Qype: Rodizio Rico in London

London - Restaurants

As a South African, I'd sell my soul for enough yummy tasty meat. So it was almost challenge-like when I read of Rodizio's 'eat as much as you fancy' policy. You pay a set price - making the menu very simple with £20 for meat-eaters, £14.50 for strictly veggies.

There's a salad valley (honk honk to old Spur lovers) with a wide variety of salads and veggies. You help yourself and wait for the table servers to come around with skewers of varying meats; beef, pork, lamb, sausages, gammon...

Yum. Great vibe for a big crowd, I'd definitely recommend this place (and it's a chain so snoop around for one closer to you if Angel's a bit out)

Check out my review of Rodizio Rico - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: O'Neill's Irish Bar in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Pubs - Irish Pubs

An averagey kind of place I guess, but a fun night out if you live in the Bush. On Fridays they have a love covers band and open quite late so if you want to go local without issues of night buses, good place to grab a pint and chat with your friends

Check out my review of O'Neill's Irish Bar - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: le pain quotidien in London

London - Restaurants - French

I was a tad under-whelmed by this place. Great locale although weather was shite so once inside this doesn't help. Nice big table of us and we met there for breakfast. After my kind host going on about the place it had never occured to me that it would not sell the normal breakfast fare. And after one hell of a night, with a throbbing head a little bit of bread and jam did not cut it for me. Sorry. I was after le bacon!

So yes, annoyingly quaint if you're into cheese and bread for breaky, but not advised when you're hungover and seeking the special medicine to put you right.

Check out my review of le pain quotidien - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Wasabi in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

I've found this little chain great for a snack before or after a night out (There's one in the O2 so swing by after a concert sometimes). Like Moonrising said, it's not so much an event to eat here, but can be a fairly cost effective sushi deal. Never been brave enough to try the hot food though it looks okay.

A good idea with the weather heating up is to track down your nearest branch and take a little pic nic basket along. They sell the seperate bits all individually wrapped, and packets of soya sauce are only 10p so if you're like me you can marinade them freely!

Check out my review of Wasabi - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Rootmaster in London

London - Restaurants - Vegetarian

Although the food was pretty crap, everyone should go to this place simply for the novelty. It is in a bus in a square, just near Big Chill house (where you will be using the toilet if you visit here). It;s in an old route master (hence the rather witty name) and the bottom level has been converted into a kitchen, the top is where all the seating is.

The interior is cosy with a big booth for dinner parties and a few other side tables - you'll be distracted enough to forget you can't stand upright.

The menu is completely vegan with only organic wines, beers and ciders on the wine list. The food is not cheap with the cheapest main costing more than a tenner (esp for veggie food) and portions are quite small. Admittedly I am very much a carnivore but having had some yummy vegetarian meals in the passt, was very disappointed by most of the offerings once they actually arrived. Form tasting my friends' plates I would suggest the eggplant stack as the one that had flavour and tastes. The filo pastery puff was a bore.

So book ahead as seats are limited, and trundle on down for a bit of a different experience. But unlikely to be your regular.

Check out my review of Rootmaster - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Sen Nin in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

First of all this is the type of place to go with a large group of people - and not recommended for first-daters, unless she's a chatterbox and you need some other distractions.

You sit around a hot plate, Teppanyaki-style, and after confirming your orders, the chef approaches your table. All the chefs in this restaurant are very entertaining and very enthusiastic and proceed to do things a little odd (singing at the top of their lugns), a little cool (catching eggs in his chefs said) and a little naughty (throwing bits of egg at you to catch in your mouth.

Food is cooked well, miso soup is good and sushi is also yummy.

For a break from the norm this restuarant is a must and can make the process of going out for a meal quite fun. It's loud and the chef is not subtle in any way, but it's a good time out. Meals cost £25-35.

Check out my review of Sen Nin - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Terminal 5 in London

London - Travel & Hotels - Airports

I must agree in the praise offered above by fellow qypers and say kudos to BA for doing something right. Heathrow's still the easiest, and cheapest, Airport to fly from and so I try and aim there. Knowing I can now indulge in my beloved Itsu sushi as a pre-flight snack warms the cockles of my heart.

