Qype: Tortilla in London

London

Wow - I think I've found a new favorite place for lunch!

Tortilla is a fast food style Mexican. You queue up and order your burrito how you like it, in a very similar fashion to subway sandwiches (except you're choosing between meets, cheese, types of rice and beans, choice of three salsas etc.). As a bonus offer at lunchtimes a bottomless soft drink is only 50p. Beers are also available. This style is something I've experienced in Mexican places in California, but not in London.

You can opt for takeaway, but they offer a lot of seating on two floors as well. The restaurant itself is very clean and modern and is a pleasant place to eat. Quiet music plays in the background.

They make a big thing about how all the ingredients are fresh, and their meets are home marinated - and I think this is really reflected in the quality of the food because the burrito I had was delicious.

We arrived at 12:15 and there was not much of a queue. However we noticed that the queue built up quite a lot over the next 20 minutes so would recommend arriving a bit early.

I'll definitely be going here frequently (I'll add more photos on my next visit)
Check out my review of Tortilla - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Papa John's in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

Offering a consistently high quality of pizza, Papa Johns is always a safe bet. The tasty range of pizzas on the menu, makes it hard to order a dud. Pizzas are generous on the topping side, and come with complimentary garlic (and sometimes salsa dips) to stick your crusts in (depending on pizza). You can order online and the delivery times always seem reliable. Every pizza I've ordered has come pipping hot.

Initially appearing more expensive than some of the competitors, be sure to take advantage of the "Offer" page to slice of a few pounds off your order.
Check out my review of Papa John's - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Pizza Gogo in London

London

"Once tried, never forgotten" Pizza Gogo claim. Quite accurate - I'm not sure I'll forget this disappointing pizza.

Responding to the menu through our letterbox, I opted for their X-TRA Value deal (free garlic bread and potato twisters) in addition to the super large pizza.

I was lured in by their cheap prices (relative to the consistently excellent Papa John's pizza). Sadly this was a mistake. Although the pizza arrived quickly, the results were thoroughly underwhelming. The "potato twisters" were undercooked and soggy, and after trying a couple they were discarded, moving onto the garlic bread. Not bad, but really just French bread with a fleeting garlic after-taste.

The pizza itself did not appear appetising. The cheese was over baked and dark brown. The base and toppings stingy and thin. Despite the appearance, the pizza didn't actually taste to bad, and we did make most of our way through it, but was way below expectations.

The only thing keeping me from rating 1 star was the fact that it arrived quickly; we certainly won't order from here again.

Conclusion: Pizza NoNo.
Check out my review of Pizza Gogo - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Gourmet Buffet in London

London - Restaurants - Chinese

We had a great time last night at the "Gourmet Buffet" Chinese karaoke restaurant, where we went for my friends birthday.

We hired one of the private rooms, which seats about 24 people across two tables. We all opted for the £9 buffet menu, which included starters which were served at the table by the waitresses. We then helped ourselves to the buffet which the stalf encouraged us to keep going back to (although after an ambishious first trip I was unable to do so).

The food isn't amazing (despite being self titled as Gourmet!), but was still pretty tasty for a buffet and certainly represented good value for money.

After washing down the food with several glasses of wine, we approached the karaoke. Luckily for the other guests, the private rooms seem to be almost completely soundproofed. I'm not an expert on karaoke, but it seemed to be a reasonably good system and the staff we're very helpful advising how to select our favourite tunes.

After belting out cheesy songs for a number of hours, we paid: a very reasonable £20 each easily meeting the £250 minimum spend required for the room. The staff then brought out complementary Chinese tea and another two free bottles of wine.

Overall a really fun night out, and a great destination to take a large group of people to particularly for a birthday as we did.
Check out my review of Gourmet Buffet - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Arab Boy in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

The Arab Boy recently underwent a renovation, and reopened last Thursday. I've been in twice since then for a drink, and both times found the atmosphere friendly, and the interior relaxing and attractive. They have a big plasma screen TV near the bar for showing sports. The seating varies throughout the bar, with standard pub style tables in some areas, but more cosy armchairs and coffee tables in others. The pub is pretty large and is well laid out as mentioned by the other reviewer.

The beer range is a bit limited: only two real ales, and just the big name lagers on draft, including Becks Vier, Kronemburg (3.30 a pint which I felt was a bit expensive) etc. The standard range of wines and spirits are also available.

I've not yet tried the food but will give it a go and report back.

On my two visits it certainly wasn't packed, but still had a reasonable number of customers for a Sunday and Tuesday night. It is the only pub for a fair distance, so should have the potential to be the local for thousands of people.

As you can see from the photo I took - it's 'probably' the oldest pub in Putney. If you're in the area and fancy a drink, pop into the Arab Boy and you shouldn't be disappointed.
Check out my review of The Arab Boy - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Wagamama in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

Wagamama is an extremely successful Japanese style restaurant on Putney High Street.

The menu contains the likes of Ramen and Tepppan fried noddle dishes, but also a choice of Japanese curries with rice.

Side dishes include dumplings, prawns, steamed soya beans, miso soup and the like. Wine and beer are available, but also fresh juices and green tea.

The orders are taken on small PDA style devices, and are transmitted electronically to the kitchen. The food is brought out as soon as it's ready, so don't expect it to arrive all at once.

The décor of the restaurant is pretty modern, and you often share the long tables with other customers - which gives the slight feeling that you are in a fast food restaurant, but fun at the same time.

The food is tasty, although not quite as good as Hare and Tortoise on the Upper Richmond road in my opinion. Prices are also a bit more expensive, with main dishes around the £8 mark.
Check out my review of Wagamama - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Garlic & Shots Ltd in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars

I went here in a large group last Friday and I have to say I left thoroughly underwhelmed by Garlic and Shots.

