Stephen's reviews
Review of Admiral Hardy
23 Feb 08, 23:40
Kiss me Hardy 
Friendly pub right in the centre of Greenwich. It backs on to the main covered market and there's a few tables in the market itself under roof mounted heaters (for those that don't want to smoke in the cold).
Has a young muso-type crowd and is rammed at the weekends.
Best part it all the sexy uni student girls that seem to hang out there getting drunk.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Review of Billie's Cafe
25 Mar 08, 19:35
The best hangover breakfast in Brighton bar none 
For those visiting Brighton for the weekend Billie's cafe is slightly off the tourist track but well worth the 5 minute walk up the hill from the main high street where you'lll find it nestled amongst the Georgian town houses that abound in the "Clifton Hill Conservation Area" on the corner of Upper North Street & Hampton Place.
Interior wise its honest rather that salubrious and all the better for it - think of it as more of an up-market greasy spoon rather than gastro-caff and you'll have the right idea.
They're deservedly famous for their "Hash" range of breakfasts (basically a huge mound of fried potatoes with whatever takes your fancy munged on top) which (in my experience) can cure some of the most malignant hangovers known to man. This fact has not gone un-noticed and, with only around 6 or 7 tables available, it's not uncommon to see a queue of hungover-looking locals weaving its way out the door and into the street whilst they wait for a table during peak Saturday and Sunday brunch times - get there before midday though and you should be OK.
The staff are all super friendly and willing to please and you'll find all the weekend papers and glossies available to flip through whilst you attempt to conquer your chosen hash mountain (go for the "Farmhouse" if you want the works, and have the bandwidth available to conquer it... you may have to undo a notch or two on your belt mind!)
All in all, heartedly recommended!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Kensington Cafe
25 Mar 08, 20:03
Average Brighton Cafe with run-off-the-mill breakfasts 
As the previous reviewer remarked, the best things about the Kensington Cafe are its location and its outside balcony that overlooks the hustle and bustle of the main pedestrianised shopping street in the North Laines.
If offers pretty good baked spuds with any topping you could imagine, but it's the English Breakfasts that let it down. You can go for a "Big Veggie" or a "Big Meat" neither of which are anything to write home about. The sausages taste cheap and processed and both the toast and bacon had more in common with cardboard than cordon blue.
Still, you pays your money and takes your choice. Though if it were me I'd venture a couple of streets further north to the corner of Trafalgar Street where you'll find the excellent Nia Cafe instead.
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.
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 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 Chapter Two
08 Apr 08, 18:18
Best Restaurant in Blackheath
This place is awesome.
It offers a great menu of French inspired and English classic cuisine brought right up to date.
Some may find the presentation a little fussy (glass oblong plates anyone?) but the service is great and the food is to die for. Better still it's far from overpriced; expect to pay around £40 / head if you've not gone mental on the wine.
Definetly plump for the pea soup or scallop entrees if they're on offer when you visit.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Mr Egg
10 Apr 08, 11:03
Egg, Egg, Egg Lovely Egg, Wonderful Egg 
Right, think of Monty Python's famous "Spam" song, now replace the word "Spam" with "Egg" and you'll have a good idea of what this place is all about.
Mr Egg is a landmark cafe located in central Birmingham. Running a "you can have anything you want... so long as it's egg" menu policy, it is rightly famed for its er, eggs.
The food is average cafe fayre but, rather like collecting T-shirts from Hard Rock cafe's in the early 90s, if you go to Birmingham you simply have to visit Mr Egg for an egg butty and stewed tea.
I'm reassured to see that it's still in business every time I visit Brum. Rumour has it that were it ever to close down the whole of Birmingham would implode into a big crunch singularity (and no one wants that now do they).
Long live Mr Egg.
2 out of 2 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 Pavilion Tea House
19 Apr 08, 18:12
Greenwich Park Cafe
The Pavillion Tea House can be found right in the centre of Greenwich Park, and as you may imagine, with such a great location on sunny weekends it can get pretty packed full of tourists and mewling kids pestering the parents for a second helping of chocolate brownies.
It's a "grab a tray and pay at the counter" kind of cafe rather than table service but don't let that put you off too much as the food that they serve isn't half bad (if a wee bit pricey).
The portabello mushrooms on toast that I for breakfast there the other day was surprisingly good though sadly the same couldn't be said for the coffee.
Finally, if it's a nice day, and the squirrels aren't occupying all the chairs, you can eat out in the large garden area that they have at the rear of the pavillion.
Other than a couple of decent dishes on the mene it's all pretty average stuff, hence 3/5 for me.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.