Restaurant Spy - £/$

Sakoni's 127-129 Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BP

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:59:38 +0000

Address:
127-129 Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BP

Review:

Look to where the locals go and head to Sakoni's for cheap, filling and mouth-watering vegetarian Gujarati food. Populated as it is already with sari, jewellery and Indian grocery stores, Ealing Road is packed with locals who pop into Sakoni's for their spicy masala dosas, burning hot chai and crispy bhajiyas.

If you don't mind being packed into a corner in a clinical and sometimes dirty interior, its well worth it for the food. In fact, sometimes, it adds to the authentic Indian experience.

Wimpy, 105 Blatchington Road, Hove BN3 3YG

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:07:41 +0000

Address:
105 Blatchington Road, Hove BN3 3YG

Review:

Ok so I went to Wimpy – so what?!

Wimpy is little changed from the places I remember from my 70s youth. Lots of plastic, strange food and a feeling that the driftwood of life washes up here.

There was me, Mart, and T. We had had a couple of beers and fancied a face full of something before a few more beers. Wimpy was closer than the curry house and it seemed like a novel idea.

We found a seat without trouble – there being only two other people in the place: both staff.

Night Star-Mangal Ockabasi, 149 Holloway Road London N7 8LX

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:08:34 +0000

Address:
149,Holloway Road London N7 8LX

Review:

Another pre- Arsenal match, feeding and watering stop on the greasy Holloway Road. Why does it always look as if the pavements need a good hosing down and a steam clean? The restaurant is the usual set-up of revolving kebabs in the front takeaway part and long queues of punters on match days who prefer the sidewalk eating experience. The inside is fairly basic-tiled floors and formica tables. However the star of the show is the charcoal grill man (there must be a name in Turkish) who sits at the barbecue, expertly rotating the kebabs, and chops, and chicken fillets, like he's playing an instrument, and shouting at the staff.

Kimos, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5SD

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:38:32 +0000

Address:
Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5SD

Review:

I had arranged to take my sister to the Philharmonic on Friday to go and see The Dubliners as part Of the Cains Liverpool Irish Festival, and needed somewhere to eat whereby the service would be quick and non fussy. Boy, was I glad I stumbled accross this place.

I had been advised by some that this place is popular with students, well I am hardly surprised. It is a large cafe with a nice ambience. The furniture is all wooden and looked like it was straight from Morocco, and there is fantastic lighting and artwork.

Sophie's Of Exmouth

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:22:30 +0000

Address:
22 Rolle St, Exmouth, EX8 1NJ

Review:

New Readers Start here

If you don't visit Spy's message board, the phrase "Sophie's of Exmouth" won't mean much to you. Unless you live in Exmouth of course. Even then, it may not, the nice woman in a shop 2 streets away said she'd definitely heard of it, but it was in Exeter. She kindly got her phone book out to check and said, wonderingly "No, you're right, it's here - 22 Rolle Street" So you can see the impact Sophie's has had on the town. In an attempt to drum up business, someone called Maureen posted the following on the Spy message board in early June:

The Malt Shovel, 15 Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2PG

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:46:10 +0000

Address:
15 Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2PG

Review:

It’s been a long time since we’ve been to The Malt Shovel in Horsham. We had plenty of reason to patronise this venue in the past due to the landlords generous sponsorship of our team. Unfortunately Steve passed away recently (incidentally so did our hockey team) and work committments have kept me away. However, last sunday (15th July 2007) a visit from an old team mate prompted a return. When we got there there was a 2 piece band playing laid back jazz and the effects of the smoking ban were evident. I wasn’t immediately sure what was different but I’m pretty sure it was a lack of cigarette smoke, a very welcome lack of cigarette smoke. I’m not a zealot, but after 2 years without a cigarette I have to say that I prefer my life to be that way; smoke free.

New Tayyab, 83, Fieldgate St London E1 1JU

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:47:26 +0000

Address:
83, Fieldgate St London E1 1JU

Review:

Now I know we can't all go to Whitechapel to taste probably the best Indian food in the world, but take it from me - if you're visiting London this is a destination restaurant.

Its BYO - bring your own wine, etc - so its all eyes down for the food menu. You almost cannot spend too much money here. I went with a group of people, ate far too much until I was fit to burst and it came to twelve quid each.

Nani's, 8-10 Wigmore Street, London W1H 9DA

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:41:36 +0000

Address:
8-10 Wigmore Street, London W1H 9DA

Review:

Slipped out of John Lewis by the Cavendish St exit and into Wigmore St today and found this gem. It's been there for 25 years, one of those long established, cheerful and reasonably priced restaurants run by generations of Italian families in London. These places are having to either adapt or die. Alfredo's in Essex Rd (est 1920) refused to adapt and we loved them for it. Until the end of 1999 you could still get excellent egg and chips for £1.85, cooked by the proprietor in exactly the same way as his father Alfredo did it. A mug of tea was 25p and neither the premises nor the menu had changed since the early fifties. If you never made it to Alfredo's, you're too late, they have sold up and retired. Nani's have adapted instead. Recently completely refurbished in an unpretentious modern style, they offer the usual list of modern coffee choices -cappuccino, espresso et al plus a good selection of breakfasts and lunches for around a fiver.

