John and Heather's blog

Qype: Mexi Fresh in London

2009-08-27T17:54:00.001+01:00

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Mexican

Mexifresh is a Mexican takeaway that I've been ordering takeaways from for many years. I 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 chilli 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 excellent salsas are available, served with home made authentic nachos-nothing like the Dorito style chips you buy 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 my wife's favourite the chicken tostida salad (served in a massive crisp tortilla).

They can also deliver Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Oreos, and Mexican or Spanish beers.

They used to have a branch in East-Sheen/Mortlake, but sadly this has closed down, and apparently the business was sold. However, the new owners still seem to be doing an excellent job so I still highly recommend Mexifresh. I have not visited the Wimbledon premises in person - but the Sheen branch was more cafe style rather than a full blown restaurant.

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 Mexi Fresh - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: The Ridge Hotel in Newquay

2009-08-13T14:17:00.001+01:00

Newquay - Hotels & Holidays - Hotels

We stayed here recently on a stag do. The hotel came as part of a package, so I have no idea how much it actually costs to stay.

In terms of the building, this is probably one of the worst hotels I’ve ever stayed in.
Our 4 person room had a bunk bed and two additional beds, crammed in so tightly that you had to side step between them. We were lucky (!) enough to have an en-suite, which had a slide door which did not shut probably.

The shower started off freezing cold for the first few minutes before, in a mater of seconds, changing to being painfully hot. Dangerously so in fact; I would not want to let a child use this shower.

The other rooms in the hotel share bathrooms, each broken in their own way (toilet impossible to flush, shower hose broken off wall etc.). The place seemed generally dirty.

When we arrived we each had to pay a £30 cash deposit, which was only returned after inspection and waiting around for 45 minutes on departure.

They made a big fuss about how good their English breakfasts were: sadly these fell well below expectations, featuring only the bear minimum of beans, eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato and toast (no mushrooms, black pudding, hash browns here!). The ingredients all seemed to be from an economy/value supermarket range, and no-one in our group could stomach the sausages.

They have a pool table in the front longe, and also an outside picnic table. The front of the hotel offers nice sea views. They also have a “licensed” bar (drinks poured from cans but at pub prices).

On a positive note, the staff were genuinely friendly people, and seemed interested in where we were planning to go out, and what activities we had planned during the day (surfing). As such, I think this saved The Ridge from being 1 star - however, if it costs more than about £20 pppn to stay there I would definitely give this place a miss.

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

Qype: Maharajah Restaurant in Newquay

2009-08-13T13:53:00.001+01:00

Newquay - Eating & Drinking - Fastfood & Takeaway - Indian

Went here in a largish (10) group last month, party because they advertise beautiful views of the coast, which unfortunately we didn’t get because they put us in a back room for larger parties. We did have a tv screen with live footage of the bay though!

Service was reasonable, although we did have to ask 3 times for pitchers of water to be brought to the table (other drinks we ordered were brought immediately).

Food wise I was not terribly impressed. The curries seemed bland, and probably produced from one main sauce with just a few extra spices added at the end.

Each curry was reasonably expensive at an average of £10 - a fair bit more expensive than London. Adding on side dishes, rice, nann, drinks etc I think the bill was about £30 each.

I have the feeling that this is the sort of place that caters for tourists rather than replying on repeat business from locals.

Check out my review of Maharajah Restaurant - I am johnsibly - on Qype

2009-06-14T20:43:00.001+01:00

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops

I've generally only been here for the pub lunches, but the consistent quality makes this is popular Friday lunchtime haunt for myself and colleagues.

Standard pub fare food wise: sausages and mash, burgers, pies (recommended) and the like, quickly served and priced very reasonably (approx 6 pounds per main course). They serve reasonable beers (althogh not a massive selection of draft), including Staroprahmen. They do promote cocktails at reasonable value at 4.50 or 15 for a jug, but I've not tried these yet.

I recommened this pub as a safe bet for taking a group of people to for lunch. I don't know how it is in the evening however.
Check out my review of Ruse - I am johnsibly - on Qype

2009-06-14T20:31:00.001+01:00

Canterbury - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - British - English - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants

We visited here for dinner after the first day of riding on our London to Paris bike ride, so we had an excellent appetite!

Deeson's emphasis is on local produce. Their menu is carfully designed as a showcase of the best that Kent ("the allotment of England") has to offer.

We really enjoyed the selection of British dishes, which were prepared with care, and tasted fantastic.

I won't detail all the dishes we tried, although I recommenced the excellent pork belly or rib eye steak for a main. Take a look at their menu for further examples:
http://www.deesonsrestaurant.co.uk/main_menu.php

For drinks we tried their carefully selected local bottled ales, and a delicious white wine from a local vineyard. They suggested appropriate drinks to match the various courses.

I though the restaurant offered excellent value for money. Not a cheap dinner but very good considering the quality.

I would have given this restaurant 5 stars, but our waitress was a little confused with her answers when asked questions about some of the dishes, which meant what we ordered was slightly different to what we expected. However, service was good apart from this, and I expect this was probably not the normal experience.

Looking forward to visiting again next time I'm in Cantebury!
Check out my review of Deeson's British Restaurant - I am johnsibly - on Qype

2009-06-09T12:56:00.001+01:00

London - Services - Other Services - Property

Foxtons are the worst in the industry. My experience has been of them failing to turn up for meetings, being rushed looking round properties while being taking to see others I didn't want to see. The agents never seem to know anything about the properties they are showing or the local area.

One of the agents even sent an abusive email to a friend of mine because his flat sale was delayed and the agent didn't get his bonus in time to go on holiday!

Those ridiculous fees Urbanite mentioned subsidise the large glass fridges full of bottled water, plasma screen TVs in every window, and Mini Coopers that the all drive. They look flashy, but fail to deliver. In comparison they make all the other estate agents look good!
Check out my review of foxtons.co.uk - I am johnsibly - on Qype

Qype: Tortilla in London

2008-11-27T13:21:00.001Z

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

2008-11-23T00:38:00.001Z

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

2008-11-21T22:36:00.001Z

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

2008-11-02T19:45:00.001Z

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

2008-10-22T21:27:00.001+01:00

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

2008-10-18T13:47:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-29T13:12:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-29T12:51:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-29T12:41:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-26T17:35:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-25T17:31:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-24T13:04:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-17T14:35:00.002+01:00

Qype: Bulls Head in Richmond

2008-09-16T09:45:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-12T10:20:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-09T09:50:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-08T14:44:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-08T14:31:00.001+01:00

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

2008-09-02T17:14:00.001+01:00

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