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409 Clapham Road, Clapham, London SW9 9BT
hedgiecc
last updated on 28-02-2009:
It it wasn’t for Qype, I might never have known about this restaurant: and for years, I lived virtually around the corner!
What interests me is that this place has certainly captured the imagination of the Claphamites (or, at least, the qyping section of the Claphamites), as opposed to its competition on the common, Trinity, which hasn’t attracted nearly as many reviews, despite hanging in the same sort of price range, and with similar pretensions to above-average cooking.
Trinity’s decor feels a little bland and soulless - 409 gets it absolutely right. It’s a gorgeous, welcoming space, even though they cram as many tables in as humanly possible - great planning, from a turnover point of view. It feels intimate, not necessarily over-crowded, but it got completely ram-packed the Friday we were there.
I was emailed to confirm my booking, and then called on my mobile to re-re-confirm on the day, too. With (I thought) a pretty rude stipulation that we had the table for 2 hours max - pretty rich, I thought, coming from a neighbourhood restaurant (and this in the dog days of February).
I booked an early slot because my guest was just off a long-haul flight. We arrived just before 7 to a very quiet restaurant - but by 9 the place was heaving, and we had to shout to hear each other. We weren’t hassled to leave.
The staff were all pretty wonderful - friendly, polite, helpful and efficient. I really felt they were concentrating on making the experience good for us, but our waitress didn’t hover unnecessarily either - she actually had quite a large number of tables to look after.
And the food was faultless. Every element was just perfect. My sea-bass was fabulously fresh and tasty; my guest loved her chicken. We both had a sublime rhubarb compote and blood-orange sorbet for dessert.
Yep, it’s not cheap, and extras are very efficiently padded onto the basic special-offer menu (in the end, making up over 60% of the bill - despite we only had one glass of wine each). But I would say this is a real peach of place - can’t wait to go again.
3 people thought this review was helpful
Eastern Concourse, Victoria, London SW1V 1JU
hedgiecc
last updated on 09-02-2009:
I can remember a time when sushi was impossibly exotic – now there seems to be another sushi-chain opening all the time: veritably, sushi chains appear to be to the Noughties what coffee chains were to the Nineties.
Of course, pretty much all sushi eaten from a chain is not authentic as the rice is refrigerated, but the concept would not be viable in a mass-commercial establishment otherwise, I suppose.
I was delighted to come across the Victoria branch of this chain and stop by now whenever I’m in the area at lunchtime (which is not often enough). Their display is incredibly pretty and eye-catching: a bank of jewelled sushi right on the concourse. Each piece is individually wrapped (they have a state of the art sushi-wrapping machine from Japan: a “sushi robot” according to their beautifully-designed website). Prices range from about £1.20 for two pieces upwards. They charge extra for soy, pickled ginger and wasabi (5p each).
The selection is very imaginative, wide-ranging (and delicious). The choice of all-individual pieces allows one to compile a box of favourites, as well as sampling more adventurous choices. I love the flexibility this encourages; however, the amount of packaging is pretty alarming from an environmental perspective.
They also do a range of cooked meal options, which I must get round to trying one day - I’m too much of a sushi person.
2 people thought this review was helpful
17 The Pavement, Clapham, London SW4 0HY
hedgiecc
last updated on 09-02-2009:
Zeitgeist has presided over The Pavement for as long as I can remember – in a world of growing homogeneity a beacon of stylish individuality and a great neighbourhood resource. The storefront, a grand Georgian (?) façade painted a hippy-ish purple has a Selfridge-style impact suitably scaled-down to this small stretch of largely quite wonderful and unique establishments facing onto the common. Its windows too show flair and are frequently updated,
It’s a gift shop full of intriguing trinkets. The stock is imaginatively resourced and displayed: cards, jewellery, small home gifts, and local interest things – it seems to aim to cater for all ages (the trendier spectrum of all ages, that is). I find it really impossible to emerge without succumbing to temptation.
3 people thought this review was helpful
128A London Road, London KT2 6QJ
hedgiecc
last updated on 30-01-2009:
A very welcome pit-stop on the London Road, Bijou is great for reasonably priced fresh sandwiches, panini, bagels, jacket potatoes and salads, as well as teas and coffees and a small selection of pastries and sweets.
There are a few tables and chairs – the space is quite small, and on the very busy London Road. Much patronised by local office workers.
2 people thought this review was helpful
Coombe Road West, Norbiton, London KT2 7AZ
hedgiecc
last updated on 30-01-2009:
Norbiton station is on the “Kingston loop” in south west London, about half an hour from Waterloo Station in central London. It is the stop before Kingston, and one gets off here for Kingston Hospital. It is in zone 5, and trains stopping here are operated by South Western. Due to the proximity of the hospital and local businesses, it does seem busier than the average suburban station, and certainly busier than its small-scale low-key looks would suggest.
It also has something of a distinguished history – apparently, Queen Victoria always used this station when visiting the area on her royal train, as it’s the only one in the vicinity with the platforms at ground level! Also, the station was used as a set in the sitcom ‘The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin’.
There are no steps on the platform heading south to London; on the northward platform there are some steps, but also a step-free ramp exit (which is sometimes closed).
The ticket office opens ‘till about 7 pm-ish in the evenings, when it closes (it also acts as the waiting room.) The website says it’s open to 20h30 – not in my experience as a regular commuter.
There are 60 spaces for cycle parking, and also a small car park. The station doesn’t have a taxi rank.
Oyster cards do not operate out here – pretty annoyingly. There are plans (at time of writing) to roll out oyster cards on all suburban London mainline trains, but Kingston will be the last area to get these – sometime towards the end of 2010.
The station has a really excellent independent coffee stall, selling coffees, teas, juices and various pastries. The proprietor always has a friendly smile and remembers his regulars’ orders. Big queues in the morning rush hour.
1 people thought this review was helpful
Phoenix House Wilbraham Place, London SW1X 9AE
190 London Road, London KT2 6JR
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