Profil von Nuria

I’m a little biased because I still remember this place back when it was called On the Rocks, host to the weekly anything-goes Trailer Trash parties. Now, those had character, an “underground” (if slightly trendy) feel and were cheap to boot!

In contrast, the night I went to at Basing House, a Phonica Records showcase, was about £15 at the door. I don’t think the space itself or the line-ups justify this kind of price. On both accounts the place is decent, but nothing more.

It could just be that I found the DJs disappointing on the night I went (too loungy to dance to), but I also wasn’t a fan of the crowd. It was a bit saturated with the types of people who go out in Shoreditch on a Saturday night simply because it’s “the place to be”. Unfortunately, Basing House’s location and concerted effort to be on the East London radar makes it a default choice for many.

To me it’s gone from a no-frills cool dive to an undistinguishable Shoreditch venue under the pretension that it’s way better than it is. Furthermore, my friend had her iPhone stolen the night I was there and a security guard she spoke to was rude and unsympathetic. At that point in the night the vibe went from “meh” to “let’s get the hell out of here”.

If you want a smallish place to see good DJs in East London I’d opt for East Village, Plastic People or the Rhythm Factory instead.

I work both near Luardo’s at Whitecross Market and Burrito Bros on Clerkenwell Road. Luardo’s I will happily go to again; Burrito Bros, hell no.

Main reasons:

1) Girls behind the counter were slow and subdued, yet it was a chilled-out London summer day and there were only two or three people waiting in line. Everything I asked for I had to repeat several times.

2) They’d run out of lettuce at 1pm on a Monday. Say, what? What is the excuse for lacking a prime— and cheap— ingredient that lends burritos a wonderfully crunchy texture?

3) The meat was decently cooked but the burrito was just too meaty. The rest of the flavours failed to come through at all.

4) The hard-shell taco my friend ordered did not, in fact, have a hard shell.

5) They have a nice basement space with seating but it’s completely mis-used: badly lit and half-assedly adorned with lucha libre posters. It could really be done up to much better effect.

All in all, disappointing.

Wow, after having so many mediocre experiences in London curry houses, I finally found one that hit the spot while making only a minimal dent in my wallet!

If you’re in the Brick Lane area, ignore all the touts and head here instead! The decor is basic: bright, clean and functional. The staff are friendly and welcoming (no pushiness at all; genuine smiles all around).

Four of us shared two plates of basmati pilau rice, two naans, saag prawn, lamb tikka masala, chicken rogan, tarka dal, and a jug of mango lassi. The portions were quite generous and the food really delicious (the chicken in particular was very tender). The tikka masala was fragrant and not artificially sweet or gloopy like in some places. Unbelievably, this feast set us back slightly less than £9 a head.

This place seems very popular with the local Bengali community; there were lots of men when I went (around 9pm on a Thursday) who seemed to have come from the mosque for post-prayer snacks. Upstairs there were women and families. I take this as a good measure of the food quality, so don’t be put off— it did not have an exclusive feel and as non-locals we felt very welcome.

I hate to be the one person to tear this place down, but really-- I had a terrible experience there last night. Friends had recommended it, making it all the more disappointing.

To start off, the menu we were given once we sat down did not correspond with the one posted outside the main entrance. The prices were higher and the "recession deals" were absent. When I enquired, I was simply told, quite brusquely, that yes, the menu had changed. OK, but not even an admission that they'd been thoughtless in not updating their outside menu? No kind of recognition that it was misleading to customers?

Secondly, a friend and I ordered tap water, only to be looked at disgruntledly The two waiters kept hovering and repeatedly asking if we didn't want any drinks. We weren't being cheap-- we just only wanted water! Two other friends ordered beers, but clearly this was not good enough.

Thirdly, and most irritatingly, we ordered as an appetiser a seafood house platter priced at £8.50 to share between four of us. We were then told that the minimum order for this dish was two, something not indicated in the menu. We thought "what the hell" and agreed to order two. Well, what we were presented with was one-- yes, one-- rectangular plate containing about six deep-fried king prawns, a pile of deep-fried squid strips, a bit of salad garnish and one small-ish deep-fried crab. Huh? I thought we'd ordered TWO platters! So basically we paid £17 for a few nibbles each of a very poor seafood selection (and all of it deep-fried... probably to obscure the fact that it wasn't fresh).

Any good points? Well, my friend's catfish was tasty and tender, and my friend's chicken was decent. My wanton soup on the other hand was mediocre, and I paid £8.50 for a "large" portion (i.e. the same portion you pay £6 for in any other standard Vietnamese restaurant). Add to this the fact that mains do not come inclusive of rice and/or noodles, and our bill skyrocketed.

Don't be fooled by the fact that this restaurant has fancy decor and is always rammed. Go somewhere else on Kingsland Road or elsewhere; the service is bound to be friendlier and they won't trick you into paying loads for merely passable fare.

This small second-hand music shop in the Greenwich town centre looks like someone's car boot sale. Posters adorn the wall, CDs and DVDs are stacked in rows on counters and shelves, and there's barely enough room for more than five customers to browse at the same time (not to mention the guys who work there look like they're on a permanent tea break).

However, what looks like disarray isn't really: stock is meticulously ordered depending on genre and price. The categories put any conventional music store to shame. Example: you don't just have "urban" music, you have "classic hip-hop", "UK and indie hip-hop", "mainstream label hip-hop", "hip-hop compilations", "soul", "nu-soul", "funk" and "r&b". Phew! You get the point.

