Reviews by audrey

S&M (Diner)
17 June 2007

Just lovely. Been to S&M in Brick Lane, Angel and Portobello Rd - all very friendly and delicious.

Great hangover food!

Automat (Diner)
17 June 2007

Went here few nights ago with 11 friends. Very happy to have sat at the chef's table. Atmosphere was buzzing and the service was very prompt and friendly.

Food was great - my grilled tuna salad was mouth-watering and my friend's pasta and lamb steak was delicious also. Wine was good but the cocktails were great. My mojito was very minty and strong - just the way I like it!

Great place and price good too.

Hakkasan (Restaurant / Restaurant)
16 June 2007

Undoubtedly the most stylish Chinese restaurant in London. The lunch menu is limited, yet the dim sum are delicious. More choices for dinner (the duck salad and crab in sweet and sour sauce are my favorites).

The atmosphere is very seducing, hence great for dates (though having said that, 5 out of 6 times I have visited there were a good number of children, which can be slightly distracting). Service always friendly but sometimes can be overpowering.

Blue Elephant (Restaurant)
16 June 2007

A total Thai experience and probably the most authentic Thai restaurant in London. Great food and good atmosphere, although it has become a little too commercialised since it first opened. It seems to be a little too crowded now. But the food is still there and the service impeccable.

Fryer's Delight (Fish and Chips Shop)
12 June 2007

Best fish and chips in town bar none, and the staff are friendly too. Always bustling come meal time.

Asia de Cuba (Restaurant / Restaurant)
12 June 2007

The hotel itself really has impact from the minute you walk in, like any other Schrager chain. The restaurant is nice, with the usual Schrager charm. Serivce was efficient and charming. The food, however, was quite bad. The calamari salad was probably the nicest dish out of all five dishes we ordered. The duck salad was just weird in taste (doesn't compare to the duck salad in Hakkasan). Overall the atmosphere is great but the food pretty bad, especially with the unjustifiable price tag. Not coming back here.

Kikuchi (Restaurant)
12 June 2007

This was a real disappointment after reading great reviews here. I can get past the decor and service but the food really wasn't that great at all, to a point where I felt guilty for suggesting this place to my Japanese friends who went with me. Sashimi was really not that fresh and most of the dishes were OK but nothing to come back for.

Fakhreldine (Restaurant)
12 June 2007

A restaurant with fantastic views overlooking Green Park. The food was generally great, with one or two dishes not as good as others but very pleasing overall. Portions were good for two people and not more, although the waiter recommended us to order less, which was nice. Staff very friendly and the bill wasn't huge, so plus point for that too.

I don't know if it's my favourite Lebanese restaurant in London, but if someone suggested Fakhreldine for dinner, I would jump at the chance!

Manolo Blahnik (Shoe Shop)
11 June 2007

That's the thing about shops in Chelsea, I happen to have walked in one day with my new 2.55 limited edition Chanel bag, and Wham! every sales assistant is my best friend.

I can understand sales staff, with wages dependent on commission, are bound to be nicer to those who look the part. And Manolo is no different. As for the shoes, they are just divine and beat the socks off Jimmy Choos.

Angels (Fancy Dress Shop)
11 June 2007

Went to rent some Victorian petticoats for a photo shoot. Found staff very accommodating and nice. Tad expensive but can't beat the central location and variety of stock on offer.

Liza Bruce (Holiday / Swimwear Shop / Designer Shop)
11 June 2007

Like the reviewer below, my mother always had the most beautifully cut bathing suits and about 5 years ago I found out that they are all Liza Bruce. Love love love the shop in Mayfair - full of amazing swimwear and kaftans as well as beautiful jewellery.

B Store (Boutique / Menswear Shop)
11 June 2007

Great shop, much better and with a wider selection now that the location has moved. I admire the owner's enthusiasm and support for young designers and his vision for choosing amazing pieces. Just fantastic.

Souvenir (Boutique)
11 June 2007

Cute shop with very Japanese-inspired collections (I believe the owner is Japanese, as the sales staff are). Lovely Victor/Rolf and Westwood. Very sad to see the shop near Carnaby St close.

Steinberg & Tolkien (Vintage & Second Hand Clothing Shop)
11 June 2007

This place always reminds me of public school girls or Sloaney girls who say they love vintage. Totally overpriced, stocks really displayed badly (and vintage clothing that is precious should really be stocked carefully). There are gems here that you could find if you rummage but the price really is astronomical. Just because it says Dior on the tag shouldn't mean they can charge as if it's couture.

Palette London (Vintage & Second Hand Clothing Shop)
11 June 2007

As a vintage magpie, I have to say this shop wasn't all that great. The selection was OK and there were a couple of things I would have liked but the price was just over the top. There was a Leonard dress and a Jean Muir dress, both well over £200, which I could have bought for a lot less in Notting Hill. I think if you are a true vintage lover you will do much better at Rellik or Blackout in Covent Garden.

Dover Street Market (Designer Shop)
11 June 2007

I love Dover Street for the concept and ambience and visit it every month to see their displays. However, as a shop it doesn't really draw you to buy anything.

There are beautiful Comme des Garcon womenswear pieces and an interesting mix of menswear as well as a great selection of Anne Valerie Hash, Nina Ricci, Alaia etc. The vintage section by Decades I think is totally overpriced and doesn't do justice to the real Decades in LA.

The staff are very friendly and eager to help but there is just too little atmosphere to make me want to shop. Every time you ask a member of staff to show you something or ask to try something on, the mood of the shop is such that you actually feel guilty for not buying it. The customers there all seemed self-obsessed - "I am too important and edgy".

If I really want to buy a Lanvin dress or Alaia shoes, I would rather go to Harrods or Liberty where I could actually shop without feeling uncomfortable.

Vivienne Westwood (Designer Shop)
11 June 2007

The shop stocks both menswear and womenswear, although I feel menswear is stocked more extensively here. The accessories are very well stocked. However the staff are extremely rude and unfriendly. The management should really sort their staff out. Everyone I know complains about this and it really does put people off visiting the store. The shop on Davis street with Gold Label is much nicer, with a wider selection of womenswear.

Momo (Restaurant / Restaurant)
11 June 2007

Momo was a fantastic restaurant a few years ago, but not any more in my opinion. Firstly, I really don't like the minimum order rule. The food isn't cheap and the portions are not big either, so anyone who eats here will order enough - hence minimum order rule is ridiculous. The waitresses/waiters are very nice but the person on reception is always very rude and ill-mannered. Ambiance and decor is great but it can get extremely noisy, to a point where you are actually shouting to your guests. Food used to be great but last time I visited it failed to impress me.

The Cross (Boutique)
11 June 2007

This is one of those shops that WAS great but sadly is no longer. It was probably the prototype for many boutiques that have opened since, like Coco Ribbon. However, nowadays The Cross lacks any originality. Very much a shop for Notting Hill's yummy mummy set. I remember going there when it had just opened a few years back and seeing tons of things I would like to have. This was not the case when I visited recently.

Yauatcha (Restaurant / Restaurant)
01 June 2007

Although there are great dim sum places in Chinatown, you cannot expect the ambiance nor the mix or variety of food on offer here. Service is great in general, although there are some slightly arrogant staff. Also, desserts are just divine. Lower ground floor can be very noisy, so if you are taking older members bear in mind the ground floor might be better. Great place for any occasion!