Meg's reviews
Review of The Cottage
30 Jul 07, 16:21
A Total Mystery 
This is a recently-refurbished, fairly large pub and food place tucked away on a quiet Fulham street.
The decor is pleasing, with plenty of tables, some sofas and a secluded back room, as well as a large outdoor area out the back. It's clean and friendly, and it's always easy to get served at the bar...which brings me to the defining factor of The Cottage.
I have no idea how this place manages to stay open. Whenever I've been in there, it's been absolutely deserted. Don't get me wrong, this is no bad thing, and Fulham certainly has more than its fair share of rammed establishments, so being able to walk in off the street and straight up to the bar to be served is not only a first for the area, but a pleasant surprise. But it does make you wonder how long it will be able to last.
The food deserves a special mention, because it's impressive, especially the desserts - though I'm not sure that refried Nachos are a good idea...
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Tokyo Diner
30 Jul 07, 16:12
Fast food, Japanese style
I honestly don't know why anyone out for a night in Soho would go to McD's or BK or similar when for a little more money and time, they could sit down and enjoy a quick bite at the Tokyo Diner.
Handily located just off Shaftesbury Avenue, Tokyo Diner offers Japanese standards - noodles, sushi and curries with rice, plus sake and Japanese beer. Yes, it's small and service is a little haphazard, but it's cheap, quick and open late, and the servings are huge.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Paradiso
30 Jul 07, 15:44
Tasty chaos
This place opened eight years ago, and is one of the lunchtime haunts for people who work in this area. They offer a good selection of ready-made and bespoke sandwiches, in infinite combinations of bread/filling/condiment. In fact, ordering can be a challenge if you're hungover, because the questions just keep on coming. This, however, is a small price to pay for lunchtime sandwiches, paninis, salads, pizzas, curry and pasta served exactly how you want them. They also serve decent coffee to go, and the quality of this family-run operation's food is evident by the daily lunchtime queues.
It can seem a tad chaotic - the shop is tiny and crowded, and the staff shout orders to each other, often serving a few people at a time, which can be a recipe for confusion, but regular lunchers will know that this merely adds to its charm.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Monzil Tandoori
30 Jul 07, 14:35
Some Might Say....
...that this is the best Tandoori restaurant in Barnes, and with precious little competition in SW13, they might be right, which is a bit of a backhanded compliment.
Monzil is an unassuming establishment on Church Road, just of Castelnau, with its tinted windows, seventies signage, fading decor and crowded pink-clothed tables painting a rather dreary picture. But what they saved on redecoration and branding, they clearly spend on cooking talent and fresh ingredients.
Well-priced and serving delicious versions of all the standard tandoori fare, it's an established favourite among locals, it's one of those restaurants that has a good number of people in every night.
Plus, being opposite the Olympic Recording Studios, it's not unusual to spot the odd popstar or rock group grabbing a quick biryani before heading back into the studio for another take.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Gordons Wine Bar
30 Jul 07, 14:13
Dank and dingy: just how we like it
Because of its location in the cellar of a shopfront near Embankment tube, you could be forgiven that the slightly damp fug which greets you as you descend into the dingy cellar was the Thames creeping in through the murky walls, but don't panic - Gordon's is as safe and eccentric as it always was.
With a wine-list which extends from the cheap(ish) and cheerful to the sublime and ridiculously-priced, it's very easy for a swift glass with friends on the way home to turn into a full-blown, several-bottles -later chucking-out-time session without you even noticing. This is partly owed to the cosy atmosphere of the cellar bar, and partly because there are (thankfully) no distractions like corner TVs or mobile reception to haul your attention away from the wine and conversation.
What used to be a well-kept Londoner secret has got out, and as other reviewers have mentioned, it has a tendency to get very busy these days, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. Best on autumn and winter nights.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Queens Head
30 Jul 07, 12:26
I can see clearly now the fug has gone...
The Queens Head is an old pub which has over the years had various extensions added, so that it is now labythinthine and full of hidden corners and cosy crannies to spend an evening. It's an old building, so the roof is low, which along with the (ahem) decor, adds to the cosy atmosphere - plus there's a real fire in winter - while outside it boasts surely one of the biggest pub gardens in this bit of London.
The selection of beers isn't anything to write home about, but there's a huge wine list, and besides, most people come for the food. The QH offers a full and extensive menu, spanning classics such as bangers and mash (though I think they're called something like Hand-reared lincolnshire sausages with mashed potato and caramelised onion gravy) as well as more exciting things, and plenty of specials. The food is well-priced, quite nice and comes relatively quickly in the evening, though beware the lunchtime crush - if you order at the wrong time (after a big order has gone in) your lunch may take a while to arrive.
A while back, they used to do platters to share, which seemed like a great idea, but they're obviously concentrating on proper dinners now.
In all, it's a good local pub, and is big enough that you can usually get a seat, plus with good food and drinks, and the possibility of cosying up to the fire in winter and sitting outside in summer, it's got all bases covered. It's an old pub - I've seen a mouse there before, and there aren't many toilets - but it's run by friendly people, and has a large, loyal clientele.
However, I've given this pub 4 stars, rather than 3, because since the smoking ban was introduced, it's improved immensely - there was something about the low ceilings and the furniture and the carpets which used to make the QH the smokiest pub in London, which meant that wherever you were sitting - even in the non-smaking corner - there was someone sparking up not too far away while you were trying to enjoy your dinner. Nowadays, that's a thing of the past, happily, and patrons of the QH are able to once again taste - and enjoy - their food.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Smiths Of Smithfield
30 Jul 07, 12:13
Tasty but LOUD
I've been to this bar/restaurant a few times, usually for business engagements, and it's hard to find fault with the food - tasty, simple dishes with fresh ingredients and served in a quick and non-fussy way, accompanied by some excellent wines. Having said that, there's something about the architecture or the clientele which makes this restaurant VERY LOUD, to the point that I could hardly hear the other people at my table speak. Everyone around us seemed to be having to shout, too.
Maybe it's the wood floors or the gap in the middle of each floor which allows sound to travel, or maybe it's just what you get when you have a restaurant full of besuited business-lunchers braying self-importantly at each other. In any case, I'd recommend that you go for the food, but save the whisperings of sweet nothings (or contract negotiations) until you leave.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.