The little self-check in styles are easy to use, and when you do cross paths with an employee they are helpful and pleasant. It was a saturday morning and we had given it a bit of time in case but had plenty to spare as we whizzed through the usual bottle necks. SO don't be afraid of T5 - go on and book something!

Check out my review of Terminal 5 - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Rush Hair Salon in London

London - Beauty & Wellness - Hairdressers

From the nifty gadgets like little TV screens and new revolving hair heating thingies, you'd be forgiven for expecting something good to come out of a trip to Rush. Sadly you'd be mistaken.

With a 50% off deal on at the moment I thought I'd take the opportunity to cover my roots. I didn't need a hair cut or a blow dry, just retouching my hi-lights. AFTER the 50%, this was to come to £50.

I would be okay with this had I emerged feeling sexy and styled but the chap who had done my do seemed to have little experience in it as he layered thin whisps over blonde chunks and I came out with my roots shouting 'Over here!' So waste of time and money really. It also took 2 hours rather than the 1 hour I was quoted so will not be hurrying back there any time soon, and I'd advise you to keep your distance.

Check out my review of Rush Hair Salon - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: The Westbury in London

London - Food & Drink - Nightlife - Clubs - Pubs & Bars - Bars - Nightlife - Snooker & Pool

Bit quirky in their decorations, this bar is most commonly known for its line-ups - including international acts like DJ Yoda (I'd never heard of him but that's not really my bag). It's £3 before 9pm, £5 after and yeah pool tables are an extortionate something like £16 an hour!

There is something a bit endearing about this place, however, and we were there last weekend and had a jolly good time though there were no big acts on so it wasn't too busy. If you live around there I'd definitely give it a go.

Check out my review of The Westbury - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Big Chill House in London

London - Nightlife - Music Venues - Nightlife - Clubs

I work round the corner so this is about the best place in the immediate area for after-work drinks. Being a filfthy smoker the terrace is tres magnifique but gets like Brighton beach on a summer's day.

As mentioned before the decor is pretty nifty - there's even a row of seats that are actual cinema seats. You often find drama students hanging around during the week which gives it a bit of a shoo-wa feel.

One thing not mentioned that I'm not sure they still do was the stand-up comedy upstairs on Tuesday nights called 'The old Rope' - only a fiver to get in and they have 3 or 4 pretty good acts - ours included The Office's own Stephan Merchant who was a side-splitter.

Check out my review of Big Chill House - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Absolut Ice Bar in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars

The Ice Bar isn't really a bar - it's an activity. You pay your £12, get a big hoodie and gloves, they lift the rope and you all run in for your 45 minute window and free vodka cocktail incl. The bar and counters are made from ice but the room is smaller than I imagined. The ice tumblers in which the cocktails were served are very fun and make for great pics - until they go sliding along the ice counter.

It's somewhere to take a visitor to London as part of a night out and best in groups but fun for your first time.

Check out my review of Absolut Ice Bar - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Nobu Berkeley in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

I was delighted to get to go to Nobu for a friend's 'plus one' at their Xmas party last year. Being a big Japanese food fan I had heard a lot about it - and of course the huge celeb following.

The fact that this place is expensive is a given, so if you are booked to go there, this is probably not a big concern. The service wasn't all I hoped and sadly no celebs that night. The food was, however, excellent. Both in presentation and in quality of ingredients I was very tickled pink. You must, must try the black miso cod that was like little parcels from heaven.

The saki comes in a nifty bamboo pourer with little bamboo tumblers and can come either hot or cold.

For a big night out where someone else is paying, I would highly recommend it. For a splash of Sushi, your money'd go further at Bento Cafe, Camden.

Check out my review of Nobu Berkeley - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Chicken Cottage in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away - Chicken

Rather than seperately review every Chicken cottage (or Dirty Chicken) I'm going to hop on Reasey's to give a blanket review. The rules of Chicken Cottage club:
1. Do not try it when sober.
2. Understand that at £1.50 for a whole burger meal with chips and coke, there's no way that is actually chicken.
3. Do not try it when sober.
4. If you are drunk and it is 3am in the morning, Chicken Cottage is amazing, allbeit a great health risk.
5. Never, ever attempt to try one of these if you are sober.