They serve 101 types of shot - which were a lot of fun, along with bottled beers and wine. We also tried the garlic beer - but as another reviewer mentioned this is just a glass of normal beer with chopped garlic added. A few people tried it but couldn't bear to drink more than a sip.

In terms of shots I tried the bloodshot (tomato, garlic, chilli and vodka), chilli vodka (pretty spicy as expected), and instant margarita (all the ingredients of a margarita in a shot glass). The shots are £2.50 each - although don't try and order from the "bar" at the front of the restaurant as I did and got told off.

Food wise, as a starter the garlic bread was the probably the best I've ever had.

The main dishes however were a major disappointment. The Swedish/American influenced dishes such as the garlic burger, or Swedish sausage with garlic mash would have been pretty tasteless were it not for the vast amount garlic added to every part of the dish. One of our party was so disgusted with his main the he took one bite and left the rest.

The waitresses and other members of staff seemed really unfriendly and we didn't feel welcome.

We managed to rack up a £40 bill each - but I didn't feel we got a great deal for this so would say it represented poor value for money.

We had been considering heading to the downstairs Goth bar afterwards, but after finishing the meal decided we really didn't feel like staying any longer.

I might go there again for a shot or a few drinks, but not for food.
Check out my review of Garlic & Shots Ltd - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Piccolo Cafe in London

London

Nice coffee and sandwich shop that seems to have only opened recently. Either that or I just didn't notice it for two years - quite possible as it is very tiny at about 6 foot wide and 12 foot deep, fitting in under the railway track running from London Bridge to Waterloo.

Coffees are really good. A large latte will set you back £1.50 - cheaper than Nero, or Costa but just as good in my opinion.

Sandwiches are good too, but perhaps are let down by a limited range of fillings. There are about three small tables - so not suitable for a large group, but there is plenty of outside seating across the road if it's a nice day. Sandwiches prices are in line with the other sandwich shops in the area.
Check out my review of Piccolo Cafe - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Riva in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

Riva is a reasonably good sandwich shop on Borough High Street.

The inside is drab, although there does always seem to be seating available.

For a takeaway lunch they serve a range of sandwiches hot or cold. Also wraps, several hot dishes, and salads are available with a range of soft drinks, coffees and fruit. Average prices for the area.

Certainly not exceptional, but not a bad choice either if you need a takeaway sandwich and coffee for lunch.
Check out my review of Riva - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Reds in London

London - Restaurants

Reds is a fairly decent bar/restaurant in between Putney mainline and East Putney tube stations. Its location makes it an excellent meeting point.

The bar area is dimly lit with pretty modern interior, filled with
plenty of tables and chairs.

At the front is a decking area allowing you to sit outside, although the views of the upper Richmond road aren't ideal.

Happy hour runs from 4pm till 8pm (or is that 7pm, the signage is slightly confusing?) Monday to Saturday, where they offer 30% off all draft and bottled beers, making it one of
the cheapest places to drink in Putney during those times.

I haven't tried the food since it became Red's a few years ago from former incarnation La Pief.

Recommended for meeting friends after work. Wouldn't stay there for the whole evening though as it seems lacking in atmosphere.
Check out my review of Reds - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Mexifresh in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

Mexifresh is a Mexican takeaway and basic cafe style restaurant. I've been ordering takeaways for many years, and keep coming back due to their use of high quality ingredients and reliable service.

I personally stick to the burritos, which are available in a number of flavours - then you chose between vegaterian, beef chili or chicken.

My usual order is the large chicken Americana burrito-and I normally have enough left over for lunch the next day. They used to serve steak as a filling but sadly this has been dropped from the menu-I will have to lobby them to try and get it back!

Several excellend salsas are available, served with home made authentic nachos-nothing like the Dorito style chips you but in the supermarkets. In my opinion the best salsa is the Calexico (which is not as hot as its three chili rating suggests).

Other dishes include tacos quesadillas, taquitos, and a salad served in a massive tortilla - sounds odd but is actually very nice.

They can also deliver Ben and Jerrys ice cream, Oreos, and Mexican or Spanish beers.

They also have another Mexifresh in Wimbledon, although I've never been there or ordered from it.

I terms of going there to eat - it's very basic, and more like a fast food joint, so you wouldn't go for a night out or date. It is reasonably near the river so getting food to takeaway and eating on the bank of the Thames is a nice option on a sunny day.

All in all I'd say this is the best Mexican takeaway in South West London - recommended if you like Mexican food.
Check out my review of Mexifresh - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Pizzas sr1 in Bologna

Bologna

Great little Italian restaurant. They don't just serve pizzas, but this was what we had for our main course, after an Insalatona salad to start with.

I has a delicious Calzone with both ricotta and mozzarella cheese. My fiancée had Capriccios, which she described as the best pizza she'd even tasted, and my brother's Quatro Stagiono was also excellent.

There are a couple of different areas for seating, but we opted for seats in the arcade area - which offered attractive views of the piazza and surroundings. They seem to have more extensive seating downstairs and inside (and also some sort of nightclub in the adjacent building) but since it was lunch and a nice day we didn't explore these.

The bill for a beer, water, shared starter, bread, main and coffees came to €24 each.

Highly recommended place for authentic Italian at reasonable prices.
Check out my review of Pizzas sr1 - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Stack overflow hits 10,000 questions

Qype: Bulls Head in Richmond

Richmond - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

Wow – what a great location for a pub! We were lucky enough to get a seat overlooking the river Thames, which was a lovely way to finish our Sunday afternoon. Great range of real ales (also cask mark certified), and friendly bar staff.

Sadly when we visited their Sunday lunches were off the menu as they had a problem producing the gravy. Instead I had the beef and ale pie with mash potatoes and vegetables (£8.95), and my fiancée had the lamb shank (£11.50), with mash. The lamb shank was pretty good (I was allowed a bite) although it did seem to be served with a large amount of brooth which did not look appetising. The beef and ale pie that I had was really stodgy and pre-processed. In fact I ended up leaving a lot of it behind (which is very unlike me).