This shop is an excellent place to search for bargains - CDs regularly get priced down to £2, even £1. Brand new albums are sometimes available for a quid or two cheaper than their retail price. The DVDs are varied and affordable and there's also an LP section in the basement.

If you want an even bigger selection, though, check out their Camden branch.

The Royal Standard, located in the general Blackheath area (not the village itself), is a fairly quiet pub serving a decent selection of alcoholic beverages, hot drinks and food.

The decor is a bit quirky: a random brass statue stands in one corner, cool modern art is framed in antiquated gold-painted frames (making the handful of plasma screens seem out of synch), while the lamps (including a few metallic chandeliers) and wallpaper remind you of a hotel lobby. The pub thus feels neither particularly cosy nor traditional. But this doesn't detract from its functionality!

There's a decent selection of food on the menu, nothing out-of-this-world. Just be careful what you order: a portion of onion rings turned out to have only six measly onions, while a portion of chips with garlic mayonnaise was enough to share between two people. It's a bit hit or miss it seems, and beware: the kitchen closes at 9.

Nevertheless, they've got a varied selection of wine, beer, cider, ale and spirits, and very reasonably priced coffees (including lattes and cappucinos). The servers are friendly and approachable.

All in all, a quiet pub where you can sit and converse. They play interesting music (funk, soul) instead of grating "party hits" and hold a fun quiz on Sunday evenings at 9 pm.

I've been to Piccadilly Circus dozens of times but only recently stumbled upon this majestic department store known as Fortnum & Mason. "Since 1707" read the outer facade. I was intrigued and proceeded to go in. Indeed, tradition and sophistication combine in this haven of gourmet goods and services that spans four floors.

Oh, I only ended up buying a miniature 50p pastry, but I had a ball perusing the items on display. At Fortnum & Mason they put their heart into it: meticulous displays, classy decor, uniformed employees, quality goods. The great thing is, everyone is made to feel welcome. Browsing is not a crime - I felt at least half of the "clientele" were doing just that!

I recommend going in just to check out the pricey goods on offer. It feels like you're stepping into a bygone era - I half expected to see men in top hats and canes! There's a wide range of traditional confectionery, ground coffee, tea, sweets and baked goods on the ground floor. Downstairs they have a gourmet supermarket which stocks food from worldwide and a posh bar/restaurant (both of which are extravagantly priced). On the upstairs levels they have appliances, ornaments and household items, and beauty and grooming products, respectively.

Even though everything is ridiculously expensive, if you want a little something with the Fortnum & Mason stamp on it, there will be edible items for less that a tenner. But again, the real charm lies in simply having a look around!

Tai is a cheap Chinese/Thai buffet chain which specialises in vegetarian food (including a vast array of fake meat).

One phrase says it all: value for money.

For between £5 and £6 (£3.50 take-away) you can have your pick of a varied, nicely-laid out buffet comprising a cold section, a hot section, and a salad section.

As a restaurant, it is a functional place: go in, serve yourself however many times you want, ask for the bill, pay and go. It has no ambience to speak of and the staff are not particularly friendly.

That said, why would you complain? You pay a cheap price for multiple servings of yummy food. If anyone has a grudge against vegetarian meat, once you try Tai's "chicken" curry and sweet n' sour "pork", you may beg to differ. But alternatively you can help yourself to tofu dishes, pancakes, verimecelli noodles, chow mein, and fried rice. Different sauces and oils are available for further flavouring your food.

Great place if you're hungry and pressed for time!

The Viceroy is a small but nonetheless chic Indian/Nepalese restaurant in Charlton Village. They distinguish themselves by offering both a pleasant place to sit and enjoy a meal, and a speedy take-away service, both of which are affordable.

They have an extensive menu - but not so extensive that you can't trust their ability to adequately create different flavours. They have a good range of spicy and mild dishes as well as chicken, lamb and vegetarian specialties, all of which are well-complemented by a selection of rice, starters, and bread.

The staff are friendly and presentable. Discounts are offered on orders over £15 and on Monday nights there are cheap specials. Their lamb dishes are particularly tasty!

The Kings Arms is a pleasant pub whether you’re grabbing a light bite for lunch, stopping for an afternoon drink after a stroll through the adjacent Greenwich park, enjoying a hearty dinner or socialising over evening drinks.

The decor is traditional, but not in the lifeless cookie-cutter fashion of so many large, spacious family-oriented gastro-pubs. No; this place retains a sense of character. It is small, cosy and rustic, with fireplaces and quirky memorabilia on the walls.

It attracts a mixed crowd: older people, younger people, professionals, artsy types. This could well be because apart from a good atmosphere, they offer quality food. The menu has what you’d expect from any pub, but again, originality is retained. Why have a baked potato with beans when you can have one stuffed with cheese & mushrooms, or one with chicken and guacamole? While this isn’t a bargain pub where you get two meals for 7 quid (go to Wetherspoons if that’s what you’re after), the prices are definitely reasonable.

All in all, a civilised but unpretentious place. You can talk over the music, they have coffee machines, the service is prompt and the one or two plasma screens that adorn the walls neither distract nor blare in your face, making it an ideal place for a lowkey gathering with friends.