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Darbucka is a Lebanese restaurant. I was in there celebrating my engagement to my fiance on Friday, and my fiance was told to move very rudely in Arabic, as the waiter figured that my guy was from that part of world.
I have going there for the last four years, but I would advise anyone wanting the Middle Eastern experience to go elsewhere.
They effectively ruined one of the most important days of our life.
Darbucka Restaurant/Bar
www.darbucka.com
182 BASEMENT St John Street
Clerkenwell
London EC1V 4JZ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7490 8772
This is a really good bar in Southwark, great for an after work drink and not too expensive for where it is! (good chips too)
Wrapid is a new food service brand offering awesome hot food wrapped up with flavours from around the world. Food that has been developed with a focus on flavour.
I'm a huge fan of Wrapid. Their wraps have become a definite daily craving of mine and I would recommend it to anyone, whatever your
taste may be.
I began with the chicken tikka wrap, wrapped in a
delicious flat bread naan. After that I was fascinated and hooked. The menu extends out to a wide variety of global mouth watering flavours, which include assorted pizza, Mexican, and Chinese stir-fry wraps, as well as a very wide range in traditional British food. The full English breakfast wrap is a must.
Just when I thought I was full enough, I
came across the dessert menu. If sticky toffee pudding wrapped in a crepe does not tempt anyone, then I don't know what does. Wrapid also
offers unique vegetarian options and fantastic student offers that you simply cannot resist. The service was superb and there is always a friendly face to help those indecisive minds. Fantastic!
8 D'arblay Street, Soho, London, W1F 8DP
www.wrapid.com
The real hub of the East End; lots of great bargains to be had; a great atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon.
Victoria Park just down the road to sit and unwind in!
just off Parnell road; Bow; E3
For wheelchair users, simply riding on a double decker bus is an excellent and cheap alternative to a special disabled tour. If you learn the routes and get a day pass, you can ride anywhere.
Additionally, in many taxis, you can just wheel in and go. The underground has many wheelchair-friendly stations and links to airports and the Chunnel, if you want a new and exciting way to explore the continent!
Contact any tourist info booth in London for details, or ask at the stations.
www.bluechairbook.com
North America's Disabled Adventurer
Khaana is a cafe restaurant offering Pakistani/northern Indian/Kashmiri cuisine. The food is excellent- authentic homestyle and a lot of Asians eat in there- it offers great value for money and is very reasonably priced.
The decor is gorgeous- contemporary, stylish and light with mirrored and iridescent mosaic. Free wifi is available and you can just pop in for a coffee or chai and read the newspapers. The desserts are pretty good too. You can also eat and drink al fresco. This is the only decent Indian restaurant in Catford and surrounding areas. Absolutely worth a visit.
123 Rushey Green, Catford, London SE6 4AA (Opposite Argos)
020 8698 0258
Catford Bridge is nearest overground station.
Great pub near Spitalfields: traditional with a spice of trendiness and east London charm. If you fancy a good Sunday roast, take a break after your shopping tour on Spitalfields market and Brick Lane.
9 Folgate Street
Spitalfields
E1 6BX
London
So over the cheesy West End clubs? Try Maya. We had such an amazing time, it was heaving until the early hours. What time does this venue shut?! It was great for celeb spotting and dancing if you like obscure 80s tracks and Euro dance favourites. Definitely an asset to central London!
No1 Dean Street
London, W1
mayalondon.com
02072879608
Tottenham Court Road
Much of the excitement about holidays is in the planning, so get the kids involved. We have often tried to do this, but last year, we decided on a UK touring holiday and one dreary Sunday afternoon handed it all over to our 9 and 12 year old. Gave them a map of UK, some pins, a couple of Visit Britain brochures and, of course, the internet, recommending they consult the AA route planner and camping sites.
A little bit of guidance was needed at times, to lessen the whistle-stop nature it had the potential of turning into. For example, a 200 mile detour simply to visit a donkey sanctuary was not an option, and also to remind them to leave some blank spaces to do nothing.
The kids planned it all, printed out an itinerary with route maps, negotiated with each other (horse trek in the Lake District was traded by my daughter for the National Railway Museum in York for my son) and they even bothered to ask us about places we might like to visit (whilst giving us ‘no promises’). The holiday really worked because they felt in control and pleased with themselves when it went really well. The campsite they had found on a beach in Scotland was truly fantastic. Flexibility was needed for the weather, but plans didn’t deviate too much. They weren’t allowed to.