I would like to come back and visit to try the Sunday lunches again if I’m every in the area, simply because of the wonderful country/riverside location.

Definitely recommended for drinks. Food wise – ask what they recommend on the menu before ordering.

Check out my review of Bulls Head - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Configuring how your computer comes out of standby

I'm a big fan of standby - it hardly uses any electricity, yet gets your computer up and running again in seconds.

Here is a great post telling you how to fine tune your set up:
Standby setup using powercfg

Qype: Capital Kebab House in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

A great place to get a late night snack close to Waterloo station. Very tasty range of kebabs, but also other takeaway food such and burgers, chips etc. Pretty efficient service and reasonable prices. They have a seating areas round the back although I’ve never used this.

Strangely, every time I’ve visited this place the police have been here – not because there’s been any trouble, but because they are also buying kebabs and chips! I wonder if they have some sort of deal worked out with the owner?

Check out my review of Capital Kebab House - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Putney Leisure Centre Cafe in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Pretty average sports centre cafe and nothing special. But if you are feeling hungry after a session in the gym or swimming pool then it'll hit the spot. They stock a range of sandwiches, biscuits, soft drinks, burgers and chips, and quiche. Reasonably priced.

Check out my review of Putney Leisure Centre Cafe - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Limes in London

London

This place is a real find! This recently renovated stall makes bacon, egg, and sausages sandwiches freshly to order in a choice of sandwich, roll or (my favourite) the soft french stick. The previous stall was starting to look a little shappy, but the new one is a great improvement.

There used to be a little sign explaining the history: that there has been a sandwich stall on this spot (which is the end of the number 14 bus route), since the late 19th century. Presumably they also had supplies for the horses back then.

A hearty bacon and egg in "French stick", with grilled onions and mustard will set you back £2.60.

Also available are coffees and teas, cakes and a range of other cooked snacks such as hamburgers. No seating next to the hut, but there are benches nearby. Perfect for picking up a Saturday morning breakfast when your fridge is empty. There is also another newsagents hut next door, where you can pick up a pint of milk in additions to the newspaper.

Check out my review of The Limes - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Jolly Gardener in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

The Jolly Gardeners is one of my favourite pubs in Putney. It has a funky décor: a mixture of old tables and sofas mixed with modern decorations and art. A range of board games are available to play, as well as an old fashioned table top arcade game.

The serve a range of great beers such as Budvar, Sierra Nevada, Fruli, and also a range of real ales. The food is good, but more fancy than some other local pubs. An excellent place to enjoy a Sunday lunch, they also serve a breakfast fry-up for only £5.

The atmosphere varies greatly: during the day it’s generally fairly quiet, but on some evenings they have a DJ, or one of the themed nights. Whatever is on I always seem to have a great time, and the other patrons seem pretty easy-going too. I once visited on a wintery evening around Christmas they has a Caribbean Christmas theme, with a steel drum band, grass skirts and cocktails – pretty off the wall but really fun.

Check out my review of Jolly Gardener - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Union Theatre Cafe in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

£1.70 for a latte and a hot bacon bagel? A great deal! Perhaps not the best quality of either, but still very tasty and for the price you can’t really complain - I often stop by on the way to work.

This place has a kind of hippy hangout feel to it, and is comprised of a little sheltered area with the counter and a bunch of old tables and chairs, next to the railway arch and entrance to the Union Street Theatre. Flowers and artwork decorate the inside, making it a popular haunt in both the morning and evening.

Check out my review of Union Theatre Cafe - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Waitrose in London

London - Food & Drink - Supermarkets

Waitrose is, in my opinion, the best supermarket in Putney.

They have a bakery, fresh fish counter, fresh meat counter and delicatessens all on site – which for a small supermarket is really good. The nearest Asda for example (which is about four times the size) does not have a fresh fish counter at all. The range of fruit and vegetables is excellent, and all from reasonably local sources.

An extensive wine department can be found at the back of the store, which is better than some dedicated local shops like Threshers. The staff are all very helpful, and will even make wine recommendations.

Some complain that Waitrose is expensive. However, if you compare like for like products Waitrose is actually very competitive. But they don’t sell any lower quality or value products, so if you do go here for every shop then it will end up costing more. They also don’t have as many special offers as some of the other supermarkets.

Fresh flowers are located at the front of the store if you are looking for a gift, and they also have a reasonably large magazine section.

I find the isles in the store are wider than other supermarkets, which results in a less cramped shopping experience. The tills are always well staffed, so you never seem to have to queue for very long if at all. They will validate your parking in the Putney exchange car park if you spend more than £10.

An added bonus at the weekends is that a talented violinist often busks in Putney Exchange, who you should be able to hear while you’re shopping or queuing.

Check out my review of Waitrose - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Cappuccino in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Not a very glamorous café, but one that serves reliably decent coffee, sandwich or a fry-up. Situated on the Upper Richmond Road close to the high street, this has been around since before I moved to Putney over 5 years ago. Friendly staff and a fare amount of seating make this an acceptable choice of place to eat. Sandwiches and coffee are a fair bit cheaper than nearby Café Crimson or the other high street coffee shops. Let down by the drab decor, I would prefer to takeaway rather than eat in.

Check out my review of Cappuccino - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Piccolo Bar in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Very speedy little coffee shop attached to Putney station. They really know their target market here, and if you’re in a rush to get to a train they’ll whisk you up a pretty decent £1.30 latte in about a minute. They also serve sandwiches, pastries and the like. If you opt to sit down a small surcharge will apply. There are only a few tables to sit at including those outside. A good value for money choice for a coffee and a snack.

