Reviews by Lexi

Canteen (Restaurant)
09 April 2006

Slightly unusual venue that feels like an upmarket school canteen or stylish motorway service station. To add to this the service was somewhat amateur. However it's a decent place for lunch with mates as the food is very good.

Amaya (Restaurant)
09 April 2006

Very good food, but slightly cavernous room and large tables for two which make it a non-intimate dining experience. Good for lunch or dinner with friends but not with that special someone.

Sniff (Shoe Shop)
09 April 2006

They offer a good range of French Sole ballet pumps and some quirky designs. Friendly staff.

Boxwood Cafe (Restaurant)
09 April 2006

All flawless but a bit bland as a dining experience. I guess this a safe option for a date or to take the parents and it seems fairly kid-friendly.

Village East (Restaurant)
09 April 2006

A very cool, laid back vibe (bars on different levels and two sections to the restaurant make it feel like a member's club). The food was excellent - much better than expected and up there with some of London's best restaurants. The salad of charcuterie with hazelnuts and beans was fresh and the right side of salty, crispy bream worked surprisingly well with the sweet almond broth, followed by ice cream (all I could manage) which was out of this world and must have been home made. I guess the surprise at finding such great food in a trendy venue has made Village East stick in mind.

Brown's Hotel (Hotel)
24 January 2006

The refurbishment has been done superbly - the hotel is now stylish and contemporary without losing the very British feel. We stayed overnight and had dinner in the restaurant... huge bed with melt-into duvet and felt cushions, etc. Perfect for a treat that gives easy access to Bond St. and the West End.

I also (surprisingly) had one of the best facials I've ever had in their treatment rooms from an Italian therapist.

The restaurant though was a disappointment - it lacked atmosphere (being half empty), the service was a little too stuffy and formal, and they seemed to overload the plates with overly-rich food.

Tea Palace (Cafe)
06 December 2005

We had dinner here and the food was fine... not fine dining by a long chalk, but decent and tasty. Friendly efficient service. The long tea menu helped to inspire the choice of a lovely fragrant blend as a good digestif.

Maze (Restaurant)
06 December 2005

Love it! The style of eating is perfect both for those with eyes bigger than their stomachs who usually over-order, as well as those who are watching their waistlines. Little tasting dishes all perfectly cooked (and I mean 'oh my god this is amazing' kind of perfect).

Nice atmosphere too. Don't book bar seats for food though if you can't get into the main restaurant as you will be seated near the smoking area.

Float (Therapy Centre)
06 December 2005

The carbon fibre pods are similar to big clam shells located in peaceful, warm and zen-like rooms all with private showers (great for a cold evening!). I didn't really enjoy the experience of floating - possibly due to my pregnant state and active baby - but would recommend the venue and gentle staff.

Richard Corrigan at Lindsay House (Restaurant)
26 August 2005

The restaurant is based in what must have been the front parlour of this old townhouse, and has a permanently hovering maitre 'd - all in all making this a slightly claustrophobic dining experience.

I was also disappointed with the food. None of it pressed any buttons for me, as the flavour combinations of the starter and main course just didn't work. The nicest thing was the blackcurrant souffle as it was light but sharp. And the final nail was the 'posh' french waiter - he managed to drop nearly everything he had in his hands - comical but incompetent!

Destination (Gym)
17 August 2005

I joined 2 months ago and found the gym perfect for me. I tend to dislike large impersonal gym chains, and Destination isn't anything like that. It might seem too small for some people, but it's got a good range of cardio and resistance equipment in the upstairs gym as well as a large gym downstairs if you can afford personal training!

The best bit is the lovely Molton Brown smellies and GHD straighteners in the changing rooms! They also have 2 or 3 beauty rooms for all the usual treatments (the massage I had was pretty decent).