Mathew W.

Review of Meze Meze

07 Aug 07, 09:03

I thought you said maize maze

Slightly off the point, but in a away relevant in that community review kind of way I reckon - shame there's no ability to simply comment on your friends reviews... but just this weekend I was camping in Gloucestershire at a place called Elton Farm and they had a maize maze http://www.eltonfarm-leisure.co.uk.

No meze though.

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Review of Mon Plaisir

02 Aug 07, 20:35

They know cheese

I've only been lucky enough to eat there once, but it was good. Very good. We had a cheese board and it has flavors that I'd ever experienced before.

The wine we had wasn't amazing, but more than passable. And the service was just that right shade of French rudeness where it's cute rather than arrogant.

If I was richer, or it were cheaper, I'd eat there a lot more.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Monmouth Coffee House

02 Aug 07, 20:22

Best coffee I've ever drank

I've been buying beans from Monmouth for 3 or 4 years now. I love them.

I love their beans, I love their roast of the day, I love their truffles, I love their ethics, I love their tiny tiny seats and I love their staff - because they love coffee too.

Honestly, if you want good coffee, go to Monmouth.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Starbucks

02 Aug 07, 20:14

This is not coffee (Part 1)

I will refrain from reviewing every Starbucks in town because that would be both time wasting and pedantic. I feel I must however point finger at at least all 5 of them on or just off Upper Street (in the N1 area).

My main overall problem with Starbucks is not their homogenised awfulness, nor their ability to quash smaller independent coffee shops, nor the soporific effect they have on the imagination of their patrons, though all of these and more are good reasons to hold disdain.

No, the reason I really do quite hate these places is their awful bloody 'coffee'. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a drink from a Starbucks and now refuse to give them any more tries (maybe I had a bad roast, maybe it's just a poor franchise, maybe the cup had anthrax in it).

Seriously, it's not good coffee. In fact I'd argue if they should even be allowed to call it coffee.

Yes. If they stop ruining the idea of what a coffee shop is and take to calling themselves brown-hot-sweet-drink shops then I'll back down.

Until then I protest and implore anyone that likes their pap to try Monmouth Coffee on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden (there's another one in Borough Market). That's coffee.

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Review of The Trawlerman Fish shop

02 Aug 07, 19:57

The boat went down when George left

The Trawlerman used to be the best place for a battered sausage on your way up Upper Street, but no more.

The guy that used to run it, George, has left. He would remember locals, always give a bit of chat and served tasty tasty food. The way he handled drunks and stopped them being rowdy or rude was Derren Brownesque. And the work ethic that he upheld was an inspiration, being there every time I ever went in, at any time of night.

Since he's left, or sold, or whatever, it's awful. The new people have little to no personality and have tried a few new bits of decoration that smack of thoughtless homogenisation.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I went been back 2 more times but the food was poor and their service lackluster.

Am I sore for losing George? Am I'm just getting old and thinking everything was better in my day? Maybe.

The weirdest and nicest thing though is that the last time I saw George, he was outside the shop and in civilian clothes. I was so shocked to see him, to see his legs, to see him not working, that I greeted him heartily and shook his hand. Little did I know that would be the last time I'd ever see him.

Where was he going? Who knows? Wherever he is he must have taken all the good fish and chips because god knows there's none left on Upper Street.

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Review of The Jorene Celeste

02 Aug 07, 13:44

Change of management?

I need to return and check this one out. Last I knew it was a smashing secret cave of a pub, but reading the comment of Agnes M, I'll reserve my hearty recommendation until I've checked back...

Regardless of anything recent - it's big and far enough from Angel that not to may townies seem to go there.

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Review of The Bull

02 Aug 07, 13:40

Best pub on Upper Street

I've always like the Bull (a good pub name - short and punchy). In fact it baffles me why anyone would go to the Slug chain, or the Irish chain, or the Australian chain further down the road when the Bull sits quietly on it's corner. Very strange.

Upstairs is a nice feature, as is down the back, then there's the main bar area which is spacious, if a little annoying with the pillars that block the bar like a lone fat man with nowhere to sit.

The toilets are entertaining too with comic book wallpaper (due for a new series though).

Only word of warning is to watch your head on the spiral staircase.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Highbury Park Launderette

02 Aug 07, 11:03

They love local too

I've been going to Highbury Park Launderette for a year and a half now. After the first few months I did try another place because I felt the lady in there (wife of the guy in there - Giuseppe) was a little bit rude.

After a few tries around Highbury Barn though, I realised how good I'd had it and returned in haste, only to find she's not rude at all. In fact she's very nice indeed (to her I am 'the bike boy' apparently).

It's Giuseppe though that makes it truly great. He's friendly, funny, fair and honest.

Their prices are good for the area. Though 50p used to get you 7 minutes in the dryer, now it's only 5 minutes, but really for environmental reasons we shouldn't be using them anyway.

Entertainment is in the form of a TV that always show Saturday Kitchen. Also I've caught the News, Eastenders, Coronation St and Deal or No Deal.

The other thing that I also take for granted is how fresh and airy it is in there. It's a big room with a wall of windows and high ceiling. as opposed to the usual enclosed stuffy corridor.

If I moved 1 mile further away I'd still go there, but then I always ride rather than walk - hence the bike boy thing I suppose.

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Review of Faulkners

01 Aug 07, 19:50

Very good fish and chips

It's a cabbies favourite apparently and going by the size of the ones that have driven me they like their food and probably know what's what. Also I heard on XFM, back when it was still just about good, that it's a recomendation of Lauren Laverne as well (who is slim, but I wager still likes her food and is a good judge of quality).

The staff are always friendly, and pickled gherkins are sweet, but sometimes the chips aren't quite 100%. Maybe they leave them sitting a bit to long, or change the fat to often (old fat makes better chips doesn't it?).

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