Check out my review of Piccolo Bar - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Mango Tree Indian Restaurant in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away - Indian

The Mango tree sits tucked away on Redcross way, only a couple of minutes walk away from Vinopolis, Borough Market and the Thames. The restaurant only opened about a year ago, but I’ve been visiting many times since then.

Compared to some of the other Indian restaurant locally, the Mango tree has a more attractive, and modern interior, with leather seats. The glass front to the restaurant lets in plenty of light during the daytime. Relaxing modern music with an Indian influence plays in the background (similar to Talvin Singh, although the waiter claimed it wasn’t).

The staff are really nice and welcoming, and every time we go back they treat us like old friends, although I have no idea if they actually recognise me or not!

The menu is pretty big and includes many of the standard dishes you find in most Indian restaurants, but have a look at the specials section for the real treats. My only criticism is that on my last couple of visits I’ve ordered lamb dishes and found the lamb to be too tough. Other dishes on offer have been much better. The flavour of the sauces are excellent. Prices are about average for this area, with main course curries costing around £7, specials £10.

Small chocolates and a hot towel are provided on paying the bill.

Check out my review of Mango Tree Indian Restaurant - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Southbank Tandoori in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away - Indian

A traditionally styled Indian restaurant on the cut. I think the curries here are great, and well priced. The range of food on the menu is pretty standard, but everything is well prepared with a lot of flavour.

Beer wise they serve both large bottles of Cobra, or the cheaper draft Kingfisher.

Not the biggest restaurant around, but the manager is very good at finding a way to fit you in. On my last visit in a group of 9, the manager somehow fit us in straight away without a wait (the restaurant appeared full beforehand).

In fact the service here really stands out; they are both friendly and prompt. They even remained friendly when my colleagues were trying to start a competition to see who could eat the most lime pickle. This would be my number one choice for a curry around Waterloo.

Check out my review of Southbank Tandoori - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Evans Cycles in London

London - Cars & Bikes - Bicycles

This must be one of the smallest Evan’s cycles they operate, but it still manages to fit in a fair range of different bikes and accessories. They also have a workshop, but you will generally need to make a booking a couple of days in advance. I’ve found the staff here to be really good – better than at some of their other stores. When I had a repair done here recently, it actually cost less the original quote because they’ve been able to repair rather than replace parts – I pleasant surprise.

For a larger range visit their store on the cut (only 5 minutes ride away by bike), but if you just need to pick up that extra bike accessory or get a repair then this is a convenient choice.

Check out my review of Evans Cycles - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Livebait in London

London - Restaurants - Seafood

Livebait is a delicious fresh fish and shellfish restaurant on the Cut in between Southwark tube and Waterloo station. They provide a normal al a carté menus, but also between 12pm and 7pm a set menu catering for the pre-theatre crowd. This offers either 2 courses for £14.50 or 3 for £18.50, but you have to choose from a much smaller selection than the a la carte menu.

On our last visit, we shared rock oysters for a starter, and then I had a Mexican Tuna steak with guacamole and sour cream for a main. An unusual combination but one that worked very well. We also had a desert and a bottle of wine and the bill was about £60 for both of us. Not the cheapest of restaurants, but the quality of the food is very good and I would say represents good value for money.

The restaurant is cleanly decorated with tiles and modern fixtures, and has a lively atmosphere. The service was polite and friendly. Note that there is a small cover charge of £1.75 added automatically to your bill, but this does include fresh bread and smoked salmon pâté.

Highly recommended if you like sea food.

Check out my review of Livebait - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Cargo HomeShop in London

London - Shopping - Home Shopping

I like shopping at Cargo. They sell a range of home furnishings, kitchenware, decorations, and outdoor furniture and games.

The quality of what they sell is good - I would say comparible to John Lewis, and also reasonably priced. The store is well layed out and actually pretty big for Putney Exchange. The staff are generally very helpful.

They also have frequent sales throughout the year - so it is particularly worth paying a visit when one of these is on. I saved 20% of a sofa there once, and took advantage of their interest free credit offer.

Check out my review of Cargo HomeShop - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Putney Station in London

London - Travel & Hotels - Stations

In my opinion the station could do with a renovation, as it looks pretty tatty in places. Then have actually started to repave some of the platforms so I hope this work will continue.

The entrance to the station causes bottlenecks, and you often have to queue just to go in and out of the barriers. The ticket machines frequently go out of services, causing the queues to be longer at the remaining machines.

My tip when there are long queues are at the ticket machines is to check inside the station - the new single ticket machine inside often has no queue at all, and the queues for the counter often move much more quickly than those outside. You can also sometimes buy tickets from the staff at the gate - so it's worth asking as this can save you some time.

Annoyingly you can't use pre-pay oyster at this station, but when it is introduced I expect that everyone's experience will be greatly improved.

There are snack and drink vending machines on platform 1, plus a small cafe on platforms 2 and 3.

Check out my review of Putney Station - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Vetry's in London

London - Food & Drink - Convenience Stores

Clean, friendly staff, with a good range of stock. Vetry's is one of a small chain of convenience stores that are spread across South West London and Guildford. Expect prices to be slightly more expensive than the supermarkets, but the quality of what they sell is generally very good.

You can pay by card if you spend more than £5. They have very competitive offers on beer - often cheaper than the big high street supermarkets.

Check out my review of Vetry's - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: All Nite Xpress in London

London

This is a pretty dirty and tacky convenience store. The stock is pretty narrow, and they only really seem to sell alcohol, snacks and pornography. What makes it popular though is that it stays open later than anywhere else - so if you fancy a late night snack or beer then this place fits the bill, and it won't cost you too much either.

I would never go here during the daytime though, and instead would recommend Vetry's two doors down which is vastly superior.

Check out my review of All Nite Xpress - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: St. Christopher's Inn in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars

St. Christorpher's Inn recently had a bit of a renovation, which has really improved décor of the place, although in my opinion it doesn't really have much character. The pool table is gone, and they seem to be focusing much more on food and gourmet beers. They play music, but it's not too loud so is a good place to go if you want a conversation.

