rglondon | Entries tagged with croydon

I hope you all enjoyed your extra day yesterday! Personally I think we should give the Hermetic Leap Week Calendar a go instead. That'd switch things up a little bit:

"A leap week calendar with 71 leap weeks per 400 years... the years are grouped into hexades of six or five years. The third year of each hexade is its only year with a leap week. The length of hexade is determined by the last two digits of its first year's number. A hexade is short (has five years) if and only if the last two digits of the product of 71 and the last two digits of the first year of the hexade is less than 26."

Sounds straightforward enough. And a whole extra week! I can't see any problems with that at all.

An intrepid band of RGL contributors and friends spent our run-of-the-mill Gregorian bissextile yesterday paying a visit to this week's featured article, The Cronx brewery bar. Located in the Croydon Boxpark, it's fairly small on the inside but you can take your pint out into the vast arena of shipping containers if you are feeling a little hemmed in. All the usual Cronx beers are there along with some guests, as well as some non-alcoholic bottled beers in the fridge.

Feel free to comment with your own ideas of what you could do with an extra week! I'd probably spend it reading more about alternative calendar systems.

rowleybirkinqc

This week's featured article is Hopper And Bean, N10 3DU, a cheerful yellow cafe in Muswell Hill that is easy to access and work in.

A new article: Langley Quarter, BR3 3DE, a cafe in Eden Park where the food side is a bit hit-and-miss, and there are accessibility issues, but it's a good place to work on your laptop.

Updates to Tooting Daily Fresh Naan, SW17 7ER (now shawarma too), Poached, BR3 1AZ (new visits,photos of menus), and Category: Central Line (no longer direct trains to Chigwell et al.).

Square, W1J 6PU, a French restaurant in Bruton Street, Mayfair, has closed after the parent company went into admin, though we're hoping someone will take it on (it has a Michelin star after all). At Adam's Cafe, CR0 2TD, a greasy spoon in London Road, Croydon, the shutters have been down for weeks, but we don't know why.

Now, tap rooms. The Orbit Beers Taproom, SE17 3HD was, as its name implied, the tap room for the Orbit Beers brewery which operates from railway arches in Walworth. Or rather, the tap room attached to their brewery has closed. But they tweeted that a nearby cafe would be "hosting" their tap room. What does this mean though? Beer lines snaking through from the brewery to taps on the cafe counter? Or a few cans on a shelf? Whatever, could one call the cafe a "proxy taproom". On the subject of taprooms, do please opinionate on my blog post about what tap rooms are and aren't, and whether there we should have a dedicated category for them.

Current Mood: indescribable

rowleybirkinqc

Belle Epoque, French-themed cafe on Newington Green

Happy new year wherever you are. You are still keeping your new year's resolutions, dryanuary or tryanuary or whatever, aren't you?

This week's featured article is the Belle Epoque, a French-themed café on Newington Green for all your croissant and croque needs.

An update: the Green Dragon, CR0 1NA in High Street, Croydon have tweaked their opening hours: staying open an hour later to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, but opening later on Sundays (now 12 noon).

Several closures have been reported. Sanxia, SE8 4PQ, a Sichuan restaurant on Deptford Broadway, closed in October and is now another Sichuan restaurant. In Norbury, Nomad Cuisine, SW16 4AN, a halal restaurant with Middle Eastern art, closed sometime last year, and the premises now hosts Heady's Diner, a café. And Draft House Old Street, EC1V 9NR has closed (were they using the American spelling of "draught", or was the bar just a draft, in preparation for BrewDog which is due to open up there?).

So, out with the old. And in with the new! A new article for a completely new bar: the Wolfpack, NW6 6RA, the tap room for the Wolfpack brewery. It's near Queens Park and is a pleasant place if you're in the area. Another new article: On The Bab, EC1V 9LA on Old Street does tasty Korean street food and good tea. It's always busy at lunchtime.

Current Mood: thirsty

mrs_leroy_brown

Good afternoon all :) A short one this week, as we've no new articles, updates or reported closures.

This week's featured article is Urban Guj, an Indian cafe and teashop in Thornton Heath. I've visited and can highly recommend the divine carb-in-carb Wada Pau experience, and the masala chips were an utter delight.

ewan

People, sorry, I've been slammed at work so completely failed to update you on the goings and comings at the venerable Randomness Guide to London.

Our featured article this week is Vasanta Bhavan, E6 2JA, a veggie Indian cafe in East Ham. I accidentally typed "Eat Ham" there, but I've corrected it, and those of you who want to do that would be best advised not to visit. Actually, probably do visit because they'll do you a nice dosa and idli.

