Rob's reviews
Review of Monmouth Coffee House
08 Jan 08, 14:32
Coffee as it's meant to be 
Forget your Caffe Nero and Starbucks of this world - Monmouth Coffee is where it's at.
At the Borough Market branch you can get a cup of whatever coffee you desire and buy some to take home as well.
They really know the stuff here, so not only will they help you choose what's right for you, but they'll grind the beans, or leave them as nature intended, and even ask you what you're using them for, because different grinds, affect different methods of coffee-making.
Plus, they have two different types of decaff, made using the Swiss Water method, so no chemicals. Yippee!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Nationwide Autocentre
10 Dec 07, 12:21
Mechanics you can trust
I hate having my car looked at. I always think mechanics are going to rip me off in some way...
Sadly, I do need to get it MOT'd and serviced every year. This year, I tried somewhere different - and boy was I pleased?
You can book online (saves showing up my ignorance talking to someone), although the people I spoke to were really helpful.
The basic price of servicing wasn't too different to many other places, but best of all, you get money off, if you present your Tesco Clubcard (I mean we've all got one of them, haven't we?).
Not only that, you get even more money off if you're an AA member, so you can reduce the price dramatically.
Oh, and the service was done in good time and the car runs perfectly again. Job done!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Joanna's
30 Oct 07, 14:48
Great for all occasions
This is a modern European restaurant with a touch of class.
From the outside, it looks a little unprepossessing, but inside is a different matter. The staff are friendly and efficient, the feel is just formal enough, without being austere and the food is sublime.
Their burger, which sounds oh-so-naff, is a delight. The rest of the menu tends to alter, but usually includes a sublime fish dish, lamb, pork, two veggie main courses and lots more besides.
By far and away, the best restaurant in Crystal Palace and also recommended for their weekend breakfasts which are the perfect pick-me-up, but also somehow feel healthy.
Never had a bad meal here yet and don't expect to!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Marlow Fish Bar
04 Oct 07, 20:21
Superb local chippie
Located in a back street away from any main roads, this is a real locals place. It's been here for more than 20 years and still does fantastic fish and chips. It doesn't do lots of different swanky types of fish, but if you want a fab portion of cod and chips, or a battered sausage, then this is worth trying out. Lovely family-run place!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Villagers Sausages
03 Oct 07, 11:34
Banger up to the mark
For a shop to survive on selling one item alone, it must be good. In the case of Villagers Sausages, they trade only in bangers, but, my, what bangers they are. Situated in Beckenham High Street, they have more combinations of sausages than you've ever dreamed of. There are the usual pork, pork and leek, Lincolnshire and Cumberland, but then it goes totally leftfield. You can get Steak and Guinness, Caribbean Chicken, Venison, Wild Boar, Merguez, Spanish chorizo, the list goes on. All the ones we've had so far, have tasted so succulent and flavoursome. What's more, the staff are knowledgeable and helpful and you don't have to buy in pre-packed amounts. Just want two to try? Not a problem. They know you'll be back for more, if you like them. This shop truly celebrates the great British banger, but also caters for many other tastes. Your life will be enriched if you go!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Ginger Pig
08 Sep 07, 08:54
Meat at its very best
In a modern middle-class world obsessed by food provenance and quality, Ginger Pig is one of those places everyone should have in there Little Black Book.
Tucked away in a side street off Marylebone High Street, it restores your faith in local butchers. Run by authentic-sounding Londoners, you can pretty much any cut of pork (as the name of the shop would suggest), but they also do great lamb, beef and chicken, plus top notch sausages and some demon pies in their charcuterie section.
Maybe it's all a little expensive, but then we are talking top-quality meat here, not scrag ends.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Borough Market
06 Sep 07, 13:10
Still as great as ever
There can't be many Londoners who haven't heard of Borough Market by now.
Open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, it's 'the' place to get fresh, local, organic and wonderfully tasting food. You want it? They've got it...
whether it's top-notch meat, fish, fruit and veg, cheese, bread... I could go on.
Filled with famous names, such as Brindisa and Ginger Pig, but also less well-known, but no worse for that, suppliers, the selection of produce on offer is mind-boggling.
The one downside is how busy it is. If you go on a Saturday, get there as early as you can. The same with Thursdays and Fridays... go there as soon as it opens.
It's bloody great - go there once and you'll want to return again and again
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Indian Dining Club
02 Sep 07, 16:05
Superb Indian cuisine
We've only sampled their takeaway menu, but it's one of the best we've had in London.
