O perfil de jpulfrey

Without doubt the worst service I have ever had.

To say that the waiter was not even able to tell my girlfriend the time we're clearly in unchartered territory.

Food arrived cold and seperately. Seafood risotto normally consists of more than two mussels, three cockles and a prawn. Requested water never arrived, witers running all over the place despite the restaurant not remotely being busy.

Unfathomable.

Never to go again, and will make it quite clear that no-one else should.

One is not known to frequent “clubs” very often these days, the prices, the congestion, the poor fire and safety and the rather late hours that they appear to be open. The loud music, if that’s what they call it these days never really appeals either. I’m not old, everyone else is just wrong.

You’ll understand then that I found myself in a half empty Punk for a work jolly where thankfully it was deemd not necessary to purchase a drink, excellent hospitality. The venue doesn’t appear to have changed all that much since its days as Pop, it is remarkably orange. The decor is nice enough although once more excuse me while I express my detest at sofas in such places. There is a VIP area should you wish to spend the evening at a club sat down trying to talk over a booming sound, or trying to appear superior. The proles have more fun anyway.

The bar staff were friendly and even cracked a smile without my six bottle drunken charm. The door staff were a little less friendly but then they always are. Punk does suffer from one of those long bars with great big posts nearby, not an ideal set up and the bar looks like a bit of a lobster pot as the masses attempt to be served.

It is a nice little place is Punk and should any event or gig occur within that takes my fancy I’ll have no problem returning; high praise indeed.

You will not be suprised to know that the Toucan serves a rather good pint of Guiness, the famous Irish drink has its regalia all over the place. In many ways the Guiness would have a lot to live up to with so much expectation, luckily there are no problems.

the Toucan is not a place enjoyed at busy hours, rush hour and weekends tend to simply lead the masses on to the streets near Soho square. The beauty of the Toucan is its intimacy and there are few better places to have a drink alone or with AN Other during the day or on a quiet tuesday evening.

The Toucan may well be a bit shabby, the toilets vile, occasionally some silly tourists come in order cokes, wine and half a Guiness for the Dad to stare at and take pictures. The ancient stereo invariably spends a good few hours skipping about before anyone realises and a few potty mouthed celebrities often prop up the bar. None of this should detract from a very charming little place, very small but with a heart as wide as the Thames. One of very few oasis in Soho.

The Salisbury in Covent Garden, not to be confused with the Salisbury in Haringey that I frequent, as many of my friends have done. Covent Garden’s Salisbury is quite a lavish affair for a pub, very traditional, usually bustling and a proper English pub. Should any tourist strike up the courage to open the doors then this is exactly what they’d be looking for from a famous British public house, but will someone please start telling them at the airports that children are not allowed.

With a large central bar and dark seating areas for both drinking and a more 'restaurant style’ dining vibe, the pub is suitable for food and drink. Plenty of staff serve quickly and the food looks adequete inn grub. The Salisbury is always busy and there’s always a nice atmosphere, a perfect, and rather pretty pub to take one’s parents should they be visiting the big smoke and you’re being dragged around the tourist trail, they’d certainly approve.

There’s real ale on pumps and I had an exceptional pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, rather a favourite of mine and so a bonus star is awarded.

The Cross Keys is indeed a traditional London pub, so much so that should one be drinking at this establishment on a saturday a cigarette break will usually involve the gauntlet of tourists taking photographs outside. The Cross Keys is located near Covent Garden and thus can be a little busy. Of particular interest are the tiny Japanese tourists often found ordering pints of ale and posing for pictures with the enormous glasses in which the beer is served. The Cross keys is one of few pubs in the modern age that will still serve your beer in a jug should you ask.

The interior of the pub is very traditional, with a bar stretching along the right hand side and a row of chairs and tables along the left. The walls and in fact any spot of space is taken up by music memorabilia and cricketing pictures and a small selection of old theatre programmes and posters. It’s a strange mix, but considering the pub’s age and it’s location perhaps it all makes some form of sense to someone.

The staff are pretty good, fast and friendly. The Cross Keys has Sussex ale on the pumps, a first class pint and served in a jug there can be few better experiences than delightful company, beer in a jug, a dark atmospheric old pub, it’s like a little step back in time, if only the phones wouldn’t go off. The Cross Keys is a picturesque pub outside and almost perfect inside. Small and cosy and rarely busy enough to upset.

I like the Ship a lot, it is one of the better Soho pubs and certainly one of the best at that end of the streets. The Ship is right in the middle of media world and as a result the pub can be full of pretentious young things but they’re easily avoided and can be the cause of great merriment. One can barely talk on pretentiousness mind, I was once to be found in the ship under a brolly, in my defence the ceiling was leaking. Not a frequent occurence I can assure.