The pub consists of a ground floor, with a large TV at the front showing sports. Towards the back is a large seating area were most people go to eat at lunch or dinner. In the basement it has a slightly plusher décor, with leather sofas and mood lighting. When I've been here in the evening though there rarely seems to be anyone down in the basement. They also put tables out on the side access road on the right hand side of the pub so you can sit outside and have a drink during the summer months - although it's not the most attractive area. It is also a hostel, but I've not used it so can't comment on what it's like.

The menu consists of platters to share, sandwiches, soup, very filling burgers, grilled steaks, and a large range of other mains.

The drinks menu includes 5 hand pulled real ales, 7 ciders and porters, about 15 types of wine, plus 30 bottled beers from around the world. On my last visit it took a while for the food to arrive, but the staff apologised and gave me friend a free drink.

Check out my review of St. Christopher's Inn - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Southwark Tavern in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

The Southwark Tavern is an unusual but popular bar on the edge of Borough Market.

They serve decent beers, including Budvar, Staropramen, and Früli, plus an interesting range of bottled beers. Upstairs can feel a little cramped, as there is not much seating or standing area, and it always seems to be pretty full even early on in the week. It can take a while to get served at the bar.

Downstairs there are some larger tables, and also a series of what seems like prison cells! Each one of these cells has a table and seating for about 8 people, which can be a lot of fun if you are able to get one.

The food is a little expensive, but pretty good. I’ve only ordered food once on a Friday lunchtime, and it took over 45 minutes to arrive, although we were warned that this would be the case beforehand.

A good bar when it’s not too busy.

Check out my review of Southwark Tavern - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: In-N-Out Burger in Los Angeles

Los Angeles - Restaurants - Fast Food & American

Well, what can I say. If you’ve never been to an In-N-Out before, it’s simply the best fast food burger joint around.

In 1948 Harry and Esther Snyder started the In-N-Out restaurant in Baldwin Park, LA, California. Insisting on the highest quality ingredients, the best service and a sparkling clean environment, they created the first drive through takeaway from which the name was derived. The winning formula has continued ever since, although now you’ll find In-N-Out in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and well as the original state California.

The menu is incredibly simple: hamburger, cheese burger, or double double (two cheese burgers). These include all the usual salad, onions, pickles and so on, but since all the burgers are prepared to order, you can request to have the burger prepared the way you like it. Supplement this with fries freshly sliced on the premises (you can see them slicing the potatoes in the kitchen), and a range of the usual soft drinks.

For those in the know there is a secret menu including a range of other options – I always ask for mine animal style! I won’t list all the options here but the details are available on the website: http://www.in-n-out.com/secretmenu.asp

What makes this In-N-Out particularly special is its proximity to LAX airport. If you sit outside you can almost feel the aeroplanes coming into land. The perfect place to hang out while waiting for a flight in the LA sunshine!

Check out my review of In-N-Out Burger - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Britannia in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

Nice chilled out pub. Huge selection of whiskeys and a broad menu of standard pub food with a little more flare than normal. I believe all the food is home made. Bombardier is on tap, and numerous other beers.

The Britannia has a outside area on the left hand side, but this is not terribly attractive as it's just off the pavement in a paving slabbed area. It looks like it used to be a parking space. Inside there is plenty of seating, although you can still have trouble finding a seat on Friday lunchtimes occasionally. The manager recommends reserving a table at busy times.

They don't play music, so this would be a good place if you wanted a chat. One of the better pubs in the area, especially for food.

Check out my review of The Britannia - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Ship in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

Pretty decent standard pub. Cheaper than some of the pubs around, and serving the usual pub selection of sandwiches, burgers, sausages and mash etc. They have a good selection of real ales, and numerous lagers. I've visited on a Friday lunchtime several times and the service has been quick, and I've been happy with the food and beer. I'd probably visit more often if it was closer. The interior is of the normal pub variety, and we've never had a problem finding seats.

Nothing exceptional, but if I you're in the area and want a drink then The Ship should quench your thirst.

Check out my review of The Ship - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Telegraph in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

The Telegraph Inn underwent a renovation a couple of years ago, where it received a much needed facelift inside and out. It describes itself as a country pub in the city, which is pretty accurate as it sits away from any major developments just half a mile down from Putney Heath (or a mile up the hill from Putney Mainline station). In fact this strength is also a weakness, because it can take a while to get to from Putney unless you visit by car or bike (or the 424 bus).

The interior is upmarket and spacious, and the large beer garden at the front is elegant and has extensive seating. The staff are friendly and helpful. The pub welcomes cyclists, making it a great place to visit after a bike ride in nearby Wimbledon Common or Richmond Park.

I would describe the menu as upmarket British pub food, with main courses around the £10 mark, including steak and chips, sausages and mash, fish and chips, salmon, omelettes, plus and selection of sandwiches, starters, and deserts. All of these are presented well and are handmade on site – much better than some of the pre-packaged dishes you’ll find at other pubs. Excellent Sunday lunches are also served, but these can be popular so consider arriving earlier in the afternoon as these sometimes run out.

Drinks wise they serve a good selection of real ales, including Adnams, plus a range of lagers, bottled beers, and an extensive wine list.

Recommended if you fancy a relaxing drink in the almost countryside.

Check out my review of The Telegraph - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Joe's Kitchen in London

London - Restaurants - Fast Food & American

Joe's Kitchen is a funky restaurant just moments around the corner from Borough tube station. The serve a mixture of American (Burgers for examples) and British dishes with a modern twist. The menu resembles what you would find in a pub, but better quality, smaller portions, and higher prices.
The décor is modern and you would be happy bringing a business client here for lunch.

