Mark's reviews
Review of Paula Pryke Flowers
20 Jun 07, 18:20
Birthday flowers not delivered 
The displays at Selfridges, Liberty and Michelin House are certainly impressive. However, I rang on the morning of my partner's birthday to have flowers delivered to his office -- a well-known global advertising agency practically across the road from Michelin House -- and they never arrived. The driver said that no-one was there, even though the building has a manned reception desk during business hours. It was my first experience with Paula Pryke Flowers, and it's hard to imagine what they could do to keep it from being my last!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Fat Badger
20 Jun 07, 18:34
Lucky me - it's my local! 
These guys run a top-notch operation. The space is beautiful, with gastro-standard wood floors and mismatched furniture, big windows, excellent contemporary art, gaudy chandeliers and a few ironic design touches. In nice weather they put a couple of benches outside, and they're fixing up a small first floor terrace with potted flowers and seating for 19. The service is genuinely friendly, personal and competent. The beer, while not stretching the imagination, is all first rate. The wine list offers a good range, both in style and price, with one or two unusual choices. And the food! A seasonal authentic selection of updated classics, plus an unexpected adventurous surprise every now and then to keep things interesting. I couldn't be happier to live only steps away from this gem!
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Review of The Ledbury
20 Jun 07, 18:51
Affordable Luxury
Located on a pretty stretch of Ledbury Road, this five star coccoon exudes sophistication and refined elegance. The choice of carpeting and fabric wall coverings, plus the generous distance between tables, gives the room a "grown up" feeling while muting the sound of other diners, who are seen but not heard. The service tends toward the formal, but not overly so, giving the perfect combination of professionalism and warmth. The wine list is extensive, and the sommelier provided excellent advice on a couple of bottles within the price range we specified. The portions, while artfully composed in a French style, are generous but don't leave one feeling over-full. I don't even know if there's a special name for a second amuse gule! Including the truffles and caramels at the end of the meal, there were three "gifts" from the chef in addition to our three course meal. Everything, from vegetables to fish to fowl to meat, was absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked. Another plus, which won't matter after July, is that the restaurant is non-smoking, meaning there's nothing to distract from the flavours and aromas on the table!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Matches
20 Jun 07, 18:59
Selfridges? Harvey Nichols? Why bother? 
If you find London's luxury department stores a bit overwhelming, head to Matches. They go through the trouble of editing through designers' extensive collections and picking out just the pieces you would want. Lines include Lanvin, Prada, Prorsum, Margiela, and more, from casual sportswear to suits. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful, stylish and honest. And if you see the "sale" sign in the window, you'd be crazy not to pop in and have a look!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Taqueria
21 Jun 07, 09:54
Authentic Mexican Flavours
I lived in San Francisco for 11 years, so the first thing I must say about Taqueria is that it's not a San Francisco style establishment. Rather, it serves the kind of food you would find at the best street stalls in any major Mexican city. The clean no-frills rooms face Westbourne Park through floor-to-ceiling windows. Many items on the menu are "antojitos" -- basically Mexican tapas. The tacos de pescado (fish tacos) are some of the best I've had -- on par with those in San Diego or Mexico's coasts. The mole dishes (with chocolate-and-chili sauces) are wonderfully comforting. Larger plates include chilaquiles, which are basically a sort of stew comprised of vaguely pasta-like tortilla chips softened in red or green salsa (or both, if you like) with chicken or egg. In Mexico this dish is eaten for breakfast and constitutes their version of a fry-up (i.e. national hangover cure). They've got a range of tequillas and Mexican beers, and can mix up a refreshing Michelada -- a sort of Mexican shandy with fresh lime juice, salt, and optional worcestershire and tabasco sauces (which lend a bloody mary-esque kick). Non-alcoholic beverages include aguas frescas in a variety of fruit flavours.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Whole Foods
21 Jun 07, 10:16
Whole Foods, dialed up to 11