It turned out one of best holidays ever. Did all sorts we’d never normally have done and, it’s a cliché, but we really got to appreciate our own country. The kids did learn they’d probably tried to fit too much into 12 days. But by them controlling it, they accepted the driving distances, for it was their decision. The tables were turned and I had the chance to whinge “Are we nearly there yet?”.
The holiday culminated in a long awaited trip to Alton Towers, and two satisfied children as we headed back down south. However, this year, I’m back in the driving seat!
We went there on Saturday February 3 2008 and had a really lovely meal. The staff were friendly, the food was really good, and the presentation, texture and taste were superb. The chef even comes around to all the tables to ask if everything is OK - not something that I have experienced before. We will certainly be going there again in the near future, and have already booked the table.
Wonderful Italian-style 'gelateria' just by Chalk Farm tube station. Enjoy one of their delicious sundaes and then walk it off on lovely Primrose Hill. A perfect place to take the kids.
Just next to Chalk Farm tube station (Northern Line)
www.marineices.co.uk/
Intimate underground music venue in the heart of Dalston. Sounds and styles may shift night-on-night, but it seems all of the promoters have their fingers on the pulse of their respective scenes. A local sweatbox that parades hyped acts at least six months before they truly blow up... but then can't afford to them back once they have. I admire that in a venue though.
38-44 Stoke Newington Road. London N16 7XJ
This is a wonderfully atmospheric pub that constantly looks shut from the outside so is never too busy. Upstairs is a room that could be your lounge. Every Wednesday they put on live music and they never fail to impress me. The old chesterfield chairs allow you to go beyond relaxation and let you take in the acoustic sounds played out to you.
Number 2 Queens Crescent, Chalk Farm
Now I know it's a church but it also doubles as a fantastic music venue. I've been to a lot of London venues and this is my all-time favourite, great acoustics, good ambience and it also has the benefit of not being too big or impersonal.
Nearest tube: Highbury and Islington
Ok, it may only be suitable as a summer venue but what a venue!
Beautiful courtyard setting, small and intimate, slightly sloping down to the stage to give a good view, and some cracking acts. Kasabian and Prodigy playing there stand out as being awesome gigs.
Even though it can sometimes take a while to get a beer, at least they have a orderly and well managed queuing system!
The Strand, central London.
While Brixton is a close second, the Astoria is my favourite due to the ease of getting a beer, the size of the venue and its central location. Given that it doesn't look like it will be around much longer, go there while you still can!
The only downside is having a toilet attendant trying to offer you aftershave - you may want that in a nice bar but not midway through Maximo Park!
Tottenham Court Road
Just down the road from the mighty Shepherdess Cafe, towards Old St station and on the left-hand side of City Road, is a little street called Westland Place (there's a shop on the corner called Renaissance which sells gothic fireplaces).
This is the home of St. Jamie Oliver's original Fifteen restaurant but also featured in the execrable film, Closer. A door on the left-hand side of the street labelled Westland Place Studios, between the fireplace shop and an old piping company premises, was the Julia Roberts character's front door in the vacuous, self-regarding snorefest.
In this scene, Jude Law's character makes a reference to going to "the pub round the corner". He was talking about the Eagle, a pleasant old boozer behind the Shepherdess Cafe, that features, along with City Road, in a less well-known verse of the nursery rhyme, Pop Goes the Weasel.
Probably the best live music venue for bands that are just about to hit it huge, or major acts getting back to the grime pit for a real atmospheric and intimate experience and nowhere else can lay claim to hosting the Libertines in a major venue before all the hype and nonsense.
A great performance at the Astoria ultimately proves whether you can last or fade. Sadly it looks like the Astoria itself may die a death before too long.
Whether you're standing at the back or moshing at the front the Academy is ideal - small enough for that intimate atmosphere, big enough to generate some noise and passion. OK, so it's sponsored by Carling, so the beer's not great so for a pre-gig pint and some nosebag, nip into the Dogstar on Coldharbour Lane for some good value Mexican food.
Carling Academy Brixton: 211 Stockwell Road London SW9 www.brixton-academy.co.uk/
Whether you're standing at the back or moshing at the front, the Academy is ideal - small enough for that intimate atmosphere, big enough to generate some noise and passion. OK, so it's sponsored by Carling, so the beer's not great. For a pre-gig pint and some nosebag, nip into the Dogstar on Coldharbour Lane for some good value Mexican food.
Carling Academy Brixton: 211 Stockwell Road London SW9 www.brixton-academy.co.uk/
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