Last time I was here I ordered a steak pie and mashed potato. Unfortunately I was disappointed as the mash was included inside the pie itself. This meant that the dish was much smaller than expected, although costing almost £10.

They have two beers on tab (Stella and Petermans when I last visited), although there are also bottled beers available plus a wine list which I have not yet sampled.

The restaurant is fairly large, and they also have some tables with benches which are suitable for groups of ~10 people.

Check out my review of Joe's Kitchen - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Cafe Rossi in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Cafe Rossi is a lively cafe opposite HSBC bank on Borough High Street. The popular takeaway counter at the front often forms a line into the high street, serving good toasted sandwiches, ciabattas, cold drinks etc.

To the rear there is a small seating area with capacity for 26 people. Here they offer a larger selection of food, including excellent salads (the grilled chicken salad is a personal favourite), baked potatoes, a selection pasta dishes (spaghetti & meatballs also recommended), chilli con-carni, full English breakfast, omelettes, anything from the takeaway menu, and so on. In fact the menu is huge for such a small place, while still maintaining a home made taste.

The quality of the food is good, arrives quickly, and value for money is excellent. In fact most of the main courses are under five pounds.

What lets Rossi down unfortunately is the erratic service. During lunch time it gets very busy, and the staff will often hurry people out of the restaurant as soon as they've finished so they can fill the tables again. The orders will generally not arrive together, nor will the waiting staff remember who ordered what, so expect to have to claim your dish as it comes out of the kitchen.

Despite all this, the staff are very friendly, so if you are looking for a quick and cheap lunch and you're prepared to put up with the chaotic service then Rossi's is well worth a visit.

Check out my review of Cafe Rossi - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Island Cafe in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

The Island sandwich shop gets it's name from it's location between the two access roads from Southwark Bridge Road onto Union Street.

They serve pretty standard café fare; the usual range of sandwiches, baps, baked potatoes, lasagne, lattes, and bottled beers. Expect to pay £3 for a chicken and avocado bap with salad, £1.20 for a bacon roll in the morning.

Nothing special but still reasonably good. There is a large seating area both inside and out, so you shouldn't have a problem finding seating. The staff are very efficient, and in fact there never seems to be much of a queue simply because they are so quick!

One additional bonus is free wifi.

Check out my review of Island Cafe - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Reza's Barbers in London

London

This is a straightforward barbershop. No fancy head massages or coffees - just a copy of the sun to read while you wait, and then a decent men's haircut for £9.50.

Reza's brother owns a similar barbershop on Lower Richmond road, although he assures me that it is not a chain.

If you just want a basic haircut in Putney, and don't want to pay the earth, then this is your place.

Check out my review of Reza's Barbers - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Putney Library in London

London - Education - Libraries

Totally agree with everything vixff said, but I'd just like to add that you can also pick up new recycling bags (the orange ones), and leave used batteries at the library (I never knew what to do with these before). They also have a selection of daily newspapers, magazines, and information about local activities and event. Local artwork is on display throughout.

Check out my review of Putney Library - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Boot and Flogger in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars

A visit to the Boot and Flogger wine bar is like stepping into a time warp. The place has the feel of an old private members club, dimly lit with wood panelled walls and Chesterfield sofas. Old fashioned decorations and used Champagne bottles in every size add to the character.

Generally everyone in the Boot will be wearing a suit, so consider dressing up a bit if you plan a visit as you may feel more comfortable. Having said this, the staff are very welcoming and friendly and you will not be looked down on if you dress otherwise.

The wine list is like a book, and includes an excellent selection of good wines and from around the world, plus champagnes. Don't expect the wine to be cheap (expect to pay £20+ for something decent, £35 for the house Champagne), but considering the quality of the wine on offer you can't really argue.

They also serve food, such as meat platters, ploughmen's lunches, a selection of cheeses, and several hot meat dishes. The food is nothing to write home about, but serves as a means to soak up the booze. Crackers and pickled garlic are complimentary.

The clientèle generally visit in the late afternoon, and it closes at 8pm. There is no music, so can be recommended as a place to have a quiet conversation.

Allegedly the Boot and Flogger is the only bar in the country not to require an alcohol licence due to a historical quirk. The owner of the Boot and Flogger used to own the other local Davis wines bars, but held onto the Boot after they were sold off.

Recommended if you love wine, and fancy something different to the usual wine bar clones.

Check out my review of Boot and Flogger - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Costa in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Standard Costa coffee shop. The coffee is pretty good, although you can easily buy good coffee for much cheaper in the area. For example, at Tas Café 100m up the road you can buy a latte for a considerably cheaper £1.70.

There is a large seating area which makes it a reasonable meeting point. Food wise they offer the usual sandwiches (some of which can be toasted), and soups.

Check out my review of Costa - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Talad Thai Supermarket in London

London - Food & Drink - Supermarkets

If you're interested in Thai cooking, then I can highly recommend paying a visit to the Talad Thai supermarket.

Many of the ingredients are imported directly from Thailand, and they really make your Thai dishes taste much more authentic. For example, the Sweet Thai basil has a much more distinctive taste than what we are used to here in the UK. The baby aubergines (which look a bit like peas) add texture to your dishes. Other ingredients are imported from Japan or China, giving you a wide selection to choose from.

In addition to fresh produce, they also sell pre-made curry pastes (red, green etc.), a range of frozen dishes (such as spring rolls or unusual fish), tinned Thai fruits, bottled sauces and coconut milk.

They helpfully stock a range of Thai cookery books, so buy or browse through one of these if you feel overwhelmed by the range of ingredients.

Supplement your meal with some imported Thai beer!

Check out my review of Talad Thai Supermarket - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Alma's Restaurant in London

London - Restaurants - Italian & Pizza

Small Italian restaurant on Borough High Street, serving a selection of pizzas, pasta dishes, and salads. They do also serve takeaways, and can cater for group bookings (about a maximum of ten).

