Helen's reviews
Review of Harry Morgan
22 Nov 07, 13:45
Wonderful chicken soup 
I've just moved jobs and so am trying out all the little cafes around Oxford Circus. I think Harry M's is the nearest place to my office door, but thankfully that doesn't mean it is also the most rubbish.
I've only tried the chicken soup, but that's only because its so blimmin good that I don't want to try anything else. I always have the chicken kreplah soup, which is filled with noodles, chicken, carrots and strange dumpling keplah things. They look like tiny brains, but are apparently beef dumplings. They're delicious, so I don't mind that they look a bit creepy.
The soup tastes like its made from proper stock, and is nice and oily like you'd hope. Its also one of those places who chop up the noodles before they whack them in the soup, so you can eat it in the office without looking like you have the eating skills of a toddler. Hurrah.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Shampan
07 Nov 07, 15:42
Best curry house on Brick Lane
There are an awful lot of terrible restaurants on Brick Lane, I'm still not 100% sure that there isn't one kitchen underground serving out food for the entire road. Shampan is a gem though. It's not snazzy, it's not modern and it probably isn't worth a trek to - but if you're walking up Brick Lane, being hounded by the curry hawks outside then you should definitely duck into this place.
The menu is earthy with an emphasis on traditional cooking, there are lots of pulses and stew type dishes on the menu, as well as all the standards you'd expect. It definitely has enough to offer the more adventurous curry explorer though, there are plenty of unusual options to pick from.
The service is good and quick. The toilets aren't wonderful and the place is always noisy - but that's what you want from a curry house. The noise that is, not rubbish toilets. x
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hope and Anchor
07 Nov 07, 15:21
One of the best beer gardens in the area?
OK, OK. This place looks a bit rough from the outside, I'd walked past it for months before even considering going inside. But... its actually a bit of a haven of tranquility when you go in.
Its got your standard low slung leather seating that you expect from most posh-ish pubs, but the beer garden is what makes this place so special. Not only does it have an outdoors bar serving cocktails but it has its own treehouse! It is tucked away at the back of the long garden, raised up from the ground and covered in tiny fairy lights. Climb up into it and you'll find a bit of a Lebanese feel, with low chairs and a big low table. Very comfy and super romantic.
They also have a big fire table (I'm sure there's a proper word for it) but it is basically a bonfire in the middle of a huge round stone table which people can sit around, lovely for those cold winter nights. x
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Mildreds
07 Nov 07, 13:00
Scrumptious and healthy
This place is great when you're feeling like you've over indulged recently and need to eat your weight in beans and veg.
The food is wonderful, with a great specials menu that changes often. The burgers are superb, as are the smoothies.
But as Grace said above, not being able to book makes things a bit tricky, but I've never had to wait more than five minutes or so at lunchtime.
I just wish they did take away boxes! x
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Holy Cow
05 Oct 07, 08:21
Very, very good
I was feeling lazy last night and really didn't want to cook; we'd had the Holy Cow menu dropped through our door a few weeks and, being a bit of a snob, i was impressed by their super posh menu.
I ordered their Murg Palung, which was chicken breast with spinach. It was absolutely scrumptious, not the normal oily, spinach curry you'd expect but really fresh, light and summery. Proper fresh spinach too, none of that frozen mush you sometimes get.
The delivery was speedy but not quite hot enough when it arrived, so i did have to pop it in the microwave for a minute.
I'm absolutely going to order from them again.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.