Check out my review of Chicken Cottage - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Christ Church College Dinning Room in Oxford

Oxford - Education - Universities - Refectories

I was quite excited to visit this hall in Oxford, famed by its appearances in all of the Harry Potter films. And upon the walls, you'll find the portrait of Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - or better known as Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland, who was a teacher at Christ Church for many.

It's always fun to be where a major film was shot so when in Oxford do stop by and take a seat at one of the three long tables.

Check out my review of Christ Church College Dinning Room - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: The Queen Mary in London

London - Pubs & Bars

Not bad, not bad. Have been here twice and the first time there was a function on upstairs so the kitchen was closed to normal fare from 7pm which was poor show. Second time was heinous weather which made it - and my stomach - rock from side-to-side. But atmosphere is delightful, view simply gorgeous, food and drink reasonably priced and you can go out on the deck and have a cheeky ciggie with your drink.

It's drinking on a boat on the Thames people - it has to be done! And great place to take visitors.

Check out my review of The Queen Mary - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Stonehenge in Salisbury

Salisbury - Arts & Entertainment - Landmarks

Most of the bits have been said. I was surprised that whilst being a fairly close drive to London, it really is in the middle of sweet f-all. It was raining and freezing on the day we opted to go so this didn't add to the experience. The fact that you can't touch the rocks or walk among them was disappointing and I must admit I left feeling a bit cheated. But do swing by the gift shop and grab one of these witty T-shirts (pic).

Check out my review of Stonehenge - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: ITSU in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

Now I must admit, I have only ever had takeaway from this place but it stole my heart as a healthy, yummily-presented fast-food. Deliveries are free over £20 so as it's usually for two it's usually bang on price with a pot of edemame beans for starters and fresh fruit for dessert. The Healthy Happy main is a great spread of sushi with a combo of sashimi, maki and nigiri and is about £7.

Huge, big fan ever since finding out they come to my door on a little scooter and throw in extra soya sauce for free at my request.

Check out my review of ITSU - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: West Cornwall Pasty Co in London

London - Restaurants - Take Away

I find a bit of carb overload with these pasties - with the spine of crust normally making it's way back into the packet. But that tasty 'almost home-cooked' element is there in the fillings, and not bad as a filler en route to a night out with no time for dinner. Special request - don't eat them on the tube as they stink out the entire carriage!

Check out my review of West Cornwall Pasty Co - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Yo Sushi in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

A big sushi fanatic, Yo! Sushi is basically a quick fix - not too expensive, but also not amzaing - you get what you pay for. This chain is one of the most successful in London and the standard conveyor belt adds to the fun of it.

Look like a regular and grab a seat while sorting out your own bits and pieces in front of you (ginger, bowls, soya sauce, chopstix) all in pots and crannies along the counter. Start taking whatever tickles your fancy from the conveyor belt, or order from the menu and it will magically appear.

FYI there's a 25% student discount (grumble grumble) and water from the taps you pay for by the glass. If you have somewhere to eat, a takeawat box is usually cheaper.

Check out my review of Yo Sushi - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Mugg and Bean in Cape Town

Cape Town - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Coffee Shops

I am a tremendous Mugg and Bean fan - never have such perfect little eggs benedicts passed these lips, or smoked chicken salads caused squeals of delight. This chain has spread like small pox around South Africa and any city that has a petrol station and a statue has one of these puppies - and is better for it. Good quality food, good value for money and some tasty sandwiches (bacon and brie is not to be sniffed at).

Check out my review of Mugg and Bean - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Ben's Cookies in Oxford

Oxford - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Cafes

Pretty pricey at about £1.30 a cookie, so lucky you only need one of these little pieces of heaven or you'll be violently ill. Part of a chain so if you're hankering for a cookie with a chocloatey centre, hunt one down. But not too often.