Recently arrived in Gipsy Hill, and with a sister restaurant in Kennington, this place does extraordinarily good food.
We've tried their chicken and lamb dishes and they taste fresh, clean and extraordinarily divine - spicy, but not too hot-spicy. Their tandoori selection is equally good, the meat is always tender and their lemon rice is wonderful.
There are Indian restaurants a-plenty in London, but this one is definitely one of the best.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Monument
22 Aug 07, 18:05
Hidden and forgotten tourist gem
When I was a kid, we all used to talk about climbing up the Monument - with its 200-odd steps, it was a test of endurance, plus you got a wicked view of the City of London. Fast forward 30 years and times have changed - people pay £15 to travel on a glorified Ferris wheel which, although it gives good views, does attract the sort of tourist that most of us quietly despise. So, let's hear it for one of the more old-school of London's "attractions". It's cheap (£1.50 last time I went up), it gets you fit and you still get a cool view, which also gives you an idea of how London looked centuries ago, and what's been added to the skyline.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Liberty Flowers by Paula Pryke
07 Aug 07, 21:41
Expensive, but classy!
If you want to spend a fiver on a bunch of chrysanths, then don't even think about coming here. However, Paula Pryke is the doyenne of flowers and the selection here is dazzling. They're put together with care and attention to detail and the look fantastic. Buy some from here and your missus won't fail to be impressed!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of J Sheekey
05 Aug 07, 19:24
My favourite restaurant in London
If I could afford to eat at Sheekey's every week (and could get a table), I would.
A superlative fish restaurant situated a stone's throw from Leicester Square, but totally unobtrusive.
The service is a class apart, the food (scallops, in particular) sublime and the interior chic and sumptuous, without being overbearing. Divine!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Michael Moore
05 Aug 07, 19:21
A charming top-notch dining experience
First things first - this has nothing to do with the controversial American film-maker: let's get that straight. I booked this for my partner's birthday on nothing more than a couple of things I'd read in newspapers, so was a little worried about what it would be like. I needn't have worried. An intimate little restaurant on a popular Noho street, the chef and owner has worked all round the world and has an eclectic, yet fantastic cooking style to match. The food was stupendous, the service attentive without being over-zealous and, a nice touch, Michael Moore himself came out at the end of the meal to introduce himself to all the diners in turn and ask them what they thought of the experience. He's kinda like Ainsley Harriott without the cheese and a better chef! Price: £40 per head I'd go there again like a shot.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hollybush Stores
02 Aug 07, 20:07
Jack for all trades
You need something for the home? Hollybush Stores will have it. A family-run business, they are extraordinarily helpful and will find what you want, regardless of whether it costs £2 or £200. The ideal shop you want on your doorstep and, best of all, it's not a huge chain!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Le Beaujolais
31 Jul 07, 09:21
Ultimate authentic French wine bar
This is officially the oldest French wine bar in London and is still the most authentic and best. On the downside, it is tiny, but that is actually what makes it so great. You can hardly fit more than 30 people in here, but this gives it ultimate charm. You'll find yourself squeezed in, on rickety chairs and tables, but this intimacy helps the atmosphere. The wine list changes frequently and is, as you'd expect, extensive. If you have no idea what to order, simply ask them at the bar. They'll suggest things that suit your palate and even allow you to try before you buy. Food is sparse, but again, very French: olives, cheese plate, meats, that sort of thing. The staff are also incredibly friendly and will happily chat away to you in French, should you so wish. I've spent many an enjoyable evening in here and probably shouldn't share this place with too many people, otherwise it will get too popular!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Rock and Sole Plaice
27 Jul 07, 21:16
Definitive London chippie
If I wanted chips in town, I'd always head here. The sit-down prices are a little expensive, but the taste is authentic. A hectic, small, bustling cafe, but the food is great. But don't take my word for it - go try it for yourself
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Review of Olleys
19 Jul 07, 16:21
Haven't found better
Olley's is already pretty famous, as fish and chip shops go. It does eat-in and take-away and both are superlative.
Why is it so good? OK, everything is cooked fresh, for starters.
It's not just cod, haddock, chips and mushy peas. They have a variety of different fish (v important in these eco-friendly times) and cook them in a variety of different ways.
Still not convinced? Turn up and check out the constant flow of traffic in and out. If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what it is
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.