Heidi's reviews
Review of Malmaison Hotel
08 May 08, 18:23
Malmaison Hotel Bar 
I've been to the bar here but I haven't eaten here (although I know loads of people who have and have said it is AMAZING! However, the food is pretty posh and the portions are small. A nut on a lettuce leaf etc....) This is a 5* hotel so it looks slick and modern, incredibly well designed. Aesthetically it's stunning. It has very comfy leather seats too. You don't have to be staying in the hotel to enjoy the bar either which is nice. The drinks are very expensive but nothing you wouldn't expect for somewhere so posh. In all honesty, I would say this place is snooty, some of the other people were pretty awful. A lot of people would love that atmosphere, but I won't be rushing back for that reason.... if you took away the other guests, it would be lovely!
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Review of Zizzi
08 May 08, 18:16
Shame about the loo! 
This place has got a fantastic reputation for food and it has amazing views (as long as you get the right table). You need to have a window table really which over looks the harbour... you MUST book in advance. Most people go there to eat but there is also a lovely bar area with comfy leather sofas with very modern decor. It's not like a normal bar because a waitress comes over and takes your order (bit confusing as they'll only take your first order and not come back again! So remember to go back to the bar). It's very formal atmosphere wise and if you go for after work drinks it's very quiet in there... almost a tiny bit awkward at times. It's very pricey and the drinks are massively over priced. The wine is through the roof! Zizzi's loos are the only loos anywhere nearby... so there are loads of people who nip in and use it like a public loo. So that ruins the atmosphere too.
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Review of Tiki Cafe
08 May 08, 18:13
Fair trade, organic and rainforest alliance coffee 
This place is too small really... you hardly notice it! I never realised this but apparently it's coffee is triple-certified - fair trade, organic and rain forest alliance, so you know that you are helping good causes by supporting this place. They don't promote this at all which seems quite strange! There aren't enough chairs in this place (outside chairs, metallic so not comfy at all). There are strange yellow umbrellas inside too.... unusual. I just remember that it was over priced and over crowded. I'll definitely go back now I know about the coffee and the great cause it supports but they need to make more of this!
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Review of Starbucks
08 May 08, 18:06
Great coffee - staff are a bit wired!
I really like this Starbucks... unfortunately it doesn't have a view though as it's right in the centre of the building. There are lots of comfortable chairs and the food (cakes) are delicious (very over priced but I eat them anyway). The coffee of the day is good value though, if you're not fussy like me, you'll love it. Nice big mugs too. I went in here with my sister and although I liked them, she thought that the staff are over-bearingly friendly. They were all foreign (mostly South African and Australian). They've obviously been trained by an American youth camp worker who had drunk 17 red bulls.... eyes and teeth! They'll go "is that everything can I get you anything else??" after you've paid and started walking away. They do mean well, but it's too over the top because it always sounds like they're reading a script rather than actually talking to you. Ooh and also, it's REALLY unbearably hot sometimes. Maybe the workers are so friendly in order to stay conscious....
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Review of Palace Chine
08 May 08, 18:01
Palace Chine
This is a typical chinese restaurant, packed full of tables with pink table cloths but never seems to have any customers! It's expensive but in quite a tacky way, it doesn't look grand. Weirdly, there used to be a holisitc therapy practice which was inside the restaurant! Was so weird because you'd have a consultation with the person (via a translator!) and then go into the back for your acupuncture session! It's not there anymore, but that was always bizarre...
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Review of Ocean Kitchen
08 May 08, 17:57
Panoramic views
This place is REALLY nice although it's much more like a bar than a restaurant. Most people tend to go in here to have a drink (upmarket atmosphere so most people drink wine). The view is panoramic, it's absolutely gorgeous and you can see all of the harbour. It has a huge balcony where you can sit in the sunshine with loads of tables outside. Inside, the couches are really comfortable. The people who go in there tend to be really pleasant and not snooty at all. It's more like a bar than a pub. It's a very coupley sort of place in the evenings. It's not very family orientated at all though, even in the daytime. The design is modern and it's really spacious and airy. The staff are OK but you can get to the bar from both sides and then the barman/women never know who has been waiting longest... they're very average but friendly enough. Be prepared to wait a little while at the bar.
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Review of Ma Potters
08 May 08, 17:53
Who is this place designed for?
This place is nice, but I always find it really confusing! It looks like the sort of place you can pop in and have a snack, but come about 5pm, it suddenly morphs into this really formal place where you have to pre-book, pay a fortune for food and feel like you should be wearing peals and a scarf. I went in with friends for a few drinks and it looks like the sort of place you can relax, have a drink and some bar snacks in, but then it goes really formal all of a sudden. Always seems busy but I can't work out for the life of me who this place is actually aimed at! Service is OK but they tend to be foreign and pretty formal so you don't feel very comfortable in there. I'm not a huge fan of such formal places. If they decided who they were aiming at and made it more relaxed, it might make it more appealing...
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Review of Costa
08 May 08, 17:50
Avoid at weekends, or if you have a bad back!
This is a really great Costa because it has so many seats (unusal for Costa) so plenty of room. Staff are always really friendly and the service and atmosphere are great. The only downside is the seats are really hard! It's right inside the shopping centre but it has two walls cut away so you can people watch. No view of the harbour though. Don't try and go here on the weekends it's always packed, but after work, it's a great place to go for coffee and to relax. They do continental biscuits which are really nice too. Pricey, not good value for money, but you're always going to get that with Costa.
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Review of Britannia View Restaurant
08 May 08, 17:47
Not my cup of tea... 
This is actually the restaurant upstairs in Debenhams... this place is always over crowded, plus the tables are never cleaned. It's a self service cafe. The Royal Yacht is right infront of it so you can't see the harbour as it blocks it, then right down infront of you, you've got all the maintenance yard where there are men welding and stuff so it's a bit of a minging view... definitely wouldn't rate this place!
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Review of Baxters
08 May 08, 17:45
Baxters
Baxters is a really lovely place to eat. It's excellent value for money and in a lovely position because it's high up and has stunning views of the harbour. It's very popular so I would recommend you always book for the evenings (and sometimes lunchtime although you can be lucky and there are some tables free). The service is very friendly and helpful. I wouldn't recommend it for a date, but it is a really nice place to go with your girlie friends after shopping or during work. It's much quieter during the week so I'd recommend it!
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