The pub itself is unspectacular; long and thin, little seating and a large alleyway adjacent in which to stand on a friday night rush hour. The toilets can be found at the pub’s rear, one can only speak for the gentlemens but it appears no gentlemen frequent the Ship, these public conveniences are a nightmare. Still, much like the fact the pub is predominantly satnding room only the Ship caters for men, manly standing beer swilling men. In this sense it is a traditional pub.

The service in the Ship is always excellent and friendly. The staff may look a little different but they’re all thoroughly nice fellows, sometimes more pre-occupied by the stereo but still, nice. The drinks are standard fayre, Pride, Guiness usual lagers and on the whole not exciting. The Ship may not be the greatest looker but it scrubs up great after you’ve had a few.

The Plume of Feathers is a lovely traditional pub near Greenwich a short walk from Maze Hill station. Situated alongside Greenwich Park, the pub is only a short walk from any landmarks in the Greenwich area. It is well worth seeking out; a little off the beaten track and populated by locals rather than tourists it’s a comfortable little boozer.

The Plume of Feathers may well be small and traditional but it boasts a large garden, full of seating and a small restaurant style area of the pub. The food remains untried but looks rather good. Traditional pub food and sunday lunches, the portions do look impressive although prices are pushing a little towards top end. The garden is large enough and well blessed with flowers and trees and bugs. There’s plenty of plastic seating the only problem will be children running around, potentially annoying but found without any or good parents on location one can pass a long afternoon here. Be warned the garden is set up to cater for them with its array of toys and what not.

The pub serves plenty of real ale, on my last visit they had award winning Sussex ale, but you’ll find Pride, Adnams and Haveys. There’s a lovely roaring fire place and the bar itself is lovely old fashioned and dark, the interior very much how a pub should feel. The staff and landlady have always been very friendly and barring the rather small toilets there is not much to fault with the Plume of Feathers.

The Cutty Sark Tavern’s quality is in its location; nestled away on the riverside but found through a host of terraced houses and factories. It’s quite a walk from central Greenwich and as a result there are barely any day trippers and all day drinking gangs of people. It’s quiet without being deserted and more local without being bereft of the holiday maker’s enthusiasm.

The pub itself is very pleasent, it’s an old building and the decor and furniture do reflect this. It does seem to be made out to look like the inside of a galleon, it’s certainly dark but comfortable. They serve a nice cold draught cide, Addlestones and considering this is one of my summer pubs of choice that’s a bonus. Being able to sit outside on the riverside is a wonderful blessing and a joy that many visiting Greenwich never get to experience.

The food is pretty usual stuff, although I did have a fairly good fish and chips, sat upstairs looking out across London. I’ve had many enjoable days here and should you be in the area it is well worth hunting out. The pubs and bars in the cutty sark station area of Greenwich are by and large dreadful, if you’ve found that fact out yourselves then you’ll be delighted to find the Cutty Sark Tavern

The N4 Cafe is, or rather was a real builders caff. 70s furniture, garish menus, yellow tobacco stained ceilings and surly waitresses and I adored it. Turns out it has had a spruce up; formerly called Cafe Delight it’s had a change of name and a bit of decoration, the smell of smoke has certainly subsided and the fella that speaks to himself appears gone.

The charm of the caff still remains and to be honest this cafe has been improved by the refurbishment. The all day breakfasts are still superb and to this day are rarely beaten on my nationwide travels. Praise be they even serve black pudding and what’s more it is really well done. The N4 Cafe can actually rival the finest breakfasts of the North of England.

The portions are really good value for money yet not too challenging. Some of my smaller friends have struggled yet still declared “the best breakfast I’ve ever had”. Milky tea ‘with the taste of the Thames’ and cheap white toasted bread round the feast off perfectly. Should you have ended up a dirty stop-out in the area this is the place to come to get a boost, should you live in the area this is the place to come before a Leo Sayer (all-dayer).

Bingol is one of many, nay hundreds of turkish ocakbasi on and around the Green Lanes area, Ocakbasi is effectively a barbecue restaurant and positioned almost directly opposite the Salisbury pub Bingol is in prime location for some tasy post-drink eating.

All the usual kebabs are exceptionally delicious and the salad has an individual look and taste about it. Served in wrap, rather than pitta form they are large, convenient for take-away and very good value for money. The falafel kebab served here is probably the best I’ve ever had in London.

The restaurant is really friendly, with excellent smiling service. There is usually a fair few people in here, even in the early hours of the morning. It’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of London once you take a seat inside Bingol. The barbecued fish, usually bream or salmon is amazing, tasty and fresh; even the fish on display look like they’re about to talk to you, they’re that fresh. The calamari was superb and the taramosalata one of the best I’ve had.

With such quality food on offer, very reasonable pricing and the ability to get a seat at any time of the day (bingol is open twenty four hours), there is very little reason not to visit this little Green Lanes gem.