Gemma R.

Review of Kipferl

14 Apr 08, 15:36

Fantastisch

I stumbled across Kipferl while wandering aimlessly around Smithfield Market. And boy, am I ever glad I did. A neat little Austrian cafe, Kipferl is a lovely place to while away an hour or so with a coffee (served with a glass of water and a mini Milka chocolate) and a slice of poppyseed cake or Jewish apple cake, while watching the world go by. It is clearly popular with the Austrian expat community, and several times I have been the only Brit in the place (always a good sign).

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Benugo

14 Apr 08, 15:06

Great for coffee

If you want a proper cup of coffee in the Clerkenwell area, then forget Starbucks, Costa et al and head over to Benugo. You won't be disappointed. Grab a sandwich too, while you're there. Benugo also offers a business lunch service, delivering platters of excellent sandwiches, salads, cut fruit and cakes, that is head and shoulders over anything offered by Pret a Manger.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Hoxton Furnace

14 Apr 08, 14:41

Just... one... more... bite...

I always find myself over-eating when I go to the Hoxton Furnace, because the food is just so damn good. The pleasantly buzzy atmosphere probably has something to do with it as well. I'd highly recommend that you go and try the pizza topped with suckling pig and fennel. Your tastebuds will love you forevermore. Desserts are spot-on as well. Not the sort of place to go if you're on a calorie-controlled diet, or have gluttony issues.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Map Gift Shop

14 Apr 08, 14:30

One-stop present shop

Oh no! You're invited to a birthday party and haven't got time to go into town to buy a present! Well fear not, because Map Gift Shop is here to save the day. Stuffed full of lovely things, from pretty jewellery to quirkily kitsch homewares, I defy you not to find something you like. Oh, and they will gift-wrap your purchases too if you've left things *really* late.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of The Landseer

14 Apr 08, 14:22

Make this place your new local (but go elsewhere for food)

This is a great pub to have on your doorstep. Lovely-looking and somehow combining airiness and cosiness in equal measure, The Landseer is the ideal place to meet friends for a convivial evening spent lounging on big squashy sofas with a bottle (or three) of good wine and a game of Trivial Pursuit. The food can be a bit hit-and-miss at times, though, to such an extent that I've stopped going there to eat (preferring the cheaper and far superior fare served up round the corner at North Nineteen). That said, as a place to hang out on a sunny summer evening The Landseer is hard to beat.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review of Pink Express

04 Apr 08, 12:27

Think Pink

I've used many different courier firms in my time, and Pink are definitely the friendliest of the bunch (they even send me chocolate occasionally!). I have never had any problems with their service - which is more than I can say for some courier companies (*cough* TNT *cough). They are also committed to helping the environment. And how many courier companies are run by a member of Ten Pole Tudor?

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of North Nineteen

03 Apr 08, 11:00

Lovely new local

Tucked away on a quiet street off the Holloway Road, North Nineteen is a real find. The landlord is a very friendly chap who obviously cares about his pub, and this is reflected in every aspect of the place. There are some excellent ales on tap (including a lovely Timothy Taylor last time I went) and a well-chosen wine list. The food is great as well - a ribeye steak came bloody as hell, as per my request (finally, somewhere that knows rare should mean rare!), accompanied by fat chips and some delicious fried red onion rings. A pumpkin risotto was also terrific, creamy and oozing with flavour.

This is not just another gastropub, though. This is a place that bends over backwards to ensure that you have a good time. There is a real ale festival in April, and the promise of regular wine tasting sessions. There's a quiz on Monday nights, open mic sessions, poker nights, live music... oh, and free wifi too. With so much to offer, North Nineteen is definitely a welcome addition to Holloway's pub scene.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review of Kurz and Lang

27 Mar 08, 16:53

Ich habe hunger

If I'm hungry in the Smithfields area, I find it very hard to resist popping into Kurz and Lang. A fiver is pretty good for the amount of food you get, and the wurst are the best (see what I did there?).

At Christmas time, they also sell mulled wine - pleasingly, this is served in takeaway cups so you can take it back to the office and it looks like you've just bought a coffee rather than a cup of steaming hot boozeahol. Result!

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of James Selby

27 Mar 08, 14:28

Small is beautiful

This is a nice little department store to have on your doorstep if you just can't face going shopping Up West. Concessions include Topshop, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins and Faith, and there's a smattering of French Connection stuff as well if you can be bothered searching through the rails. Ideal for a Saturday morning browse before you pop off to do your weekly grocery shop in Morrisons (or Waitrose, if you're posh/loaded). But James Selby really comes into its own at sale time. You can pick up some cracking bargains in the homeware section upstairs where you can make some serious savings on cutlery, glassware, bedding, cookware and so on. Definitely worth a look.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Pizza Hot 2 Go

27 Mar 08, 14:13

Pizza with extras

I've got a real soft spot for Pizza Hot 2 Go and it's much better choice than going a few doors down for a Domino's, in my opinion. The guys who run it are pleasant and laid back, the pizza is good and you really can't argue with their "any pizza any size" deal for £6.99. And you can nip next door to the Crown for a swift one while your pizza cooks. Lovely. Also, the proprietors will throw in the occasional unexpected freebie - indeed, I one time they presented me with a pair of gold flip-flops. Pizza seasoned with a touch of surrealism just tastes that little bit nicer, no?

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.