After much anticipation, this first overseas flagship of the US-based upmarket eco-grocer has opened for business. But instead of offering Londoners a carbon copy of an American store, those responsible for this emporium seem to have done their homework on this side of the pond. It's clear that they'd like to take a chunk out of the business at M&S and Waitrose. But it also looks like they've studied -- and emulated -- such London institutions as Harrods, Selfridges & Harvey Nichols Food Halls, the Fromagerie in Marylebone, Fortnum & Mason, and even a few bits of Borough Market. If there is one slight disappointment, it is the size and selection of fresh produce. Otherwise, this is a complete market with every imaginable convenience (for example, alongside baking ingredients are rolling pins and cookie cutters). The butcher, fishmonger and prepared foods sections are excellent. The encyclopaedic wine selection includes what might be Europe's greatest variety of American product. The cheese department includes an affinage room (for aging fine cheeses). There are wine, oyster, tapas, and dim sum bars, artisinal gelato, and other restaurant-style offerings upstairs, where the soundtrack is provided by an in-house DJ. Downstairs, in addition to food, there are a variety of dry goods: organic cotton clothing and accessories, health & beauty products, cosmetics, kitchen gadgets, and more. It will probably undergo a few adjustments as it settles into its expat life, but this store should be a huge success.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Palki
21 Jun 07, 10:35
What would we do without it?
Palki specializes in Bangladeshi cooking, with excellent Chicken Sylhet (along with other "Chef's Recommendations" and "Bangladeshi Fish Dishes" on the menu). Golborne Road is home to one of London's best fishmongers, so consider venturing beyond the safety of kind prawn this-or-that if you like seafood! When we order takeaway, our guests are consistently impressed with the quality and flavour -- often requesting that we order from Palki on subsequent visits. But after months of our ordering takeaway, the proprietors prevailed upon us to visit the restaurant in person. Then it was our turn to be impressed, as Gabriel Byrne was at the next table!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Neighbourhood
21 Jun 07, 11:06
Cab-Free Clubbing
I'm not sure if I'd travel across London to go to Neighbourhood (unless founder Benn Watt was gonna be spinning there), but boy am I lucky I can walk there in ten minutes! The cover is usually reasonable, the eclectic crowd is fun, the music's kinda iconoclastic in a groovy way, the room is low-key yet hip, the light show is up to snuff, and best of all, the sound system ROCKS!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Monmouth Coffee House
21 Jun 07, 11:32
Coffee Mecca
This jewelbox, together with its two siblings in or near Borough Market, serves the second best coffee on the planet. I'm sorry, but the best is Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco. Still, Monmouth makes a pretty damn delicious brew. When you place an order -- even for filter coffee -- the beans are ground to spec and a diminutive individual cup is freshly brewed for you by the barista. By default you'll get the coffee of the day, but you can request any of the dozen-plus varieties on offer at any time. Eco-conscious bamboo spoons are available to stir in thick organic whole milk and/or organic fructose (which is dark brown and not as sweet as sugar).
High-quality sweet and savoury cakes and pastries can be taken away or consumed in the miniscule seating area up a couple of steps in the back. You might be asked to share a cozy cubby with arty trustafarians or Japanese tourists. There's also a narrow bench out front.
For those who prefer to brew and consume their coffee in the privacy of their own homes or offices, there's a rotating selection of ethically sourced beans available for purchase. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and consistently offer excellent recommendations.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Hummingbird Bakery
21 Jun 07, 11:41
Magnolia schmagnolia
Modeled on New York's famous Magnolia Bakery, this tiny shop was a pioneer in bringing cupcakes (fairy cakes) to London. In every way, this establishment is far superior to that place in New York, where tourists inexplicably cue around the block for ho-hum cakes and abuse at the hands of grumpy staff. Hummingbird, by contrast, is cheerful, friendly, efficient, and consistently produces tasty high-quality -- if a bit too sweet -- cakes. To impress guests (or hosts) on a special occasion, you can't go wrong with the "bling bling" cake, covered with white frosting and a generous sprinkling of silver balls!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.