Qype: Sapphire Lounge in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Bars - Lounges


What a quirky little place. First of all it's surrupticiously plonked in the heart of a pub - very confusing if you're heading for this place. It's got a serious case of bad naming - Sapphire Lounge evokes images of tacky neon lights and glowing drinks. Instead it's more like a collection of little caves - vestibules linked by a passage on either side of a bar. Bit strange to hold a gig here, but really fun too - close nit and cosy. We went to see Rayguns Look Real Enough last night and had a great time. Nice place for intimate drinks if you get your own little cave - was pretty quiet when we went and might need to work a little on their signage!

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Qype: Noodle Noodle Restaurant in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Chinese - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Other Asian


Seems I went for the good bits on the menu as I was quite chuffed with my food here. They've got a rather plasticy and canteen-like environment (complete with plastic cups) with laminated menus but I wasn't too fussed. The menu has a collection of noodle soups and rice dishes, we opted for the phad thai (£6.50) which was actually pretty good. It came with plump and succulent prawns that were cooked 'just right', with a slight garlic overload but I'm quite the fan. We also tried their dumplings which weren't too bad and washed it all down with a bottle of Pinot grig (£14). As a quick and good value place near Victoria station, I'd say it's pretty good.

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Qype: The Coffee Bean in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Coffee Shops


As fast and cheap lunch places go, this one is pretty good. It's a combo of mediterranean goodies with a 'salad valley' offering such delights as dolmades, tzatziki, cous cous salad, tuna pasta salad etc. They also offer the standard sandwiches and hot spuds and wraps and a curry. I went in there looking for something warm n tasty - I opted for the Morroccan meatball wrap (£3.50) which wasn't bad and rather large.

Staff are charming and while I was there I heard them speak to customers in English, French, Italian and Greek. Will definitely be going back but will probably try something different next time.

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Qype: Electric Ballroom in London

London - Nightlife - Clubs


Decent small-to-medium gig venue/club very close to Camden Town High Street tube station. I went to see Paolo Nutini, a sold out gig, there last night and had a great time. It was packed to the rafters but the sound was very good. For some silly reason they only seemed to turn on the air in the encore which would have been appreciated earlier on but otherwise it was a pretty cool venue.
Small street entrance opens out to a big open space below with 2 bars down there as well as one upstairs. The only other thing that was a bit annoying was that the bar does not accept credit cards - so if you don't have cash on you you're a bit stuck.

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Qype: Trattoria Lucca in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Italian & Pizza


Bellisimo. There's a very rare Urbanite 5 stars right there. But these guys just got it right on many levels. The decor is average but serves its purpose. You're likely to be served by one of two older Italian gents who niggle at each other in an endearing way and fall over each other to ensure you understand the Italian specials board they bring round to your table. Price is pretty decent for what you get - we had 2 starters, 3 mains and a bottle of vino for £60. And it's the type of place where service isn't automatically included, but one where you wouldn't actually mind.

Cherry on top for me was I went in there with a little craving for saltimbocca (a dish of veal, sage and proscuitto, that actually translates to 'jumps in the mouth' :) ) but it wasn't on the menu. A little dispondent I gazed over the other, admittadly yummy things, on the menu and when the guy came around for our order I thought I'd mention it. His reply was 'You want saltimbocca? No problem.' And it wasn't. And it was brilliant. And so was the duck breast with a cherry sauce that my friend had.

All in all a simple dining experience that can rely on its raw talent over bells and whistles.

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Qype: Old Queens Head in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs - Nightlife - Clubs


This is a really funky pub. It's got a nice cluster of tables out front. The interior is tasteful dark wood but with a hint of modern trediness so as not to attract all the old folk. There's also a tiny garden out back if you're quick enough to nab a table so it's good for a sunny day. They have the usual spread of drinks from what I could tell and a bar menu with the usual (hamburgers) and not so usual (crispy duck pancakes) and snack platters. Really nice vibe here so definitely pop in if you're in the area.

They do hire out the rooms upstairs for private functions and they're big and bright - the reason I went here is actually to attend a 'crafternoon' that happens here every other saturday which is great fun.

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Qype: Bavarian Beerhouse in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - German


As someone who's been lucky enough to experience the proper beer festival in Munich, it's hard to imagine a single place capturing just a teaspoonful of the flavour, although the Beerhouse do give it a good go. There's a tiny doorway off the main road with a staircase down to a collection of simply-decorated rooms with wooden benches and tables. Sipping on a stein is always fun and as said before, it was nice to see that the staff actually seem to be German - which you'd think is a no brainer but would be amazed by the number of people who get it wrong. There's an Oompah band who wonder around the different rooms to spread their musical joy - mixing it up with the odd unexpected tune such as 'country roads' which got everyone singing. The food was a little disappointing, but otherwise if you get a gang together and head on over, you should have yourself a good old time.

