Will's reviews
Review of Hummus Bros
11 Dec 07, 22:46
Always good 
Works a treat for a hangover, always packed, worth getting a tub to take away, the drinks are good, the service fast and friendly, the ideal lunchtime stop, but I like going mid-afternoon for a more peaceful chickpea fix. They apparently leave out the pea skins, and use less tahina, after years of experimenting. I like the history of the place too, and in an area that isn't overly dominated by chains, this place still stands out as a quirky original. And while copycat joints are popping up, I always find myself returning here to 'give peas a chance'.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Algerian Coffee Stores
18 Nov 07, 04:21
A magical, mystical place 
I like coffee, I like tea.....and so do these people. It's packed to the rafters with coffee, tea and all the paraphenalia associated with good quaffing practice. There's a great aroma here, and it's not the owner's armpits. It's coffee. You can get a cup of coffee to drink, so if you're not sure what to buy, buy an actual drink and neck it before you buy the beans. But don't do this too often, as you may end up suffering from the diuretic effects of a good brew. They sell interesting stuff like mate here, know what they're talking about, and I love the way the shop is piled high with stuff. A pleasant way to explore more refined drinking habits, and a celebration of proper coffee.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Sacred Cafe
18 Nov 07, 04:15
It's nice here
Good food, good coffee, good cakes, and if you're nearby with a laptop you can nick their internet connection because they're a bit daft like that. It does get a bit cramped, though.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Thanks For Franks
18 Nov 07, 04:11
Well proper
A busy little place tucked down a side street off Carnaby Street, Franks is great for an off the shelf sarnie, but they will also rustle up a nice bespoke number like a banana, chili and peanut butter baguette if you're off your tits. A busy lunchtime may involve a lot of squeezing, apologising and frottage, but then some people like that sort of thing. They seem to have an extensive hot and cold menu, know their market, and manage to serve up consistently good fodder with perspicatity and flair. I don't really know what that means, but my English teacher once said that about me in a complimentary school report, so they must be nice, innit.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Just Falafs
18 Nov 07, 04:06
Smells like a chippy 
Nice enough, good, filling, a little overpriced for a bit of dry bread and a few bits of chick pea, but then I imagine the rent is pretty nasty. And they need to sort the a/c out, as it often smells like a chip shop. They're trying too hard with not only the name of the shop, but the food itself all has oh-so-funny names, which make me feel like a right plum when ordering, especially if there's some media lovely in the queue behind me. The shared table concept is a bit poo, too, in my humble opinion. If I wanted to eat that close to dodgy strangers, I'd go to prison, thank you.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Pure California
18 Nov 07, 03:58
Viagra for the soul
If you can get over the operating theatre decor, Pure California serves up an amazingly healthy lunchtime treat. For all media types tired of powdered or liquid lunches, a quick trip to P.C. will sort you right out. I love it for the food labelling - it tells you what the food is good for - the wheat free options and the range of wraps is pretty unique, the tuna/carrot crunchy salad stuff makes me go nyeh nyeh nyeh like a big cat, and when you go to pay there's a cheeky range of Green and Black's chocolate, Tyrell's wonderful crisps, and enough cutlery napkins and condiments to nick and earn a living running a market stall on Berwick Street (for when your dinner-plate -eyed boss runs away to find herself - in California, of course.) It's overpriced, but then, hey, what price is a cloud of righteous nutritional smug?
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of HSBC
18 Nov 07, 03:39
flashback
The Kentish Town branch of HSBC got lost in the 70s, and is small, sweaty and has the feel of a doctor's waiting room. One of the counter staff is a chap called Luvlu, a unusual name I like to ponder while queuing for ages, normally; there being only two counters and a village sort of mentality which means everyone at the front of the queue has a nice little chat with the staff. But it's still better than the smoke and mirrors of the near-automated faceless Camden Town Branch down the road. If you like to speak to a human, rather than scream at a hole in the wall, try this branch. Or get a shoebox, stick it under your bed, and cry to yourself at the lack of money therein.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of De Hems
08 Aug 07, 16:58
Magic
A fine selection of very well kept beer - by which I mean lager - most of it Dutch, all served with a good continental head. Leffe blond and dark, strawberry beer, Amstel, Heineken, etc.....Pretty bar maids, and a small but interesting menu featuring Dutch treats like sausages and chips and mayo. A good old boozer, classic stinky toilets, but an airy less-used bar upstairs. DJ nights get a bit noisy, but most nights seem to attract a good healthy mix of tourists and those popping in for a decent pint after work. Not cheap, but all the beer is so strong you're supposed to drink it by the half. Don't, and you'll have a good night. Very close to tubes, nightclub and the cheap and cheerful dim sum fantasy of Gerrard St. There's an interesting history to the place, and it's a great place to start a big night out.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Office
08 Aug 07, 16:53
A decent place
Directly opposite one of the Archway Road entrances to Highgate Tube, the Office is a decent little internet and Wi-Fi cafe. No parking means it never gets busy, they serve up Illy cafe and a good selection of tea, and you get a free fresh pastry with a drink in the mornings. Foreign staff play havoc with the spelling of the daily menu specials, but they are helpful and friendly. Wi-fi access is free for half an hour, but they expect you to buy more tea or something if you stay for longer. Daily sandwiches are above the norm, with a selection of breads and rolls, and fillings such as tuna, fresh Wiltshire ham and salad which change daily. Downstairs, an hour on one of half a dozen fast PCs - all with web cams - will cost just 1.50, and they seem to throw in free drinks dependent on the mood. Upstairs, every table has a PC showing classic films, but with the sound turned down, and a strange mixture of musac and Euro-rock playing, again, dependent on who's shift it is. There's free papers and AC too, but it can get a bit noisy with the passing traffic on the A1. Overall, a good place for a quick coffee, a decent sarnie and a quick surf.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Abeno Too
08 Aug 07, 16:45
My current favourite
Abeno Too is a decidedly slow food restaurant. If you want fast food, don't come here, but the wait is worthwhile. On a hot day, the hibachi grills can be a bit overbearing, but the quality of the food even makes the heat bearable. There's an extensive menu, but as the other reviewer said, you come here for the Okonami yaki, a grilled Japanese egg and cabbage pancake, with a variety of fillings- from the daily specials to fish, meat or vegetables. The Japanese beer selection is good, as is the tea. It's quite small, gets busy, and averagely takes about 20 mnutes for one of the staff to rustle up a pancake. The waiting is good, and order up some miso or edamame to satiate your hunger while you watch the culinary magoc unfold before your eyes. The staff are sweet and friendly, but I think it's better to sit at the counter than a table......you can carry on a conversation better at the counter, whereas the cooking process seems more intrusive at a table. Not cheap, but not expensive either. A deluxe pancake will leave you bursting, and with a starter or salad and a few beers, you're looking at about 20 pounds a head.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.