Rachael's reviews
Review of Boots The Chemists
29 May 08, 13:56
handy 
This is a good Boots, large with plenty of staff on hand to help you out. It is always busy but the queues move quickly, and it's handy being so close to Charing Cross station (and bigger than the average in-station branch). I love their two for one offers and the advantage card is genius.
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Review of Post Office
28 May 08, 14:10
Busy busy busy
This is a huge post office in a central location so you can't really expect it to be any less busy than it is at peak times like lunch. I do feel that the closing of the smaller ones everywhere will only serve to put more pressure on these larger ones. The queue for the windows is a perpetual massive snake but it slithers quickly. You can't even buy a lottery ticket or stamps quickly at the retail desk. The photo booth did not work when we needed it last - that was a poor show. And admittedly, it could do with a make over as the interior is basic and archaic.
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Review of CHI
28 May 08, 14:04
Healthy Veggie Chinese Food 
This is a really nice place to go for a take-away box of healthy Chinese food, for a decent price too. I am pretty sure it's all vegetarian, I have only ever seen tofu dishes and vegetables in different sauces, alongside noodles and spring rolls and the like. They are very friendly and quick to serve you. You pay for the box (I think it's £4) and fill it up buffet style with whatever you choose.
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Review of Subway
28 May 08, 14:01
Not bad
Subways are pretty standard wherever you go - my rule is not to order anything which requires heating (other than toasting the cheese on the bread). The meat fillings like pizziola (or whatever it's called) don't taste great and are even worse when warmed rather than heated properly. I have heard tales of rats here but have never seen them, nor have I seen pigeons anywhere near the food. This Subway is more of a stall than a shop though, so you do wonder how safely the food is stored. When I go here for my 6 inch tuna on the odd occasion it's usually been fine. They take card payments now.
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Review of Hamburger Union
25 May 08, 20:00
Nice chunky chips
Yes bring back the £5 deal! I agree with Callum. This is a nice burger place though, with great chunky chips too. The prices aren't too bad though, as the ingredients are nice and fresh tasting. The style is canteen like, with long wooden benches, you order your food at the counter on the way in and it is brought to you. It's a nice site on a corner of the entrance to Leicester Square, an all window front which lets in a lot of light. Nice lunch venue.
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Review of Corean Chilli
25 May 08, 19:27
Great Karaoke!
Korean food is lovely and this place serves great dishes. Go here for a change from the Chinese restaurants of Soho.
The best thing about it is you can hire a Karoake booth downstairs - the machines are easy to use and have a wide selection of songs to choose from. They serve you drinks as you need them so you can ahve as many as you need to get the bottle up to sing!
We had such a fun works do in here - go and check it out, reasonable prices for a top night out.
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Review of LOccitane
21 May 08, 17:41
Lovely lotions and potions
This is a beautiful shop - perfect place to go for gifts. You can can lovely smelling and soft feeling perfumes and lotions. My favourite is the honey range - especially the eau de toilette...I like the quirky packaging - it comes in a large yoghurt carton thingy with a design on it like something out of a children's story book. There are two floors of delights here - go check it out for something for auntie or gran, or treat yourself why not?
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Review of HSBC
15 May 08, 14:14
Very efficient!
I really love HSBC's paying in machines - they give you a receipt with a scan of the cheque! This is a very state of the art branch with machines galore, hence my giving it four stars. They are very clearly separated and marked into 'cash' 'statements' and 'paying in' and there seem to be enough to keep the people traffic moving effectively. Also, if you are seeing someone about information on your account, an agent will take you into a private booth area rather than you having to discuss personal matters in front of everyone. What is not so good is the 'telephone banking' in house phone system - which is confusing and unclear. However, a decent branch in all other respects!
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Review of NatWest
15 May 08, 13:19
Good management
The staff in here are always really friendly and helpful - I think this is the most important feature of any bank. As it is a central London branch, it gets pretty busy at lunchtimes, though the staff never look harrassed. They keep an eye on the queues and bring out additional members to help as soon as there are more than three people in the queue. It is nicely laid out too, you're either in the till section or at the information desk - a simple and efficient use of the space. A good bank on the whole, and a great branch at Charing Cross.
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Review of Maxwells
10 May 08, 11:36
Nice hamburger joint
Went here on a summer's day which wasn't the best choice as we had to sit inside (there are only two tables outside) and it's pretty dark. But the hamburgers were pretty nice and the service was quick and with a smile I thought. Of course, it's London prices - so a hamburger with chips and a salad is a tenner. Though being literally just off Covent Garden market so you can't complain!
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Review of Pret A Manger
06 May 08, 23:38
Fast fresh food
This is a good Pret branch, large with quite a bit of seating and very effiicient staff as is customary of the brand - it gets busy but the queues move so quickly you don't notice it. I go here a lot as it is one of the closest to where I work. My favourite sandwich is the chicken and avocado, but the wraps are good too - especially the veggie avocado one and the hoisin duck one. The new hot wraps are worth a try too. And the vegetable crisps - mmmm!
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Review of The Sanctuary
06 May 08, 17:34
Just like it's name... 
This place is wonderful, you get to it through a passage at the back of the street-facing shop, and as soon as you step you feel as though you are entering a real haven. Everything is so tranquil and the design of the place is lovely. Apart from the changing rooms (where you can feel a bit cramped if visiting in a busy period like an evening) the space is exceptionally well used. And the different relaxation rooms are beautifully designed, from the koi carp lounge (where loads of fish swim under your feet –you can cross over on small footbridges) to the extreme chill out vibe in a darkened attic room with reclining loungers and gentle music playing. The spa features such as the Jacuzzis, saunas and steam rooms are lovely too.