Our two new pages are Las Fuentes, a tapas place in Selsdon, which I surely don't have to tell you is near Croydon. Surprisingly good, I'm reading. Surprisingly good. Oh and there's also The Golden Ark nearby, which is a micropub, with normal human size tables for sitting at, and (as ever) decent ale.

There are also some significant updates to Chennai Dosa, a South Indian in Croydon where they would advise you to eat the food with your fingers as nature intended. I went there not so long ago and it was excellent, v nice. There's The Edward Rayne in Raynes Park, a Wetherspoons, so you know what to expect. And Urban Guj in Thornton Heath, an Indian cafe and tea shop, which sounds like a place to go when next you find yourself in sunny CR7.

katstevens

Evening RGLers!

This week's featured article is for Hilltribe, a Thai restaurant in Richmond. All the dishes our reviewer tried came with a lettuce leaf/hibiscus flower decoration, which certainly made the Chiangmai sausages look more colourful: like Esther Williams, in sausage form!

There's a new article for 161 Food And Drink, a wine bar just down the road from me in sunny Sydenham. They have a few interesting beers on offer too, plus a small plates menu, however if you're after substantial veggie options for dinner, in my experience you'd be better off at the Azeri chip shop three doors up the hill.

Staying in Sydenham, there's an update for the On The Hoof Bistro, a cafe run by the same people behind the coffee stalls in Sydenham and Forest Hill stations. I must go back there for another Sunday roast at some point.

Finally, down in Croydon there's an update for Don's Cafe, a traditional greasy spoon with proper formica tables. The sausages here may be slightly less glamorous than Esther Williams, but they get the job done.

katstevens

Good evening RGL readers! Or should I say good e-vin-ing, as this week's featured article is for the Wine Gallery in Purley. Look out for some 'vine art' on the walls and 'corkingly' good tapas, in 'oeno-rous' portions. Sincere apologies for the low quality of these puns, it's been a long day. Perhaps I need a glass of pun-ot noir?

There are updates for a couple of Young's pubs, the Wheatsheaf in Borough Market and the Windmill on the Common in Clapham. Chai Naasto in Beckenham has also had an update, it sounds like a decent local option for Indian street food with friendly service.

Peruvian restaurant Tito's has moved from its old home near London Bridge station to Stockwell, though if you're still in the mood for spicy prawns there is now a different Peruvian restaurant on the premises. Over in Twickenham, the Rifleman has had more reimaginings than Madonna over the last few years; it's reopened once more under new management.

Finally, two closures to report: Brasserie Vacherin in Croydon, and the PlumTree Cafe in Greenwich.

ewan

Hello everyone and welcome to a midweek update for the RGL site.

The featured article this week is Santo Remedio, SE1 2TU, a Mexican restaurant in Bermondsey. It has a bar-like ambience upstairs, while downstairs expect a tulip on the table to provide a bit of colour. Expect enormous tacos and plenty of food on the set lunch menu.

There are four new articles! Four! These are:
* Levan, a cafe/bar in Peckham with annoying loud music (it's Peckham) and slightly underwhelming (European, not Levantine) food.
* Blackbird Bakery, also in Peckham, but in a railway arch which is exciting for a non-brewery enterprise. Anyway, it's busy and buzzy and the music is a lot quieter.
* Plumstead Pantry, and I shouldn't need to tell you where this is, you educated lot. I was there too and it has a nice cafe vibe with a vegan breakfast (heavy on the roasted greens like broccoli and sugarsnap peas).
* Kailash Momo in Woolwich, which looks like a dowdy takeaway from outside, but inside is a wonderful cozy Tibetan/Nepalese restaurant with tasty dumplings (the momo of the name) amongst other things.

Significant updates to our entries for The Old Mill and The Star pubs in Plumstead too, only one of which is still a proper old-school boozer, the other having been given a makeover as a pizza-serving upscale gaff.

Our two reported permanent closures are The Croydon Steak House and The Lukin (now a Guy Ritchie-owned pub called the Lore of the Land, so expect geezers I guess).

katstevens

Evening RGLers! A quick round up this week.

This week's featured article is for Big Seff in Winchmore Hill, the Turkish restaurant on Green Lanes that most sounds like a guest rapper flown in to do a couple of verses and then have a satisfying breakfast afterwards, perhaps with stuffed filo pastry and halloumi. (For some actual Turkish rap, try "Yok Geri Dönmek" by Ceza - high speed but very light and airy).

Our other update is for Shadi Bakery and cafe in Croydon, where the naans are freshly made to order - but if you're having 'naan of that' then this update also provides news of dumplings on offer (that come with a naan).

mrs_leroy_brown

Evening all :)

This week's featured article is Hack and Hop, a small City pub that impressed our reviewers with its extensive selection of quality ales and sharing platters. Truly it is a pub of distinction!

