• Added: 26th of August 2007
• Area: Upper Walthamstow
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London E17 4QH
020 8509 8844

TheMoth said
A modern take on the sandwich bar.
We'd read a few reviews of Daisy's which were very enthusiastic and so decided to check it out for ourselves.

Situated in a small row of smart shops (an organic grocer and a newly-refurbished Chinese restaurant sit next door to it) among Walthamstow's usual mix of shabby and chain stores, Daisy's colourful shopfront certainly stands out.

Inside, it is airy and light, with simple decor heavily reliant on Ikea (right down to the glasses the fruit juice arrived in) and modern (local?) art hanging on the walls - all available to buy, should one be so inclined.

We ordered a couple of baguettes - in the £2.50 - £4 sort of range - but they also do toasted ciabatta and panini. My companion was a little nonplussed by the complete lack of salad in her prawn & marie rose baguette, which, with its bright orange sauce, was a bit too heavy on the ketchup. I had tuna & sweetcorn which was, you know, fine.

I think some reviews of this place perhaps promise too much. It is basically a standard sandwich bar - the sort which usually has a lot of aluminium and white tiles - with some funky modern decor. Of course, the big selling point of a lot of the reviews passed us by: this place has a real reputation for being child (and breast feeding)-friendly. Viewed in that light, Daisy's must be an oasis for new families.

• Added: 26th of August 2007
• Area: Mayfair
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London W1S 2FL
020 7629 6879

TheMoth said
A good find
While waiting for the shops in the Oxford/Regent Street area to open, we happened upon this little coffee shop and decided to while away some time sitting at one of the tables outside the front while drinking coffee.

And I'm rather glad we did, this was a very nice place to stop. Service was quick and put us at our ease - we didn't feel rushed, but within a few seconds of setting foot in the place we had given our order and been invited to sit outside. It can't have been much longer before the coffee itself was in front of us.

Excellent cappuccinos, dark, creamy and frothy, perfect for breakfast. While we sat down, several people popped in to buy lunch - we didn't try the sandwiches, but judging by the little shop's popularity it wouldn't have been a mistake to do so.

• Added: 6th of August 2007
• Area: Upper Walthamstow
• Category: Restaurants

London E17 9NJ
020 8521 5279

TheMoth said
Friendly new arrivals in the Village.
Stumbled across this place this morning and it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, I had to rush off so there was only time to grab a coffee (and get a quick guided tour - they are very friendly and enthusiastic about the place).

The coffee was good - it's a worry when you go into a small cafe that they'll have bitter, cheap coffee which doesn't live up to the price a few IKEA chairs scattered about the place seems to justify. But no, this was nice, quite mellow.

The decor was modern and smart, the hours of business look interesting for people who don't work locally (I think he said 9am - 10pm, but don't sue me if you turn up at 9:30 on a Tuesday night and they're closed). We'll definitely be returning to sample the waffle-based food... though I think I'll draw the line at Thai green curry.

• Added: 6th of August 2007
• Area: Blackfriars
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London SE1 0SW
020 7928 3850

TheMoth said
No frills but worth a visit
Very popular with the nearby office workers because it is cheap, fast and the food is good; the sandwich bar has a decent variety of bread and fillings and the cooked food is made fresh - you can see the kitchen from the counter.

It can get insanely busy at lunchtimes (12-2ish), but a two-tier queue system (one for those wanting take-away, one for eat-in) keeps things brisk.

In the morning, I can strongly recommend their toast. Butter not margarine and slices from a bloomer rather than your usual sliced white.

• Added: 6th of August 2007
• Area: Monument
• Category: Hotels and Travel

London EC2R 8AY
020 7657 8080

TheMoth said

During the week, this is a ridiculously pricey stopover for those with expense accounts to burn. During the weekend, however, business customers flee to their Surrey estates leaving the hotel open to plebs like me. For not too much money, then, ordinary folk can marvel, goggle-eyed at how the rich do live.

As a birthday treat for my girlfriend, I booked the Romance Package - champagne (good champagne, too), rose petals scattered on the bed at turn-down, candle-lit bathroom (again with the rose petals), what may or may not have been Molton Brown toiletries and breakfast in bed.

The room we were in was well-designed with a lounge area at one end, separated from the bedroom by the bathroom (good news if one of you wants to watch some TV while the other sleeps). The furniture was modern and very comfortable, a bit Conran but not quite as crisply designed.

The only problem we encountered was a minor one - we ordered their "Movie Deal" package, consisting of popcorn and ice-cream to go with one of the pay-per-view movies on offer. This arrived after the movie had finished and it was obvious that there was only a skeleton staff at weekends. Having said that, the staff that were there were very apologetic and assured us that we would not be charged. The ice cream was delicious and went very well with the popcorn. Yes, this was truly the sophisticated lifestyle one reads about in Harpers & Queen.