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Qype: The Ship in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs - Nightlife - Music Venues


To me The Ship suffers from a weird identity crisis. In the depths of Soho, it looks like a traditional English pub from the outside, and indeed even from teh inside if a little on the shabby side. But there's a juke box that they crank up in the evening with emo/goth/hard rock that seems to pierce the potential peace. The other wierd thing is that all the staff, rather than little English roses are all a little pierced and dressed in dark which is all good if you're in a pub in Camden but just bizarre in here. Like the ongoing predicament of the chicken and the egg, I wonder what came first - the juke box or the staff. Not a bad place by any means, but not a favourite.

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Qype: Automat in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - American


'We're actually really busy' came the snooty voice down the phone when I booked our table. Now I'd never have thought to book a breakfast table before my friend told me of the sneer when they arrived bookingless one morning. It's uber close to the Mayfair celeb-fests like Mahiki so I guess a little down-the-nose is expected but it's still not very welcoming. That out of the way, my eggs 'Norwegian' (£11) was pretty good. I also like the canteeny feel once you enter, and be prepared to dine amongst a lot of posers hoping to be scooped up by the B-listers in the area.
Service was quick and efficient, but staff were a little Ice Queeny and could work on a little natural charm. Then, agreeing with AHunter, I'd ponder another star.

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Qype: Spicy Basil in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Fastfood & Takeaway


"Meh". It's passable. Actually I was loving this place before I even went to it - Cool name, a 5 star review and a great little cheap eat on a nearby high street. Unfortunately where they failed to deliver was taste hence only 3 stars from me. We went in and ordered chicken phad thai (of course). They make up all the food behind a glass counter with fresh ingredients and it was super fast - and for £4.50 a really big portion. Unfortuantely it just wasn't very tasty and the noodles were a bit undercooked. So speedy service, fresh ingredients but lacking a little je nais se quiox. I might go back to try a different dish because I really like what they're doing, but their phad thai is dead to me (sweep hand to forehead, and cut).

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Qype: Reynolds Let's Graze in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Tapas


Work in central London? Suffer from indecision? Reynolds should be your new BFF.
I chanced upon it while heading towards Soho and dodging the main people-mad Oxford street. I'm not sure how I haven't found it before as I will definitely go back - all the food is said to be made on site but a little less processed-looking than other leading lunch chains. There's a really endearing quality about the interior - a basket of apples here, homemade brownies there and little rolls hand-wrapped.

The idea here is to 'graze' - ie get a couple of smaller things to take the drudgery away from a single lunch decision. I went for the salmon sushi roll/wrap and a half sandwich of egg mayo with sunblushed tomatoes, an OJ and got change from a fiver. All tasty and definitely in my mental note as a good grazing spot.

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Qype: The Player in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Bars - Cocktail Bars


We got in here a little early so missed the hoardes - i can imagine it becoming pretty cloggeed later in the evening with its downstairs basement-esque feel. Trot down a narrow stair case from a small door on a Soho street and it opens out to a coktail lounge with circular tables and little round stools. I was really impressed by the depth of boozey knowledge sported by the staff - one of our party was specifically after a whisky and found himself a touch in the deep end when offered 14 different varieties all with different qualities. I went for the far'a'fafa (or similar) cocktail which was fruity, sweet and well mixed. Standard London extortionate rates for drinks here but at least its within a classy environment with great restrooms.

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Qype: William IV in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Tapas - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs


Apparently this place is tops for Happy Hour - 5-8 on a Friday night I believe. Sadly we got there after 9 and although I quite like the furnishings, and the huge section out back with tables and heaters, I found some of the clientelle a little rough. We spent most of the evening outside only dashing inside to top up our tipple and bathroom trips etc but met some rather scary people in there and ultimately probably wouldn't make this a regular haunt. Still, not bad for a night out - pretty busy on the weekend so might be better for a phuza thursday (Thursday night out drinking) and catching the happy hour.

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Qype: Jack's Cafe in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Cafes


It's never a good sign when you have a big breakfast and come off feeling worse than before. After a big night we tottled off to Jack's to give their Egg's Benedict a go (one of my favourite decadent dishes of all time) and they were very sub-standard. In fact they've purely scooped 2 stars on the basis of serving all-day breakfasts, and for taking back my transparent eggies to give them another go in the pot. But with hollandaise sauce tasting like runny margerine and my partner's previous experience of a barely inedible bacon and apple-like avo sandwich, they're just not doing a great service to humanity. Two strikes and you're out in my books, so I don't think I'll be heading back.

