Tim's reviews
Review of Aria
23 Jul 07, 10:26
Typical Upper street 
The staff are stroppy, the goods are overpriced and they don't stock a decent colander. That said, they are one of the few places to stock Jack Spade bags, which are ace, and it comes in handy at Christmas for family members easily impressed by your fancy-ass London trinkets.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Foxtons
22 Jul 07, 18:38
Nice guys finish last
Everyone knows that Foxtons are b*stards. There's even a Flickr group dedicated to spotting their minis, which - having used one asterisk already in this review - i'd probably better not name. But hey, they're estate agents, and they get the job done (albeit for a vast fee). They had by far the best selection of houses when I was buying for the first time and in a purchasing process they held on in there for their commission, grudgingly helpful to the last. That said, their new Angel office is just the sort of vulgarity that seems to be encouraging the council to ditch the Mall. Foxtons, then - can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Sausage and Mash Cafe
22 Jul 07, 18:22
A classic 
I love the art deco feel this place has. And the sausages can't be beat. You mix and match a selection of sausages, three types of mash and three kinds of gravy. I'm not sure if sitting outside on Essex Road might be taking our newfound continental culture a bit far - much better indoors, as long as you like your cafes to have a busy, buzzy vibe.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Crown
22 Jul 07, 18:17
The ideal local
On sleepy, leafy Cloudesley Road (if you ignore the odd moped-riding young hoodlum), this is how pubs are supposed to be. It has Fullers' usual range (Honeydew, mmm) and decent enough food, though as you'd expect for Angel it's hardly a bargain. There are proper dining tables and armchairs by the fire, intricate ceiling and a fantastic old wooden bar. Under new management of late (Glynn went to the Fox near Old Street - another great pub) and probably facing stiff competition from the refurbed Albion further down the road, but still a solid, reliable local.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Steam Passage
22 Jul 07, 18:07
Unexpected sleb hangout
I once ran into two of the blokes out of Hearsay in the Steam Passage. They were playing on the quiz machine. I only went in the once, but I feel that tells you all you need to know about the place.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Barbican Cinema
22 Jul 07, 18:02
Vintage futurism 
I loved the Barbican's towers long before I ever actually ventured in the complex itself, but aside from the slightly traumatising lift down (small, slow, haphazard) this is a great place to watch films and feel, well... cultured. As with all of the Barbican's auditoria, the place has a unique, love-it-or-hate-it design but I think it's fantastic. You can take your beer and wine in with you, it's usually pretty quiet (even on a friday) and it's well placed for post-film arguments in the pubs and restaurants around Smithfield market.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Rake
22 Jul 07, 17:53
More beer than any man could ever cope with
This is the beer snob's Vinopolis. Which is handy, as it's just round the corner. Owned by the same lot that sell imported beer in Borough Market (Utobeer) and with the same vast range (and steep prices), this claims to be London's smallest pub. That may not include the small (covered) garden area of the very attractive car park into which festivities may sometimes spill. The staff are not only happy to recommend beers and ciders of which you've never heard but with which you'll then never be able to live without, they also tolerate the odd pie and sandwich butty being smuggled into the "garden" from the market. Which is good, as their own snacks are limited and shockingly expensive. If the Sierra Nevada's on tap (and they've bought up all of London's supply for the rest of the summer) you can't go wrong.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Screen on the Green
22 Jul 07, 17:44
Indie cinemas are great but...
This place is iconic, an integral part of upper street - although that doesn't seem to mean much these days, what with all the nonsense about Camden Passage and the Mall. But unless you're particularly loyal to the local cause (and yes, I realise you're on a site called we love local) they don't do a whole lot here to encourage the uninitiated. There's only one screen, they could do with getting a booze licence, and the staff are blimmin' miserable. I don't know if the arrival of Vue has hit them particularly hard but they don't seem to be very enthusiastic about the place. That said, they manage to pick the best indie flicks and the odd crowd pleaser, and I wouldn't want to see them go the way of so many local independents round here.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Breakfast Club
22 Jul 07, 17:26
A joy
All brunch places should be like the Breakfast Club. The food is (almost) always great, with the All American - eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, maple syrup - particularly recommended. The smoothies are also great, particularly the alarmingly green one - a fact I only learned after being fed samples while waiting to get in. Actually that's the main problem - BC is too damn popular... maybe I should change the rating.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Review of Roast Restaurant
22 Jul 07, 17:22
Would they get away with it anywhere else?
Ah Borough market, the foodies' mecca. It's surprising that someone didn't open Roast sooner - a place that has the organic/locally sourced food ethic embedded in its heart. Alas, it's also taken the market's tendency to overprice up to its lofty restaurant. Views down to St Pauls and lots of window seats are all well and good, and some of the portions are vast, but this is above-average gastropub food at West End prices. A good one for corporate entertaining on expenses, but £20 for a piece of lamb and another £4 for roasties (which were, admittedly, amazing) is a bit steep, "rare breed" or not.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.