Check out my review of Ben's Cookies - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Revolution Vodka in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars

I have only been to this place once and although it was far too crowded for my liking, the vodka sleighs were such fun. There are about 5 or 6 different combinations and think you get 6 shots of different flavoured vodka for £11 from memory (which may not be trusted from midway into the night). They have various fruity flavours and even one called 'Birthday cake'. The cocktails were also devilishly good. For someone who has only ever really thrown vodka in as a mixer, this was a great find - pity bout the busy-ness, and of course downing vodka shots over lunch seems a tad common, hence I have not yet returned.

Check out my review of Revolution Vodka - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Trash Palace in London

London - Pubs & Bars - Bars - Gay Bars

Stumbled on this place on a weekend night and once on the minute dancefloor could not move off it for ages as we were sardine-packed in. Over-zealous smoke machine made it a little blurry and hotter than normal. Drinks served in tiny plastic cups. Coat 'room' was hilarious - a couch and table booth sealed off with a piece of rope so quite creative - as is most of the decor. Most patrons appeared to be gays and lesbians so as I was neither my options were limited but they do sure know how to party. Worth a visit if you have nothing else to do but prepare to be crowded.

Check out my review of Trash Palace - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: The Eagle and Child in Oxford

Oxford - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

Not much more to be said but to reaffirm the compliments, there's something quite special about huddling in a pub where such literary greats as CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien huddled before you. With cosy fires burning in them, the front little wooden rooms are definitely the place to secure. Try the green ale on tap, if only for the bizarre looks (and how to tell the locals from the tourists).

Check out my review of The Eagle and Child - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Alice's Shop in Oxford

Oxford - Shopping - Gifts & Cards

After my guide book said this was the 'world-famous Alice shop' I was sorely disappointed at the stable-sized shop wedged between two buildings.

Apparently it got its name as Alice, the daughter of a lecturer at Christ Church uni accross the road and the very same person Lewis Carroll based his books on, used to go there to buy sweets.

It sells a lot of rubbishy souvenirs but very few you'd like to take home and I indeed left empty-handed. Only thing I nearly bought save for the price tag was the Chesire mug mentioned above.

Check out my review of Alice's Shop - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Blenheim Palace in Woodstock

Woodstock - Arts & Entertainment - Parks

By pure chance we decided to include this world heritage site in our Oxford long weekend and although it is rather impressive both by its size and extensive gardens, I'm sure I could have found more joy for the £16 entrance fee. It didn't help that the weather was atrocious and most of the splendor is outdoors.

Blenheim Palace is home to the 11th Duke of Marlobourough and birth place of Sir Winston Churchill. Perhaps the most fascinating thing I learned from the trip was Churchill's penchance for painting and that two of his Christmas cards are still sold by Hallmark today.

Great for those wanting to know more about English history, big Palace buffs or botanists who would squeal with delight at the thought of 2100 acres of parks, water and forests. Otherwise rather dull so give it a miss.

Check out my review of Blenheim Palace - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Fire and Stone in London

London - Restaurants - Italian & Pizza

Mixed feelings as I've been here twice - once with a good friend where we waited for over an hour to get a table but had a whale of a time, leading to the second of actually booking a big dinner party. Both night's were packed so the place is obviously quite a catch.

Pricing's not bad for the snooty location and as everyone else has said, the pizza toppings are far from the norm. Many of them, sadly, are a bit bland despite their interesting colours and world-tour City titles. Staff were also not the friendliest, but good to go just to experience it. The smell of the pizzas cooking is yum.

Check out my review of Fire and Stone - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Soho Thai in London

London - Restaurants - Thai

A 5 star rating, you ask with an eyebrow arched? Indeed, I'd give it 10 if I could. I'm hard to please and this restaurant met all my requirements including selection, taste, price, service and cleanliness.

Soho Thai was a-buzz when most other restaurants were blowing out candles on Tuesday night. We were seated quickly and our orders taken. My friend and I opted for the sharer starter (£10) and the phad thai for mains (£7ea). Both were absolutely scrumptious. Service was attentive and I have no reservations about recommending this to everyone - well done Soho Thai!