Speaking of platters, down Croydon way, Seima's Tea Room situated in the Centrale branch of House of Fraser serves a cracking loose-leaf tea and sanger platter.

Another Cronx cafe with updates is a bit of a Blur, to ~~steal~~ callback Kat's introduction to the Parklife Cafe on the edge of Lloyd Park. On this visit, bruschetta with a German twist was well received, accompanied with a generous slug of tea.

We've one reported closure this week - The Polish Kitchen in Cheshunt has been replaced by a pizza and pasta restaurant called Zio's.

ewan

Hello and welcome to another week of London randomness.

Our featured article this week is a micropub and crafty beer shop in Ruislip, The Hop and Vine, HA4 7AN. Expect friendly service, wood-panelled walls, ales, cheeseboards and, if you're lucky, maybe a dog or two.

Reported temporary closures for the Cartoon Museum (yes there is one and it was in Bloomsbury, but intends to move to Fitzrovia), and Cote d'Azur, a French/Mauritian fusion restaurant in Croydon, which has closed rather more mysteriously (so it may or may not return).

Reported permanent closures are Maze, a fancy Gordon Ramsay-owned restaurant in Mayfair (I'm sure you went all the time, so we're sorry to let you down); The Waterloo Bar and Kitchen which was a bar and kitchen in, er, Waterloo; and finally Obia, an Italian restaurant in "Croydon's restaurant quarter" (South End).

ewan

It's a quiet week on RGL so there's less to read this week. Hello!

This week's featured article is Fish in a Tie, SW11 2PF. Fish in a tie! Fish in a tie! I feel like that may be the start of some catchy children's ditty, albeit one that perhaps does not end up so happily for the fish. As a vegan I feel I must point out... Anyway, assuming you like fish, this sound like the place for you, and it has good service which should always be rewarded.

The one reported permanent closure -- which is to say, this is not a place you can visit anymore, sorry -- is Dosa n Chutney, a South Indian restaurant in Croydon. Given the name of the place, the chutneys should probably have been more than "competent", but if you head further up London Road you can visit the lovely Santok Maa's where they'll do you a chutney dosa. I was there the other week. Anyway, that's by the by, and that recommendation isn't officially part of the update. But it seemed relevant to those who might be interested in the categories of both dosas and chutneys and the intersection thereof.

katstevens

Good evening, and welcome to a slightly belated blog post. Our featured article this week is for Trullo near Highbury & Islington station. Their tagliarini is good enough to convince our pasta-sceptic reviewer into a return visit, and to be quite frank the write-up is making me feel hungry, despite my having scoffed four mini naan breads mere seconds before typing this sentence.

There's an update for the insensitively-named but otherwise pleasant Job Centre, an Antic pub in Deptford (very close to Wavelengths swimming pool, if you require a decent vegan roast after your Sunday morning 2km dip).

Finally, we've one closure to report: East Meets West in Croydon's Wing Yip centre.

ewan

Hello welcome back to another week of Randomness. This week's featured article is Domali, SE19 3AH, a narrow cafe/bar in Upper Norwood's Crystal Palace neighbourhood, where you can find mostly vegetarian food as well as some draught beers. Expect to find our local correspondent in there for weekend brunches.

The two new articles are... Roti Joupa in sunny Clapham, a Trinidadian place, primarily a takeaway though there are a few stools from where you can view beach scenes and palm tree decals, though I suspect the food will be the main way you commune with its Trinidadian origins. Sounds like tasty good value to me.

The other new article is Craft Beer Co. in what they like to call Covent Garden. It's been recently done up, and Kake has managed to get a photo of it with no people in, which is not how you'll generally see the place (as it's quite popular).

Four reported permanent closures are for: The Sandrock in Shirley; The Castle in Holborn; the Nordic Bakery in Covent Garden; and Bread Ahead in Covent Garden.

mrs_leroy_brown

Nightingale on the Green, Wanstead, London E11

Good morning RGL folks!

This week's featured article is Wanstead's Nightingale On The Green. After a couple of closures and a name change, it's back on the pub scene offering an updated yet traditional pub setting. Why not stop by for lunch or dinner, tho if you're after scran, note the kitchen's closed on Mondays.

A new article has gone up for Chennai Dosa, a cafe-style South Indian restuarant in West Croydon. I can confirm that the weekend breakfast buffet is definitely worth a visit - I know I'll be back.

Finally, the Waterloo Bar and Kitchen has been reported as closed, though we're uncertain if this is a temporary or permament closure.

ewan

Hello and welcome back to another week of randomness!