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Qype: Paul in London

London - Shopping - Food & Drink - Bakeries


Paul's = amazing fresh pastries. I have to try not to walk past Paul's on my way to work for two very good reasons:
1. I would become round. And roll down the street while pedestrians ran screaming in the other direction for fear of me engulfing them in my huge chubby mouth.
2. I would have to declare myself bankrupt and Sell Big Issues after work. And maybe move into a shopping trolley. This would be very bad.

For the finest spread of cakes, fruit tarts and French pastries Paul's is decadent and devine. I'm not much of a coffee drinker nor have I sampled their savoury goods (again a bit pricey for regular lunches), but super for the occasional treat.

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Qype: Apple Store in London

London - Shopping - Computers


Perfect examples where more workers doesn't always equal sweeter nectar. I don't even know if that's a saying. I do know that I get terribly lost in the Apple store, despite all the 'helpers' who are never available. I'm a big fan of signs as lunchtime is not the time to be feeling oneself around this rather large store. ANd even though there is T-shirted assistance, I'm always having to line up behind a few other people waiting to be seen. I once came in and found a few spare technicians in the fix-it area but because I had not pre-booked an appointment (even though they were free) I had to go home and return another day for a chat which lasted all of 3 seconds and confirmed what I already knew.

Anyway, apart from that the store is clean, shiney and has some cool gadgets - and when you do get hold of a helper, they generally are quite friendly and do their best. They just need a bit of a game plan.

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Qype: Jen Cafe in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Chinese


China Town is often a lucky dip of places - some horrendously expensive for what's on offer, some getting it just right and others bending to meet a more western audience.

Jen's cafe is one the the larger ones but with the same kind of kitsch approach to menus etc that you'll find in most. The one thing that really bothered me about the place was that it felt a little dirty - the tables and chairs were a bit grubby and general upkeep was the little red-haired child. Doesn't give one much confidence in the food - which was actually tasty though I just went for the rather meek dumplings so can't say of the rest. They do bubble tea here which is fun and should definitely be tried if you haven't had it.

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Qype: Mexicali in London

London - Shopping - Food & Drink


So the new spat of London's Mexican fast food places has trained me to begrudgingly pay an extra 50p for my guac - even though deep down I still think its nonsense.

Being a new found Burrito fan on a Friday lunch mission I was attracted by the post office queue out the door of Mexi Cali and thought, 'this place must be good'. And while it wasn't bad, it didn't really blow my hair back. Service was fast and robotic, once I'd said 'pork' I was moved along the line and my burrito popped out the other end. I'm normally used to pointing at the glass to the jelly beans and hundreds and thousands so felt a little detached from my meal, but not to worry. The burrito itself was good but again only reached my pocket of mild salsa at the end after chomping through some rather lonely ingredients. They're gonna have to learn to spread 'em. Or miss out to some pretty hefty contenders nearby.

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Qype: North London Tavern in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs


We went there for friend's send off and it's quite a cool pub. It's trendy enough to attract younger patrons (pre dribble and OAP passes) but not so that you feel alienated or that you have to dress up. The interior is furnished with a long wooden bar and basic furniture that's a little worn but on the good side of shabby. I've heard the food is pretty decent though I haven't given it a go. Definitely one of the better pubs in the area and one you should head for if you want a few drinks and a friendly vibe complete with smiling staff.

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Qype: Market Place Bar in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Bars


This place was pumping and would have got another star if the service wasn't so poor. On a Thursday night after dinner we hopped across and being a warmer evening the outdoors were packed with after-work drinkers struggling to call it a day.

We went to the bar and were in the first row but it took my friend and I 3o minutes to get a drink! That would be ludicrous if there were queues of people around the bar but there were really enough to handle - the guys on the other side just weren't running a very fluid operation and kept dropping things and disappering for long spurts or being interrupted by a colleague giving them shots.

Pity because I'm usually one for loud and happy places but after taking so long to get my first drink, I wasn't hanging around for another.

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Qype: 4 Market Place Cafe in London

London - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Internet Cafes


4 Market place cafe = cheap hangover remedy. In trying to stay on the thinner side of the artery clog I went for a panini which was cheap but basically because it seemed to mean half the filling. It's a little basement-like canteen affair which fills up fast during lunchtimes. As mentioned before they do all-day breakfasts which is a bonus and one I've mentally book-marked to get me through a post-drinking work day. Their bacon and egg sandwich sounds like the winner - I'll let you know once I've tried it out!

Check out my review of 4 Market Place Cafe - I am Urbanite - on Qype