Stephen F.

Review of Via Cafe

21 Nov 08, 11:03

Via is Nia

Check out the reviews of this place here:

http://www.welovelocal.com/en/se/brighton-and-hove/brighton/cafes/nia-bn14er.html

Loads of people in Brighton think this place is called "Nia" because the sign on the outside was really badly written (the "V" looked like an "N")

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Carluccios

09 Sep 08, 08:39

Make room for the mushrooms

I've never had a sit down meal at a Carluccios so can't vouch for the restaurant side of things.

However, they do the best take away wild mushroom salad available to humanity. I would walk across hot coals just for a sniff of it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review of The Greenwich Foundation For The Old Royal Naval College

12 Aug 08, 09:29

Take a stroll around historic Greenwich

The Naval College is a great place to meander around on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. It's not changed a jot in the last 300 or so years and remains as impressive today as when Wren first built it.

Looking north you'll get stunning views of Canary Wharf across the river and the view to the south is even more impressive where you'll see the Queens House and the Royal Observatory sitting atop the hill in the park.

Whilst you're there be sure to check out the Painted Hall which you'll find about halfway along the main street dividing the college. It's a huge hall that has had every inch of every wall and ceiling covered with some of the most spectacular paintings and trompe-l'œil that you'll ever see:

http://tinyurl.com/5ry2x3

Oh and any fans of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" will also feel right at home as loads of the scenes that you'll see in the films are shot in and around the college grounds:

http://tinyurl.com/6csuce

Finally, if all the walking wears you out and you need a pint to recuperate then it's worth stopping off at The Trafalgar Tavern as it has some of the best views in London:

http://www.welovelocal.com/en/london/greenwich/greenwich/pubs/the-trafalgar-tavern-se109ng.html

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of The Market Porter

11 Aug 08, 09:32

Great Pub next to Borough Market

i love the market porter. It's a simple no nonsense boozer right opposite Borough Market.

It gets very busy mind, especially on, Fri and Saturday when the market is in full swing. You'll find punters spilling out on to the street most evenings.

Whilst you're there be sure to check out the sausage sarnies from the shop next door - perfect with a pint.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Union

01 May 08, 10:31

It's all about the bull dog

The Union is a friendly local clothing store selling mid-pocket designer clothes to Blackheaths well heeled gents.

Brands on offer include G-Star, Penguin, John Smedley etc. at prices that are neither cheap or madly expensive.

I'd have given the shop an average three stars were it not for the shop's super-cool British Bull Dog that greets customers with a smile and a slobber and enjoy lounging around in the window all day.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Zero Degrees

19 Apr 08, 19:29

Cheapest Beer in Blackheath?

This place brews a pretty decent pilsner on the premises and thanks to pricing their homebrew very keenly it can get pretty rammed on Friday and Saturday nights.

The clientelle tends to be an odd mix between "average Joes", "too cool for school types" and "dolled up oiks and oikesses from the upper echeleons of chavdom". Best of all I recall that it has a license till either 12 or 1pm at weekends and a sizeable patio at the front for the smokers of this world.

One word of advice, don't roll into the place drunk at midnight and order two of their 5 pint mini kegs of beer to take home with you - actually do, just know that there'll be the mother of all headaches to contend with the following morning.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Cafe Creperie

19 Apr 08, 18:46

Great Crepe Restaurant near South Kensington Tube

Cafe Creperie is a no nonsense back-to-basics crepe cafe that you'll find just around the corner from South Ken tube.

It's got a really extensive range of crepes on offer, and if you ask nicely they will even build a custom crepe just for you.

I went for the "royale" crepe which was stuffed full of cheese, ratatouille and a load of other yummyness, that said everything on the menu looked pretty good too. Oh, and don't forget to order a bowel of cider for the full Breton style experience.

Highly recommended.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Bella Vista

11 Apr 08, 12:48

The 2nd best restuarant in Blackheath?

If you're looking a mid to upper priced place to eat near the station in Blackheath then you need look no further than Bella Vista.

It has a great menu and wine list, and really good service. I had the Duck Confit last time I went and it has to rank amongst the best I've ever tasted.

That said, it's a close call, but for my money Chapter Two (a 3 minute walk further up the hill):

http://www.welovelocal.com/en/london/lewisham/blackheath/european-restaurants/chapter-two-se30tj.html

Just edges it into 2nd place to claim the title of best place to eat out in Blackheath.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Warwick Leadlay Gallery

08 Apr 08, 17:57

I've been framed by Warwick Leadlay

This is one of several galleries and frame shops that surround the main covered Greenwich market. The seem to specialise in antique maps and prints of Greenwich and surrounding areas.

I've had countless pictures framed there including a couple of original WW2 posters that were in a right state. They did a great job of flattening out all the creases, cleaning the paper and restoring all of the rips and tears in a sympathetic manner.

Recommended.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of New Steine Hotel

25 Mar 08, 21:13

Quality Brighton B&B - At a price

Taking its name from the Brighton square that it's situated on, the New Steine is a quality B&B - or as they, like so many others B&Bs nowadays prefer to be called "boutique hotel".

The square itself is typical of seafront Brighton - full of late regency houses (most of which have also been converted to hotels) that overlook a pleasant gated lawn area in the centre.

Inside it was obvious that the hotel had recently undergone a full refurbishment as everything was spick and span with not a glimpse of chintz of flock wallpaper to be seen anywhere.

The room we were allocated was big, spacious and airy. However, the same can't be said for the en-suite shower room where any attempt at cat swinging would have surely ended in failure.

The staff were all really friendly (offering us free drinks and plenty of conversation on arrival) and they seemed genuinely eager to share their knowledge of Brighton to help us get the best of our stay.

Bad points were the price - though I suppose £95 for a double / night is probably the going rate in Brighton nowadays for the peak Easter Bank Holiday - and the location of the room itself. As revelers are want to return from a night on the tiles at all hours of the morning I'd try to get a room that's NOT located on the ground floor near the front door (ours was 103) - either that or pack a good set of ear plugs.

Still I wasn't there for a good night's sleep so it suited me to a T.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Nia

25 Mar 08, 20:25

Great Cafe in the North Laines

This place is great cafe to drop in on anytime of day. It's typical of the type of cafe that have begun to usurp the old fashioned greasy spoons that used to be all that was on offer in Brighton - all shabby chic mix-and-match furniture (including school desks for some tables) and offering a good mix of cafe food favourites served with a twist as well as more up-market dishes.

However, at the moment it appears to be closed for a re-fit (as at March 08) so I can't vouch for how it looks, or what they end up serving in a couple of month's time.

Let's hope they sort the signage out whilst they're at it as, thanks to the use of a swirly italic font I've always been confused as to whether it was called "Nia Cafe" or "Via Cafe" - something this site seems to suffer from too as I'm guessing this is the same place! http://www.welovelocal.com/en/se/brighton-and-hove/brighton/cafes/via-cafe-bn14er.html

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.