Firetop

I’m getting married in January and at the moment there’s quite a lot to be sorted out. On Sunday Suzie_Q and I took a trip to the wedding fair at Denbies Vineyard in Dorking. We weren’t sure how much we’d learn, since we attended the previous fair back in March. We didn’t pick up anything new - most of the exhibitors were the same, various purveyors of wedding rings and wedding cakes, a magician, harp player, and florist. Denbies hire out their venue for civil ceremonies and wedding receptions so have a stand to promote that service. Suzie_Q and I did consider choosing them for the reception, but upon lunching there last week with Dorking’s entire population of grey haired residents, I realised the conservatory restaurant reminded me too much of Littlewoods café in Stevenage, despite the lovely building design. (more…)

Thursday evening saw an office outing to ’Funland’ at the Trocadero in Piccadilly - eight lanes hired for a multiple team and individual play-off. We were due to start bowling at about 8pm, but the lanes weren’t actually available until 8:45pm, so the management placated us with some free tokens for the dodgems in the basement. Didn’t engage in that activity myself so watched instead, used to love the dodgems when I was a kid but like so many similar theme-park style rides, being 6ft 5″ usually leads to whip-lash or bruised legs. Somebody needs to build comfortable rides for tall people. (more…)

Last Thursday saw my colleagues and I take a trip to Karaoke Box ‘Dai Chan’ in Soho. Based in Frith Street, just off Old Compton Street, Karaoke Box is a 5-minute walk from Leicester Square tube station. I’ve been there for a sing-along a few times in the past year and had some good fun. I was therefore quite surprised when I looked up the phone number on a directory website and found a reviewer complaining about the staff. I’ve never had occasion to take a dislike to them and indeed, when I called to make this reservation two weeks ago, I received the best telephone customer service that I can remember. (more…)

There are five curry houses in and around Dorking, the worst of which we have found to be Red Chilli on the A24 (formerly a Little Chef - very watery kormas). Thankfully the best one ‘Dorking Brasserie’ is the finest curry house for some miles (rivalled only by ‘Golden Curry’ in Reigate). I strongly advise sampling their Chicken Korma with its tender pieces of chicken and wonderfully flavoured sauce. The Brasserie even offer ‘Weight Watchers’ low-calorie curries if you’re eating out (or taking-away) with a diet-crazy friend. (more…)

Suzie_Q had plans of her own on Friday evening so I was at a bit of a loose end after work. Whilst drinking at the Lincoln Lounge I was offered the opportunity to attend a birthday party with a colleague for a gentleman called ‘Phil’. I was promised belly dancers and funky DJs, so it seemed an opportunity too good to turn down. We took the tube over to Brook’s Music Bar on Shepherd’s Bush Road in discovered it only a few minutes walk from Hammersmith tube station, beneath the Brook Green Hotel; a night called ‘The Flying Carpet’.  (more…)

‘The Big Chill House’ is the name of the newly refurbished bar / restaurant on Pentonville Road beside King’s Cross Thameslink station. Previously this bar had been themed around a Bedouin / Arabic tent and named ‘Sahara Nights’, but all traces of that establishment are gone, and presumably the Belly Dancing nights with it! The new decor of this bar is much more modern and minimalist. This visit on Wednesday evening was more of a reconnaissance mission for my fellow drinkers and I to see if we want to go back again. I think probably we do, as it seems much more professional and clean; I’d trust them to cook me a meal now. (more…)

It’s not often you come across a situation where you think you’re going to be killed, the last time it happened to me was back in 2000 on a holiday with Suzie_Q in Rhodes. We went out touring the island in an open topped Suzuki jeep with a couple we met there (Ali and Tracy) and discovered he couldn’t drive (a London bus driver). We narrowly missed falling fences, passing cars and 500ft cliff drops all day – something seemed to be out to get them, Suzie_Q and I never held hands so tight before. The next day we gave it a miss and later learned that they’d crashed – both were flown to Athens hospital. So it was with much horror that we discovered a driver of more dangerous proportions taking us to the Wedding reception some half hour’s journey away on Saturday. (more…)

‘Konstam at the Prince Albert’ was the chosen lunch venue for Friday as suggested by Fink Angel. This new restaurant on the Kings Cross Road is run by leading chef Oliver Rowe. With a menu of ingredients all sourced from inside London’s M25 motorway it seems like a bit of a gimmick. I’m not sure he’s quite managed to stick to his M25 rule with mains on offer such as ’Stansted Duck’ and ‘Seven Oaks Beef Steak’ - both towns were outside the M25 the last time I looked at a map. However, it has to be better than seeing ‘Heathrow Swan’ on offer so we’ll forgive him for some slight mileage variations. There wasn’t enough time for starters because we were locked out for ten minutes past their advertised 12:30pm opening so I missed out on trying the wood pigeon. However, the main course was well worth the extra few minutes walk from the office. (more…)

The Bosphorus Turkish Restaurant in Cardiff was a strange place, the service was probably the worst I’ve ever experienced in my life, I’m not even sure I’d call it service, it was almost self-catering. I can’t fault the food though, very nice indeed. Presumably it’s the food that draws the punters in, and was responsible for the queue which was twenty strong by the time we were seated at our table. Despite our local guide for the evening having telephoned ahead and booked a table for six, we ended up crowded around a table for four; apparently when they confirmed the booking on the phone for ‘inside the restaurant’ it was a mistake, they meant ’sit outside in the cold’ - which we didn’t want to do. (more…)