Guide to London for visitors

mystiroakey wrote:Firstly what do you mean underwhelming for what it is.. what does that mean- do you mean its expensive for what it is.

However i have heard someone say something on those lines- i cant believe people have that opinion, but then everyone i know that truely enjoys good food loves them. The bursting fresh flavours are akin to a very high class restaurant for the price of a cheap one. Never been to a better Italian other than in italy, and i have been to loads and in many spent twice as much. The menus are class as well and very varied- not your average dross.The service has also allways been first rate. But then i have only been to 2 different ones and only orderd 3 different mains- so sometimes its about what you order

However i need to try out hawksmore, if its anything like the maze grill i will be impressed. but i heard they do a good breakfast as well!

Sugar Boy Sweetie wrote:1) Landmark = Lloyds building. From an architects point of view it's so unique, and whenever I see it's silhouette on the horizon with the Gerkin and Natwest Tower I know I'm home.
2) Obertellis Italian deli in Leadenhall Market. A hidden gem, the opposite of fancy but the food does the talking (best home made chicken escalope sandwiches in town!).
3) Hard to narrow down, I like the little places like the Elephant on Fenchurch Street or the Red Lion near Bank Station. The Worlds End in Camden is another personal favourite.
4) Nothing fancy, just a walk along Oxford Street through Marble Arch to the park, spot of lunch, stroll by the Thames, maybe check out the guitar shops down Denmark Street (off tottenham court road). Museum or a gallery thrown in and you've cracked it - personally I like the Imperial War Museum but there choices are almost endless.
5) The snow dome in Milton Keynes is pretty cool, only 45 mins from Euston.
6) Take your pick, no real special place for that they're usually all packed during big events, I'm more of a watch it at home with friends type.
7) The Gaucho Grill (under the Cross Keyes Pub on Gracechurch Street) is a favourite of mine - if you like steak give it a try.
8) Depends what you're looking for, plenty of clubs in the West End but it'll cost you a pretty penny. Used to be a really good indie club near the Embankment called Kaleidescope. Best place IMO is Camden, the Lock, electric ballroom etc great for live music (not sure if the Barfly closed recently?) and the Enterprise is good for intimate gigs. 100 Club on Oxford Street is another live music favourite.
9) Peroni and/or Jack & coke - available city wide!
10) Nah you covered it.

mystiroakey wrote:Firstly what do you mean underwhelming for what it is.. what does that mean- do you mean its expensive for what it is.

However i have heard someone say something on those lines- i cant believe people have that opinion, but then everyone i know that truely enjoys good food loves them. The bursting fresh flavours are akin to a very high class restaurant for the price of a cheap one. Never been to a better Italian other than in italy, and i have been to loads and in many spent twice as much. The menus are class as well and very varied- not your average dross.The service has also allways been first rate. But then i have only been to 2 different ones and only orderd 3 different mains- so sometimes its about what you order

However i need to try out hawksmore, if its anything like the maze grill i will be impressed. but i heard they do a good breakfast as well!

TopHat24/7 wrote:For a bit more novelty (but still top quality steak) try the JW Steakhouse on Park Lane. Their signature dish/steak is the 'tomahawk', a 900g/32oz rib-eye still on the rib (the HUGE rib contributing to probably as much as 300g of the weight) which is great fun to eat.

Hawksmoor is still the best steakhouse I've ever been to, including Gauchos, Marco Pierre White and the aforementioned JW.

ChequeredJersey wrote:11) what are your top 3 tips for places/things to avoid as a tourist in London?

reckoner wrote:I respectfully disagree about Garfunkels - it is wildly overpriced for very basic food. 10 quid for chili con carne?!

mystiroakey wrote:To be honest i cant even remember eating in them(garfunkels- but i think i have) - there just seem like a throw back from the 80's to me. So many good restaurants around london but those types angus/garfunkels seem to be rammed just because they are so accesable(they allways have top locations)

ChequeredJersey wrote:11) what are your top 3 tips for places/things to avoid as a tourist in London?

mystiroakey wrote:Nandos is also a chain that i like..

I do find 50% of independants not good enough to be honest- . But sometimes i am surprised

maybe a good tip would be for people to go on to top table.com and get the deals(some really good) and book from there

mystiroakey wrote:"4. Talking to people on the Tube. people on the Tube. I know that might feel unusual to out of towners but it just isn't the done thing."

yes but being touched up is very common..

