punkypickle's profile

I’ve visited this branch a couple of times before and been a bit disappointed by the service, but last weekend really took the biscuit! My boyfriend and I were really looking forward to a chilled out sunday brunch and fancied Eggs Benedict and he wanted to go to the Strand on the Green branch.
We wanted to sit outside as it was a nice day so we went inside to check in with the waitress before sitting down. We were greeted with a sulky grumpy girl, who begrudgingly showed us to a free table.

After a bit of a wait she came and took our order of 2 hot drinks and 2 eggs benedict and then took the order from another couple who were seated nearby.

We waited…and waited …and waited! The other couples’ drinks arrived and they had drank them and another couples drinks arrived but still no sign of ours…so after 15 minutes we asked another waitress, who was very apologetic and went to find our order.

Then a waiter came out with 2 eggs benedict…and gave them to the couple who had ordered after us….that really got my goat (which was already snorting from the drinks muck up..)
Then the other couple got their breakfasts….and then ours arrived.

My boyfriends looked perfect, but mine…hmmm. The poached eggs were all broken and it looked a sloppy- I could’ve done better but I’m rubbish at poaching eggs, but what really bothered me was when I cut into the eggs there was a large brown blob-I know that sometimes you get a bit of blood in the occasional egg…but it wasn’t blood….so I went to find the waitress (the already apologetic one). She came to have a look and explained that the Chef uses vinegar in the water to poach the egg, but they had run out of white vinegar and were using Balsamic.

I was pretty miffed (I’m not usually sulky or a complainer or fussy) but I chose to just eat the thing (sans brown blob) and never go there again! Needless to say they did not get a tip.

I would recommend that if you are looking for a decent brunch head to the Copper Cow in Grove Park, because that’s where I wanted to go, and bloomin’ well should of that day (not listening to my boyf again! ;) )

All Bar One is one of those chains, which you either love or hate. In the past I’ve found nice quiet ones where you can enjoy a meal and a drink with friends, but unfortunately this one has become like “party central” being so packed that people pour out into the street, with thumping house music (my worst nightmare).

You’ll never find a seat, so if standing around with the suits after work is your idea of fun, this is the place for you, if not, head to the George IV instead which isn’t far away!

The Hole In The Wall is hidden away in a residential street in Chiswick, away from the main throng of activity in the High Road. This means that frequently it is very quiet there. I know most people long for a quiet pub, but unfortunately it comes across as having no atmosphere and unpopular.

They have a good wine list, and in the winter, a nice open fire.

The food here is really nice but totally overpriced. I can’t remember the exact pricing but I remember ordering the roast pork belly and wondering how on earth it constituted being priced at the price it was. I don’t mind paying a bit more for well cooked, generous meals but this was ridiculous. The vegetables were virtually raw and the pork very dry as it was over cooked.

I can’t say that I’ve rushed back to eat there, but it’s great for a quiet drink with friends.

The Bull’s Head is a pleasant little pub resting alongside a picturesque part of the River Thames, near Kew Bridge.
In the summer it is really quite busy outside as customers strive to gain a seat on one of the benches outside to sit in the sun.

Inside it really is very cosy. The walls are lined with empty wine bottles and the rooms are decked with warm toned wood.

When I first went to the Bull’s Head, I was really looking forward to trying the food as it’s a popular favourite among the Chiswickians and so I was hoping for something special.
The menu reads well, with lots of choices and specials.

However, I was really let down by the quality of the food. It seemed nothing more than you would expect to get at a Harvester. The vegetables tasted as though they were frozen, and I remember the peas I got with my fish and chips were particularly revolting.

I have since ventured further down the Thames and enjoyed more pleasant food at the other pubs.

Don’t get me wrong, the Bull’s Head is a really nice pub, it just doesn’t live up to the hype!

I used to frequent the Crown and Anchor, it was our favourite pub, and by that I mean a REAL pub! It felt cosy and the staff were friendly and welcoming, and more importantly IT HAD A POOL TABLE…there was a nice mix of classics on the juke box and pickled eggs behind the bar..