What makes this place particularly popular is that they have a cut-down lunch menu, with main courses at £4.95.
This includes American Hot pizza, Calzone (my favourite), vegetarian pizzas, traditional pasta dishes, and main course salads (we've found these salads to be a little small however). All the lunchtime dishes are very tasty, and they also serve a reduced price bottle of wine at lunchtime (red or white) for £7.95 to wash it all down with. Not on your own of course!

If you're looking for a cheap place for lunch I can recommend Alma's. I'm not sure I would go there for dinner as there are better restaurants locally for the price (I'd give it 2* in the evening), but for lunch it represents excellent value.

Check out my review of Alma's Restaurant - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Meshawi in London

London - Restaurants - Eastern European

Authentic Lebanese/Turkish food. They provide a range of traditional dishes (including kebabs) and salads, with both a café style seating area and takeaway service. They also provide set menus if you want to come here for a longer meal.

My personal favourite is the (large) Lamb Shawerma kebab, which, if I recall correctly, is £4.95.

I you like kebabs, this is easily your number one choice for late night food in Putney.

Check out my review of Meshawi - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Trinity in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

The Trinity is a lively bar located seconds from borough tube station. They serve quite a range of beers, such as Staropramen, Amstel, as well as cocktails and wine list. They also serve food along similar lines as you'd find at Slug and Lettuce, such as burgers, nachos and the like-reasonable quality but I wouldn't say it was fantastic either.

It has pretty funky décor, and party music plays out load in the evenings. During the summer months they open up the large windows at the front giving a more open feel. This isn't the kind of place you'd go to for a quiet drink, but is more popular with the after-work crowd. The bar also seems to have a policy of employing very attractive bar staff!

Check out my review of The Trinity - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Stash Yarns in London

London - Fashion - Knitwear

I can't say that I'm an expert in this area, but stash yarns were very helpful in suggesting wool types and colour combinations, plus patterns and a book to help with a scarf that we were making.

The staff are very helpful and positive. They seem to have a broad range of stock, and I would definitely recommend stash yarns to anyone with an interest with knitting or crocheting.

One thing to look out for though, since this is a small business they aren't open quite as late as some of the other shops around Putney - so check opening times before making a special trip.

Check out my review of Stash Yarns - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Chicken Spice in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away - Restaurants - Take Away - Chicken - Restaurants - Fast Food & American

Awful takeaway. Dry chicken and soggy chips. I haven't ventured much further than this on the menu, but from the appearance of the pre-made curries in the counter they didn't look good. I once ordered a chips and salad in pitta bread, and disappointingly got these all as separate items. If you're in need of a late night snack in Putney you're much better off heading to the late night takeaway joints near the mainline stations. At least it's cheap though.

Check out my review of Chicken Spice - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Rogerios in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Popular café on Putney high street close to the station, catering for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I've only actually been for breakfast and lunch, but I've sampled the generous Full English breakfasts, tasty omelettes with chips, sandwiches, and good coffees.

The menu overall leans towards an Italian influence, shown in their main courses, which include pasta, and a range of meat and fish dishes. The décor is attractive and reminds me of being in a cafe in Italy. Staff are effcient and friendly.

Although the café appears narrow from the street, there is a large seating area towards the rear and I've always found there are plenty of seats. The interior at the back has just undergone a minor renovation which was beginning to look a little drab a few months back, so this has now been brought up to date.

I would certainly recommend it. One thing worth noting is that a tip is automatically added to your bill when you pay at the tills at the end of your meal. It is not clear this is happening and the first couple of times I visited I double tipped.

Check out my review of Rogerios - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Freshcut in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Lovely sandwiches and coffee. Primarily a takeaway place as there are only a few tables, but this is somewhere I always pop into if I'm around the area at lunchtime. Staff are friendly, and there are often queues reaching the back of the cafe at lunchtime which is testiment to the quality of the sandwiches.

Check out my review of Freshcut - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Harpers Sandwich Bar in London

London - Cafes & Coffee Shops

Pretty standard sandwich shop - actually owned (I believe) by the same people as the Island on union street, and as such serves a pretty much identical menu. Funky building. Pretty average food and cost wise for this area. What lets it down is it can be very crowded at lunchtimes and difficult to find somewhere to sit. Not really their fault but something bearing in mind if you head there at lunchtime.

Check out my review of Harpers Sandwich Bar - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Rose and Crown in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

Bit of an oddball places this. Standard selection of beers, a few real ales (Pride, Youngs, IPA), which are pricey even for the area (£3.50 for a pint?).

Crowd seems to vary considerably: one night it will be full of suits, the next musicians, then locals. It does have a pool table and jukebox, and a small outside area at the front - which sadly is now where all the smokers hang out and not very pleasant if you don't smoke. In the outside area you also tend to get hassled by the homeless people who hang out near the island café.

The staffing situation is bizarre - went to the bar to get another drink recently only for the barman to ask me to hold on for a few minutes while he finished his game of pool! The other two barmaids were having a cigarette break. I obviously wasn't impressed so headed off somewhere else. Can't say I'd even choose to go there myself, but it's very close to work so my colleagues tend to pop in for a drink sometimes.

Check out my review of Rose and Crown - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: J Sainsburys plc in London

London - Food & Drink - Supermarkets

I totally agree with jojeba on the layout. I sometimes come here to grab a quick lunch. Why have they put the sandwich section right behind a large pillar at the front of the store? A large queue builds up around this pillar every lunchtime meaning you have to push your way past people even to get into the store, then you end up tripping over a pallet as the shelves are being restocked, before you join the queue that's already looped round the far end of the store and is half way back to the front (the tills are at the front). At least the tills are well manned so the queue does move along quite quickly.