Erawan Tea Room, 2nd Floor, Erawan Bangkok, 494 Mount Pleasant Rd Bangkok 10330 Thailand

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:49:08 +0000

Address:
2nd Floor, Erawan Bangkok, 494 Mount Pleasant Rd Bangkok 10330 Thailand

Review:

Ignore all the expensive Afternoon Teas offered by the big hotels, the Erawan Tea Room High Tea at 150 baht per person is a tenth the price and a far more original and delicious experience. You get Thai appetisers and pastries, as well as scones, jam and cream, with a wide choice of tea - I had Jasmine, L had Ginger. It's right next door to the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and if you plan to try it, don't bother with lunch first - and you might not want much dinner later, either. They just keep bringing the goodies out: things like prawns in filo pastry, marzipan petit fours, etc. Each plate is quite small, so you don't think you're eating that much. Nice room, sweet staff, ludicrous price. Dec 2006

Rage - a pub in Lancashire

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 11:07:26 +0000

Address:
Lancashire

Review:

This is a copy of a letter which I sent to W********** Customer Services. ( to date no reply from them )I see from the local papers they are advetising for new staf ie chefs.!!!!! I and two friends decided to visit your W******** Restaurant in Lancashire on Sunday 24th August before going on holiday and can only say that the whole time we were there it was a complete disaster.

On entering, a waitress showed us to a table, then someone else suggested we wait at the bar to be seated, I don't know why we had to wait as the place was nearly empty and now I know why. I then went to the bar to order drinks - a Gin and Tonic which when it arrived was a glass with Gin and filled up to the top with tonic, no question as to how much tonic I wanted or would I like draft tonic or bottle ? That was replaced to my liking. Then the meal, three starters, 3 main courses were ordered. The 2 soups which came were very nicely presented, but stone cold, how can that be? After complaining they were returned to us - warm !. On complaining again they were eventually returned edible, with apologies. I ordered 2 steaks and another dish for main courses. 1 steak was ordered well done, but the second (mine), was ordered medium rare but when they came, the well done one was only just edible as it was very tough and dry. The second (medium rare) was past well done and can only assume that whilst our soups were being repeatedly warmed up, the steaks were being cooked and left and warmed again. Apologies again were given and an offer to replace my meal which I refused as by this time the other two friends had finished their meal or what they could eat of it and so I ate the tough dry excuse for a steak. What was left ( most of it ) I took home for the dog, which even she turned her nose up at. One main course was deleted from the bill We left very disappointed and can say that the restaurant should not be named after a great ********* but that of Roland the Rat. Sitan Eatwell

Rage - a Tearoom in Yorkshire

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 11:02:49 +0000

Address:
Yorkshire

Review:

General Comment first ! I don't know why but most places I have been in recently I would certainly not return. Date 26th September L*********** - I know it is only a Tea Room but ---- the menu said Home Made Vegetable Soup, I thought it was in fact a packet soup with bits added in. The Hot Beef Baguette with gravy and horseradish was tasteless with bought in sliced beef and a stale tough dried up baguette and the home made cottage pie my friend had was also tasteless. It all sounds very good on the menu at first glance. Sitan Eatwell

Kerala, 15, Great Castle St, London, W1W 8LT

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 12:14:59 +0000

Address:
15, Great Castle St, London, W1W 8LT

Review:

Family-run place giving excellent, authentic Keralan food. Quite large, at least 50 seats, 3 rooms (one smoking). Main courses divided into Syrian Christian specialities (meat), Coastal seafood, Malabar biryanis, Keralan vegetable curries, Dosas from the Coral Coast. Try mussels ularthu, dahai vadai, konju masala (huge prawns in beautiful thick, spicy sauce), spinach + dhal curry, cabbage + carrot thoran, avial, brinjal ularthu. Biryanis are unusually real, compared with most so-called Indian restaurants---the different layers of rice have been separately cooked. Home-made pickles. Desserts include gulab jamun, plantain fritters with honey and ice-cream. Masala tea. Wines and Indian beers (Kingfisher, Cobra, Kama Sutra). Excellent service. Very convenient before/after West End theatre. Annie Ethel

Huong Viet, 12-14, Englefield Rd London N1 4LS

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:24:54 +0000

Address:
12-14, Englefield Rd London N1 4LS

Review:

This small restaurant, which has at one time done double duty for the local Vietnamese community as a cultural centre, is an undiscovered delight. A Vietnamese family operation whose odd architecture and location somehow give it an ambience redolent of Saigon rather than Highbury, its walls are decorated with the excellent original black and white photography of a Vietnamese associate of the management.

Hare and Tortoise, 15-17, Brunswick Shopping Centre, Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AF

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:13:21 +0000

Address:
15-17, Brunswick Shopping Centre, Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AF

Review:

One of my favourite places for lunch and judging by the queues I'm not alone. Those of us cursed to work in King's Cross have low epxectations of places to eat, so it was a treat to discover this place. It's a noodle bar so if you've been to Wagamama's you know the score. Simple tables and lightening service, perfect for lunch. The portions are huge so don't go crazy when you order. The ramens are all excellent (about £4.50) and the Curry Laksa is wonderful at £5.25. You need a bib if you don't want it all over your shirt though. See you in the queue. Fat Bob

Golden Fish Restaurant, 102-104, Farringdon Rd, London, EC1R 3EA

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 10:49:08 +0000

Address:
102-104, Farringdon Rd, London, EC1R 3EA

Review:

In the old Little Italy that is Clerkenwell, London, there is very little remaining to remind you of the once overwhelming Italian influence. True there is still a little Italian deli, and there is still the Golden Fish, a fish 'n' chip take away and "restaurant" that has survived unchanged since time immemorial. I used to come here fifteen years ago and have Sausage and Chips for 80p, the menu has not changed although the prices have gone up, and the immovable half-smirks of the family who run the place are as fixed and as charmless as ever.