Joseph's reviews
Review of BFI London Imax Cinema
21 Aug 08, 17:18
A very south bank film tank 
I had imagined the imax being somekind of Tussauds owned leisure hell, somewhere between Thorpe Park and an Odeon.
To my delight it was more like a theatre visit on the South Bank. The lower level path aound the edge is verdant and campus-ish, the cafe on the ground floor is lovely with friendly staff and cold, affordable beer, and the cavernous ante chamber outside the screening room is fine. The place has a kind of dilapidated fun palace feel, a bit like a huge common room, but it's none the worse for it. You don't have insipid popcorn showed down your throat washed down watered down cola syrup, and you can booze it up inside.
The screen itself is incredible - I saw the Dark Knight and was blown away. Going to the toilet mid film is an ordeal, so be warned if you have a similarly peanut sized bladder to mine. But enough about my bladder, enjoy the imax!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Thai Corner Cafe
12 Jul 07, 14:05
Don't Thai me down
If you are drinking in Highbury (eg the Alwyne with it's awful dry food) and get peckish give Thai Corner Cafe a try - it has a pretty unassuming exterior, but it somehow manages to be roomy and cosy inside at the same time.
The food is good and inexpensive, they have a good selection of wine which is served nice and cold, as well as the usual esoteric lagers.
It's very easy to eat too much so you waddle out like a sated little Buddha, but that is probably a good thing. They also do delivery.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Alexandra
12 Jul 07, 11:41
Snakebitten
Now lets get this straight - yes, I betrayed South London defecting to Islington some time ago, and yes, the beloved Clapham of my youth is now full of Ultimate frisbee playing Corporate Bankers and Lawyers, but the Alexandra remains an oasis of sanity in a sea of overpriced bars and microwaved nachos.
Its a large, common or garden pub. No gastro pretensions, no poncey embellishments (although there is a large amount of farming equipment fixed to the walls and cieling).
It has ample seating, loads of tellys for watching the football (including one at the bar!) and a brilliant upstairs area (inexplicably decorated with pictures of British Prime Ministers from Campbell Bannerman onwards). In the summer they throw open the screen windows allowing you to feel the cool breeze and hear the honking of Volkswagens on the high street as you sup your Snakebite and Black (yes, they WILL serve snakey b).
The fact that there are two bars means you dont have to wait long for a drink, especially upstairs, and this remains a near perfect place to watch football.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Bastille
12 Jul 07, 09:21
Ooh La La! Le Gateau in the Chateau
My french is not existent, and gleaned mostly from watching 'Allo 'Allo and Piorot (who was Belgian) so I will not be using any Gallic colloquealisms to describe this resturant. Suffice to say, in bull dog english, it is bloody marvellous.
Affordable, high quality French cooking done right before your eyes, with lovely smells coming from the open kitchen. I had light crispy Calamari followed by some of the best fish I have ever tasted. Yum. Yum.
Whilst La Bastille's very French use of cream and salt may put off the health conscious - well, good - there will be all the more left for the rest of us.
Affordale high quality food served by lovely bubbly waitresses. What more do you want? Well? Answer me.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.