Check out my review of J Sainsburys plc - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Hare & Tortoise in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

I would agree with Ninawriter that the service can be a little slow, but I've never found them to be rude.

I'm a regular here, probably visiting every couple of weeks, and I've noticed that it has got busier over the last couple of years. So if you visit at peak times expect to wait for table and have to catch the attention of the waiting staff if you want something. But this is really the style of place this is, i.e. not a restaurant for a long sit down meal but rather something quick, tasty and good value for money.

The food really is excellent quality for what you pay. I much prefer it to Wagamamas which I sometimes find a bit bland, and it also serves a good selection of sushi in addition to noodle dishes, ramens, and curries. At a guess I'd say that H&T is about 20% cheaper as well. The food is prepared in an open-plan style kitchen so if you sit at the bar area you'll be able to see your dish being prepared in front of you.

My personal favorite dishes would include the Tori Gyoza as a starter (£2.80) and the Curry Laksa as a main course (£5.95).

There is a takeaway service too, but beware that there is a £10 minimum charge on cards, so bring cash if your order is less than this.

Check out my review of Hare & Tortoise - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Fat Face Clothing in London

London - Fashion - Leisure Wear

The Fat Face brand started in the Alpine ski resorts, and as such the style is a combination of snow boarder/surfer. I agree that their clothes are expensive (compared to gap on the other side of Putney exchange), but they are well made so last well. At least they have regular sales - expect to pick things up at about half the rack rate.

Check out my review of Fat Face Clothing - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Putney

Putney - Restaurants - Fast Food & American

Easily the best burgers in London. Very filling - so go on an empty stomach. Not the kind of place to go if you want a sit down meal, but if you're after something reasonably cheap and quick I'd highly recommend it!

Check out my review of Gourmet Burger Kitchen - I am johnsibly - on Qype

More iPhone tips stolen from the interweb

Sliding more accurately
When using a volume or position slider (like the song position slider in the iPod section), there's no need to keep your finger on the nub in order to move it. If you move your finger down the glass after tapping (and holding), you have far more control and can see exactly where the slider nib is.

Quick punctuation
When typing, tap and hold the ".?123" button, then drag up into the punctuation area. Let go when you've landed on the correct symbol. If you're typing a full stop it turns 3 taps into one tap and drag. Speedy!

Quick punctuation, part 2 (full stops after spaces)
Pressing the space-bar twice in a row on firmware 1.1.1 and above will insert a full-stop followed by a space. Very useful for end of sentences. Added by Ricochet.

Rejecting calls
When a call comes in, press the sleep/wake button once to silence the ring for that call. Press it twice to send the call to voicemail immediately.

Go straight to the top
When viewing a long web page, if you want to get back to the top, or access Safari's address field, you don't have to scroll all the way up; instead, just tap on the gray status bar at the top of the iPhone's screen. You'll be immediately transported to the top of the current web page. This tip was taken from a PC Advisor article by Christopher Breen, Dan Frakes, Jonathan Seff, Philip Michaels and Jim Dalrymple.

Scroll in boxes on a web page
If you encounter a scrolling box or list while surfing on your iPhone in Safari - say you're responding to a post at the PCAdvisor.co.uk forums - and you try to scroll with your finger, you'll find that the entire page scrolls, instead of just the box. The trick is to scroll such areas with two fingers. This tip was taken from a PC Advisor article by Christopher Breen, Dan Frakes, Jonathan Seff, Philip Michaels and Jim Dalrymple.

Investigate links
In Safari, if you hold your fingertip down on a link instead of tapping, you'll summon an information balloon that displays the underlying URL. The same thing happens in Mail when you hold on a link. This tip was taken from a PC Advisor article by Christopher Breen, Dan Frakes, Jonathan Seff, Philip Michaels and Jim Dalrymple.

iPhone tips

A couple of my favorite iPhone tips:

• To stop the select what you want to happen to your photos dialog when you plug in your iPhone (selecting cancel and remember doesn't work), select Apple iPhone in windows explorer, right click and select properties. Select the Events tab, then check Take No Action
• Fixing album artwork: if the Get Album Artwork feature doesn't return anything, select all the song in the album, then select Get Info. Copy and paste the picture you want to set in the album artwork box (dragging and dropping a jpeg file works too).

Pasting links to network paths in emails

Pasting links to network paths in Outlook emails is something that people constantly get wrong. The links often have spaces embedded in them, or newline characters meaning that they don't work. I often also get email with links to network paths that they have mapped to local drives on their computer (e.g. G:\My Folder). Your recipients are unlikely to have the same locally mapped network drives as you so emailing links like this isn't very helpfull.

Here are some steps to help email links to network paths successfully:

1. Navigate to the network folder in explorer, then copy and paste the address







2. In the Outlook email you want to paste the link, enter an angled bracket










3. Paste the contents of the clipboard into the email (right click->paste or press ctrl+v)








4. Finally, enter a closing angled bracket and press enter

Photo montage from Fuerteventura

Complete synchronisation

I’ve managed to keep my work outlook calendar, home outlook calendar, and mobile phone calendar all in sync using Google calendar.

Once I’d checked that my Google calendar existed (you should find that it created automatically if you have a gmail or google login), I installed the Google calendar sync application on both my home and work computers (guide here: http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955). This runs automatically at startup, and compares your calendars every couple of hours (the frequency is configurable).

The next step was to set up an account with GooSync http://www.goosync.com/. They use the data synchronization feature on your mobile phone (Sony W850i in my case) combined with the Google Calendar API to keep the two synchronized. There is a free basic account which I’ve used, which limits you to calendar use up to a month ahead. For a yearly fee you can also synchronise tasks and contact details. During the sign up process they send the settings automatically to your mobile phone. I then tweaked these so that the phone syncs automatically a couple of times a day.

I finally uploaded the videos from our skiing trip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thF8zOoBAqw

All those jumps look so small on video!