Then you’ve got the treatments, which can be pricey but worth it for the experience. Always check the website if you are planning to go for a group outing, as they often have special package offers on for different parts of the day or current month. From facials to toning skin wraps to massage – you’ve got so much to choose from and all the treatments I’ve had are great – the facial and reflexology combination session is particularly good! It is good to know you can get all the products they use in high street stores like Boots.
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Review of Charing Cross Railway Station
03 May 08, 10:51
Crowded but well run
For the most part, the trains run smoothly from this really busy station, which is popular for it's quick direct links to Waterloo and London Bridge. There are a few shops to mosey around, even a pub if you have the time for a drink, and lots of eateries like The Upper Crust if you want to grab something. There are ticket checking machines here before the platform areas. They often close one of the entrances when it's raining as the floor gets slippery, which causes congestion but you are always people dodging in here anyway so you just have to deal with the traffic and get on with it!
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Review of Nandos
23 Apr 08, 13:02
Lovely
This is a huge Nando’s, nicely furnished with huge tables so perfect for large groups. You order your food, get given a number then choose your table. It is always busy during lunchtime (as I imagine in the evenings too) but the staff get the orders taken as quickly as possible. I am a big fan of the food, and tried the new mango marinade here recently rather than the medium piri piri that I usually go for – it was a winner. Try their sweet potato mash too – it is something a bit different and very tasty.
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Review of Chiquito Restaurant Bar
23 Apr 08, 09:00
Service a bit lacking 
This place was not at all busy when we went here for lunch, but they chose to sit us right at the back dark area of the restaurant, next to the toilets. They shouldn't have even had a table that close to the bathroom given the scale of the place. The food was ok, nothing special, I have never found a great Mexican restaurant and fear I will have to go to Mexico before I do. For the location of this place they could be trying to do a lot better.
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Review of West Cornwall Pasty Company
22 Apr 08, 14:17
Great pasties
The West Cornwall Pasty Co is great - I like the veggie pasties and the cheese and onion rolls are good. It's take away or sit down. If you sit down, they serve alcohol too - bonus. It is central to all the action in the marketplace, with views of where those steet artists do their thing. Lovely eaterie in a great part of town.
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Review of The Photographers Gallery
19 Apr 08, 17:30
Wonderful gallery
This is a free, small exhibition of creative photographic work which is an absolute haven in the middle of one of London's busiest tourist areas. I have never gone in there and not liked what they are displaying. If you lean or have ever leaned towards conceptual photography at all, take a break from the posing shots of the average facebook profile to go here and be re-inspired by the work of thought-provoking artists that uphold what photography should be about. Combine with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery which is just up the road.
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Review of The Coal Hole
19 Apr 08, 16:47
Characterful pub
This is a decent pub in a good location on its own on the Strand. It is dark inside and out, I like the mock-gothic exterior, it almost looks like the entrance to a ghost train ride. And the inside is nice and traditional, with booths and beams. You get larger than life characters in here, chatty local Londoners so it's a good place to go if you like random conversation with strangers. I have not tried the food but am determined to try the pies people have been raving about here!
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Review of The Porterhouse
19 Apr 08, 16:38
Busy busy!
This is a large, very popular Covent Garden venue. It gets manic and on the sub-terranean levels it's pretty much impossible to get a signal on your phone, which is irritating when trying to locate friends in there. But if you can handle pushing past people all night to get to the bar and then back to your spot (which is a given with London pubs of this scale) it'll be OK. A good move is to hire out a booth if you are going with a group (it doesn't cost anything to do this). An interesting feature for me was the positioning of the live band that started playing halfway through the evening when I was last there, they were stuck up on a tiny stage suspended behind the bar!
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Review of Pitcher and Piano
18 Apr 08, 23:53
S'ok
This is not too bad for a standard P&P. The drinks are of the usual fine range and the venue is of the standard large, spacious feel. Fine for a visit if you know the format and are after what you are familiar with, though there are plenty more bars in the vicinity with more character...
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Review of The Chandos
12 Apr 08, 16:12
A real boozer!
You just can't argue with the value if this place, it has been mentioned in many of it's reviews already but a pint for 2 quid? Isn't that what the bloke with the cask fixed to the top of the building is there for - shouting it from the rooftops?!
I only go in there at lunchtime so the vibe then is very much an old man's one, I can only imagine how busy and loud it gets at night. But rightfully so.
The booths are great, I love the 'real' pub decor, the darkness of downstairs is a stark contrast to upstairs, it's like two different venues almost. Go and check it out, it is a little hidden gem within the busy expensive venues near Leicester Square.
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Review of Gabys Deli
09 Apr 08, 20:18
Amaaaazing!
Gaby's is wonderful, its my place of choice to get take away lunch. My favourite dishes are each only 3.50 and fill you up a treat...the falafel in pitta is delicious and the '5 salads' are pretty healthy, a genius invention whereby you choose a large spoonful of 5 different foods like lentils, green salad, aubergines, spinach and chick peas...there are so many to choose from. They occasionally give you an extra falafel ball in your packet. And they are always smiling...can't big them up enough.
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Review of The Garrick Arms
09 Apr 08, 20:03
My Works' Local
It's overpriced but the measures are big, so it's easy to get drunk. I like their White Zinfandel, it's like drinking squash...not many pubs serve that. They do jugs of Pimms in the summer. A man tried to sell my friend fish in there once, from inside his jacket. Another old vagrant-looking guy one night approached everyone rambling solely about football. You do get random characters wandering in. I guess a pub is made by the people who drink there, and as those are friends from work, its an ok place!!
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