Sadly it was turned into Shackology, which unintentially (I think) turned into a yummy mummy haven, full of screaming “little darlings” and ladies that lunch. This without a doubt put me off, and saddened me to the core, as one of the last remaining “pubby pubs” got the dreaded gastro makeover.

So then when I found out that the Crown and Anchor had returned to it’s former glory, we popped in for a visit.

I can’t help but feel that the new Crown and Anchor is lacking in an atmosphere. It feels confused, like it’s in between a relaxed coffee shop (with IKEA bookcase full of books , sofas and rugs) and an upbeat funky cocktail bar (ladies night, ambient dance music). It just doesn’t work.

The food menu looked pleasant enough, but we had just eaten, so didn’t indulge.

I think in my dream state, I would imagine big church candles on the tables and some fairy lights, along with some funky chilled out tunes (no dance music). Comfy sofas (already there) board games that you can borrow from the bar, an open fire, organic wines and beers, plus the fullers beers. Maybe some cool snacks, thai chilli crackers, pick n mix sweets, olives… just more cosy and chilled out. It could be so easy to do without too much effort…oh and one thing that is seriously lacking in Chiswick….a decent roast dinner on a sunday…and a nice brunchy breakfast! (Check out the defectors weld in Shepherd’s Bush….they do roast and records on a sunday with a DJ….it’s very cool)

If only they could bring back the pool table …there are no pool tables left in Chiswick and it’s a crying shame! Maybe even a dart board, support the dying traditions of the old pubs!

Also…on the cocktails….I’d never heard of most of the cocktails on the list and there wasn’t a description of what was in it…so you don’t know what you are ordering without asking first…

What Chiswick needs is an answer to the likes of the Defectors Weld in Shepherds Bush…a cool funky place to relax and eat, where you can even bring your own music…. I just hope that the Crown and Anchor can listen to what’s missing and try and rectify it! Fingers crossed!

This place is GRIM with a capital G, in fact I’m not sure but I think it may have closed down now.

Put it this way, after visiting for the first (and last) time a family asked us what it was like as they were about to go in…and we told them the name of another Chinese place to go to.

The food was all dried up and gloopy, with the driest chicken wings I’ve ever seen /attempted to eat. I actually felt sick eating their food.

The atmosphere was awful. We both mentioned that it was like we were on a saga holiday in Spain as it had a table of OAPs, a white tiled interior, and a woman singing in Spanish. It was dreadful. DO NOT GO THERE!

Turnham Green Chinese or TGC as it’s more commonly known is a great, reliable chinese takeaway joint near Turnham Green tube station. They only have a couple of tables there if you wanted to eat inside, so I have only ever ordered takeaway.

I think TGC is great value for what you get. The guy on the phone is always friendly and when I asked for less garlic in one of their dishes, this was done without a problem.

I love their sweet and sour prawns and pork, in fact I ordered from there last night!

Delivery is always really quick as well!

I’ve never managed to eat in this branch as it’s always packed to the hilters with people even sharing tables with strangers! It’s worth walking down the round to Ground, which is the same concept, except you get service with a smile and your own table instead!

Ground is your modern day “Gourmet” burger joint. The burgers are absolutely huge! We ordered fries and onion rings, and couldn’t managed them between us, we was so stuffed!
I couldn’t resist ordering a chocolate milkshake, which was delicious!

Ground is great because unlike Gourmet Burger Kitchen, you don’t have to order before you sit down which i really dislike! You get real service here, and unlike GBK you aren’t crammed in like sardines either!

Would definitely recommend!

Tootsies is a great place for a delicious burger!

They really are plentiful in size and so delicious!
This is a bit of a family restaurant, but not overly so, it didn’t bother us when we last visited.

The staff are always super friendly and helpful, our waiter was wonderful the last time I visited! I left feeling absolutely stuffed with a big grin on my face!