Check out my review of Soho Thai - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Bento Cafe in London

London - Restaurants - Japanese & Sushi

From the Camden setting I wasn't expecting terribly much from Bento Cafe so I was pleasantly surprised. In fact I'd have to say a lot of the food here was on a par with that of Nobu - but half as dear. Sushi scoffing is never going to be as cheap as dirty fried chicken, but the prices were fairly decent if you went for more meals and less sushi. Yummy tempura prawns were £4.50. Also the black cod in miso was scrumptuous with very little fish resemblance. Wasn't sold on some of the nigiri. The staff and atmosphere were so so, so bring lively dinner partners as you'll need to do most of the entertaining.

Check out my review of Bento Cafe - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Acorn House Restaurant in London

London - Restaurants - Vegetarian

Few restaurants can claim to be eco-friendly and keep a straight face. The Acorn House Restaurant, on the other hand, has not only won numerous awards for this very reason, but also provides a standard of food that few other restaurants can match.

It's not fancy - in fact it's rather minimal with a quirky pot of vegetables growing outside and plain tables and chairs within a clean yet pleasant environment. The meals are quite unique and seasonal - with hearty portions offering a combination of fresh salads.

Examples of current salads include 'Roasted sweet potato, farro and miso', 'Summer artichokes and fresh herbs' and 'Chargrilled red peppers, basil and garlic.' For anyone who's not a big veggie eater I urge you to tottle on down to this restaurant and have your mind boggled at how yummy veg can be - with a nice bit of meat or fish of course.

In summary:
Great, nutritious food with a whirlwind of flavours. What's the catch? Average main meals are £12-14 for lunch, which is a bit steep and not feasible for popping in regularly to take advantage of their changing menu. Also although each dish is a play of flavours, the menu itself is very limited with only a few dishes to choose from, so if you like a big selection it's probably not for you.
Bon ap.

Check out my review of Acorn House Restaurant - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: Roller Disco in London

London - Nightlife - Clubs

Open Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights from 8pm, it's a great place for a group of people to have a fun night. Dressing up is a must - think 70s/80s disco attire - I even spied a clever guy dressed as a rubik's cube. The more garish, the better.

Pay your £12.50 to enter and after a thourough frisking from the guards, get your skates. It's a flat charge and you can have your skates until they close at 2am if you fancy.

You'll soon become one with your skates as you will do everything in them - from ordering a drink at the bar to steering yourself into a toilet cubicle. Good news for smokers is that they have a terrace out back you can access with your skates.

They have two 'rinks' - a beginners one and a faster one, both pumping out some great 70s/80s tunes. There are skate assistants with pinnies on to give you a hand. Like all good roller venues they change direction every now and then to keep things interesting. Drinks are on average £3/4 depending but come in a little plastic shot glass so don't expect 'a bender'.

The lovely thing about beginner skating is the openness towards others - noramlly if you bump into someone a grumpy mood or even a fight results. At the Roller Disco you cling onto others and they smile quite knowingly - everyone goes there expecting to fall over, so it's no biggy when you do.

Their website needs a bit of updating as it still mentions the King's Cross Venue, which closed before Christmas 2007. So head to Vauxhaul Renaissance Rooms, and take note of the directions on the website as it's not the easiest place to find!

Check out my review of Roller Disco - I am Urbanite - on Qype

Qype: All Star Lanes in London

London - Restaurants - Fast Food & American - Nightlife - Bowling

Three bouncers guard the door (???) as you wind your way down a carpeted staircase to a receptionist full of teeth. You swap out your shoes for some trendy bowling shoes - they've come along way with velcro straps replacing the greasy laces. Be sure to get a size smaller than your usual - they seem to have taken into account that some little ladies lie about their shoe size.

The alleys themselves are clean and well looked after. The computerised system makes scoring easy and fun with little videos to ignore between rounds. And come on, who doesn't love a bit of bowling?

The drinks are decent but a tad over-priced with most cocktails being about £7 - a little exorbitant for a bowling alley. The food is quite tasty and decent portions though not your typical bowling alley food and again the price isn't cheap - main meals are between £15-25. The salt and peppered squid starter is well worth a go. There are no burgers on the menu. Not one.

The decor is 1950s American themed with pictures of 'The Dude' lamenting a few of the walls. I haven't tried other alleys in London, but it seemed like the real deal and hit the mark for our company Christmas party.


Check out my review of All Star Lanes - I am Urbanite - on Qype