Randomness Guide to London

I'm back-back-back from my holidays to take over update duties from Kat.



The featured article this week is the imaginatively named Food House, W1D 5QH, which we can confirm does indeed offer food. But perhaps instead you should call it 風味食堂. In fact, it's Northern Chinese and Sichuanese food, moved from that bit of Charing Cross Road currently being refurbished. The food was a mixed affair -- check the review for more details -- but the Chinese 'hamburger' was considered rather good at the most recent visit, and the service is friendly.

Lots of new articles, many of them in Tooting. Those that aren't are a relaxed Italian in Covent Garden, Wildwood Kitchen, and the Clapham Junction branch of We Brought Beer beer shop (we added their Balham branch recently). Moving onto those Tooting outlets, we have: Apollo Banana Leaf (a meaty Sri Lankan); Dosa n Chutny (a South Indian cafe); Gourmet (a Pakistani bakery/sweet shop); Pooja Sweets and Savouries (an Indian sweet shop); and Tooting Daily Fresh Naan, which will sort you out for all yr naan needs (though watch out for the hygiene rating).

There are updates to The Lyceum Tavern and The Edgar Wallace, both on or near the Strand.

Sadly, plenty of reported closures too, most of them pubs as noted in the London Drinker magazine: All Bar One by London Bridge ('redeveloped'); Costa Dorada on Hanway Street; The Fox Reformed in Stoke Newington (renamed); The Gilpin's Bell Edmonton Wetherspoons pub; The Man in the Moon Stanmore 'Spoons; Mela (an Indian on Shaftesbury Ave); The North Pole in Islington (renamed); The Queen's Head in Mitcham; The Widow's Son pub in Bow.

We've heard that Mum's House (a Burmese grocery, not literally your mum's house, unless your mum is Burmese and runs a grocery shop) has moved from Wood Green to Tottenham.

The Misty Moon in High Barnet is now called The Butchers Arms.

Finally, Adams Cafe in Croydon has reopened, for your London Road greasy spoon needs.

Hello! Plenty of pub updates this week, as Kake's been out in Sutton. Do please note that the many Sutton updates not constitute new pubs to the Good Beer Guide 2013. Those will be updated on the website on 13 September (the book's release date), so look out for them!



In the meantime, the featured article this week is Shane's on Chatsworth, a newish restaurant on up-and-coming Chatsworth Road, Clapton, which was much enjoyed by Kat. (It is very much open for business unless you walk by to take your photo on a Monday.)

New entries this past week have been: Aces and Eights, an American-style saloon bar in Tufnell Park which does very tasty pizza; and The Ravensbury in Mitcham.

Significant updates to: The Sekforde Arms, good old-fashioned pub in Clerkenwell; The Marquis of Granby and The Jolly Coopers in Epsom (which is only marginally London); and many pubs in Sutton (The Old Bank, The Little Windsor, The Cock and Bull and The Lord Nelson).

Finally confirmation of three permanent closures: Tas-Ty Snacks greasy spoon in Bermondsey; Spa Fish Bar, a fish and chip shop in the same area; and Bella Italia, a chain Italian restaurant in Epsom.