ChequeredJersey wrote:The "British food is cr@p" stereotype is one of my biggest annoyances ever and one of my main grievances against the major perpetrators, the French

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Sugar Boy Sweetie wrote:1) Landmark = Lloyds building. From an architects point of view it's so unique, and whenever I see it's silhouette on the horizon with the Gerkin and Natwest Tower I know I'm home.
2) Obertellis Italian deli in Leadenhall Market. A hidden gem, the opposite of fancy but the food does the talking (best home made chicken escalope sandwiches in town!).
3) Hard to narrow down, I like the little places like the Elephant on Fenchurch Street or the Red Lion near Bank Station. The Worlds End in Camden is another personal favourite.
4) Nothing fancy, just a walk along Oxford Street through Marble Arch to the park, spot of lunch, stroll by the Thames, maybe check out the guitar shops down Denmark Street (off tottenham court road). Museum or a gallery thrown in and you've cracked it - personally I like the Imperial War Museum but there choices are almost endless.
5) The snow dome in Milton Keynes is pretty cool, only 45 mins from Euston.
6) Take your pick, no real special place for that they're usually all packed during big events, I'm more of a watch it at home with friends type.
7) The Gaucho Grill (under the Cross Keyes Pub on Gracechurch Street) is a favourite of mine - if you like steak give it a try.
8) Depends what you're looking for, plenty of clubs in the West End but it'll cost you a pretty penny. Used to be a really good indie club near the Embankment called Kaleidescope. Best place IMO is Camden, the Lock, electric ballroom etc great for live music (not sure if the Barfly closed recently?) and the Enterprise is good for intimate gigs. 100 Club on Oxford Street is another live music favourite.
9) Peroni and/or Jack & coke - available city wide!
10) Nah you covered it.

Your whole post is class apart from this one awful nugget!

Worlds End in Camden is simply one of the worst places in London, it's full of dumb tourists and out of towners who get all excited about 'going to Camden' so they get dressed up in their skinny jeans, pile out the station and into the first venue they see! Even the Dublin Castle is better!

Bar 55 for some of the best cocktails in London (on a 2-4-1 3hr happy hour) is a great place to go, especially with a girlfriend/date, or there's Barfly, Camden Head, Lock 17, Edinboro Castle to name but a few.

reckoner wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:The "British food is cr@p" stereotype is one of my biggest annoyances ever and one of my main grievances against the major perpetrators, the French

French cuisine : snip the corners off and fry, sorry sautee, it in butter. Deliceux!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Been to see some good local bands at the Dublin Castle!

TopHat24/7 wrote:The country that annoys me the most is THE BLOODY AMERICANS!!

They picked up the theme from the French and ran with it, despite the majority of Americans having never left their own State let alone the country. They talk about British food being cack - but what is Americas culinary conribution to global gastronomy? The corn dog? The burger (which is just a hot sandwhich really, therefore British in origin)? Caeser salad?

Americans think their food is good just because it is tasty, and it is tasty because everything is packed with so much salt, sugar and E numbers and, more often than not, covered in melted cheese! The even put melted cheese on Danish pastries!! Try supermarket bought bread over there, one slice will have you bouncing off the walls it's got so much sugar in it. And that's bread. It's not complicated, the recipe is fairly standard therefore a standard loaf should taste largely the same the world over.

Anways, rant over....

TopHat24/7 wrote:

reckoner wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:The "British food is cr@p" stereotype is one of my biggest annoyances ever and one of my main grievances against the major perpetrators, the French

French cuisine : snip the corners off and fry, sorry sautee, it in butter. Deliceux!

At least the French have a history of world class cuisine, more Michelin stars then anywhere else etc etc.

The country that annoys me the most is THE BLOODY AMERICANS!!

They picked up the theme from the French and ran with it, despite the majority of Americans having never left their own State let alone the country. They talk about British food being cack - but what is Americas culinary conribution to global gastronomy? The corn dog? The burger (which is just a hot sandwhich really, therefore British in origin)? Caeser salad?

Americans think their food is good just because it is tasty, and it is tasty because everything is packed with so much salt, sugar and E numbers and, more often than not, covered in melted cheese! The even put melted cheese on Danish pastries!! Try supermarket bought bread over there, one slice will have you bouncing off the walls it's got so much sugar in it. And that's bread. It's not complicated, the recipe is fairly standard therefore a standard loaf should taste largely the same the world over.

Anways, rant over....

TopHat24/7 wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Been to see some good local bands at the Dublin Castle!

Yeh, that's its only value in my opinion. Seen a few bands there but would never go otherwise.

TopHat24/7 wrote:But allowing the American's to call dishes like gumbo and jambalaya their own (being actually creole) is like us claiming curry as our own. But Americans, being generally clueless, give it the whole "British food is so bland" etc etc therefore completely ignoring all the various parts of our nation's gastronomic make up.

mystiroakey wrote:But they make a great steak! and lobster is so cheap!!!!!

but yeah when i see recipees for roast chicken and waffles for breakfast i am baffled!