We understand that the content has been a little Croydon-centric recently, but expect the range to expand soon! In the meantime, your featured article is Kalpa, CR0 2SB, a Sri Lankan and Keralan restaurant in... Croydon! Our write-up suggests the food is a bit hit and miss, but since all the recent recommendations mean you're surely likely to passing through Croydon, why not stop off?

New articles move a bit further north, to Viet Hoa in Shoreditch: modern decor, and well spiced; and the Everyman King's Cross cinema. It's very posh and therefore both very comfortable and very expensive (like the rest of the chain).

Updates have been made to The Duke's Head Hotel in Wallington, and The Royal Oak in Borough. Thankfully the pub remains excellent, the beer good and keenly-priced too.

Finally, we must report the (thankfully temporary) closure of Mamuska! at Elephant & Castle, which is moving to another location nearby later this year. Polish dumpling fans can breathe easier.

katstevens

Morning RGL readers!

This week's featured article is for Taste of Kerala in Croydon, a small South Indian restaurant which sounds like a handy spot for a lunchtime thali. Good value for money, too!

In Latin American cafe news, there's a new page for the Pueblito Paisa Cafe, which is right opposite the 76 bus stop at Seven Sisters station, next to the market. No word on whether they do Christmas empanadas or not.

There are updates for The Finsbury pub (in Finsbury Park, not Finsbury EC1) where the lime and soda is FREE, yes FREE, and for the Dilara/Uyghur Restaurant (also in Finsbury Park, not Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Territory), where the menu is a mix of Turkish and Chinese dishes.

Regular readers will remember the Sir Richard Steele closing for refurbishment back in January - your patience has been rewarded! It's back open and we have no idea what it's like now. Will they have kept the ceiling mural? A world of mystery awaits in Belsize Park.

ewan

Welcome back to another week of RGL!

Ah here is a Croydon pub, and it's your featured article for this week: The Cricketers, CR0 6SG. I've been there, though before it went through its troubled smoked meat phase. I mean, we all do, don't we? Luckily, they have a sandwich good enough that Kake would travel all the way there to eat it. You may demur and say, well, Kake doesn't live all that far from it, but I think it's still enough of a recommendation. Why not read the entry to find out about this wonderful sandwich? (If you like fish.)

We have an update to the Cafe Oto entry. The Persian-inspired food is perhaps a little overpriced, but I'm visiting later this year to see some kind of avant-garde cacophony no doubt, so perhaps shall get to judge it myself.

A reported temporary closure for The Compton Arms near Highbury, but I was told a few weeks ago that it was fully open once again, so perhaps just tread carefully. Perhaps it is, perhaps it's not.

Many other pubs, though, have definitely closed, and closed more or less permanently. There's The Fox in Dalston, there's South London Pacific in Kennington, there's The Fountain in New Malden, and there's the Adnam's pub The Bridge House on Tower Bridge. Times do change, but I can't imagine some of these locations will be closed forever.

One final note about the Earl Haig in sunny Hounslow, not closed but instead renamed to Keg & Cask. Well I for one will be unlikely to visit, but mostly because I rarely make it quite so far out of the centre.

mrs_leroy_brown

Hiya folks!

This week's featured article is Blend, a microcafe in Norbury. It's hard for me to think about hot drinks right now, but if I'm ever around that way, I'll be sure to check out their excellent selection of loose leaf teas. They also serve a curated selection of breakfast faves and sangers, and you'll likely be able to charge your phone or other electronic device if need be.

Two new articles have been added - Obia in Croydon's restaurant quarter serves an interesting falafel burger, though it appears the curse of the structurally unsound veg burger knows no bounds. If that seems a bit outré, you can always stick with their traditional Italian classics.

Still in Croydon, Kalpa serves Sri Lankan and Keralan food. Our reviewers were satisfied by the overall quality, though slightly underwhelmed by the mutonniness off the mutton rolls.

Updates have been made to Viet Grill in Shoreditch. Perhaps try the Saigon Feed set lunch, where you can choose from a limited selection of starters and mains, one of which is called "grilled piggy aubergine" and which our reviewer found quite nice.

katstevens

Evening RGL readers!

I made some dreadful Blur jokes for the subject of our featured article a few weeks ago, unfortunately There's No Other Way I can introduce Croydon's Parklife Cafe. Truly, This Is A Low in terms of puns. (Try the eggs benedict.)

New this week is Turkish restaurant Best Mangal in Old Street, where you can enjoy Tender kebabs at your Leisure, though it's a bit of a squeeze space-wise. These puns really have No Distance Left To Run so I am going to stop now.