wide range of food costs from between £4 to £100! The portions are really big though so make sure you don't over order.
Save it for a special night out.
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Review of All Bar One
09 Apr 08, 17:44
Drinking in the Square
Not a great all bar one. The location is cool, as you're right on Leicester Square and it's probably the best place on the square to drink but it's not particularly well staffed or filled with the best people.
There's a nice large outdoor area to sit in which is good in the summertime.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Gaucho Grill
09 Apr 08, 17:41
Full of steak
A huge places split over several floors, Gaucho Grill is located in a seculded enough spot behind Picadilly Circus to avoid the riff raff!
Steak is the main food and there are many different cuts, toppings and sizes to choose between. We found service to be a bit dismissive however.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Ghetto
09 Apr 08, 17:13
Brilliant Night Out
A great gay club situated in a basement down an alley that smells of wee.
Every night has a different theme from pop to indie to college rock to electro to dance.
Prices are pretty cheap for Soho and they have great drinks offers. Staff are alternative and friendly and that's the general ethos, it's meant to be a place to avoid the cliched bitchy gay scene
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Randall and Aubin
09 Apr 08, 16:57
Seafood & Disco
Fancy expensive seafood & steak in the heart of Soho's gay scene? Love disco pumping and glitterballs! you're in luck.
Located on Brewer Street, just down from Madme Jo Jos, it's pretty expensive and often has a queue.
There aren't any sit down tables, instead it's stool and tall table / bar based.
Service can be a bit stuck up but the fabulous disco surroundings make up for it. The chicken rotisserie is particularly nice, very melt in the mouth, various steaks are on offer and seafood elements picked from a fresh counter.
Personal recommendation would be the prawn cocktail and half lobster with fries.
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